Character defects are behavior patterns or characteristics that do not lead to change. It is useful to have a simple list to work from in order to identify these patterns and work on change.

The Eight Deadly Defects of Character, adapted from D. Anderson, PhD

1. Dishonesty/lack of authenticity/wearing a mask.
2. Pride/vanity/need for things to be “my way”/need to always be “in control”.
3. Pessimism/gloomy disposition/being stuck in a “victim role”(this is closely associated with anger, bitterness, and resentment).
4. Social, emotional, and spiritual isolation.
5. Sloth/laziness/passivity/living the unexamined life.
6. Gluttony/unwillingness to self-discipline/need for the “quick fix”.
7. Self–debasement/excessive self-denial and self–sacrifice.
8. Greed/lust/envy/materialism.