Have you ever considered that your personality might be the thing keeping you from sticking to new habits or following through with your goals?
For example, certain personality types are associated with adopting an all-or-nothing mindset. So when people with this personality type are engaging in new habits or trying to take a risky plunge, they may struggle with procrastination or paralysis. They may believe, If I can't do it perfectly or have 100% guarantee, then I won't do anything at all. From this perspective, everything can seem as a terrifying all-in gamble.
Your personality may be connected to your failure to stick to new habits or your inability to make a decision, or take reasonable risks.
Though it's not the whole of us, our individual personality is surely an important part of who we are. It gives us a peak into our inner life. Personalities are neither good nor bad. However, we can either be healthy or unhealthy in them.
Personality tests are wonderful tools to uncover how we are wired and the lens in which we see the world. As a coach, I use the Core Motivations tool, also known as the Enneagram, to help clients grow in self-awareness. This increased self-awareness is the path to understanding why we cannot stick to new habits or decisions, or take the risks needed for personal and professional growth.
The Core Motivations tool describes nine personality types. Everyone has a little of each, but most people are one core type. An easy way of figuring out your type is reading through a description of each and determine which one type sounds most like you. Below are short descriptions to get you started.
The Core Motivations describes nine personality types.
Ones. The Perfectionist. My desire is to be perfect. My fear is to be wrong or bad.
Twos. The Helper. My desire is to be loved. My fear is to be unwanted or disappointing.
Threes. The Doer. My desire is to be the best. My fear is to be useless or incompetent.
Fours. The Artist. My desire is to be unique. My fear is to be forgotten or rejected.
Fives. The Thinker. My desire is to be right. My fear is to be wrong or incapable.
Sixes. The Friend. My desire is to be safe. My fear is to be without support or security.
Sevens. The Optimist. My desire is to be happy. My fear is to be trapped or in pain.
Eights. The Defender. My desire is to be in control. My fear is to be weak or vulnerable.
Nines. The Peacemaker. My desire is to be comfortable. My fear is to be in conflict or uncomfortable.
Once you have determined your Core Motivation style, a coach can help you navigate how to maximize your personality strengths and how manage the not-so-good parts of your personality for maximum growth. The good news is that we are not stuck with the not-so-good parts of our personality. It does take intentional work and awareness to overcome some of the challenges associated with our personalities, but there is hope.
If you are interested in learning more about your Core Motivation type, book a FREE 30-minute Explore Coaching session with Coach Liz at lizsastre.com
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