How to be a Good Person: 21 Tips to Become a Better Human

Being a good person isn’t about perfection or meeting everyone else’s expectations; it’s about growing into someone who brings kindness, respect, and positivity to the world. But what does that really mean? We often hear that a “good person” is someone who helps others, shows empathy, or simply treats people well. While these are all great traits, becoming a better person is a journey that goes beyond surface-level actions. It involves looking at our values, examining our habits, and finding ways to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those around us.

At times, we may struggle with situations that test our patience or kindness, and it’s easy to wonder how to handle those moments. The truth is, being a good person isn’t about never making mistakes; it’s about learning from them and being willing to improve. Every day presents a chance to practice empathy, respect, and compassion in ways big and small. From showing genuine interest in someone’s day to listening without judgment, these small actions contribute to a kinder world and deepen our own sense of purpose.

In this post, we’ll explore what it really means to be a good person, covering practical habits, mindsets, and small steps that can make a positive impact—not only in your life but in the lives of those around you. Whether you’re looking to strengthen your relationships, find more fulfillment, or simply add more positivity to your life, these tips can help you along the way

Why Strive to Be “Good” Rather Than “Bad”?

The word “good” often serves as a kind of badge for those who are helpful, kind, and encouraging. If someone treats others well, respects them, or supports them, they’re often seen as a “good person.” But deciding if someone is “good” or “bad” can be more complicated than that—it’s often based on how they respond to different life experiences, some positive and others challenging. People react differently to situations based on their own feelings, which can shape how others view them.

While some people naturally have kind hearts, most of us develop kindness over time through the way we think, our attitudes, and how we treat others. Taking time to reframe our thinking patterns, focusing on positive mindsets, and improving how we treat others and ourselves can make a real difference. But perhaps the most important step is knowing who we are and recognizing our own strengths and limitations.

So why is being “good” valued in society? Here are a few reasons, along with some evidence to back them up:

1. Social harmony: acting in kind and respectful ways helps create a peaceful society. Studies show that positive behaviors, like helping and cooperating with others, increase community social trust and well-being. When people trust each other, they work better together, creating a stable environment.
2. Empathy and Compassion: Good behavior often stems from empathy and compassion. Research on human psychology reveals that people who show empathy tend to form better relationships and report higher levels of life satisfaction. When we treat others with kindness, we contribute to a more compassionate world, which benefits everyone.
3. Personal Well-being: Kindness doesn’t just help others; it helps us, too. Engaging in acts of kindness and generosity triggers positive emotions, releasing hormones like oxytocin and dopamine. According to findings from health psychology, this can reduce stress and even lower blood pressure. So, being good isn’t just about others—it actually makes us feel happier and healthier.
4. Building a Positive Reputation: Consistently demonstrating good behavior can help build a strong personal and professional reputation. People tend to trust those who show integrity, which can lead to better social and career opportunities. For instance, in professional settings, employers highly value reliable, ethical employees, which often results in better work environments and more collaboration.
5. Legal and Ethical Standards: Many societies create laws to ensure fairness and safety. Following these laws and ethical guidelines not only keeps order but also protects everyone’s rights. When we respect these rules, we contribute to justice and fairness, which are central to a functioning society.

Of course, “good” and “bad” are complex ideas, and people make mistakes. No one is perfect, and one misstep doesn’t define a person’s character. Understanding morality and personal behavior in all its diversity can help us form a more compassionate perspective.

In the end, we each have the freedom to decide what being “good” means for us. But aiming for goodness can be deeply rewarding, bringing fulfillment and stronger connections to those around us.

21 Best Tips for You to be a Good Person

Becoming a good person is a journey that can bring incredible fulfillment and joy—not only to our own lives but to those around us. While it may seem like an overwhelming goal, being a good person doesn’t mean we have to be perfect. Instead, it’s about embracing qualities like kindness, patience, and respect in ways that feel authentic to who we are. The good news is that small, consistent actions can go a long way.

Does that mean that everybody who is engaging in those types of events is only to show off? The answer is no. If you want to be a great person, you must live a life as a good person from inner inside as well as the outside.

