--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have one outstanding trait in my…" description: "\"“I have one outstanding trait in my character, which must strike anyone who knows me for any length of time, and that is my knowledge of myself. I can ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2bf/anne-frank-536_every-day_i-have-one-outstanding-trait-in-my-chara_1402145.jpg" --- # I have one outstanding trait in my character, which must… ![“I have one outstanding trait in my character, which must strike anyone who knows me for any length of time, and that is my knowledge of myself. I can watch myself and my actions, just like an outsider. The Anne of every day I can face entirely without prejudice, without making excuses for her, and…” quote by Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2bf/anne-frank-536_every-day_i-have-one-outstanding-trait-in-my-chara_1402145.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2bf/anne-frank-536_every-day_i-have-one-outstanding-trait-in-my-chara_1402145.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2bf/anne-frank-536_every-day_i-have-one-outstanding-trait-in-my-chara_1402145.jpg) > ““I have one outstanding trait in my character, which must strike anyone who knows me for any length of time, and that is my knowledge of myself. I can watch myself and my actions, just like an outsider. The Anne of every day I can face entirely without prejudice, without making excuses for her, and watch what's good and what's bad about her. This 'self-consciousness' haunts me, and every time I open my mouth I know as soon as I've spoken whether 'that ought to have been different' or 'that was right as it was.' There are so many things about myself that I condemn; I couldn't begin to name them all. I understand more and more how true Daddy's words were when he said: 'All children must look after their own upbringing.' Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a person's character lies in their own hands.”” [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑awareness allows one to observe personal actions objectively, judge them without excuse, and take responsibility for personal growth, aligning with the belief that individuals shape their own character. **In simple terms:** Self‑knowledge helps judge actions and shape character. Key Takeaway Cultivate honest self‑reflection to guide personal development. Themes self‑awareness personal responsibility character building reflection growth Mood thoughtful introspective motivational Type personal development psychological When to use this quote - daily decision making - personal relationships - career choices - conflict resolution - mental health practice Key Concepts introspection moral judgment autonomy Questions to Reflect On - What habits help maintain balanced self‑reflection? - How can we turn self‑criticism into constructive change? A Different Perspective Self‑criticism can become paralyzing if not balanced with self‑compassion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Every day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-day/) [Good advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-advice/) [Making excuses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-excuses/) [Outstanding Trait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outstanding-trait-4916399/) [Person Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person-character/) [Person's Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons-character/) [Self consciousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-consciousness/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Trait Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trait-character-2132897/) ## Related quotes > [The final forming of a person's character lies in their own hands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/the-final-forming-of-a-person-s-character-lies-in-their-own-hands/) [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) > [“Children are ingenuous. They are also blessed with uncanny ability to read a person's character instantly. Even though they are inexperienced and unsophisticated, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wess-stafford/children-are-ingenuous-they-are-also-blessed-with-uncanny-ability-to/) [Wess Stafford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wess-stafford/) > [Quality of work is directly related to the quality of a person's character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orrin-woodward/quality-of-work-is-directly-related-to-the-quality-of-a-person-s/) [Orrin Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orrin-woodward/) > [Something of a person's character may be observed by how they smile. Some never smile they only grin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-nestell-bovee/something-of-a-person-s-character-may-be-observed-by-how-they-smile/) [Christian Nestell Bovee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-nestell-bovee/) > [“ The distinction of one person's character can be illustrated by this word : attitude ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ency-bearis/the-distinction-of-one-person-s-character-can-be-illustrated-by-this/) [Ency Bearis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ency-bearis/) > [“Don't be fool enough to think you can know a person's character after a few moments of observation. You can't. You have no idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/don-t-be-fool-enough-to-think-you-can-know-a-person-s-character-after/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [With thought, patience, and discrimination, book passion becomes the signature of a person's character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-a-basbanes/with-thought-patience-and-discrimination-book-passion-becomes-the/) [Nicholas A. Basbanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-a-basbanes/) > [The public, unlike our governing elite, are not obsessed by race and sex. They are rightly interested only in the contents of the person's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hitchens/the-public-unlike-our-governing-elite-are-not-obsessed-by-race-and/) [Peter Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hitchens/) > [“I've found that he way a person feels about cats-and the way they feel about him or her in return-is usually an excellent gauge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-found-that-he-way-a-person-feels-about-cats-and-the-way-they/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Past a certain point, maybe, a person's character defines itself and stays fixed in your mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-galgut/past-a-certain-point-maybe-a-person-s-character-defines-itself-and/) [Damon Galgut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-galgut/) > [And very often the influence exerted on a person's character by the amount of his income is hardly less, if it is less, than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-marshall/and-very-often-the-influence-exerted-on-a-person-s-character-by-the/) [Alfred Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-marshall/) > [“Those who try and destroy another person's character with lies...end up destroying themselves in the process.