With the objective to write a worth reading article for this particular topic, I started reading interviews of some of the most beautiful men and women of Hollywood. Guess what, they all speak the same language. Sandra Bullock, rated as the World’s most beautiful woman of 2015, strongly feels that being a good person is profoundly significant in life. And, being beautiful is optional.

How do you define beauty?

Let’s analyze the concept of beauty from Charles Darwin’s point of view. According to him, “It is certainly not true that there is in the mind of man any universal standard of beauty with respect to the human body”. On the contrary, beauty holds a different interpretation across several cultures on planet earth.

A 2011 study from Scandinavian Journal of Psychology found that brunettes are generally considered more attractive than others. However, on the other hand, it is thought that Paleolithic hunters chose blondes over brunettes as they looked more unique and were more likely to be healthy.

Truly, beauty lies in the eyes of a beholder. Being beautiful is just a state of mind, and the state is highly variable.

What exactly does it mean to be a good human being?

We humans have been on a long quest of being good, and that vehemently drives every behavior of us. Yes, we all want to be good, but it is not that easy. Let’s start to define what is ‘good’. Interestingly, the definition of good is not universal since what is good to me may not be good to you. And therefore, it is essential for you to define what is good to you and then decide to go down that road.

Different cultures have different definitions of ‘good’. In Judaism, the definition of good is found in the Torah. It speaks of a good person is the one who acts toward his friends and family as a whole. However, in a western society, the normal definition of being ‘good’ is directly proportional to financial success. People in western societies don’t feel good when they are not financially successful.

What do we choose – Beauty or Goodness?

Since we have briefly understood both sides of the same coin, we must now put an end to this hot potato subject.

Beauty sure does a brilliant job in creating fantastic first impressions. In addition, sometimes, it also takes you further ahead in life, professionally and personally. But, the truth is, beauty is very arbitrary and often temporary. Beauty doesn’t last forever, and surely depreciates as we age.

Real wisdom lies in knowing how to pursue goodness in one’s life. Making goodness as your primary goal in life is unbeatable to all things in life. There can be no higher goal than being a good human. It is a good idea to harness the force of goodness within you in order to live a fulfilling life. Of course, don’t try to be good to impress others, but instead, do it for you.

In reality, we all strive to be good human beings. Who wouldn’t want to discover the cure of AIDS or cancer? Who wouldn’t want world peace and harmony? It’s the spiritual spark within us that pushes us toward goodness. It is, of course, easier said than done. In order to be a good human being, you have to put in excruciating efforts. But there is no giving up.

If you desire to be a good human being on this planet then you have to work towards it courageously and persistently. Start by loving and accepting yourself unconditionally, and take that forward by making small changes. Prepare humanitarian goals such as sharing of food with those in need. Try to do something nice for someone else, and it’s ok even if it’s something small.

Make sure that you leave this world a better place before leaving. Make a positive change to the world. Be a responsible citizen of the world and be good to mother planet and its people. Learn to be empathetic and to carry a positive attitude.

Lastly, there is no giving up. You never stop learning to be good human being! Choose to be a good human being over being beautiful. Being good is a fundamental prerequisite for human survival whereas beauty is luxurious.