Here are some practical tips that can help you become the best version of yourself. From practicing empathy to making positive contributions in everyday situations, these simple yet effective tips will show you how even the smallest steps can make a big difference. Whether you’re starting your journey to self-improvement or looking to enhance qualities you already practice, these tips are here to help you create a positive impact in the world around you.

1. Compliment Yourself: Self-Affirmation

Complimenting yourself—often called self-affirmation—is a powerful way to build self-respect, boost confidence, and develop a positive mindset. It is the first and easiest step for a person who is willing to become a good person. Before you start your day or go to bed, you can compliment yourself. The best time to compliment a person is the time when we are in front of the mirror.

Here’s how it contributes to becoming a good person:

1. Builds Self-Confidence and Inner Strength: Regularly acknowledging your own strengths and achievements can lead to healthier self-confidence. When you feel good about yourself, you’re more likely to interact with others positively and assertively, contributing to healthier relationships.
2. Promotes Self-Compassion: Self-compassion is essential to handling life’s ups and downs without being overly self-critical. Research shows that when people are kind to themselves, they tend to be more empathetic and understanding toward others. This means you’re less likely to judge or criticize, which naturally makes you a better person to be around.
3. Reduces Insecurity and Comparisons: When you recognize your own worth, you’re less likely to compare yourself to others negatively. Without the impulse to judge yourself against others, you’ll find it easier to celebrate others’ achievements and offer genuine support.
4. Improves Emotional Resilience: Complimenting yourself helps build emotional resilience by reinforcing your positive qualities, even in challenging times. This resilience not only benefits your own well-being but also makes you a more dependable and supportive friend or partner.
5. Sets a Positive Example: Self-compliments don’t only impact you—they set a positive example for others. When people see you treating yourself with respect, they’re more likely to feel inspired to be kind to themselves, fostering a more supportive and positive environment.

Research from the field of psychology shows that self-affirmation helps reduce stress and improve overall well-being. A study published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin found that self-affirmation exercises could reduce stress responses and improve problem-solving abilities under pressure, both of which are traits that help us stay kind and supportive even in tough situations.

2. Make a Personal Development Plan.

Why do we have the needy build personal development plans? When we start to develop a plan, it is important to consider our values. When you think about them, you eventually learn about yourself. When we learn about ourselves, it is the most powerful weapon we have to become a better version of ourselves.

Developing a personal development plan (PDP) is a vital step toward becoming a better person, as it encourages self-awareness, alignment with values, and continuous growth.

How does creating a PDP contribute to personal growth and the cultivation of good character?

1. Clarifying Values: When you start building a personal development plan, the first step often involves identifying your core values. Understanding what truly matters to you—whether it’s honesty, compassion, respect, or creativity—serves as a compass for your actions and decisions. This clarity allows you to live authentically and make choices that align with your principles, fostering integrity and moral consistency in your life.

A study published in The Journal of Positive Psychology found that individuals who engage in values clarification exercises report increased life satisfaction and personal fulfillment. They are more likely to act in ways that align with their identified values, leading to greater authenticity in relationships and interactions with others.

2. Enhancing Self-Awareness: Research by Dr. Tasha Eurich found that self-awareness is a key factor in emotional intelligence, which significantly impacts interpersonal relationships. In her studies, self-aware individuals reported higher levels of relationship satisfaction and were perceived as better communicators and collaborators by their peers.

Developing a personal development plan requires reflection and introspection. By regularly assessing your strengths, weaknesses, and goals, you become more self-aware. This self-awareness is crucial for personal growth, as it allows you to recognize areas where you can improve and develop skills that enhance your interactions with others.

3. Setting and Achieving Goals: A personal development plan encourages goal-setting, which gives you a sense of direction and purpose. By setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals, you can focus your efforts on what truly matters. Achieving these goals not only boosts your confidence but also sets a positive example for those around you, encouraging them to pursue their own aspirations.