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-pina/those-who-try-and-destroy-another-person-s-character-with-lies-end-up/) [Timothy Pina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-pina/) > [A person's character is but half formed till after wedlock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-simmons/a-person-s-character-is-but-half-formed-till-after-wedlock/) [Charles Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-simmons/) > [“At my age I don't need references. I can judge a person's character before they've said a hundred words.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maryann-mcfadden/at-my-age-i-don-t-need-references-i-can-judge-a-person-s-character/) [Maryann McFadden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maryann-mcfadden/) > [It's too easy to sum up a person's character in one negative instant, and it doesn't put anything good out into the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hope-davis/it-s-too-easy-to-sum-up-a-person-s-character-in-one-negative-instant/) [Hope Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hope-davis/) ## More by Anne Frank > [“Despite everything, I believe people are really good at heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/despite-everything-i-believe-people-are-really-good-at-heart/) [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) > [“Yes, paper does have more patience, and since I’m not planning to let anyone else read this stiff-backed notebook grandly referred to as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/yes-paper-does-have-more-patience-and-since-i-m-not-planning-to-let/) [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) > [Generally speaking, men are held in great esteem in all parts of the world, so why shouldn't women have their share? Soldiers and war…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/generally-speaking-men-are-held-in-great-esteem-in-all-parts-of-the/) [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) > [Ordinary people simply don't know what books mean to us, shut up here. Reading, learning, and the radio are our amusements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/ordinary-people-simply-don-t-know-what-books-mean-to-us-shut-up-here/) [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) > [PARENTS CAN ONLY GIVE GOOD ADVICE OR PUT U ON THE RIGHT PATH BUT THE FINAL FORMING OF A PARENTS CHARACTER LIES IN THEIRBOWN…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/parents-can-only-give-good-advice-or-put-u-on-the-right-path-but-the/) [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) > [I love you, with a love so great that it simply couldn't keep growing inside my heart, but had to leap out and reveal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/i-love-you-with-a-love-so-great-that-it-simply-couldn-t-keep-growing/) [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) > [Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news. The good news is that you don't know how great you can be! How…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/everyone-has-inside-of-him-a-piece-of-good-news-the-good-news-is-that/) [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) > [I want something from Daddy that he is not able to give me. ... It is only that I long for Daddy's real love:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/i-want-something-from-daddy-that-he-is-not-able-to-give-me-it-is-only/) [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) > [There's one golden rule to keep before you: laugh about everything and don't bother yourself about the others!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/there-s-one-golden-rule-to-keep-before-you-laugh-about-everything-and/) [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) > [“Those who don’t know will have to find out by experience that “a quiet conscience gives you strength!” Yours,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/those-who-don-t-know-will-have-to-find-out-by-experience-that-a-quiet/) [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) > [I never utter my real feelings about anything. My lighter, superficial side will always be too quick for the deeper side of me, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/i-never-utter-my-real-feelings-about-anything-my-lighter-superficial/) [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) > [Riches, prestige, everything can be lost. But the happiness in your heart can only be dimmed; it will always be there as long as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/riches-prestige-everything-can-be-lost-but-the-happiness-in-your/) [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) > [At any rate, Daddy usually comes to my defence. Without him I wouldn't be able to stick out here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/at-any-rate-daddy-usually-comes-to-my-defence-without-him-i-wouldn-t/) [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) > [“Îmi dau seama că o etapă din ea s-a încheiat definitiv: perioada fără griji și necazuri a anilor de școală nu se mai întoarce…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/mi-dau-seama-c-o-etap-din-ea-s-a-ncheiat-definitiv-perioada-f-r-griji/) [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) > [After May 1940, the good times were few and far between; first there was the war, then the capitulation, and then the arrival of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-frank/after-may-1940-the-good-times-were-few-and-far-between-first-there/) [Anne Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) [Explore all 434 Anne Frank quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-frank/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) [David Hudgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hudgins/) > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/) [Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/) > [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/) [Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) [Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I have one outstanding trait in my character, which must strike anyone who knows me for any length of time, and that is my knowledge of myself. 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