Saying you want to be a better person is easy, but doing the work to be good is much more complicated than it seems.
But you can do it. You took the first, most challenging step by seeking information on how to be a good person – so you’re already halfway there.
Discover how to be a good person.
What is a Good Person?
To be a good person, you must define what that means.
The seemingly simple concept drips with nuance. What constitutes a “good person” depends on personal and cultural values.
How Culture Dictates Goodness
In Ancient Athens, a good person was a philosopher. In Sparta, he was a warrior.
North Korea deems the Supreme Ruler the epitome of all goodness, while the Catholic Church claims the Pope represents the ideal.
A “good person” in misogynistic cultures is a wife who submits to her husband and covers her face and a father who protects his guests by offering his daughters up for sexual assault.
The definition of a good person changes across time and cultures. They might be the pious worshipper, the humble merchant, the fearless leader, or the intelligent advisor.
Our Definition of a Good Person
To learn how to be a decent human being, you must decide what that means.
We have.
A good person cares about other people and the world around them. They always think about how their actions might affect others and strive to make the world a better place.
Good people don’t need to tell anyone how “good” they are; instead, they showcase it through their actions. They walk the walk.
A good person showers the world with kindness. They rescue stray animals, avoid stepping on ants, pick up random litter, let other drivers in, and treat everyone they encounter with dignity and grace.
We could go on and on about what makes a good person, but we hope you get the idea.
Now, it’s time to become one.
How To Be a Good Person
You’ve already taken the first step. That desire to do better is crucial.
It doesn’t stop there. Here are 21 things you can work on to become a better person.
Develop Empathy
Empathy is humanity’s superpower. It helps us learn different perspectives and understand how our actions impact others.
Though empathy comes naturally to some, the rest of us can develop it. Cognitive empathy helps us think about how others would feel without feeling it like true empaths do.
Show Compassion
Compassion takes empathy a step further. It drives us to help.
When we show compassion, we do something, anything, to alleviate the suffering of others. Just being there is sometimes enough, but sometimes, you need to do more.
A good person will act to alleviate suffering whenever they can, whether it’s saying a kind word to a stranger in distress, offering a stray cat food, or moving a struggling worm from the sunlight and back into the dirt.
Drop the Ego
Our egos often prevent us from doing good. We posture to protect ourselves, pretend we don’t care to show strength and act like we’re above helping.
Almost all of these negative behaviors stem from ego. We try so hard to protect ourselves that we isolate ourselves from others.
Letting go of that protective barrier will make you a better person.
Be Selfless
The saying “He’d give you the shirt off his own back” comes from the selfless behavior of good people.
A kind person will give everything they have to help someone else.
However, there’s a fine line between being a good person and being a doormat. You should be selfless and help others when you can, but you can’t pour from an empty cup. You must find that delicate balance between selflessness and selflessness to continue being a good person throughout your life.
Follow the Golden Rule
The golden rule states, “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.” It means you should treat others like you’d want to be treated.
The modern version changes it to “treat others how they want to be treated” to help you consider unconscious biases and cultural differences in how people want others to treat them.
Do your best to follow the golden rule and treat people with the dignity and respect you’d want them to treat you with.
Accept People
The world has over 8 billion people, each with unique experiences, perspectives, ideas, and values.
Accept them.
Accept that they have goals and dreams different from yours and want to live their own lives their way.
Stop trying to push your beliefs on others.
Stand Up Against Injustice
It’s not enough to accept people. Sometimes, you need to help protect them.
Fight for injustice whenever you see it. Record police officers when they’re accosting people of color for no reason. Say something to the customer who’s being rude to an employee. Shut down your friends when they say racist and sexist things.
A good person will speak out against things, even in their own friend groups.
Advocate for those Who Can’t Advocate for Themselves
Take it further and advocate for people and animals who can’t advocate for themselves. Be a champion for animal welfare. Call out members of your own group when they misbehave. Help people with disabilities get the medical care they need.
You could even get involved in charity groups and organizations that help those who can’t help themselves.
