Personality

When we think of maturity we think of a human adult comparison to a ripe fruit but psychologically an eighteen—year—old girl might have more of a mature mindset than a thirty» five-year—old mani Barbara Wexler’s article on “Personal Growth and Development” describes “the two most important factors that affect how a person looks, acts, and feels are heredity and environment” (116) She clarifies how heredity is in our genetics and the way we react to our environment presents the level of our maturity. In the article “Resilience”, Harold M. Giznberg explains it as “anticipating a positive outcome rather than accepting a fatalistic endgame” (548), He describes resilience as “being able to bounce back despite significant threat to personal integrity or the health and well-being of friends, family, or country.

Lastly, the article “Self-esteem” by Barbara Wexler explains self-esteem as “being certain and having a belief in one‘s ability” (406) and with high self-esteem gives us a realistic self-concept, we see our strengths and weaknesses clearly and accurately, We can identify the signs of emotional maturity in our everyday lives through various ways, however personal growth, self-confidence, and resilience Maturity can be accomplished through several ways but we can demonstrate through how we let our characteristics and environment impact our lives For example, heredity is part of personal growth as something that we can’t control, but as we get older our characteristic and traits become mature. As for Environment, “the environment in which a child grows up, including family, siblings, geography, and other factors, can play a major role in their personal development.

In addition, the neighborhood and community one grows up in can lead to lifelong positive habits, like walking and being more physically active“ (126) said Barbara Wexler. How can you know if you matured because of environment? An example would be if you grew up in a poor neighborhood with crime and drugs, that maturity would show if you refused to be a part of your environment or to be different, such as not being a criminal or doing drugs and even providing a wealthier live for yourself. We can’t control our heredity but how we let our environment affect our daily lives is how we show our maturity level. Resilience, another sign on emotionally maturity, in the psychological sense is said to be “the objective adaptation to the external environment versus the development of psychopathology“ (548), by Harold M. Giznberg, also resilience “involves thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that produce a positive outcome after a significant threat to personal integrity or the health and well-being of friends, family, or country” (548).

This compares to people who think of themselves as survivors versus victims, also meaning individuals who can take care of themselves versus the one ones that can’t because of human made or natural stressors. Another instance would be an obese individual that changes to a healthier life style despite unhealthy food options this is a maturity that can be achieved over time. We can control how resilient we are through how we adapt to stressful situations or disadvantages this shows our emotional maturity through resilience. What I saved for last becauseI believe many people as well as I struggle with is self- esteem, this is broader than we think. Barbara Wexler says “a person’s own thoughts can have a powerful effect on how they feel and on their self—esteem.” (428). When we don’t appreciate our qualities, characteristics, and achievements it causes a negative outlook on our lives, therefore with having a hard time respecting ourselves comes with a hard time respecting other. It also makes it difficult to accept when your wrong and taking responsibility for your actions. Your signs show through self-esteem because you will be more successful and you will you be proud in your accomplishment.

We show signs through maturity multiple ways it doesn’t matter how young or old we are, it’s about being able to listen more and talk less, realizing how much you don’t know, being grateful, and many more like emotional maturity traits, We learn that maturity can be achieved through personal growth by Barbara Wexler and that it consists of heredity and environment factors, or resilience by Harold M, Giznberg; the ability to adapt to stressful situations or disadvantages, and to conclude self-esteem; showing through your respect, pride, and responsibility by Barbara Wexler, Not everyone can achieve all these maturity lessons and some can only be achieved over time, I know that I struggle with self-esteem but I would be considered mature in resilience but how we let it affect our everyday lives really shows are level of maturity emotionally and physically

Firstly, I want to clarify who I am, as the beginning of my personal credo. This will be a reflection of myself. Instead of the superficial discussion of my physical characteristics, I want to talk about my personality and the background that helped me to cultivate this personality.

