Top 10 – in today’s world, we rank everything, showcasing style and fashion in categories of the top 10: the 10 most beautiful, the 10 smartest, the 10 worst dressed, the 10 best dancers, the 10 best books, the 10 culinary failures… We have TV shows, advertisements that influence our sense of aesthetics and seem to aim at shaping musical, fashion, and reading tastes… Is 10 that magic number without which the world does not exist? Really? And yet, that hierarchy changes, transforms year after year, indeed! Sometimes a month ago a different phone model was on top, today it doesn’t fit into any list at all. Or maybe it’s time to consider the Top 10 of Humanity? The Top 10 of humanity? The Top 10 character traits of a person, that character which distinguishes us—humans—from the whole, so rich and diverse world. Traits that we as humans should nurture, protect, develop, and be proud of… traits that should be our pride, and which, rushing after the changing world, we so often forget…
It is something special. People should build good relationships. It is valuable. Is it always easy to be honest? There are some difficulties in our lives, for example: perseverance to stick to your own principles. Of course, it is worth it! This is a value that does not appear only in real life but in books and films. People may look at August Pullman from R.J. Palacio’s “Wonder.” A young boy that is so different from his friends. She shows as how important are sincerity, kindness, and openness He is a character who is always honest in relationships. In the real world, I could mention many people for whom honesty is an important trait. People worth emulating. We have Emma Watson, who proves that you can be honest and consistent even in show business. We have Nelson Mandela, who, despite spending 27 years in prison, showed great honesty regarding his principles. All these heroes – from books, movies, and life – show that honesty is not a weakness. It is enormous strength. Thanks to these character traits people trust us, and we can be proud of ourselves and believe in our choices.
Another trait that we should protect and develop in ourselves, because it can change our lives, is courage. Thanks to courage, we are ready to overcome fear. Courage is not only needed by stuntmen or literary characters. It show us that we should fight for important issues and never give up. We can find many brave characters in books too. And in life? Who really impresses me with courage? The first thought – Dad – firefighter. Many times I have heard how brave they are when entering places where others run away from. You could say they “always go against the current.” Only they know the immense fear they have to overcome to save human lives. It is an incredible courage to sacrifice and risk your own life to save others. Another person – Greta Thunberg – a young girl who didn’t hesitate to stand in front of politicians and crowds to defend what is important to her – the climate. She was not afraid of criticism, she didn’t give up, and she showed that one person who has courage can really change something. Disabled athletes – how much courage they must have in themselves to overcome their fears. Their main challenge, disability, which is a barrier many people cannot overcome. They fight with obstacles every day. It is the courage to show themselves as they are that leads them to their goal. Three different manifestations of courage, and each one very important. Because courage is not only great deeds but also those ordinary decisions — being yourself, telling the truth, doing what we believe is right, choosing our own life path, and not just pretending or following the crowd. Thanks to it, we become stronger and encourage others to act.
This is a character trait ranking in the Top 10 connected with empathy which amazes the world. It’s not just about being close to someone’s emotions, but really understanding another person. You listen, watch, notice when someone is struggling — and reach out because you want to, not because you have to. Nowadays, everyone lives in a rush and mostly thinks about themselves. Because of this empathy is somewhat a rare commodity, although hugely needed. Thanks to the empathy we experience from others. People should feel understood, important, and cared for. A perfect example of literary empathy – “What is essential is invisible to the eye” and the wonderful “Le Petit Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Small in size, yet a great master in this field. He sees and feels more than many adults. His openness and tenderness show what it means to look with the heart and how wonderful that feeling is. Or characters like Paddington or Heidi from children’s stories. Characters that always value the good in people and want to help, even if they have troubles. With their hearts, they win over even the most distrustful. Writing about empathy, it’s impossible not to reference the man who said: “There are no children, there are people” – Janusz Korczak. A man with extraordinary sensitivity to others, who treated us – children – as equal partners. For teenagers a great example of empathy is also Zendaya. She is gifted because she can sing, dance and act. Everyday she supports young people who have mental problems. Zendaya speaks out loud about tolerance, equality and important issues. Thanks to people and their actions, the world becomes a little better. Celebrities can teach us empathy too. They make us kind and more responsible for other people. In our chaotic world empathy is a great superpower.
