If someone displays these 11 traits, they’re a really good person

What makes a person good?

We all like to think of ourselves as good people. We may have the best intentions and the best wishes toward others. But ultimately, it’s our character that defines how other people will see us.

That means you can identify a good person by the way they behave.

Keep an eye out for these character traits, as they are often clear signs of a good person. Who knows? Maybe you have some of these traits yourself.

If so, congratulations! Because if there’s one thing the world doesn’t have enough of, it’s really good people.

1) Empathy

This is such an important quality that many of the other traits that make a good person spring directly from having this.

Empathy is the ability to put yourself in another person’s shoes and feel what they are feeling.

And we are all empathetic to some extent. Unless you have a major personality disorder such as narcissistic personality disorder, you are capable of understanding how other people feel.

However, empathy exists on a spectrum. Some people are more empathetic than others, and are more able to imagine or even really feel what the people around them feel.

This makes them able to alter their behavior to make others feel better.

As PsychCentral points out, empathy is a component of emotional intelligence. And the ability to feel what other people are feeling is something you can improve.

Engaging with others and taking the time to think about their thoughts and feelings will make you more empathetic, and in the long run, make you a better person.

2) Kindness

Who doesn’t love a kind person?

But as author and coach Marcia Sirota points out, being kind isn’t the same as being nice. “Kind people can be assertive and set good limits. Nice people, on the other hand, bend over backward to be obliging,” Sirota writes.

There are many different ways to be kind. You can give people gifts. You can sacrifice your time to help them with the things they need. You can reach out to people that you know are hurting or alone and offer to be there for them. 

There are almost limitless ways to be kind, ranging from big gestures to small actions that will mostly go unnoticed.

But if you know someone who goes out of their way to be kind to others, it’s probably because they are a really good person.

3) Honesty

Honesty is almost always considered a virtue. But although we all say it’s important to be honest, we don’t necessarily mean it.

Sometimes, we lie to make things easier. Lies can get us out of trouble and help us to avoid awkward situations.

But in the long run, they can be hugely damaging not only to the people who believe them, but also to the people who tell them.

On your hand, that doesn’t mean you have to be ruthlessly honest all the time. There are situations where a little white lie is the kindest thing you can say.

Also, remember you don’t always have to say anything. Sometimes it’s better to keep silent than to say something true but unnecessary.

With that said, honesty is one of the best qualities a person can have. And those who prioritize honesty are often good people.

4) Altruism

Kindness is a wonderful quality. But altruism takes it further by putting other people and their needs before your own.

Naturally, it’s not always easy. In fact, true altruism requires a certain level of self-sacrifice and an acknowledgment that sometimes, helping others can come at a cost to yourself.

Altruism is what drives people to donate their time to charities or to help their neighbors. It’s what makes people go out on a rainy day to pick up litter that they didn’t drop, or spend some time visiting people suffering from isolation.

Like most of the things on this list, it can take many forms. But at the root, it’s a sign of a really good person.

5) Tolerance

Tolerance is a virtue that we all talk about a lot these days. But it’s amazing how many people refuse to truly practice it in their own lives.

We all know it’s wrong to be intolerant of other people’s race, gender, or sexual orientation. But tolerance goes much further than that.

Can you tolerate people with viewpoints different from your own? Can you tolerate people whose desires and fears are completely different from yours?

It’s easy to get along with people who agree with you. It’s much harder to find the good in people who are completely different.

So if you know someone who is tolerant of others, you probably know a good person.

6) Open-mindedness

Often, tolerance comes from being open-minded.

Refusing to get stuck in your own rigid ideas and instead staying open to what other people have to offer is one of the best ways to appreciate them on a fundamental level.

Open-minded people try not to judge others, especially before they know a little bit more about them. Instead, they stay open and keep their views flexible, ready to change what they believe if new evidence suggests they should.

Whether you consider yourself open-minded or wish to do more to improve your ability to see a situation from all angles, Free Your Mind Masterclass, led by world-renowned shaman Rudá Iandê, offers a unique opportunity to cultivate this mindset.

By challenging your long-held (often toxic) beliefs and exploring new perspectives, the masterclass can help you break free from limiting patterns and embrace a more expansive worldview.

Not only does open-mindedness make you a more understanding and compassionate person, as the masterclass demonstrates, but it also makes you one of the smartest and best-informed people around.

By being open to new ideas and perspectives, you are constantly learning and growing, expanding your knowledge and understanding of the world.

7) Fairness

The world is not fair. We don’t all start from the same position, and we certainly don’t all get the same results.

But a good person knows that, while the idea of fairness is something humans invented and not something that exists out in the world, it’s still an ideal worth striving for. 

That means they try to treat others fairly.

They don’t show preference to one person over another, or one group of people over another. Being fair means recognizing that everybody has equal value.

It doesn’t necessarily mean treating them the same. But it does mean applying the same ethical standards to everyone you meet.

8) Politeness

Good manners are often an underrated sign of a good person.

Manners change from one culture to another, and even from one person to the next. But fundamentally, being polite means treating people with the same respect you want them to treat you with.

The little rules of politeness in society may seem arbitrary, but good people know that they are one of the best ways to treat others with respect.

9) Humility

By now, if you’ve read this far, you may be thinking that people with these traits would be very keen on themselves.

However, often, the opposite is true. Good people are never arrogant or self-centered. Instead, they operate from a deep sense of humility.

That doesn’t mean they lack confidence. And it certainly doesn’t mean they won’t stand up for themselves when they need to.

As historian and self-help author Anna Katharina Schaffner writes, “Humility is an attitude of spiritual modesty that comes from understanding our place in the larger order of things.”

People with humility understand that we are all flawed creatures trying to make the best of this life. That’s what helps them stay open-minded and nonjudgmental about others, understanding just how imperfect they are, too.

10) Reliability

Another underrated trait of a really good person is reliability.

Who’s that person you can always count on to have your back? Who is always there for you, whether it’s to help you move, to support your creative efforts, or to babysit your kids?

If you’re as fortunate as I am, you have those people in your life that you know will never let you down. And that reliability helps you to feel safe in a world that often throws us curveballs.

Being reliable is something good people naturally do because they don’t want to let others down. That means they will always show up for someone they care about, no matter what form that takes.

11) Responsibility

Finally, good people are able to take responsibility not only for their own lives, but also for the world around them.

They know that making the world a better place depends on all of us. It’s no use sitting around waiting for somebody else to save the day. Good people understand that if they want a better world for everyone, they have to build it themselves.

In this journey of taking responsibility for their lives and the lives of others, tools like the Reset Your Life Compass can be instrumental.

This course, designed by educator and self-coaching guide Jeanette Brown, offers a framework to connect with your inner compass, guiding you towards decisions that align with your true values and purpose.

It empowers you to take charge of your path, assume responsibility for yourself, and create a life that is both fulfilling and impactful.

A good person doesn’t blame others for their misfortunes or try to play the victim. Instead, they focus on what they can do in the here and now to improve not only their own life, but the lives of everyone they come into contact with.

In other words, a responsible person is a good person.

How to be good

Like I said, we all like to think of ourselves as good people. But taking a close and honest look at your own actions and behavior isn’t always easy.

The traits listed above are sure signs of a good person. Maybe you know someone who displays them. Maybe you have plenty of these positive qualities yourself.

Either way, you’re lucky to have such a good person in your life.