How to Change our Character

All the actions that we see in the world, all the movements in human society, all the works that we have around us, are simply the display of thought, the manifestation of the will of man. Machines or instruments, cities or man-of-war, all these are simply the manifestation of the will of man; and this will is caused by character, and character is manufactured by Karma. As is karma, so is the manifestation of the will. The man of mighty will the world has produced have all been tremendous workers gigantic souls, with wills powerful enough to overturn worlds, wills they got by persistent work, through ages, and ages.

We are what our thoughts have made us; so take care of what you think. Words are secondary. Thoughts live, they travel far. Each thought we think is tinged with our own character, so that for the pure and holy man, even his jest or abuse will have the twist of his own love and purity and do good.

Great requires great and persistent effort for a long time. Neither need we trouble ourselves if a few fail. It is in the nature of things that many should fall, that troubles should come, that tremendous difficulties should  arise, that selfishness and all the other devils in the human heart should struggle hard when they are about to be driven out by the fire of spirituality. The road to the Good is the roughest and steepest in the universe. It is a wonder that so many succeed no wonder that so many fall. Character has to be established through a thousand stumbles.

The mind, to have non- attachment, must be clear, good, and rational. Why should we practice? Because each action is like the pulsations quivering over the surface of the lake.The vibration dies out, and what is left? The SNSKARAS, the impressions. When a  large number of these impressions are left on the mind., they coalesce and become a habit. It is said, “Habit is second nature”, it is first nature also, and the whole nature of man; everything that we are the result of habit. That gives us consolation, because, if it is only habit, we can make and unmake it at any time. The SNSKARAS are left by these vibrations passing out of our mind, each one of them leaving its result. Our character is the sum-total of these marks, and according as some particular wave prevails, one becomes good; if wickedness, one become wicked; if joyfulness, one becomes happy. The only remedy for bad habits is counter habits; all the bad habits that have left their impressions are to be controlled by good habits. Go on doing good, thinking holy thought continuously; that is the only way to suppress base impressions. Never say any man is hopeless, because the only represents a character, a bundle of habits, which can be checked by new and better ones. Character is repeated habits, and repeated habits alone can reform character.

Source:- "Personality Development" written by Swami Vivekanad Ji.