Our character is the sum of our best intentions and deepest values. When we strengthen our character, we're better able to select behaviors that reflect those intentions and values - even in stressful situations. But in order to align actions with intentions, we must first look at the engine that drives how we behave.
Character is having the emotional intelligence to understand what you're feeling and why in a given scenario. But more than that, it's using that perspective to pick effective behaviors.
This is why character matters. It influences behavior, which not only affects us, but also the people around us. Character is perhaps the biggest driver of why we act the way we do and, therefore, how we set about living our lives.