Character vs. Personality

When martial artists of old spoke of masters and experts they included that persons character. This person was not only proficient in the physical forms and applications of martial arts but they had a character that was serious, disciplined and honorable. They don't rely on the impression of others and how they behave in private was more important than how they impressed in public. They looked inward.

A martial artists or any person of character relied on the inner self by the honor the felt themselves. They didn't perform to impress others but performed to meet the stringent requirements of self. A demonstrations was simply a demonstration, not a performance that is judged outside the self. 

Today's master is driven by the impressions they receive from others. They become a person of perceived personality that speaks to the need to be a salesman, a social operator, a person with a ready smile, a hearty handshake, and an ability to get along with colleagues while at the same time positioning and performing to outshine them. 

What kind of martial artist are you, a martial artist with character or a martial artist with personality?

Character: The mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual; also nature - personality - temper - figure - disposition.

Personality: The combination of characteristics or qualities that form an individual's distinctive character; Qualities that make someone interesting or popular; also character - individuality - personage - person - figure.

A key component that differentiates one from the other are moral qualities and that one is simply one aspect of the holistic other. One can have a personality but still not posses character. While character traits can span across many individuals the character of an individual is unique based on factors such as culture, beliefs, and the perceptions of the person at any one moment. 

A term used by Okinawans to denote or represent a person of character is "bushi." Bushi is explained through an article by Charles Goodin of Hawaiian Okinawan Karate. (http://seinenkai.com/art-bushi.html)

Some forms of martial arts simply focus on personalty while others focus on character. Character has personality as a smaller part of the whole as a contributor toward bushi type character.