Parent Course
Personality Academy Parent Course
A practical study of human behavior that can help you awaken your sense of self and increase your compassion for others
“In our endeavor to understand reality we are somewhat like a man trying to understand the mechanism of a closed watch. He sees the face and the moving hands, even hears it ticking, but he has no way of opening the case. If he is ingenious, he may form some picture of a mechanism which could be responsible for all the things he observes, but he may never be quite sure his picture is the only one which could explain his observations. He will never be able to compare his picture with the real mechanism and he cannot even imagine the possibility of the meaning of such a comparison.”
– Albert Einstein
In science, philosophy, psychology, and in every aspect of life we like to develop models that could explain our observations. The model presented here is one of many possible ways of categorizing character traits into meaningful patterns. It involves representing your overall personality as a unique combination of four fundamental personality styles.
Mover
Connector
Thinker
Planner
We believe that this model provides a useful and instinctual framework for self-reflection and for understanding others. You are invited to learn this model and decide for yourself the usefulness of this information in your own life.
If you are interested in learning more about the underlying temperament theory, please see this brief history lesson:
If you are interested in learning more about the underlying temperament theory, please see this brief history lesson: https://PersonalityAcademy.com/Carl-Jung
Your Personality is Fluid
While it is common to refer to a person by their top or most dominant personality style, your overall personality is a unique mixture of all four styles in different amounts.
Your personality does not predefine who you are
It is widely believed that your overall personality begins with an innate disposition which is shaped by life experiences. The style you express at any moment reflects not only your natural tendencies but also the context of the situation, past experiences, and the people around you.
Your personality is not a fixed and measurable thing.
Imagine four test tubes filled with colored liquid. The levels of these tubes can rise and fall. If a statistical average is performed over a significant period of time, many of us find a clear pattern to the relative amounts of liquid in each tube.
Even though your personality is fluid, the relative amounts of each style compared to the others may remain fairly stable over time.
Energy patterns that exist in the universe
Rather than viewing your personality as something fixed or static that lives inside you, consider the four fundamental personality styles as dynamic energy patterns that exist out in the universe.
Think of these personality style energy patterns as archetypes which represent fundamental human tendencies and motivations in a meaningful and symbolic way.
They capture universal patterns of behavior, thought, and emotion that each of us can tap into and embody to varying degrees, depending on the demands of a situation.
Much like emotions such as Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger, and Disgust take turns guiding our experiences, the personality style energy patterns can also function as habitual mechanisms influencing our behaviors and responses.
Each style is correlated with certain affinities and aversions which motivate behavior. Understanding these personality patterns helps you better understand your own likes and dislikes.
Your values and personality preferences shape how you approach challenges, form relationships, and navigate life’s complexities. Self-awareness empowers you to respond with greater intention and flexibility. Instead of being confined by your preferences, you can use them as tools for growth, allowing you to navigate life with more clarity, balance, and energy.
click each image to learn more…
What do you think?
Now that you’ve explored the four personality style patterns, take a moment to reflect on what you’ve learned. Did you recognize any of these traits in yourself or someone you know? How do you feel about the idea that the personality styles might be like energy patterns (or brain wave patterns) that you can tap into?
These personality patterns are designed to serve as a helpful framework for understanding human behavior, but it’s important to remember that they are not meant to put anyone into a rigid box. People are complex and personality is influenced by a variety of factors, including life experiences, cultural background, and personal growth.
Most of us can think of times we relate to each of these styles. Some of us can easily recognize that we rely on one or two more than the others. These concepts become especially useful when two people are having a misunderstanding. Most likely one of them is seeing the situation from one of the personality styles and the other is seeing it from another.
Internal Compass
Your personality style lineup can be thought of as an internal compass which guides you throughout life. When disconnected from our true nature, we may feel “lost,” but by letting our core values guide us, we can find motivation and a sense of purpose.
In many cases, we excel at adaptive (non-dominant) behaviors early on, sometimes at the expense of fully developing our natural traits. It can take years of experimenting—adopting different qualities and reflecting on our responses—to discover what resonates most authentically with us.
- When we are expressing our natural traits, things seem to go smoothly almost effortlessly
- When we are expressing adaptive traits, there can be an underlying tension or awkwardness
A natural part of personality development involves emulating role models. While we may admire and imitate traits of others, attempting to embody traits that are vastly different from our own inner nature can be challenging—and sometimes even harmful to our self-esteem if we don’t perform well using them.
Identifying your own personality preferences can be challenging. It is typically much easier to identify the personality style patterns in others than in ourselves. Over time, through observation and reflection, it will become clear which personality style pattern we rely on the most. Oftentimes, the style we rely on the least becomes apparent first.
Energy Drainers and Gainers
We all know the feeling of “running on empty” – the smallest issue can seem massive. You can more easily overcome life’s obstacles when you are able to maintain sufficient reserves of energy. But what is it that determines whether we are feeling drained or full of energy? Being sleepy or hungry can drain you, but there is another factor at play that many of us don’t realize.
WHAT IF I told you that your VALUES matter so much to you that they can affect you PHYSICALLY?
- When circumstances are in alignment with our needs and values, we tend to feel happy and energetic.
- When circumstances go against our needs and values, we can get frustrated and have low energy.
Life experiences can have a positive or negative affect on your energy levels based on whether your values are being met or being violated. When our values are violated, stress occurs. Although there are some commonalities in the stressors we all experience, useful insights can be gained by understanding the differences.
