---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Work on your character and a good life…"
description: "\"“Work on your character and a good life will come to you.”\" — Donald Miller"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c00/donald-miller-607_character_work-on-your-character-and-a-good-life-w_2250995.png"
---

#  Work on your character and a good life will come to you.

![“Work on your character and a good life will come to you.” quote by Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c00/donald-miller-607_character_work-on-your-character-and-a-good-life-w_2250995.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c00/donald-miller-607_character_work-on-your-character-and-a-good-life-w_2250995.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c00/donald-miller-607_character_work-on-your-character-and-a-good-life-w_2250995.png)

> ““Work on your character and a good life will come to you.””

[Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Developing strong character leads to a fulfilling life, as personal integrity attracts positive outcomes.

**In simple terms:** Build character, gain a good life.

Key Takeaway

Focus on personal growth.

Themes

character integrity life purpose personal development

Mood

inspirational motivational

Type

philosophical self‑help

When to use this quote

- career building
- relationships
- parenting
- community service

Key Concepts

ethics psychology

Questions to Reflect On

- What habits strengthen your character daily?
- How does integrity affect your relationships?

A Different Perspective

Character alone may not guarantee success without opportunity.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Good life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-life/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/)

## Related quotes

> [“A good character is not only about the good person people know you to be. Your ability to tell the truth about how bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/a-good-character-is-not-only-about-the-good-person-people-know-you-to/)

[Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/)

> [It's a challenge to work a character's arc into a format in which you only have a very limited amount of time to grow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginnifer-goodwin/it-s-a-challenge-to-work-a-character-s-arc-into-a-format-in-which-you/)

[Ginnifer Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginnifer-goodwin/)

> [When you work on a character, you form in your mind an image of what he ought to look like. Then you go and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo-antonioni/when-you-work-on-a-character-you-form-in-your-mind-an-image-of-what/)

[Michelangelo Antonioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo-antonioni/)

> [It doesn't matter if your lead character is good or bad. He just has to be interesting, and he has to be good at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-chase/it-doesn-t-matter-if-your-lead-character-is-good-or-bad-he-just-has/)

[David Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-chase/)

> [Human character is just endlessly fascinating, and there is no character who is one thing any more than any one person is just one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sada-thompson/human-character-is-just-endlessly-fascinating-and-there-is-no/)

Sada Thompson

> [You just can never count on a formula, on a movie that you think is going to be a big hit, and that's why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sarandon/you-just-can-never-count-on-a-formula-on-a-movie-that-you-think-is/)

[Susan Sarandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sarandon/)

> [You really try to work the character out and spend time in the headspace of the character. That's what I did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-norton/you-really-try-to-work-the-character-out-and-spend-time-in-the/)

[James Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-norton/)

> [Because of the pace of daytime, you don't necessarily have time to work every detail of your character, so you have to bring a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-brown/because-of-the-pace-of-daytime-you-don-t-necessarily-have-time-to/)

Sarah Brown

> [“Work on your character, let life fall into place.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-rumzi/work-on-your-character-let-life-fall-into-place/)

[Sonia Rumzi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-rumzi/)

> [Dealing with difficult people makes me realize how much I need to work on my character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dealing-with-difficult-people-makes-me-realize-how-much-i-need-to/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [The more deeply connected you are with the people that you're working with, the better the work and the character, and then, I think,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-mathison/the-more-deeply-connected-you-are-with-the-people-that-you-re-working/)

[Cameron Mathison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-mathison/)

> [I think the ultimate thing in some ways for any writer is to work on a character who's going to have a life for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-gould/i-think-the-ultimate-thing-in-some-ways-for-any-writer-is-to-work-on/)

[Peter Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-gould/)

> [In 'The Travelers,' everyone is defined by his or her relationship to work. I put each character on a different rung of the ladder:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-pavone/in-the-travelers-everyone-is-defined-by-his-or-her-relationship-to/)

[Chris Pavone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-pavone/)

