--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Character: The ability to carry out a…" description: "\"Character: The ability to carry out a worthy decision after the emotion of making that decision has passed. Character simply stated is doing what you s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe4/hyrum-w-smith-28442_ability_character-the-ability-to-carry-out-a-wor_1498132.png" --- # Character: The ability to carry out a worthy decision… ![“Character: The ability to carry out a worthy decision after the emotion of making that decision has passed. Character simply stated is doing what you said you were going to do. If you develop a reputation for that, do you have any idea the effect that has on self-perception? Its immense, just…” quote by Hyrum W. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe4/hyrum-w-smith-28442_ability_character-the-ability-to-carry-out-a-wor_1498132.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe4/hyrum-w-smith-28442_ability_character-the-ability-to-carry-out-a-wor_1498132.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe4/hyrum-w-smith-28442_ability_character-the-ability-to-carry-out-a-wor_1498132.png) > “Character: The ability to carry out a worthy decision after the emotion of making that decision has passed. Character simply stated is doing what you said you were going to do. If you develop a reputation for that, do you have any idea the effect that has on self-perception? Its immense, just immense. The Savior was a man of character. He did everything he said he was going to do.” [Hyrum W. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyrum-w-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Character is the habit of following through on commitments after the initial excitement fades, building a reputation that shapes self‑image. **In simple terms:** Doing what you promised, even when feelings fade. Key Takeaway Consistently honor your word. Themes integrity reputation self‑esteem habit formation Mood reflective determined Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - leadership - personal development - relationship building - goal achievement Key Concepts self‑concept behavioral consistency social perception Questions to Reflect On - How do you keep promises when motivation wanes? - What habits reinforce your sense of character? A Different Perspective Sustaining character can be hard when external pressures tempt shortcuts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Man Of Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-of-character/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Perception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perception/) [Reputation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reputation/) [Savior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/savior/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self perception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-perception/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [Difficulty attracts the man of character because it is in embracing it that he realizes himself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-gaulle/difficulty-attracts-the-man-of-character-because-it-is-in-embracing/) [Charles de Gaulle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-gaulle/) > [The man of character, sensitive to the meaning of what he is doing, will know how to discover the ethical paths in the maze…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-warren/the-man-of-character-sensitive-to-the-meaning-of-what-he-is-doing/) [Earl Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-warren/) > [The word of the man of character will go further than all the riches of a man without a good name...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-joseph/the-word-of-the-man-of-character-will-go-further-than-all-the-riches/) [Jesse Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-joseph/) > [Every man of character will have that character questioned. Every man of honor and courage will be faced with unjust criticism, but never forget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-andrews/every-man-of-character-will-have-that-character-questioned-every-man/) [Andy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-andrews/) > [Faced with crisis, the man of character falls back on himself. He imposes his own stamp of action, takes responsibility for it, makes it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-gaulle/faced-with-crisis-the-man-of-character-falls-back-on-himself-he/) [Charles de Gaulle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-gaulle/) > [A man of character will make himself worthy of any position he is given.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/a-man-of-character-will-make-himself-worthy-of-any-position-he-is/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [A man of character in peace is a man of courage in war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-glover/a-man-of-character-in-peace-is-a-man-of-courage-in-war/) James Glover > [Adversity attracts the man of character. He seeks out the bitter joy of responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-gaulle/adversity-attracts-the-man-of-character-he-seeks-out-the-bitter-joy/) [Charles de Gaulle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-gaulle/) > [If Diego Simeone is a gladiator, then Allegri is a man of character and his results speak for him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-mandzukic/if-diego-simeone-is-a-gladiator-then-allegri-is-a-man-of-character/) [Mario Mandzukic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-mandzukic/) > [Faced with crisis, the man of character falls back upon himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-de-gaulle/faced-with-crisis-the-man-of-character-falls-back-upon-himself/) [Charles de Gaulle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-de-gaulle/) > [“Study changes a man, puts pride into him. You need it to get to the bottom of life. Without it you just skim the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/study-changes-a-man-puts-pride-into-him-you-need-it-to-get-to-the/) [Louis-Ferdinand Celine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [I want my legacy to be that I was a man of character, I was a God fearing man and somebody who bettered