I believe the environment that I was born and raised has a great impact on my personality and my credo. I was born in Beijing, China. In a wealthy family. Single Child. I’m the third generation of university student in my family: my grandfather was the first generation of university student in my family, he majored in aircraft design and was one of the founder of China’s NASA. Majority of people who live in my community went to graduate school and a great amount of them have doctor degrees. Both of my parents have master degrees, while my father majored in EMBA and my mother majored in Pharmacy.

Born in a family which the majority of its member have received a high level of education, I believe in the power of books, knowledge, education, and thinking. Since I was young, I was told the following things: act and behave appropriately in public, be polite to others, and read books. My experience in my family has a great impact on my personality, especially my parents: they read lot of books and also encourage me to read books. As a result, I enjoy deep thinking and reading; I enjoy great books and movies; I prefer quiet environment rather than noisy; I enjoy talking to educated and polite people. The education that I received in my family forces me to keep myself and the surrounding environment clean and tidy. My family and community is the most important factor that defines who I am.

All the characteristics above guide me and help me in interacting with people and things. Some of them do cause uneasiness because they make me different from some communities and make me hard to get involved in these communities. For example, I’ve had a hard time interacting with some students in CFS community. However, I’ll never give up my credos and beliefs, because it’s always right to to the correct thing. I believe these credos will always guide and help me to do better and become better person in the future.

The socratic seminars that we’ve had in class have changed my beliefs and they have a great positive impact on my life. Several of my ideas and beliefs have been changed after the seminar discussion and my after class reflection. I want to focus on three great ideas: existence, leadership, and religion.

First I want to talk about existence. The reading that changed my mind is Descartes’ Meditations. I’ve struggled to find my place in this world, because I used to believe that I’m just a normal and mundane human being. I didn’t think about my connection to the world. The concepts of Descartes definitely influenced me and help me to build confidence. According to Descartes, “I have persuaded myself that there is absolutely nothing in the world: no sky, no earth, no minds, no bodies”(70, Descartes).

This thought actually inspires me. I began to reflect on myself whether I’m just a part of the real world that is shared by billions of people or I’m the master of my world. This is my thought after the seminar discussion: since my awareness of the world is based on my feelings, my thinking, and my interaction with it, I could assume that this world is purely based on my imagination and thinking. I am the center of my world. Since I had this thought, I became a confident person, because I began to care more about myself instead of others.

This semester, I’ve led a seminar regarding religion. The experience I had when preparing for that seminar discussion helped me to find a reason for my belief. I want to reiterate my belief before I talk about it. I don’t believe in any form of religion, but I do believe in the existence of a spiritual world. It seems controversial but it doesn’t. I believe the reason why I have this kind of mindset is the atmosphere in Chinese culture. To be more specific, the common nature of people.

According to Dr. Ludden, “the belief that supernatural agency inhabits the world and can influence events—is a universal human trait”(Why Do People Believe in God). My reasoning for religion is that in the past, people were not able to find a scientific explanation for events that happened, so they created a symbol to believe in. I, like many other Chinese, don’t believe in any religion but we do believe in the existence of supernatural power. Preparing for this seminar helped me to find the reason of my behavior and helped me to have a better understanding of the way I think.

Finally, I want to talk about leadership I used to believe that a good leader should let people love him or her. However, after studied The Prince of Machiavelli, I realized that to be loved by people is not a wise choice. Machiavelli wrote that “fear is sustained by a dread of punishment which will never abandon you”(Machiavelli, 42). Fear is a more stable source of leadership compare to love.

Based on this idea, I began to adjust my way of interacting with people when working together. In the past, when other people in my group didn’t do well on their part of the project, I used to fix it for them. I learnt from Machiavelli that fear is more effective than love, I stopped to forgive people and do their job for them. This change helped me to be effective when working with people that I’m not familiar with. It’s my pleasure and privilege to have the opportunity to study the masterpieces of great thinkers. Many of their great ideas changed the way I think and they helped me to be a better person.

This report provides an analysis and evaluation of my traits to determine my personality using three web-based personality test. The three personality test used for this report are: Locus of Control Personality Test, Short Test, and The Big Five Personality Test. Each test are attempting to test different traits or factors of personality. These test helped me determine my personality profile.