Kindness really can change the world and us, people, for the better. In today’s world, full of selfishness, it is a very valuable “commodity.” Simple gestures make our lives easier too. All people should smile or tell a kind word. People should treat strangers in the right way. The understanding another person is the key to human hearts. Being good to ourselves allows us to grow and become better people. Wonderful examples appeared in the pages of books are Anne of Green Gables and Pollyanna. Both characters had a difficult life but they can see the good in people and share their delight. Thanks to this, they gain friends and help others. I could name many kind people from the front pages of newspapers – politicians, athletes, celebrities. Keanu Reeves is a popular actor who combines bonhomie, tolerance with humility.
He said that it is not important to be glorious. The most important is being a good human. A popular actor earning millions of dollars, he can afford anything, yet he chooses something money can’t buy – humility. For Keanu Reeves humility is modesty. It allows admitting mistakes, listening to those around, and not looking down on others. Repeating the words of Father Jan Twardowski, “Humility is not weakness but the great power of a person.” This trait reminds me a lot of nature. People who often visit the mountains say they teach humility. It is in the mountains, on the trails, where we often confront our limitations. It is there that weather changes “force” us to alter our plans. It is there that our ambitions are brought “down to earth.” Then it becomes clear how much humility we have within when we have to say stop to ourselves, I wanted to… I tried… Let’s find humility in “The Lord of the Rings.” We should look at Frodo Baggins and his dangerous journey. He showed us that we shouln’t give up. Humility helps this character maintain balance and avoid presumption. Another perfect example is Po from “Kung Fu Panda.” For him the most relevant are truth and believing in yourself. It shows that a hero teaches u show to be modest and grateful for support. Humility always teaches us respect, patience, and understanding. It gives human a balance. Thanks to it, people become better — able to see others, grow with mind and heart, without falling into arrogance. This is where its power lies.
Perseverance and willingness can work wonders. Thanks to them, a people should not give up easily, even if something goes wrong. Everybody has many goals in life. We should achieve them without doubts. Although difficulties people should look for great solutions. A very good example of persistent people are scientists. Albert Einstein was a great scientist and genius at the same time that has achieved a big success. In a famous movie „Rocky”, Rocky Balboa showed us 49 years ago that everybody can cope with circumstances.
Perseverance is a trait that I invariably associate with diligence. There is no success without effort and consistency in any field of our lives. Only conscientious and regular work, “delivering” projects, and fulfilling undertaken commitments guarantee success. Thanks to this, we continuously develop and acquire new skills. When thinking about diligence, I hear “no pain, no gain,” an old saying, but very relevant. Who to point out? After all, so many public people, but also many of us, owe their “here and now” or the fulfillment of their dreams to their diligence. And for example, my Aunt, despite her short tenure at the Play Sustain Foundation, was appreciated for her diligence and commitment to the tasks entrusted to her. She was entrusted with the implementation of the Summit Play Sustain 2025 – RE:Fashion project, which brought together representatives from the fashion world, education, business, and sustainable development, which was her current dream. Her diligence, and consequently her involvement and thoroughness in this work, led to the project being executed at the highest level. This very clearly shows that through diligence we can realize our dreams. Another person I would like to mention is my tutor – Agnieszka Tracz. She shows us – students, that diligence and commitment to our own actions lead to success and are appreciated worldwide. For me, thanks to this very fact, Mrs. Agnieszka won the prestigious Global EdTech Awards 2025 in the category “Most Impactful Teacher” 2025. Finally, my favorite and a man from the front pages of newspapers – Ed Sheeran, whose diligence and consistency in action brought him to the top. As a teenager he was performing on streets and in clubs. Ed was showing his talent and now he is one of the best singer in the world. We can agree with Estée Lauder who said that people should work for success but never dream of it.
