If Not Born, Sow: The Construction Of The Character
From Aristotle to modern philosophy, the idea that character must be forged has been latent. We do not always have innate qualities or choose the best option for ourselves or for others. In reality, only one workout enhances our abilities. If it is not born in you, sow. Our character, or at least a good part of it, is the result of our conduct.
The writer and journalist every man has three varieties of character: the one he really has, the one he appears and the one he thinks he has .
An important part of our character is defined by how we react to different situations. It is also the way to express this way of reacting, pointing out that you have a certain profile, characteristic or inclination.
The character, as a psychological concept, has been more related to the philosophical psychology derived from Theophrastus, the French characterology of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, detaching itself from scientific psychology. Literary characters such as Cervantes or Voltaire have been revealed as excellent characterizers in the descriptions of their characters (Dolcet i Serra, 2006).
His psychological heirs have been psychoanalysts. Freud’s theory of personality development is a good proof of this. Neoanalysts, such as Adler, Jung and Stern maintain the term character, which will tend to be replaced by the term trait starting with Allport (Andrés-Pueyo, 1995).
If there is no sowing, there is no harvest
Sowing and reaping are symbolic terms that we use to refer to certain thoughts, actions and habits that we form with our mind. With each act we sow a seed, although we may not see it.
Our character can be a simile of our destiny, since the latter will depend on it. Character is part of a process, it is in our way of relating and in the internal phenomena of our mind. In this sense, its constitution and dynamics are sensitive to the environment.
Ernest Kretschmer stated that character results from the set of fundamental biological characteristics based on the anatomical-physiological substrates of the individual constitution and from characteristics that develop under the influence of the environment and of special individual experiences.
The harvest of our character begins with careful sowing. We are at the same time easy and difficult, pleasant and rough, good and bad… to choose what we sow is to choose what we strengthen in our character.
Nature itself does not distinguish between which seed it receives. Any seed that is sown grows. This is how the mind works. We have to take into account the seeds (thoughts, actions, habits) that we sow today, as they will become the crop that we reap.
Why do we try to reap what we never sow?
Before success appears in anyone’s life, it is certain that they will encounter many temporary frustrations, and perhaps some failure. When frustration takes hold of us, it seems the easiest thing we can do is quit.
Some frustrations stem from what it feels like to want it all but aren’t willing to do enough to get it. Now is the time for the seed, today are working hours, and tomorrow the harvest may come. These factors, it seems, are altered. Still, we must prepare the ground, plant the seed, cultivate, and water if you hope to reap the harvest. In that order.
Our work is not the harvest, our work is the seed. Perhaps this is why, sometimes, we make a mistake in trying to control the harvest, when we can only focus on the seeds. Harvesting what we want is not easy, the process can be bitter and requires our sacrifice and choice. In sowing time, we have to learn and in harvest time, teach and indulge ourselves.