Introduction: What is Personality?

Holzman defines Personality as “a characteristic way of thinking, feeling, and behaving. Personality embraces moods, attitudes, and opinions and is most clearly expressed in interactions with other people. It includes behavioral characteristics, both inherent and acquired, that distinguish one person from another and that can be observed in people’s relations to the environment and to the social group.” (Holzman, 1996)

Set of traits defines a person’s personality. Some of the popular personality theories are: Hans Eysencks Personality Trait Theory and Raymond Cattell’s Personality Trait Theory. These two theories differs in their focus and points in determining one’s personality.

Through research and statistical analysis, Eysencks determined that personality is composed of three main elements: Extroversion, Psychoticism, and Neuroticism. “Eysenck’s theory argues strongly that biological predispositions towards certain personality traits combined with conditioning and socialisation during childhood in order to create our personality.”

On the other hand, Raymond Cattell created a taxonomy of 16 Personality Factor that could help determine, describe, and explain individual distinction of people’s personality. The following traits are: Warmth, Intellect, Emotional Stability, Aggressiveness, Liveliness, Dutifulness, Social Assertiveness, Sensitivity, Paranoia, Abstractness, Introversion, Anxiety, Open-mindedness, Independence, Perfectionism, and Tension. Cattell’s 16 Personality Factor Personality Questionaires are often used in counselling such as career counselling, marital counselling, it is also used in business for employee selection and testing.

Overview of the Assessment

1. Locus Of Control

This concept of personality test was originally developed by a psychologist named, Julian B. Rotter. This concept is divided into two: Internal Locus Of Control and External Locus Of Control. This psychological concept refers to the degree in which people believe that they have control over what is happening in their lives or the outcome of incidents are out of their hands.

Someone with Internal Locus Of Control believes that his/ her success is because of pure hard work. If he/ she fails that means, not enough effort was put into work. On the other hand, Someone with External Locus Of Control associates its success or failure with luck or fate. “People with an external locus of control are also more likely to experience anxiety since they believe that they are not in control of their lives.” (Joelson, 2017)

My scores from this assessment test are:

• INTERNAL LOCUS = 64%
• EXTERNAL LOCUS = 36 %

Thus, I have an Internal Locus of Control. The result suggests that I tend to believe that internal factors like drive and free will define me more than external factors like genetics, fate, luck, and environment.

2. Short Test (Jung’s I-E-S-N-F-T-J-P)

This concept of personality test was developed based on the theory of personality of a Swiss psychologist and psychotherapist, named Carl Jung. This test was “developed to demonstrate the complexity of human typology and its consequences.” (Psychologia, n.d.) Jung classifies personality using the following; Two Personality Attitude: Extroversion and Introversion, and the Four Functions: Thinking, Sensation, Intuition, and Feeling. Jung has a different concept of Extroverted and Introverted.

“Someone who is introverted, focuses on their own mental world. Extraverted people focus more on the world outside themselves.” (Hendricks, 2018)

My scores from this assessment test are:

• EXTROVERTED (E) 34 % INTROVERTED (I) 30%
• SENSING (S) 58% I NTUITIVE (N) 26%
• FEELING (F) 50% THINKING (T) 37%
• JUDGING (J) 55% PERCEIVING (P) 27%

My Personality type based on this assessment is ESFJ – “Seller” Most sociable of all types. Nurturer of harmony, Outstanding host or hostesses.

3. The Big Five
   

   Personality Test

The Big Five Personality Traits are five extensive domain which help define people’s individual differences and personality. The Big Five Factor or Personality Test was developed by Robert McCrae and Paul Costa. The Five Factor Model of Personality was developed to establish “common taxonomy” and to help indicate on how a person react in different situations. The Big Five are easily remembered by many with this acronym, O-C-E-A-N. These factors are: Open-Mindedness, Conscientious, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism (Emotional Stability).

