What You Stand For
Part of the AURIS approach to identity, stability and human development.
- Applied
- £10.00
- Certificate on completion
- About 75 minutes
Describing who you are by the qualities you act with, rather than by the job you held.
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.
Where this course sits
- 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
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.
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
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.
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
Name judgement as the first quality and see where you already use it.
- Describe judgement as seeing a situation accurately
- Notice where you add to a situation before assessing it
Lesson 2 · about 20 minutes
Fairness: what you owe other people
See fairness as an obligation that survives being tired.
- Describe fairness as what you owe the people around you
- Identify one relationship where you are not currently giving what you owe
Lesson 3 · about 20 minutes
Courage: acting anyway
Recognise courage in its current shape, not its old one.
- Describe courage as acting while afraid
- Name one thing you have been avoiding out of fear
Lesson 4 · about 15 minutes
Restraint: knowing when enough is enough
Complete the four qualities and choose one to work on deliberately.
- Describe restraint as proportion rather than denial
- Choose one quality to work on deliberately
What is included
- Audio narration
- Guided reflections
- Practical activities
- Assessment
- Certificate on completion
Before you start
Controlling the Controllables.
After you finish
You have four plain words for who you are. The Debrief turns them into a daily practice.
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
Common questions
- How much does What You Stand For cost?
- It is £10 on its own, bought once and yours to keep. If it belongs to a pathway, the four paid courses on that pathway are £20 together, and the free course on that pathway stays free.
- Do I get a certificate?
- Yes. Finishing the course issues an AURIS Certificate of Completion in your name. It records your learning. It is not a qualification, accreditation or licence to practise, which is what the separate AURIS Practitioner Certification is for.
- How long does it take, and is it self-paced?
- It is self-paced. Once you enrol, every lesson is open, there is no deadline and nothing expires, and the course is designed to take about 75 minutes in total.
- Do I need to do anything before this course?
- Controlling the Controllables.
Course progression
- Foundation
- Applied
- Practitioner
Take after Controlling the Controllables. This also relates to Identity Foundations, which builds the same pillar a different way. This also relates to Leading After the Rank, which builds the same pillar a different way. This also relates to Building Purpose, which builds the same pillar a different way.
Related courses
Previous course
Rehearsal for the Hard Day
Course detailsNext course
The Debrief
Course detailsBundle
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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 (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?
£10.00 one-off payment, with lifetime access to the course.