Another trait from my TOP 10 list – gratitude, which simply tells us to appreciate life as it is. Oprah Winfrey said that we should be thankful for what you have. Are we grateful people? In today’s world, where everyone constantly runs after material goods, always accompanied by “we want more, better, more…,” we don’t appreciate what we have until we lose it. Gratitude should accompany us every day. If we wake up, we should already be grateful. Thanks to it we can be more positive. An example of a person with immense gratitude is Nick Vujicic. I remember how the book “Give Me A Hug: 8 Life Lessons From Nick Your Kids Cannot Miss” made a big impression on me – as a child. A man without arms and legs, who was grateful for everything and full of joy for life. We, fully able-bodied people, do not appreciate this, we cannot be grateful for it. We cannot imagine it being otherwise, yet anything can happen in life. Gratitude is a trait that changes the way of looking at life. It allows us to see the good around us – people, gestures, support, and also the little things we usually take for granted. A grateful person sees the effort put into help and enjoys what they have. In literature and cartoon we can find, a wonderful symbol of such a character is Cinderella. Her life was very difficult but she was a great human. She is the mix of hope and optimism. It is a trait greatly lacking in today’s world. Nick Vujicic said that people can be angry about what they don’t have, or very thankful for what they have.” This sentence connects with the next trait – responsibility.
Responsibility shows u show to be mature. Fox example parents always teach children that their actions and decisions carry consequences not only for ourselves but also for others. Following rules, keeping promises is important too. People should take on the consequences of their own choices or think about what is the result from their actions. For example responsible people make appropriate and conscious decisions. We should have more examples like Janusz Korczak, a man who has never abandoned his charges until the end. He tried to give the children with a sense of safety and closeness. It was not only empathy but also a symbol of responsibility for another person.
A fantastic example of responsibility may be Pi Patel from Yann Martel’s “Life of Pi” because he did not think about himself. He was responsible and patient. Pi Patel always shows strength and perseverance. And in real life? Do we have to look far? Let’s look at our parents. After all, without their responsible decisions, the community that is the family could not function. Without responsible decisions, there would be no country for us or anyone else. Responsibility truly builds our character. Thanks to it, others can count on us, we think before we do something, and we can support someone going through a tough moment. It is a trait that matters everywhere — no matter what we do.
Finally, justice, which has been written about long before our era. Aristotle called it “ethical perfection in the fullest sense of the word.” Justice is the foundation of building communities. He showed us that everybody should be treated appropriately without favoritism. They are guided by moral principles and laws. When we are just, we learn how to cooperate and build relationships with respect and balance. Justice – a character trait that matters everywhere, whether in family or professional relationships. In today’s world, where rules are no longer followed, where connections and money matter and keeping one’s word is insignificant – people with a just heart are worth their weight in gold.
So? Is my ten all there is? Can I number them? Are some traits important and others more important? Are any less significant and can be slightly disregarded? Omitted? Saved for later? No. All are equally important. More – they stem from each other, becoming determinants of our thinking and behavior. But… I have the impression that for most people they are “unfashionable.” Unattractive. They don’t elicit admiration, but rather provoke an ironic smile. Why? Because they are difficult. Because it’s hard for them to break through in the ubiquitous pursuit of applause. That’s why the TOP 10 of a true Human deserves at least a mention in a school essay. My TOP 10 can be found everywhere – in books, in films, in politics, music, etc. Maybe the favorite TOP structure will catch attention, encourage reading and reflection? I hope so. Because a daily TOP 10 of Humanity in the 21st century is very much needed by the world.
By: Anna Zakrzewska
Write and Win: Participate in Creative writing Contest & International Essay Contest and win fabulous prizes.
About the Author
