Virtue internalized

The following explores Rambams ideas regarding ethics and if they are primarily inward or outward focused 

Rambam writes (deios chapter 1) that when it comes to molding and shaping ones character and personality one should strive for the middle of the road (eg neither stingy nor profligate, not ecstatic nor depressed etc). He finds the source for this in וְהָלַכְתָּ בִּדְרָכָיו:

וּמְצֻוִּין אָנוּ לָלֶכֶת בַּדְּרָכִים הָאֵלּוּ הַבֵּינוֹנִים וְהֵם הַדְּרָכִים הַטּוֹבִים וְהַיְשָׁרִים שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כ״ח:ט׳) וְהָלַכְתָּ בִּדְרָכָיו: כָּךְ לָמְדוּ בְּפֵרוּשׁ מִצְוָה זוֹ. מַה הוּא נִקְרָא חַנּוּן אַף אַתָּה הֱיֵה חַנּוּן. מַה הוּא נִקְרָא רַחוּם אַף אַתָּה הֱיֵה רַחוּם. מַה הוּא נִקְרָא קָדוֹשׁ אַף אַתָּה הֱיֵה קָדוֹשׁ. וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ זוֹ קָרְאוּ הַנְּבִיאִים לָאֵל בְּכָל אוֹתָן הַכִּנּוּיִין אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם וְרַב חֶסֶד צַדִּיק וְיָשָׁר תָּמִים גִּבּוֹר וְחָזָק וְכַיּוֹצֵא בָּהֶן. לְהוֹדִיעַ שֶׁהֵן דְּרָכִים טוֹבִים וִישָׁרִים וְחַיָּב אָדָם לְהַנְהִיג עַצְמוֹ בָּהֶן וּלְהִדַּמּוֹת אֵלָיו כְּפִי כֹּחוֹ:

Whereas when it comes to proper actions Rambam writes (eivel 14:1) מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁל דִּבְרֵיהֶם לְבַקֵּר חוֹלִים. וּלְנַחֵם אֲבֵלִים. וּלְהוֹצִיא הַמֵּת. וּלְהַכְנִיס הַכַּלָּה. וּלְלַוּוֹת הָאוֹרְחִים. וּלְהִתְעַסֵּק בְּכָל צָרְכֵי הַקְּבוּרָה. לָשֵׂאת עַל הַכָּתֵף. וְלֵילֵךְ לְפָנָיו וְלִסְפֹּד וְלַחְפֹּר וְלִקְבֹּר. וְכֵן לְשַׂמֵּחַ הַכַּלָּה וְהֶחָתָן. וּלְסַעֲדָם בְּכָל צָרְכֵיהֶם. וְאֵלּוּ הֵן גְּמִילוּת חֲסָדִים שֶׁבְּגוּפוֹ שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם שִׁעוּר. אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁכָּל מִצְוֹת אֵלּוּ מִדִּבְרֵיהֶם הֲרֵי הֵן בִּכְלַל (ויקרא י״ט:י״ח) וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ. כָּל הַדְּבָרִים שֶׁאַתָּה רוֹצֶה שֶׁיַּעֲשׂוּ אוֹתָם לְךָ אֲחֵרִים. עֲשֵׂה אַתָּה אוֹתָן לְאָחִיךְ בְּתוֹרָה וּבְמִצְוֹת

With regard to perfecting ones character Rambam draws on imitatio dei however as it relates to actually doing the virtuous action Rambam sources it in the interpersonal imperative of אהבת רעים.

Chazal source both requirements in imitatio dei. I dont think Chazal differentiate between the two, seeing them both as focused on good actions as opposed to character perfection

Rambam is rolling out a new requirement viz to perfect our personalities as it relates to our internal selves (typically associated with the musar movement), he even requires teshuvah for misaligned deios (teshuva ch 7).

In Rambams thinking one is more virtuous if one is disposed to what is moral vs one with debased proclivities that nevertheless overcomes that nature to do the virtuous thing. There can be two people doing equivalent moral activities but if one is drawn to it and the other is not the former is on a higher level (8 chapters)

This is also seen in Rambams comment to Avos 3:15 וְהַכֹּל לְפִי רֹב הַמַּעֲשֶׂה where he explains that repeating meritorious actions many times, even on a smaller scale, is better than larger albeit fewer acts of goodness, as the former affects one for the better for longer vs the latter which wanes quicker. 

Rambam is of the opinion that ones internal state affects ones ability to grasp truth and receive prophecy. The worse one's middos the more removed one is from intellectual perfection and prophecy, with the converse true as well (ibid)

In Rambams thought internal moral perfection must precede intellectual perfection as moral imperfections impede and hinder intellectual attainment.

(As an aside Rambam holds that one can recalibrate ones middos via performance of therapeutic action; moral perfection is available to all with the appropriate training regimen)

This all being the case it is crucial for Rambam to discourse about it at length and to source it in Chazals authority as for Rambam the apex of life is intellectual perfection which is only attainable when preceded by the moral perfection of the psyche.

(A difficulty: at the end of the Guide Rambam places moral perfection above material and bodily perfection but below intellectual perfection. The reason provided is that moral perfection is only a social perfection but not relevant when one isn't amongst people, contra intellectual perfection which is relevant everywhere. Seems from there that it is not an inherent internal advantage but merely relevant vis a vis others. וצ"ע כעת)

I may be over reading the above. Perhaps Rambams point isn't purely about character refinement for it's own sake, but rather that the more one perfects ones character the more likely one is to engage in meritorious external action (this would solve the parenthesized dilemma), with a more beneficial impact on others as the ultimate goal.