--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think character is permanent, and…" description: "\"I think character is permanent, and issues are transient.\" — James Stockdale" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/826/james-stockdale-20298_character_i-think-character-is-permanent-and-issue_3063627.jpg" --- # I think character is permanent, and issues are transient. ![“I think character is permanent, and issues are transient.” quote by James Stockdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/826/james-stockdale-20298_character_i-think-character-is-permanent-and-issue_3063627.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/826/james-stockdale-20298_character_i-think-character-is-permanent-and-issue_3063627.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/826/james-stockdale-20298_character_i-think-character-is-permanent-and-issue_3063627.jpg) > “I think character is permanent, and issues are transient.” [James Stockdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stockdale/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Character endures over time, while specific problems are temporary and pass. **In simple terms:** Character lasts, issues fade. Key Takeaway Focus on building lasting character. Themes character resilience change Mood reflective motivational Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal development - conflict resolution - leadership - self‑improvement Key Concepts permanence transience Questions to Reflect On - What aspects of character are most enduring? - How can we differentiate between temporary issues and core values? A Different Perspective Issues may recur in new forms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Character Permanent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character-permanent-5149427/) [Issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issues/) [Issues Transient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issues-transient-5149429/) [Permanent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/permanent/) [Permanent Issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/permanent-issues-5149428/) [Think Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-character/) [Transient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transient/) ## Related quotes > [“Sit here, so I may write you into a poem and make you eternal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/sit-here-so-i-may-write-you-into-a-poem-and-make-you-eternal/) [Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/) > [ \[Books\] will visit you at your convenience, whether you are lonesome or not, on rainy days or fair. They propose themselves as either transient… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifton-fadiman/books-will-visit-you-at-your-convenience-whether-you-are-lonesome-or/) [Clifton Fadiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifton-fadiman/) > [Transient bodies are only subject to destruction through their substance and not through their form, nor can the essence of their form be destroyed;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maimonides/transient-bodies-are-only-subject-to-destruction-through-their/) [Maimonides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maimonides/) > [For me, when my agents and reps send me a script, I read it through, just for the story purpose of it, and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dania-ramirez/for-me-when-my-agents-and-reps-send-me-a-script-i-read-it-through/) [Dania Ramirez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dania-ramirez/) > [I think any character you play, you find your ways to love them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-hechinger/i-think-any-character-you-play-you-find-your-ways-to-love-them/) [Fred Hechinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-hechinger/) > [I think about the character in any new offer that comes to me. Only if I like it do I go ahead with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/regina-cassandra/i-think-about-the-character-in-any-new-offer-that-comes-to-me-only-if/) [Regina Cassandra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/regina-cassandra/) > [I try not to think about any of the production side of things. If you do, you tend to get unfocused and distracted. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shanley-caswell/i-try-not-to-think-about-any-of-the-production-side-of-things-if-you/) [Shanley Caswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shanley-caswell/) > [Do you remember A Wrinkle in Time? It's a good one example. I think the character's name is Meg. I just remember she was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-fine-frenzy/do-you-remember-a-wrinkle-in-time-it-s-a-good-one-example-i-think-the/) [A Fine Frenzy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-fine-frenzy/) > [People have a very proprietary relationship with Superman. It's important to respect the iconography and the canon, but at the same time, you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/people-have-a-very-proprietary-relationship-with-superman-it-s/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [Perhaps the greatest definition I think of character and quality is people who when they're truly great rather than making you feel that tall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/perhaps-the-greatest-definition-i-think-of-character-and-quality-is/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [I find it an easy way into writing pieces is to think what the character's voice is like, and start from there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/armando-iannucci/i-find-it-an-easy-way-into-writing-pieces-is-to-think-what-the/) [Armando Iannucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/armando-iannucci/) > [Most people seem to think I am something of a character and the things that have befallen me are par for my course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-eubank-sr/most-people-seem-to-think-i-am-something-of-a-character-and-the/) [Chris Eubank Sr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-eubank-sr/) > [There should always be that leeway because if you think of your character as sort of absolutely fixed, then you just try and find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-abrahamson/there-should-always-be-that-leeway-because-if-you-think-of-your/) [Lenny Abrahamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-abrahamson/) > [You should think about your character. Know where you are changing, how you will be changed, what cannot be changed back again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/you-should-think-about-your-character-know-where-you-are-changing-how/) [Amy Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tan/) > [I never ask my wife about my flaws. Instead I try to get her to ignore them and concentrate on my sense of humor.