the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-ward/i-want-my-legacy-to-be-that-i-was-a-man-of-character-i-was-a-god/) [Andre Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-ward/) > [Character has more effect than anything else. Let a number of loud-talking men take up a particular question, and one man of character, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-hubbel-chapin/character-has-more-effect-than-anything-else-let-a-number-of-loud/) [Edwin Hubbel Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-hubbel-chapin/) > [The man of character is the persistent man, the man who is faithful to his own word, his own convictions, his own affections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/the-man-of-character-is-the-persistent-man-the-man-who-is-faithful-to/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [“Now, I am living out my life in my corner, taunting myself with the spiteful and useless consolation that an intelligent man cannot become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/now-i-am-living-out-my-life-in-my-corner-taunting-myself-with-the-2/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) ## More by Hyrum W. Smith > [Drawing on impressive achievements in academics and athletics as well as his own personal disappointments and challenges, Jordan provides students with a unique opportunity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyrum-w-smith/drawing-on-impressive-achievements-in-academics-and-athletics-as-well/) [Hyrum W. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyrum-w-smith/) > [If there is anything that I could get you to do, it would be to spend ten to fifteen minutes each morning planning your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyrum-w-smith/if-there-is-anything-that-i-could-get-you-to-do-it-would-be-to-spend/) [Hyrum W. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyrum-w-smith/) > [Seeing ourselves as we want to be is a key to personal growth. To successfully bring about change in our lives we need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyrum-w-smith/seeing-ourselves-as-we-want-to-be-is-a-key-to-personal-growth-to/) [Hyrum W. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyrum-w-smith/) > [Success: The successful person is willing to do what the unsuccessful person is not willing to do. Draw a profile of success in whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyrum-w-smith/success-the-successful-person-is-willing-to-do-what-the-unsuccessful/) [Hyrum W. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyrum-w-smith/) > [Sacrifice: Giving up something good for something better. As I have studied great men and women from the beginning of time, the common denominator…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyrum-w-smith/sacrifice-giving-up-something-good-for-something-better-as-i-have/) [Hyrum W. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyrum-w-smith/) > [A goal is a planned conflict with the status quo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyrum-w-smith/a-goal-is-a-planned-conflict-with-the-status-quo/) [Hyrum W. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyrum-w-smith/) > [Charity is the pure love of Christ. Let's bring it down for us lay folk to understand. Selflessness, patience. . . . a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyrum-w-smith/charity-is-the-pure-love-of-christ-let-s-bring-it-down-for-us-lay/) [Hyrum W. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyrum-w-smith/) > [You cannot motivate anyone but yourself. To enhance or cause action in another person, you must create an atmosphere around them wherein they will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyrum-w-smith/you-cannot-motivate-anyone-but-yourself-to-enhance-or-cause-action-in/) [Hyrum W. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyrum-w-smith/) > [Charity is the pure love of Christ. Let's bring it down for us lay folk to understand. Selflessness, patience. . . . a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyrum-w-smith/charity-is-the-pure-love-of-christ-let-s-bring-it-down-for-us-lay-2/) [Hyrum W. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyrum-w-smith/) > [A goal is a planned event](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyrum-w-smith/a-goal-is-a-planned-event/) [Hyrum W. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyrum-w-smith/) > [Wisdom: Knowledge rightly applied. We assimilate lots of knowledge. Whether or not we do anything with that knowledge is a measure of our wisdom.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyrum-w-smith/wisdom-knowledge-rightly-applied-we-assimilate-lots-of-knowledge/) [Hyrum W. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyrum-w-smith/) > [The secret to achieving inner peace lies in understanding our inner core values – those things in our lives that are most important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyrum-w-smith/the-secret-to-achieving-inner-peace-lies-in-understanding-our-inner/) [Hyrum W. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyrum-w-smith/) > [Time management is only a set of skills and tools to help us more efficiently control the eventsour our lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyrum-w-smith/time-management-is-only-a-set-of-skills-and-tools-to-help-us-more/) [Hyrum W. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyrum-w-smith/) > [Humility: The realization of our dependence on God. I have always had strong feelings about that word regardless of what anyone's background might be.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyrum-w-smith/humility-the-realization-of-our-dependence-on-god-i-have-always-had/) [Hyrum W. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyrum-w-smith/) > [Money is only a byproduct of being engaged in a worthy cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyrum-w-smith/money-is-only-a-byproduct-of-being-engaged-in-a-worthy-cause/) [Hyrum W. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyrum-w-smith/) [Explore all 19 Hyrum W. Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyrum-w-smith/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Character: The ability to carry out a worthy decision after the emotion of making that decision has passed. 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