My scores from this assessment test are:

• Open-Mindedness = 2% (Low scorers tend to be conventional, down to earth, narrow interests, uncreative”
  • Conscientiousness = 62%
  (High scorers tend to be reliable, well-organized, self-disciplined, and careful)
• Extraversion = 5%
  (Low scorers tend to be introverted, reserved, inhibited, quiet)
• Agreeableness = 12%
  (Low scorers tend to be critical, rude, harsh, callous)
• Negative Emotionality = 95%
  (High scorers tend to be nervous, high-strung, insecure, worrying

Synthesis Of Data

According from the score from my first assessment which is the Locus of Control Personality Test, I conclude that I have an Internal Locus of Control. I strongly believe that the consequences or the results of my actions are based on my abilities and pure hard work. If I fail on something, I would not say “better luck next time” rather, I would work even harder to achieve the results that I am aiming for.

The scores from my second assessment which is the Short Test, states that I have an “Extraverted” personality. According to the result, I apparently, prefer to focus my attention on the outer world of people and things. Also, from the result, the way I prefer to take in information is by “Sensing”. The way I prefer to make decision is based primarily on values and subjective evaluation of person-centered concerns. And finally, the way I prefer to deal with the outer world is by “Judging”. Judging tends to like a planned and organized approach to life. (Roy, 2018)

The results from my assessment from The Big Five Personality Test, indicates under Open-mindedness that I prefer traditional and familiar experiences. As I scored a little over 50% under the category of Conscientiousness, it indicates that I am well-organized and reliable. Under Extraversion, I scored very low. Low scorers tends to be introverted who loves to enjoy spending quiet time alone.

I scored low under Agreeableness, low scorers are described to be critical, rude, mean and harsh. And lastly, my Negative Emotionality score is very high, which generally means I am an anxious person and tend to worry about things.

Critique And Analysis

• LOCUS OF CONTROL TEST

The result from the assessment conclude that I have an Internal Locus Of Control. I would have to agree with this as I believe in hard work and perseverance over luck and fate. For instance, If I do not get a hired from companies I have applied to, I would not think It is because I’m unlucky or that position is not for me. I would think, maybe I made a mistake in answering a question or I stuttered a lot. What I should do in that kind of situation is to keep on applying to other companies and I will practice repeatedly to improve my speaking skills prior to my interview. I would also study and do research about the company and do my best on my next interview.

• SHORT TEST (Jung’s I-E-S-N-F-T-J-P)

The scores from this particular personality test conclude that I have an “Extraversion” personality. I would have to disagree with that, since a person who is an extravert is described as someone who open, outgoing, enjoys talking, and so on, it is the opposite of “me”. I despise being in crowded places, especially places full of strangers, I do not like to open up to people, I hate doing group works, etc.

For example, I never attended dinner parties hosted by my boss because if I did I will have to talk to my co-workers about things that are not work-related. I do not like to socialize or entertain others. Another example of me being an introvert, My mom wanted to invite people to celebrate my birthday, I got upset as I do not like many people coming over our apartment. I prefer an intimate dinner with my mom and siblings and 2 close friends over a party.

• THE BIG FIVE PERSONALITY TEST

I agree with the scores I got from this assessment. The results are accurate, although some of the traits or personality that describes me are not pleasing at all. Under the factor of Agreeableness, I scored very low, which means, I am rude or harsh to people. This is actually true, but I only act rudely depends on the situations. A specific example, at work, when I see my co-workers leisurely walking around doing nothing and using their phone while I am getting some work done, I get upset and starts talking rudely them.

They did not do anything particularly bad to me, It’s just that I hate it when people are relaxing around while I’m working hard. Another example, in school, whenever there is a group work, I treat the group members who do not put effort in their work for their parts on the group assignment / project. I would kick them out of the group chat and roll my eyes on them whenever I see them.

Conclusion

To summarize, the web-based personality test were really helpful in establishing my personality profile. The Locus of Control, Short Test, and The Big Five Personality Test gave pretty accurate results. These personality test assessed my personality by how I respond or react to certain situations. Overall, my personality falls under introversion.

