Character Stories
1: Honesty
Speaking the truth but more broadly presenting oneself in a genuine way and acting in
a sincere way; being without pretense; taking responsibility for one's feelings and
actions.
2: Humor
Liking to laugh and tease; bringing smiles to other people; seeing the light side;
making (not necessarily telling) jokes.
3: Social intelligence
Being aware of the motives/feelings of others and oneself; knowing what to do to fit
into different social situations; knowing what makes other people tick.
4: Spirituality
Having coherent beliefs about the higher purpose and meaning of the universe;
knowing where one fits within the larger scheme; having beliefs about the meaning of
life that shape conduct and provide comfort.
5: Love
Valuing close relations with others, in particular those in which sharing & caring are
reciprocated; being close to people.
6: Perspective
Being able to provide wise counsel to others; having ways of looking at the world that
make sense to oneself/others.
7: Humility
Letting one's accomplishments speak for themselves; not regarding oneself as more
special than one is.
8: Leadership
Encouraging a group of which one is a member to get things done and at the same
time maintain good relations within the group; organizing group activities and seeing
that they happen.
9: Kindness
Doing favors and good deeds for others; helping them; taking care of them.
Being aware of and thankful for the good things that happen; taking time to express
thanks.
11: Creativity
Thinking of novel and productive ways to conceptualize and do things; includes
artistic achievement but is not limited to it.
12: Fairness
Treating all people the same according to notions of fairness and justice; not letting
feelings bias decisions about others; giving everyone a fair chance.
13: Perseverance
Finishing what one starts; persevering in a course of action in spite of obstacles;
“getting it out the door”; taking pleasure in completing tasks.
14: Teamwork
Working well as a member of a group or team; being loyal to the group; doing one's
share.
15: Zest
Approaching life with excitement and energy; not doing things halfway or
halfheartedly; living life as an adventure; feeling alive and activated.
16: Judgment
Thinking things through and examining them from all sides; not jumping to
conclusions; being able to change one's mind in light of evidence; weighing all
evidence fairly.
17: Appreciation of Beauty & Excellence
Noticing and appreciating beauty, excellence, and/or skilled performance in various
domains of life, from nature to art to mathematics to science to everyday experience.
18: Hope
Expecting the best in the future and working to achieve it; believing that a good future
is something that can be brought about.
19: Bravery
Ahmed Alqassab
©2020 VIA Institute on Character. All Rights Reserved.
Not shrinking from threat, challenge, difficulty, or pain; speaking up for what’s right
even if there’s opposition; acting on convictions even if unpopular; includes physical
bravery but is not limited to it.
20: Forgiveness
Forgiving those who have done wrong; accepting others’ shortcomings; giving people
a second chance; not being vengeful.
21: Self-Regulation
Regulating what one feels and does; being disciplined; controlling one's appetites and
emotions.
22: Love of learning
Mastering new skills, topics, and bodies of knowledge, whether on one's own or
formally; related to the strength of curiosity but goes beyond it to describe the
tendency to add systematically to what one knows.
23: Curiosity
Taking an interest in ongoing experience for its own sake; finding subjects and topics
fascinating; exploring and discovering.
24: Prudence
Being careful about one's choices; not taking undue risks; not saying or doing things
that might later be regretted.