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-newman/i-never-ask-my-wife-about-my-flaws-instead-i-try-to-get-her-to-ignore/) [Paul Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-newman/) ## More by James Stockdale > [I mean, I didn't - I should have demanded attention of the boss maybe, or something like that that might have backfired. This I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stockdale/i-mean-i-didn-t-i-should-have-demanded-attention-of-the-boss-maybe-or/) [James Stockdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stockdale/) > [And so, I mean, he declared war right there and then in so many words and Alex says later in the book, nobody in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stockdale/and-so-i-mean-he-declared-war-right-there-and-then-in-so-many-words/) [James Stockdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stockdale/) > [Do the right thing even if it means dying like a dog when no one's there to see you do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stockdale/do-the-right-thing-even-if-it-means-dying-like-a-dog-when-no-one-s/) [James Stockdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stockdale/) > [So the first thing that went on was to decide... trying to find a time when we could get reprisal raids out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stockdale/so-the-first-thing-that-went-on-was-to-decide-trying-to-find-a-time/) [James Stockdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stockdale/) > [I was tortured fifteen times, that's total submission. They did that with shutting off your blood circulation with ropes, giving you claustrophobia and pain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stockdale/i-was-tortured-fifteen-times-that-s-total-submission-they-did-that/) [James Stockdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stockdale/) > [I never had a single conversation about politics with Ross Perot in my life; still haven't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stockdale/i-never-had-a-single-conversation-about-politics-with-ross-perot-in/) [James Stockdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stockdale/) > [And we had our own laws. I mean, I wrote them. And we had our own customs, and traditions, and proprieties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stockdale/and-we-had-our-own-laws-i-mean-i-wrote-them-and-we-had-our-own/) [James Stockdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stockdale/) > [On the eighteenth of December 1972, when we thought we were getting another of the hundreds of little tactical air raids, we heard the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stockdale/on-the-eighteenth-of-december-1972-when-we-thought-we-were-getting/) [James Stockdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stockdale/) > [But there were highs as well as lows, it was as though they said everybody was picking on the man who had more practical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stockdale/but-there-were-highs-as-well-as-lows-it-was-as-though-they-said/) [James Stockdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stockdale/) > [Great leaders gain authority by giving it away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stockdale/great-leaders-gain-authority-by-giving-it-away/) [James Stockdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stockdale/) > [In order to do something you must be something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stockdale/in-order-to-do-something-you-must-be-something/) [James Stockdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stockdale/) > [We couldn't generalize on the people. Some of them were known to be tough guys and they didn't say much, but some of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stockdale/we-couldn-t-generalize-on-the-people-some-of-them-were-known-to-be/) [James Stockdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stockdale/) > [I was commanding officer of a supersonic fighter squadron, FA Crusaders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stockdale/i-was-commanding-officer-of-a-supersonic-fighter-squadron-fa-crusaders/) [James Stockdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stockdale/) > [This idea, as you know, that I have firm convictions that the idea of issues being a big deal where our mutual friend went…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stockdale/this-idea-as-you-know-that-i-have-firm-convictions-that-the-idea-of/) [James Stockdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stockdale/) > [He's a novice, but he's had these - he's experienced in leadership in tight circumstances. He started - he dropped the first bomb, led…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stockdale/he-s-a-novice-but-he-s-had-these-he-s-experienced-in-leadership-in/) [James Stockdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stockdale/) [Explore all 31 James Stockdale quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stockdale/) ## 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 think character is permanent, and issues are transient.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Stockdale" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stockdale/i-think-character-is-permanent-and-issues-are-transient/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Character" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stockdale/i-think-character-is-permanent-and-issues-are-transient/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/826/james-stockdale-20298_character_i-think-character-is-permanent-and-issue_3063627.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/826/james-stockdale-20298_character_i-think-character-is-permanent-and-issue_3063627.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/826/james-stockdale-20298_character_i-think-character-is-permanent-and-issue_3063627.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think character is permanent, and issues are transient.” — James Stockdale", "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": "James Stockdale", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-stockdale/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think character is permanent, and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stockdale/i-think-character-is-permanent-and-issues-are-transient/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-stockdale/i-think-character-is-permanent-and-issues-are-transient/#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 } } ] } ```