If you have ever taken a personality assessment, whether for a job application or a counseling session, you are probably familiar with their purpose: to identify your strengths and weaknesses. However, have you ever tried an assessment designed specifically to understand how your personality impacts your personal relationships? If not, there may be a few reasons why. You might have wondered if an assessment would box you into a predetermined label or if it is truly accurate. Perhaps you have questioned if there is any spiritual significance or practical value to it. Alternatively, you may not have given it much thought at all. This article aims to offer insights into the advantages of knowing your personality type, while also addressing the aforementioned concerns.
The Lists of Personality Types: An Exploration
If you notice yourself becoming angry or deeply saddened when things don't go your way or when people disappoint you, it's possible that your personality is influencing these reactions. Understanding your predisposition can help you gain better control over your responses to life's challenges. Conversely, if you often wonder why your actions or words elicit positive reactions from others, it might be due to certain aspects of your personality.
According to acclaimed clinical psychologist Jordan Peterson, there are five key character traits that significantly shape our perception of the world and how we interact with others. These traits, namely extroversion, neuroticism, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience, are believed to be the most accurate indicators of personality.
The renowned Myers-Briggs personality assessment, which is based on the findings of the late psychiatrist Carl Jung, offers a unique approach to discovering your personality. It categorizes personality types into 16 types, represented by abbreviations (e.g., INFJ, INTP). Each Myers-Briggs personality type possesses its own unique set of qualities and characteristics.
In the realm of spirituality, Rabbi Chaim Vital proposed a Jewish perspective. He explained that there are four primary elements that define one's personality, aligning them with the same elements that were used in the creation of the world: earth, fire, wind, and water.
Whether you define your personality according to the five key character traits, the Myers-Briggs personality assessment, the four natural elements, or another framework, you may discover them to be accurate. You may also realize that many of the people in your personal life will not share your exact personality type. While there may be important similarities between you and those closest to you, you may also discover that your differences complement each other. According to Jordan Peterson in his interview "How To Sell Anything To Anyone," in the context of business and other partnerships, individuals who are sometimes vastly dissimilar to us can provide the perspective and balance needed for success. This also holds true for relationships.
Knowing Yourself Is Half The Battle
Though scientific and spiritual assessments can assist us in understanding the inner workings of our minds, we can also discover our talents and areas for improvement through self-analysis. It is even possible to modify our character traits over time through awareness and discipline. Regardless of the method we choose for self-discovery, when we stop perceiving differences in others as flaws and instead appreciate them as tools for knowing how to work with them, we can learn to compromise and collaborate effectively, even in relationship. Understanding our own personality type may be the key to valuing and respecting a romantic partner.
Take your free Meyers-Briggs assessment today.