References

• Cherry, K. (2019, June 16). Analyzing Personality Factors for Counseling and Career Guidance. Retrieved October 3, 2019, from https://www.verywellmind.com/cattells-16-personality-factors-2795977.
• Eysenck Personality Test. (n.d.). Retrieved October 3, 2019, from https://similarminds.com/cgi-bin/eysenck.pl.
• Hendriks, F. (2018, July 20). Jung Personality Types: definition and test info. Retrieved October 3, 2019, from https://www.toolshero.com/psychology/theories-of-personality/jung-personality-types/
• Holzman, P. S. (n.d.). Personality. Retrieved October 2, 2019, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/personality.
• Jung Tests I-E S-N F-T J-P Short Test. (n.d.). Retrieved October 2, 2019, from https://similarminds.com/cgi-bin/jung2.pl.
• Joelson, R. B. (2017, August 2). Locus of Control. Retrieved October 3, 2019, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/moments-matter/201708/locus-control.
• Locus of Control Personality Test . (n.d.). Retrieved October 2, 2019, from https://similarminds.com/cgi-bin/locus.pl.
• Lustbader, R. (2018, April 11). Raymond Cattell And His Theory Of Personality. Retrieved October 3, 2019, from https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/psychologists/raymond-cattell-and-his-theory-of-personality/
• Partnership, G. S. (2013, October 25). Locus of Control Definition. Retrieved October 3, 2019, from https://www.edglossary.org/locus-of-control
• Personality Type Explained. (n.d.). Retrieved October 3, 2019, from http://www.humanmetrics.com/personality/type.
• Roy, G. (2018, September 24). Jung’s Theory of Introvert and Extrovert Personalities. Retrieved from https://fractalenlightenment.com/31622/life/jungs-theory-of-introvert-and-extrovert-personalities.
• The Big Five Project Personality Test. (n.d.). Retrieved October 2, 2019, from https://www.outofservice.com/bigfive/.
• Thiel, E. van. (2018, September 10). What are the Big Five Personality Test Traits? – Learn all about the Theory. Retrieved October 3, 2019, from https://www.123test.com/big-five-personality-theory/.
• Waude, A. (2017, May 8). Five-Factor Model Of Personality. Retrieved October 3, 2019, from https://www.psychologistworld.com/personality/five-factor-model-big-five-personality

Susan Cain in her book titled “Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking” (2012), writes on behalf of the shy, the timid, the quiet and how they see themselves and why introverts are the way they are. To my understanding, the author addressed the key differences between introverts and extrovert, how society misunderstands and undervalue the capabilities of introverted people.

She also addressed how much of these personality traits are with relevant arguments supported by well-researched facts and anecdotal evidence. The author’s overall objective is to give a voice to the deep-thinking and reflective introverted people in the society, change the way individuals see introversion, bring to limelight the relevance and power of the introvert. The audience of the writer are parents and educators, as well as those who are introverts, extroverts or ambivalent so everyone can learn how to appreciate the strengths of various personality traits.

The main ideas that I will be discussing in the summary section are (i) The challenges of introverts operating in a culture of extrovert ideal (ii) biological and environmental influences on temperament, behavior and personality (iii) introversion in education and child development (iv) ways to tailor environments and interactions to achieve optimal social and sensory stimulation for introverts.

First main idea discussed by the writer was on culture of extrovert ideal, this explains how the American culture began to shift towards the culture of personality, which focused in the way in which one is perceived by others. Susman noted that in the 19th century, there was cultivation of traits such as citizenship, duty, honor, manners, and integrity but the 20th century celebrated qualities such as magnetism, fascination, attractiveness, dominance, force, and energy. Susan Cain explains this, with the story of Dale Carnegie, who dreads of not been able to speak when it matters most like not knowing what to say to his future wife on their wedding day, one day he was captivated and mesmerized by a charismatic speaker.

