As a teenager, I absolutely loved reading my horoscope.
I would flip to the horoscope section of Cosmopolitan each month and despite the magazine’s predictions of a steamy romance, career success, and tons of money not always panning out, I remained loyal. But I am not here today to comment on the legitimacy of horoscopes (who really knows what this amazing universe is capable of?).
What I do what to share with you is how reading horoscopes led me to a life-long journey of self-discovery through personality tests. After analyzing it, what my teenage self actually loved, was learning about was what made me – me! I wanted to know my strengths, my weaknesses, what made me unique, and how I could best use my skills and abilities to change the world.
I knew that the more knowledge and understanding I had of myself, the better my ability would be to influence and interact with the greater world around me. If you are on the path of self-growth than keep reading to learn the Four Personality Tests that Changed My Life.
What are Personality Tests?
Personality is defined as the combination of characteristics or qualities that form an individual’s distinctive character. These are the patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that make a person unique and ultimately make up who they are.
A personality test is a scientifically supported set of questions that identify commonalities in humans, which are then combined into groups or types. Although I loved the BuzzFeed “Which Harry Potter Character are You” (obvs I’m Hermione) one wouldn’t automatically jump to the assumption that this was developed in a systematic scientific setting (again, who I am to say?)
Essentially, you answer questions about yourself to the best of your ability, then you are provided with a result that a team of psychologists spent a ton of time developing. The hope is by doing so, you learn more about what makes you – you and how to best interact with the world around you.
Although I am a huge proponent for self-discovery through personality testing, I also acknowledge that there are some flaws in this process. Cultural, gender, personal bias’ are real and may affect these tests. However, if you are able to see personality tests as a starting point to self-discovery, then my friend can win big in the game of personal growth.
The Four Personality Tests
1. The Enneagram
The Enneagram is all the buzz right now. Despite the hype, I had initially put off taking the test. I thought I was able to identify my number by merely looking at the descriptions. It was easy, I was a 3 –The Achiever (tell me something I don’t know?). That was until I began to second guess my own personal bias and so I decided to go ahead and take to the test.
Low and behold I was incorrect; I am a 7 – The Enthusiast. I loved reading about the strengths of The Enthusiast. Adventurous, brave, excited about life. BOO-YEAH! I thought to myself. I am most certainly the coolest of the 9 Enneagram personalities. My superiority complex lasted until I read the traits that 7’s exhibit when they are struggling.
It was as if this 15-minute online quiz knew me better than some of my closest loved ones. The test had seen straight through this fun-loving thrill-seeker, to the reckless and fearful part of my personality I keep hidden. Although it was hard to read, it was extremely reassuring that I wasn’t alone in this “Enthusiast” life, and that my struggles were shared. I felt connected to the greater world around me on a new level.
If you don’t know your Enneagram or anything about it you can take The Enneagram test here
2. Myers-Briggs
“What is your Myers-Briggs” is a question that I have been known to ask others on a regular basis. Bumble dates, meeting my new co-workers for the first time, while talking to the person beside me on the 5 hours flight to Dublin. I’m not scared to go deep when I first meet ya (classic ENFP).
Arguably the most well known of the personality tests. After a short self-administered online assessment, the results lump everyone into a four-letter personality type. Each of the four letters signifies an element of what makes them who they are.
Here is a quick break down of each letter options:
- E (Extroverted) or I (Introverted)
- S (Sensors) or N (Intuitive)
- T (Thinkers) or F (Feeling)
- J (Judgers) or P (Perceiving)
These four letters get paired into 16 unique combinations that result in the 16 personality types. For instance, I am an ENFP, but you could be an ISTJ, an ESFJ or any of the other 14 combos. There is an endless amount of information on the internet about the 16 personality types which helped me identify personality traits in myself that I couldn’t quite put my finger on.
If you already know your Myers-Briggs, check out the 16 Personality descriptions here. If you still need to take the test, you can find a free version of the 16 Personalities here.
3. Social Styles
Do you have a co-worker that you just can’t stand to be around? For whatever reason, your personalities clash big-time. Your ability to keep your emotions calm, cool, and collected when you are near them instantly fly out the window? According to Davis Merrill, there is a scientific reason why our personalities clash which has everything to do with our different Social Styles, which are opposing in nature.
I attended a two-day Social Styles training at a previous work-place. I can not recommend this personality test/training enough once I had completed it. After learning about my own Social Styles, as well as how to identify the Social Styles of others, I was instantly able to use this new knowledge. It helped me work through work-place conflict and created a heightened awareness of my own personal reactions through a brand lens.
Here are the four Social Styles:
- Analytics
- Drivers
- Expressives
- Amiable
Through a self-assessment, and questionnaires completed by five other people you have consistent contact with, you fall into one of the four quadrants. Unfortunately, there is no quick online test you can take, but I would highly recommend taking the training if its available to you or read all about the Social Styles model here.
4. Love Language
My love of personality tests extends into most workplaces I find myself. I had suggested at a previous job that my rather small 6-person satellite team should take the Love Language quiz.
My enthusiasm for this assessment drowned out the uncomfortable laughter of a few co-workers following my passionate plea to do it as a staff bonding exercise. I knew that if we understood how each of us gave and received appreciation and encouragement, we could grow as a team.
Dr. Gary Chapman believes that humans give and receive love differently. Relationships with our significant others, parents, siblings, friends, co-workers, etc. will grow and strengthen if we can learn to better understand how each individual person gives and receives love.
Here are the five Love Languages:
- Positive Affirmations
- Physical Touch
- Quality Time
- Acts of Service
- Receiving/Giving Gifts
If you manage staff, understanding their Love Language can help increase job satisfaction, help the development of healthy relationships and decrease burnout rates. Now, please don’t take this out of context when you realize that your co-worker’s love language is physical touch. Remain professional and stick High-fives while avoiding uncomfortable bear hugs.
Take the test to find out your Love Language here
Do you have a favorite Personality Test/Assessment?
Share it with the community below 🙂
