The Personality Test

A few months ago (Jacob's preschool graduation as a matter of fact), I had a great talk with my sister-in-law, (my brother's wife) I don't see her often but, it seems when we get together, we have so much to share and we talk mile-a-minute to get everything out.  My point here, she was telling me about this book Personality Plus: How to Understand Others by Understanding Yourself  by Florence Littauer and well, I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book!

Personality Plus talks about four key personality types.The four temperaments were originally proposed by Hippocrates (the father of medical science) 350 years before the birth of Christ, to explain differences in personalities, based on the predominant bodily fluid-hence the rather unappealing names: Choleric, Sanguine, Phlegmatic, and Melancholic.  And here is a link to the quiz if you'd like to try for yourself.

I am a Perfect Meloncholy/Powerful Choleric. 

(from CatholicMatch.com) If you are melancholic-choleric, you are somewhat less pragmatic (or utilitarian) than a pure choleric, just as persevering and determined, and with a greater emphasis on the ideal. Likely to be motivated by the most noble and demanding of causes, you are capable of founding a humanitarian society, composing a symphony, founding a school, or discovering a cure. You are organized, perfectionist, introspective, driven, and moody (though less so than a pure melancholic). You will be less active than a choleric-melancholic and less extraverted, more internally focused.

But your weaknesses include a tendency to excessive self-criticism and criticism of others, being dismissive or overly judgmental, exhibiting a tendency to self-absorption, and possessing an untrustful and controlling nature. You tend to be inflexible, can bear grudges for a long time and may be prone to discouragement. A melancholic-choleric who is not attentive to his spiritual life, and does not keep his eye assiduously on the truly important things of life can become a cross to those around him, through his nit-picking, perfectionism, disdain, bitterness, resentfulness, spitefulness when crossed, and even haughtiness.
 
Personality Strengths of the Melancholy (these bulleted traits came from WomenbyGrace.com

• Deep and thoughtful
• Analytical  
• Serious and purposeful  
• Genius prone  
• Talented and creative  
• Artistic or musical  
• Appreciative of beauty  
• Sensitive to others
• Self-sacrificing  
• Conscientious  
• Idealistic  
• As a parent, sets high standards and wants everything done right.  
• As a homemaker, keeps everything in order.  
• As an employee, schedule oriented and hard working.  
• A list maker and keeper.  

Personality Weaknesses of the Melancholy

•  Easily offended
• Can get too caught up in details  
• Doesn’t do well with change.  
• Struggles with insecurity  
• Tends towards depression

Personality Strengths of the Powerful Choleric:

• You are a born leader, dynamic and active and have a compulsive need for change.  
• You often feel that you must correct wrongs.  
• You are strong-willed and decisive, independent and self-sufficient.  
• You are not easily discouraged and can be unemotional when necessary.  
• You are capable of running anything and exude confidence.  
• You are an expert in exerting sound leadership, establishing goals and able to motivate the family in to action. 
• You always know the right answer and organize the household.  
• You are very goal oriented, see the whole picture and organize well.  
• You seek practical solutions to problems and move quickly to action.  
• You delegate work but insist on productivity.  
• You make the goals, stimulate activity and thrive on opposition.  
• You have little need for friends and will work for group activity.  
• You often lead from the front, organize and are usually right.  
• You excel during emergencies.

 Personality Weakness of the Choleric

• You can be bossy and impatient.  
• You are quick tempered, can’t relax and can be too impetuous.  
• You enjoy controversy and arguments and won’t give up when losing.  
• You can come on too strong, are inflexible and uncomplimentary.  
• You dislike tears and emotions and are generally unsympathetic.  
• You tend to over dominate, are too busy for your family and will often give answers too quickly.  
• You are impatient with poor performance and won’t let children relax if you have any. You are likely to send them in to depression.  
• You have little tolerance for mistakes, however, you don’t analyze details yourself, are bored by trivia and can often make rash decisions.  
• You can be rude and tactless and often manipulate people.  
• You are demanding of others and believe that the end justifies the means.  
• Work may become the driving force in your life and you demand loyalty in the ranks.  
• You tend to use people and dominate others.  
• You make decisions on other people’s behalf and you know everything.  
• You can do everything better, are too independent and are overly possessive of friends and mate. 
• You can’t say your sorry and, although you may often be right, you can become unpopular.

Whew!  Aren't those some wonderful traits to be revealing of myself (and sharing with you)!  Thankfully, that is my secondary! 

Since reading this book has brought those ugly traits (and yes, I have seen every one of them at some point in my life) into the light and I am now more aware of them, as you know I've been working hard for some time to make adjustments in myself.  You've read the list, some of those things are quite ugly and some I've corrected a long time ago, some just recently and some will need a lot of work.  I don't want to be those things of course, and the only person who is capable of changing them is me.  I better get to writing that list!!