Which is more important, to start from the facts and try to adapt to them, or to set goals and do everything possible to reach them? This is a topic that is more philosophical than psychological, and yet it serves to intuitively know a great truth: there are many ways to relate to our goals.

In this article we will see what are the habits and personality traits of idealistic people , those who put their visions and principles above many other things.

9 habits and traits of idealistic people

Idealistic people are not always easy to recognize, especially in a world where sometimes scarcity of resources makes it difficult to afford great things. However, by paying attention to detail it is possible to recognize certain common signs. Let’s see what they are.

1. They know better their ethical principles

The vast majority of human beings have a moral code, but not everyone knows it well. For example, it is possible that part of our scale of values is revealed when we have to make a difficult decision, so that until that moment that part of our identity had remained hidden.

However, idealistic people tend to know better the ethical code by which they are guided , because they have dedicated time exclusively to establishing their moral and practical priorities in life. Therefore, they are clearer about what they want to achieve, although they do not necessarily know how they are going to achieve it.

2. They bet hard on setting goals

By being relatively clear about what they want and don’t want, perfectionists can afford to set themselves ambitious goals , since they don’t have to deal with a high risk of fighting for something they really believe in little.

3. They are dreamers and want to change society

Normally, idealistic people do not limit themselves to proposing personal goals, which only concern them. Since they tend to be ambitious in setting goals, they make these goals encompass many more people or even the entire planet. For this reason, initiatives and projects with solidarity and the preservation of the environment , for example, usually form part of what they give importance to.

4. Preach by example

For idealistic people, what matters is what you do, not so much what you say . Therefore, they do not limit themselves to trying to defend the ideas related to the defence of the type of society they would like to contribute to build, but they also contribute with their example. This means that they act in a way that tries to conform to what would be expected from someone who pursues clear goals.

5. They try to apply ideas to the world, not the other way around

Idealistic people are, among other things, because they try to apply certain pure ideas to the imperfect reality that surrounds us all . For example, they will try to apply the principle of truth even in some situations where telling the truth does not clearly benefit anyone, but does harm at least one person. In some way, they will act as if the defence of certain ideas modifies reality in favour of the importance of the principle defended.

6. Follow many self-imposed rules

As they are very attached to their goals, they must create rules for various possible situations they can go through in their daily life. This makes their repertoire of norms quite varied and broad, which has both positive consequences, such as the absence of opportunism, and negative ones, such as the risk of falling into dogmas and lack of strategic vision.

7. They believe in the legitimacy rather than the effects of what they do

As we have seen, idealistic people act as “ambassadors” of ideas and “essences”. Therefore, sometimes they only defend their actions by claiming that they are legitimate , even if doing so causes negative consequences. As a consequence, they can end up confusing legitimacy with justice or with standards of well-being, and they do not have to give much importance to context.

8. They want to leave a legacy

For idealistic people, their own life is a project aimed at making a positive impact on the world by defending their ideals. That is why they like the idea of leaving a legacy that others can enjoy and that, in the process, makes them feel more transcendent.

9. They are easily inspired

Idealistic people tend to find references on which to base themselves, since they exemplify the defence of certain values in such a way that it is easy to identify with them.