11 Things Good People Actually Care About That Everyone Else Avoids Completely
They care deeply about people other than themselves.
Inside Creative House | Shutterstock While "being a good person" is relatively subjective, there are certain personality traits and habits, like being empathetic, that paint a positive picture of a person's internal well-being and intentions. They go out of their way to help people, seek understanding and learning opportunities, and acknowledge their privilege without expectation.
However, empathy doesn't just improve happiness, mood, mental health, and individual life satisfaction, like a Healthcare study explains, it also has ripple effects on entire relationships and communities. When more good people give into their empathetic habits, the world becomes a better place. Alongside the other things good people actually care about that everyone else avoids completely, empathy is a powerful tool for change.
Here are 11 things good people actually care about that everyone else avoids completely
1. The impact of small actions
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Not only do good people keep their long-term goals and self-help journey announcements to themselves for the sake of motivation and progress, but they also tend to appreciate the small steps, rather than the outcome. They don't seek validation from other people for helping others or doing small habits, but instead care about how these small things impact other people.
Even when they're not small acts of kindness or empathy, but hard conversations and conflict, good people care about how their words and little actions affect other people, even if everyone else avoids that completely.
2. Who's being left out
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Noticing who's being left out is one of the things good people actually care about that everyone else avoids completely. Whether it's meeting someone new or talking in a work meeting, they're always trying to ensure everyone feels like a part of the conversation — or, at least, feels seen.
Their seemingly small intentions and actions in these situations don't go unnoticed either. According to a study published in BMC Public Health, talking to a friend or being acknowledged by a person in conversation can lessen the pain of social exclusion and rejection.
So, by recognizing and being socially aware enough to pick up on when someone is being "left out," good people can make a big difference in their mood, self-esteem, and well-being, even if everyone else avoids them completely.
3. Following through
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While there are many reasons — from deeper things like human complexities to more subtle experiences of stress — that make it hard for people to sometimes keep their promises, a good person does everything in their power to make their commitments and keep their promises.
They understand that trust, support, and consistency are three keys to great relationships, so they don't often prioritize their own comfort or inner critic when they've already made plans with someone or committed to helping them — they follow through.
Even if something does go wrong or an unexpected event happens, they're honest and forthcoming about it, rather than immediately making excuses or lying to satisfy their inner comfort.
4. Respecting boundaries
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Many people get offended by others' boundaries because they don't have healthy ones themselves, according to boundaries coach Barb Nangle. They may also be narcissistic — feeling like they have less control over people who set boundaries, as they're self-aware and secure enough to know what kind of misbehavior they're not willing to tolerate.
However, good people aren't worried about respecting other people's boundaries, because they know healthy relationships start with valuing others. Even if they're forced to learn, grow, or change themselves to make their friends, family, or partner feel more secure in their relationship, they do it.
If they're not comfortable with a boundary or don't feel seen in the face of someone maintaining it, they have a hard conversation — they don't keep disrespecting it to prove a point.
5. Quiet integrity
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A strong trait of good people is their integrity. They do the right thing, even when nobody is watching or around to praise them for doing it. While the average person seeks validation for doing the right thing or expects something in return when they help others, good people lead with their internal compass.
Even when it comes to material things and money, the security and self-worth good people have inside protects them from caring too much about their "stuff," according to a study from the University of New Hampshire.
So, when it comes to the people they care about most, they don't mind helping, lending people items, or offering support that "takes away" from their material possessions, because their relationships and internal integrity mean more anyway.
6. Fixing things
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While good people may have a knack for literal repairs, it's fixing relationships, conflict, and internal struggles that they actually care about. While other people may avoid these uncomfortable situations entirely or throw them away the second they get hard, good people make an effort to always try to fix things before they let them go.
From arguments and rough patches in relationships to expressing hard emotions, offering forgiveness, and even starting a new hobby, good people have the self-discipline and internal regulation skills to lean into the discomfort of challenge, rather than immediately giving up.
7. Giving people grace
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Whether it's a rude service worker at a restaurant, a friend going through a rough time, or their own parents, giving grace is something good people actually care about doing that everyone else avoids completely. Especially in our culture where "standing up for yourself" and "setting boundaries" is so popular, people feel motivated to immediately condemn people's behavior, even if a little grace could fix everyone.
Everyone has their own issues and things going on in their personal lives — that doesn't give them the freedom to always be rude, mean, or disrespectful. However, giving people grace every once in a while and not taking things so personally can make everyone feel happier and healthier in the long run.
8. Celebrating other people's wins
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While a jealous, insecure, or envious person may avoid celebrating other people's wins — even their own friends and family — to protect their own comfort, good people truly care about making other people feel seen and heard. It's sometimes natural to feel jealous, but with the right self-soothing and emotional regulation strategies, you can still be a good friend.
Even if someone achieves something they want or gets the dream they wished for, good and empathetic people have the internal coping skills to celebrate them. There's enough money, opportunity, love, and kindness to go around, so why invalidate someone else's success and break them down, just so you feel less insecure?
9. Acknowledging their privilege
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Whether it's their finances, socioeconomic experience, or educational attainment, acknowledging their privilege is one of the things good people actually care about that everyone else avoids completely.
Not only do they put more effort into helping others and giving back when they can, but they also don't try to sum up their achievements and success to only "hard work" — the kind of sentiment that only makes less fortunate people feel worse about themselves.
10. Radical empathy
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Radical empathy is something that good people actually care about that everyone else avoids completely. It's going one step further than just putting themselves in someone else's shoes and actually taking action to help support them, even at the expense of their own time and effort.
Whether it's being kind to someone who hasn't been incredibly supportive or helping a stranger they've never met, they care about the impact of small gestures of empathy on the world around them.
11. Avoiding gossip
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While the average person might stick around to gossip or spread rumors to feel closer to people they admire or even friends of their own, a truly good person doesn't let innocent people get slandered behind their back. Of course, they also don't want any of the contagious negativity that's often infused into these conversations, either, so they don't entertain them in their spaces.
Of course, gossip isn't always as toxic as we think, but when it starts to bring more negativity than comfort and validation, it's not doing any favors.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor's degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