> [Of course, even if the directors like my ideas or the designs I do, they may end up changing the story so much, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-walton/of-course-even-if-the-directors-like-my-ideas-or-the-designs-i-do/)

[Mark Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-walton/)

> [Of course, when you work on a character, you try to understand her. You feel that everything she does has a reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berenice-bejo/of-course-when-you-work-on-a-character-you-try-to-understand-her-you/)

[Berenice Bejo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/berenice-bejo/)

## More by Donald Miller

> [There's no authoritarian structure at Reed College, but the education is conservative. So what you have is a lot of students who are very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-no-authoritarian-structure-at-reed-college-but-the-education/)

[Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/)

> [I think each of us can, through our writing, discover our super power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/i-think-each-of-us-can-through-our-writing-discover-our-super-power/)

[Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/)

> [If you don't feel free and be yourself, you can't connect. Find people who accept your quirks. They'll heal your soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/if-you-don-t-feel-free-and-be-yourself-you-can-t-connect-find-people/)

[Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/)

> [And so I have come to understand that strength, inner strength, comes from receiving love as much as it comes from giving it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/and-so-i-have-come-to-understand-that-strength-inner-strength-comes/)

[Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/)

> [“Humans, as a species, are constantly, and in every way, comparing themselves to one another, which, given the brief nature of their existence, seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/humans-as-a-species-are-constantly-and-in-every-way-comparing/)

[Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/)

> [“alone, lonely, and loneliness are three of the most powerful words in the English language... Those words say that we are human; they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/alone-lonely-and-loneliness-are-three-of-the-most-powerful-words-in/)

[Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/)

> [“It isn't about what you don't get done; it's about what you do get done.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/it-isn-t-about-what-you-don-t-get-done-it-s-about-what-you-do-get-done/)

[Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/)

> [“Most Christians have enormous respect for the space and freedom of others, it is only that they have found a joy in Jesus they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/most-christians-have-enormous-respect-for-the-space-and-freedom-of/)

[Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/)

> [“The soul needs to interact with other people to be healthy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/the-soul-needs-to-interact-with-other-people-to-be-healthy/)

[Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/)

> [Don't let go of your strength or your beauty. It was given to you by God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/don-t-let-go-of-your-strength-or-your-beauty-it-was-given-to-you-by/)

[Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/)

> [There's a lot of letters, and a lot of people come say "hi" at book signings, but I'm amazed at how normal everybody is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/there-s-a-lot-of-letters-and-a-lot-of-people-come-say-hi-at-book/)

[Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/)

> [I am something of a recluse by nature. I am that cordless screwdriver that has to charge for twenty hours to earn ten minutes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/i-am-something-of-a-recluse-by-nature-i-am-that-cordless-screwdriver/)

[Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/)

> [The most important thing that happens within Christian spirituality is when a person falls in love with Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/the-most-important-thing-that-happens-within-christian-spirituality/)

[Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/)

> [Every day you live is a page. Every year, a chapter. Your life, a book. What is it about?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/every-day-you-live-is-a-page-every-year-a-chapter-your-life-a-book/)

[Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/)

> [“And that’s the first time I realized that the idea a character is what he does makes as much sense in life as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/and-that-s-the-first-time-i-realized-that-the-idea-a-character-is/)

[Donald Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/)

[Explore all 448 Donald Miller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/)

## 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

> [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": "“Work on your character and a good life will come to you.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Donald Miller"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/work-on-your-character-and-a-good-life-will-come-to-you/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Character"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/work-on-your-character-and-a-good-life-will-come-to-you/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c00/donald-miller-607_character_work-on-your-character-and-a-good-life-w_2250995.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c00/donald-miller-607_character_work-on-your-character-and-a-good-life-w_2250995.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c00/donald-miller-607_character_work-on-your-character-and-a-good-life-w_2250995.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Work on your character and a good life will come to you.” — Donald Miller",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Donald Miller",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-miller/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Work on your character and a...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/work-on-your-character-and-a-good-life-will-come-to-you/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-miller/work-on-your-character-and-a-good-life-will-come-to-you/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```