How unique are we? It’s an interesting question and a tough one to answer.
One thing that might help us are personality tests - some people swear by them, and others think they are another form of hocus-pocus nonsense.
To many, the acknowledgement that over seven and a half billion people belong to one of only sixteen personality types seems ridiculous.
The sixteen types lie across four broader categories – Analysts, diplomats, sentinels and explorers.
Here’s what they’re known for:
- Analysts - rationality, impartiality, and intellectual excellence.
Famous analysts include Michelle Obama and Elon Musk.
- Diplomats – empathy, diplomatic skills, and passionate idealism.
Famous diplomats include Nelson Mandela and Mother Teresa.
- Sentinels – practicality, focusing on order, security, and stability.
Famous sentinels include Denzel Washington and Natalie Portman
- Explorers – spontaneity, ingenuity, and flexibility.
Famous explorers include Bear Grylls and Lana Del Rey
I took a free online personality test (link at bottom) and was really amazed by the accuracy of my results. I learnt a lot about why I react to the things I do, why certain things annoy me and what makes me enjoy the things I do.
For some people, it’s nice to learn that they’re not alone in their ‘weird’ ways, and it can give more of a sense of belonging to those feeling slightly lost in their ways. Others might think it takes away the charm of being totally unique. But if we view these tests as a tool to help us as we go through life, then we are much more likely to think positively of them.
I also believe that it’s worth doing one every so often, as our lives change and so do we. We may be less extrovert than we were a year ago, or more into reading due to meeting new friends that do the same.
By learning more about ourselves, we really can learn what makes us tick and what drives us mad. It also makes clear why we gel more with some people than others – their personality types complement ours, whereas other types clash with ours more. Knowing more about our type will help us when interacting with others, as we can also empathise more with them.
Whatever you believe about personality tests, they’re certainly worth giving go – at the very worst, it’ll ‘waste’ fifteen minutes of your life. But at the best, they can give you a really good insight into why you act the way you do, what (or who!) to avoid, and how to get the best out of your life.
How to do the free personality test (and I’m not receiving commission!)
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