What You Stand For
Part of the AURIS approach to identity, stability and human development.
- Applied
- £29.00
- Certificate on completion
- About 75 minutes
Describing who you are by the qualities you act with, rather than by the job you held.
What you'll leave with
You have four plain words for who you are. The Debrief turns them into a daily practice.
Watch the course introduction
Watch this before you begin
Values matter most when they guide a real choice. Watch this conversation first and listen for the moments where purpose, standards and personal judgement shape what happens next. Then use the course to make your own values more explicit and usable.
£29.00 one-off payment, lifetime access
- 1. Sign in, or create a free account. It takes a name, an email address and a password.
- 2. Pay by card on the course page. The payment form is Stripe's own, so AURIS never sees or stores your card details.
- 3. The course opens straight away and stays in your library. There is no subscription and nothing renews.
A certificate is issued when you finish every lesson and pass the assessment.
Course illustration
Who this course is for
“Without the role, I could not tell you who I am.”
A role ending removes a stage, not a character. Describing what you stand for without a job title is a practical skill.
Suggested learning pathways
Where this course fits
- Where it sits
- Specialist learning inside the Discipline and Self Command pathway.
- What usually comes before
- Most people take Rehearsal for the Hard Day before this one, though nothing here requires it.
- What usually comes next
- The Debrief is next in the Discipline and Self Command pathway. Closes the pathway by making the practices repeatable rather than occasional.
A pathway is a suggested order, not a requirement. Nothing here has to be bought to make this course work.
The pathways it belongs to
- Part of the Discipline and Self Command pathway: How do you stay steady when you cannot change what is happening?
A pathway is a suggested order, not a requirement. This course can be taken on its own.
About this course and why it matters
About this course
A paid course on character described in four plain qualities: judgement, fairness, courage and restraint. The part of you that no change of role can take back.
Why this matters
Primary pillar: Identity. This course builds Identity by describing character in four plain qualities, which is the part of you that no change of role or title can take back.
What you will learn
- Describe your own character in four plain qualities
- Recognise where each quality is already strong
- Choose one quality to work on deliberately
- Separate character from role and rank
Course curriculum · 4 lessons
Course curriculum
4 lessons. The lesson content itself opens once you start the course.
Lesson 1 · about 20 minutes
Judgement: seeing it as it is
New evidence may change who is responsible, but a truthful fact can still be used unfairly.
- Decide what new evidence changes a decision and why accuracy alone does not determine the ethical response.
- Explain the reasons for a response and recognise what cannot be inferred from this exercise.
Lesson 2 · about 20 minutes
Fairness: what you owe other people
Keeping an agreed caring responsibility may require arranging cover, not accepting every new demand.
- Choose a fair response that recognises a real obligation while protecting against coercion or self-erasure.
- Explain the reasons for a response and recognise what cannot be inferred from this exercise.
Lesson 3 · about 20 minutes
Courage and wise action
Asking for help may be courageous.
- Compare courageous help-seeking, reckless exposure and a reasoned decision not to act yet.
- Explain the reasons for a response and recognise what cannot be inferred from this exercise.
Lesson 4 · about 15 minutes
Restraint: knowing when enough is enough
A proportionate boundary might limit an optional commitment while preserving a duty.
- Choose a proportionate boundary and explain when qualified help, rather than moral resolve, is needed.
- Explain the reasons for a response and recognise what cannot be inferred from this exercise.
What is included
- Audio narration
- Guided reflections
- Interactive exercises
- Practical activities
- Downloadable worksheets
- Assessment
- Certificate on completion
Before you start
None. This course can be taken on its own. Controlling the Controllables is optional preparation.
After you finish
After you finish
You have four plain words for who you are. The Debrief turns them into a daily practice.
Common questions
How much does What You Stand For cost?
It is £29, paid once. You keep lifetime access to the course, including future research driven updates. There is no subscription or renewal.
Do I get a certificate?
Yes. Complete every lesson and pass the required assessment to receive an AURIS Certificate of Completion in your name. It records your learning. The separate Practitioner Certification is an internal AURIS programme; neither certificate is an externally accredited qualification or a clinical licence to practise.
How long does it take, and is it self-paced?
Study at your own pace. Lessons open in sequence after you complete the previous lesson; there is no daily waiting period for this course, and the course is designed to take about 75 minutes in total.
What work do I need to complete?
Lessons include practical activities and saved reflections. Some courses also require portfolio entries and an assessment; the lesson and assessment pages identify required work. Use ordinary or fictional examples where appropriate and avoid identifying details. Reading or listening alone does not complete a lesson.
Do I need to do anything before this course?
None. This course can be taken on its own. Controlling the Controllables is optional preparation.
Next steps and related courses
Course progression
- Foundation
- Applied
- Practitioner
Practical Skills pathway 4 of 5. Character and values practice; Practical Skills is not an AURIS pillar.
Related courses
Suggested preparation
Rehearsal for the Hard Day
Course detailsSuggested next course
The Debrief
Course details
Evidence, sources and limitations
Research and evidence
Primary sources: Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, on the four qualities; Epictetus, Discourses, on what is properly our own. Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2004). Character strengths and virtues: A handbook and classification. Oxford University Press. Hanel, P. H. P., et al. (2024). Value fulfilment and wellbeing: A review. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspp0000488
The evidence behind this course
Evidence
Meditations, on the four qualities — Marcus Aurelius
The primary source for describing character as judgement, fairness, courage and restraint.
Discourses, on what is properly our own — Epictetus
The primary source for treating character as the part of a person no change of role or title can take back.
Character strengths and virtues: A handbook and classification — Peterson and Seligman, 2004
Character strengths can be described and classified, which is why this course works from four named qualities rather than a general sense of being a good person.
Value fulfilment and wellbeing: A review — Hanel and colleagues, 2024 (Read source)
Living in line with your values is associated with wellbeing, which is why the course ends in one quality acted on rather than an ideal admired.
How AURIS interprets it
- AURIS reads the four qualities as Identity work: the portable description of a person that survives the loss of a rank or job title.
- AURIS uses an honest self rating as a starting point for one deliberate choice, not as a score to be proud of.
What you do with it
- You describe your own character in four plain qualities and recognise where each is already strong.
- You choose one quality to work on deliberately, separately from any role or rank.
Ready to begin?
£29.00 one-off payment, with lifetime access to the course.