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One of the threads to look for in each of the thirty-one stories of character is that none of these individuals had it easy. None had fame or fortune or world-changing influence drop in their laps.

All of these individuals overcame adversity on the way to becoming all they could be.

This makes me think of a saying that I often heard my late husband, Frank Perdue, use: "Adversity breeds character: Prosperity breeds monsters." I had a college experience that makes me believe the saying is true. The professor from a long-ago psychology class at Harvard asked us, his students, to write a ten-page autobiography.

After we had dutifully written and handed in our assignments, we learned that the purpose of writing our biographies wasn't to show how well-organized we were or what good writers we were, or what insights we had into our own characters. Rather, we were part of the professor's research project, one he had already been pursuing for decades.

His premise was that getting into Harvard takes drive and a steely willingness to try even when the odds of success were daunting. He believed that the resilience it took even to tackle the job of getting into Harvard implied a lot of character.

With that in mind, he told us that after reading thousands of his students' autobiographies, he had seen that every one of the papers revealed that the writer had endured some kind of character-forming adversity. These included such incidents as having a beloved brother who hanged himself. Another had a sister with schizophrenia. Still another had survived incest. Others had endured a very public family bankruptcy, and one recalled being shuffled from relative to relative because his parents were incarcerated. In one way or another, each of his students had struggled with and overcome serious, life-changing adversity.

So again, as you read through the profiles in this book, pay attention to the fact that each of these people whose characters we admire transcended adversity. In your own life, perhaps you have experienced "what doesn't kill me makes me stronger."

There's another thread to look for in each of the people profiled in this book. Each one of the individuals was a giver more than a taker. They gave back to the world and made it a better place. To put this in context, here's a quick story about the fourth person showcased in this book: Mother Teresa.

 

To understand her better, look at a person whose life stood in contrast with hers: Emperor Napoleon. A little more than two hundred years ago, Emperor Napoleon had more of the world's goodies than anyone else has ever had. He ruled most of Europe. He had palaces and jewels and women and glamour and status and fame and glory to a degree that is almost unimaginable. This is a man who you'd think had it all.

How different Mother Teresa's life was. Because of her vow of poverty, her material possessions consisted of nothing more than three cotton saris and the sandals on her feet. She ate the meager rations of the poor. She ministered to the poorest of the poor, taking care of lepers as they died. Her life was characterized by service, self-sacrifice, and worship.

Which of these two had happier lives?

We don't have to guess. At the end of his days, while exiled on Saint Helena, the remote volcanic island in the South Atlantic, Napoleon confided to a companion that when he looked back on his life, he couldn't count five consecutive happy days.

Mother Teresa, on the other hand, saw her life as one of "unending joy." All that Napoleon had, he got by taking. Everything Mother Teresa had—love, approval, fame—she received by giving. My late mother used to say, "The givers of the world are happy. The takers of the world are miserable." Mother Teresa was a giver, and so were or are each of the individuals you'll be reading about.

None of us can emulate all these men and women, but if you allow yourself to be influenced by even one of them, you will be further ahead in the game of life. If you are influenced by several of them, guaranteed, not only your own life will be more fulfilling but you'll contribute more to those around you and, eventually, to every life you touch.

Whatever your definition of an ideal world, allow the men and women you're about to read about inspire you to play even a small role in bringing about a better world.

I'd like to end with a quote I learned in childhood. It summarizes why character is so important and why the study of it matters:

Enjoy the following studies in character! And may they inspire you!