Make Impacts Where You Can
Most of us don’t have the time or energy to give back via community service or charity, and that’s okay.
A decent person will make an impact when and how they can. If you have the means to donate, go ahead, but if you don’t, that’s okay.
Sometimes, the most impactful thing we can do happens in our own little circles.
Stay Positive
Good people see the world half full.
Stay optimistic about the future. Be the shining light in someone’s life. Maintain a positive attitude about the world when appropriate.
A good person knows how to maintain a positive outlook on life without indulging in toxic positivity.
Live as the World Should Be
We all have an idealistic image of how the world should work, and we’re often upset when it doesn’t meet our expectations.
But you can make it live up to yours by becoming an example of what it should be.
Stop engaging in trolling, road rage, and negativity because everyone else is doing it. Rise against it and act as if the world is how it should be. People will follow your example.
Support Others
Humans thrive on community. We work together to build roads, schools, and civilizations, and we need each other to get through tough times.
Be there for others when they need you. Support them through their challenges and help them reach their goals.
Watch your friends’ YouTube videos. Bring meals to a grieving family. Listen to your friend who went through a bad breakup. Offer your support in both the good times and the bad.
Follow Your Values
A person of integrity lives according to their values. They never say one thing and then do another.
Conduct your life with integrity in both actions and words. If you say you will do something, do it. If you say something is wrong, don’t do it.
Live your life as though you genuinely mean what you say to become an upstanding individual.
Lend a Helping Hand
Everyone needs help once in a while. Offer it.
Help a friend move. Grab the high thing off the shelf for the shorter person at the supermarket. Let a stressed-out person check out first. Review someone’s resume, offer career advice, and mentor a younger colleague.
Be the person everyone can count on for assistance.
Vote with Your Dollars
The world abounds with shady corporations harming people to make a profit. If you can afford to, boycott these companies.
Vote with your dollars by buying only from companies that treat employees fairly, source ethically, and abide by your values.
We understand that not everyone can financially affect change with their purchasing power. Buying things from shady companies when that’s all you can access doesn’t make you a bad person – it makes you human.
Active Listening
A good person will listen to others without thinking about what to say next.
In conversations, try to speak less and listen more. Ask clarifying questions to ensure you truly understand what the other person is saying before responding. Also, make sure you know their expected outcomes: Do they want a solution, or are they just venting?
Everyone around you will think you’re an understanding person if you try to listen to them.
Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff
I was in a relationship with a man who screamed at me because I spilled grape juice. He wasn’t a nice individual.
Good people understand that accidents happen. They let other people be human and compromise when needed.
Don’t let minor problems or accidents ruin everyone’s day. These little things don’t matter in the grand scheme of things.
Forgive
You can’t hold grudges if you want to be a good person. Holding onto the anger and hurt will lead to resentment. Let it go by forgiving those who’ve wronged you.
Forgiving doesn’t have to mean forgetting. Some people have harmed us so thoroughly that we can’t let them back into our lives, and that’s okay. Forgiving them is as much about you as it is about them; it allows you to release the negative emotions so they no longer hold you back.
Show Gratitude
A considerate person shows appreciation for all the wonderful things in their lives and never acts entitled to someone’s time, energy, or attention.
Say thank you to people who show up for you. List the things you’re thankful for in your journal. Show appreciation anytime someone does something nice for you, whether it’s as simple as holding a door.
Let people know how blessed you are to have them in your life.
Be Polite
Showing basic respect is an easy way to make others think you’re a good person.
Be polite in all your interactions. Say please and thank you. Give up your seat. Let others speak.
These easy gestures are rare. Make the world a little better with your polite attitude.
Try
The most important thing you can do to be a better person is try.
You won’t be polite all the time. Sometimes, you’ll act entitled. You’ll get angry, make mistakes, and act rude.
Making mistakes doesn’t mean you’re not a good person.
Everyone makes mistakes. To be a good person, you must strive to improve. You must want to be virtuous and try harder to become someone everyone looks up to.
If you try every day, you’ll be a good person.