Research from Dr. Edwin Locke and Dr. Gary Latham shows that goal-setting is one of the most effective ways to enhance performance and motivation. Their studies indicate that individuals who set specific goals are more likely to achieve them and feel a sense of accomplishment, which in turn can inspire others to pursue their goals.

read more: SMART Goals for Personal Development: 14 Examples

3. Simply Giving Credit When It’s Due

In our lives, we encounter people who readily offer compliments and encouragement to others. While some may do this genuinely and frequently, it’s important to recognize that giving credit where it’s due is a fundamental quality of a good person. Compliments can be powerful; they can inspire and affirm others, fostering an environment of support and kindness.

If you truly want to see others succeed and help them make great decisions, take the time to motivate and uplift them. When you celebrate others’ achievements, it not only boosts their confidence but also reflects positively on your character. Moreover, if you feel proud of yourself for supporting others, it’s a sign that you’re a better person than you might realize.

4. Be Respectful and Polite

Respect and politeness are fundamental qualities of a good person. If you wish to receive respect from others, it’s essential to give it freely and genuinely. Treating others with kindness and consideration not only reflects your character but also fosters positive relationships.

To earn respect from others, you must first show it with a kind heart. Politeness and respect create a warm and welcoming atmosphere, allowing a good person to shine in any setting. Simple gestures like saying “please” and “thank you,” listening attentively, and acknowledging others’ feelings contribute significantly to building positive relationships. When you approach interactions with respect, you not only enhance your own character but also inspire those around you to do the same.

5. Be Kind to Everyone.

Kindness is one of the most admirable qualities a person can possess. It reflects our ability to be friendly and shows affection towards others. By being kind, we contribute to a more compassionate and understanding world.

There are countless ways to express kindness every day, no matter how big or small the gesture may be. Here are some simple yet impactful ways to spread kindness:

• Compliment Others: A sincere compliment can brighten someone’s day and boost their confidence.
• Share a Smile: A smile can go a long way, even to a stranger. It can create a moment of connection and positivity.
• Consider Others’ Feelings: Empathy is key. Taking a moment to understand and acknowledge how others feel shows true kindness.
• Plant a Tree: Contributing to the environment is a kind act that benefits everyone and future generations.
• Offer a Helping Hand: Whether it’s assisting someone with their groceries or helping a colleague with a task, small gestures of support matter.
• Donate Unused Items: Clearing out your belongings and donating them to those in need is a meaningful way to show kindness.
• Help Others: Being there for someone in need, whether it’s listening or providing assistance, reinforces your role as a good person.

A good person embodies kindness, as it is an essential component of strong morals and character. By practicing kindness regularly, you not only uplift others but also enrich your own life in profound ways.

Read more Compassionate Empathy Examples in Action: To Be Supportive

6. Be generous

Generosity is a hallmark of a good person. It involves giving freely—whether it’s time, resources, or support—without expecting anything in return. In a world where self-interest often takes precedence, acts of generosity can truly stand out and make a meaningful impact.

When you cultivate the habit of generosity, you contribute to the well-being of those around you. It can be as simple as offering your time to help a friend, sharing your knowledge with someone in need, or donating to a cause you care about. These acts not only benefit others but also enrich your own life.

Taking a moment to reflect on the importance of generosity can reveal just how much you have to offer. By recognizing the positive effects of your kind actions, you’ll likely discover that you are a better person than you may have thought. Generosity renews our connections with one another and helps create a more compassionate and understanding world.

read more Humility and Gratitude: 2 Simple Acts That Change Your Life

7. Be honest

To be good people, we must be honest. We have been honest with our loved ones and also friends, colleagues, and people who are on our side, which will certainly make our bond stronger than we have been. Honesty leads to a free life, and also, honesty is not about telling the truth and living without breaking the law.

If we describe someone as an honest person, what are the things we consider when making that decision? Good people who are being honest are very straightforward; they are always loyal and sincere to others. People love to rely on the person who is the most honest.

9. Letting go of anger.

The easiest and fastest way to let go of anger is to practice forgiveness. Practicing forgiveness is also another way to become a good person, too.

10. Be helpful

Being helpful is another attractive quality that we must develop within us if we want to live so gratefully. A good person always supports others and helps others when they are in trouble. And also willing to lend their shoulder whenever there is a need to cry.

11. Plan ahead

A famous secret behind successful people is scheduling their work according to a timetable. Try to work according to a schedule. Planning before doing work is very effective. If you are not a person who is working to a timetable or have scheduled work, then start the practice with your daily routine.

Simply, before going to sleep, take a couple of minutes to arrange your next day. The tasks or assignments you have to complete, the appointment you have, or the places you have to visit. When we manage our time, we can easily become successful and better people.

12. Trust yourself

If you are willing to compliment yourself that you can be a good person, that means you are trusting yourself. When we are trying to do things, there may be some sort of obstacles. But do not give up. Even if others try to destroy your path, try to stay being yourself.

 No matter what bad things happen on your journey to success, learn a lesson from everything you face and move forward.

If you feel lonely or become negative-minded, you will probably fail. But until you trust yourself and believe in your mind, no one can hurt you. Nobody can discourage you.

13. Practice forgiveness

A great attitude among good people is forgiving without thinking. Forgiveness doesn’t mean we should let people always hurt us. And also, it doesn’t mean we forgive them because they deserve it. It brings inner peace to a person’s mind. We must do it for the peace of our minds.

Practicing forgiveness is beneficial in many ways.

• Mainly, it makes our path to being good.
• It helps reduce stress
• Make our minds more relaxed
• Another best attitude among good people
• Forgiveness can tighten the relationship between people. 

14. Listen to others

It can be considered one of the best ways to show respect to others.

If you want to be heard, you must learn to listen first.

Listening to others helps you to understand people and the way they express their emotions. It is a very important attitude built up as a person when it comes to interacting with society.

15. Find a role model for yourself

A role model can inspire you to become a successful person in your life. Having a role model for yourself is like you are learning about yourself, as it helps to understand the image you want to create for yourself. It helps to overcome the bad attitudes towards yourself and become the great person you always want to be.

16. Try to become a role model

Are you willing to inspire others? Then try to become a role model, another best way we can use.

17. Be a better partner/friend or a good child

  In every relationship, even if you are the child, the parent, the lover, or a friend, try to do your best to develop that relationship. Sometimes you are the only child of your parents. Then try to be the best child.

 When you are with your partners, friends, or others, try to make sure you can understand them and interact with them no matter what happens. Becoming a great partner means you have the power to build up your world peacefully and pleasurably.

18. Be positively minded

Positive thinking doesn’t exist—that you will live in a fantasy. It says just try to make yourself bring forward and also use the opportunities you have to make your life a successful one.

For more information, see 8 facts about why positive thinking is important

19. Mindfulness

In practicing mindfulness, we are trying to focus our minds. Sometimes we are having trouble focusing, though, we have to practice mindfulness. Here we have to do only stay in a calm environment and focus on our breathing. A relaxing mind helps us make our day-to-day life so easy.

It also helps you to choose what you should do and not to become great, as when our mind becomes more relaxed and we can work properly, it will raise us up to more than we just imagine. It is very easy to learn mindfulness. If you love to learn and add mindfulness to your daily routine, here is a small guide for you. How to practice mindfulness

20. Treat everyone the same

A good person is someone who is more charitable and never tries to judge people by looking at their circumstances. They always tried to treat others so fairly. and also treat everyone the same without making differences between one another.

21. Be truthful

Why do you need to be truthful? It plays a very important role in your life. not only when you wanted to be becoming a good one, but it affects your life. if you are not truthful in your life, it could cause a lot of trouble. It will label you as a bad person in society, between your friends, loved ones, or even though between your family members.

read more: Characteristics of Trustworthiness: 15 Top Qualities

Conclusion

Most things in our lives depend on the willingness we have to work hard to achieve them. if you just look for the answer to a question on how to be a good person, hope this information helps you. But if you want to experience how to be a good person and work on it, you will surely become better than you expected.

Embracing positive thinking, practicing forgiveness, and letting go. And also, the habits of learning, knowing, loving, and focusingon yourself will probably improve yourself.

References

• How to let go of being a “good” person — and become a better person | Dolly Chugh

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