Dale decided to go college and he noticed that students who were outspoken become leaders, and he resolved to become one of them. He began to practice on how to become a public speaker and managed to become a speaking champion. Cain explains that, the ideal self was serious, disciplined, and honorable. What counted was not so much the impression one made in public as how one behaved in private (p.20).

According to Cain, in a culture that is biased against them, introverts are pressured to act like extroverts instead of embracing their serious, often quiet and reflective style. “Carnegie’s metamorphosis to public-speaking icon is also the story of the rise of the Extrovert Ideal. Carnegie’s journey reflected a cultural evolution that reached a tipping point around the turn of the twentieth century, changing forever who we are” (Cain, 2012, p.20).

Second idea on biological and environmental influences on temperament, behavior and personality discussed by Susan Cain was that heredity influences people’s personality characteristics and development. People classified as active, moderately active or quiet are the differences attributable to hereditary endowments, although training and learning may produce noticeable modifications.

Personality development emphasized that early influences not only a child’s immediate behaviour but also his/her subsequent and long- term adjustment. Susan Cain narrated a story of how she felt restless when she was about to deliver a public speech in a big media company. She had to take some sips of alcohol to boost her confidence and help her overcome anxiety.

She reflected on how she might have inherited her parent’s personality traits as she remembers how her mother hates speaking to large group of people. “Are they the result of “nurture” the way I was raised? Both of my parents are soft-spoken, reflective types; my mother hates public speaking too. Or are they my “nature” something deep in my genetic makeup” (Cain, 2012, p.49). She mentions that the point of view of personality development, the most significant aspect of an individual’s world is his social environment.

All human beings live in an environment, an interacting group of people with distinctive culture, way of thinking, feel¬ing, attitudes, goals, ideals and value system that influences their temperament, behavior and personality. The environment trains its members to behave in the ways that are acceptable to the group’s own concepts, needs and specific techniques of child rearing as well as a set of expectations regarding patterns of approved behaviour. Susan explains how different environment affects people’s behavior and personality traits overtime “The trait has been found to be less prevalent in Asia and Africa than in Europe and America, whose populations descend largely from the migrants of the world, world travelers were more extroverted than those who stayed home”(Cain, 2012, p.23).

Third idea discussed was introversion in education and child development. Cain describes how introversion in children is not a defect but part of their genetic makeup. “Our inborn temperaments influence us, regardless of the lives we lead. A sizable part of who we are is ordained by our genes, by our brains, by our nervous systems” (Cain, 2012, p.55). Most times parents are worried about their introverted children, but they should learn to view their introverted children’s social style with understanding rather than fear.

She narrated a story from Dr. Jerry Miller, a child psychologist about a parent who brought their son named Ethan to him for treatment because he was an introvert, his parents want to instill “fighting spirit” in him but the doctor kept telling the parents that their son is fine. Ethan’s parent was not satisfied with the doctor’s response, they later took him to a different psychologist who agreed to treat him. Dr. Miller stated that “I firmly believe that it’s impossible to change that kid. I worry that they’re taking a perfectly healthy boy and damaging his sense of self.” (Cain, 2012, p.102).

The last main idea is on ways to tailor environments and interactions to achieve optimal social and sensory stimulation for introverts. What parents and teachers can do for introverted kids is to accept and love them for whom they are by encouraging their passions, giving them the space they need, letting them master new skills at their own pace and not calling them names like “shy”. Cain (2012) argued that “the amygdala serves as the brain’s emotional switchboard, receiving information from the senses and then signaling the rest of the brain and nervous system how to respond” (p.50).

Introverts can become overstimulated by the action-packed pace activities of a day; they need time and space to restore their nervous system. Parents can help their introverted children stretch outside their comfort zones and take comfortable risks and help to tie needful actions to their passions and interests. “The key is to expose your child gradually to new situations and people taking care to respect his limits, even when they seem extreme. This produces more-confident kids than either overprotection or pushing too hard” (p.104).

My conclusions about this book is that it will help introverted individuals to understand that they are not alone in their struggles and give them a sense of value. Susan Cain did a good job expressing several strategies and ideas on how introverts can excel in a world where extroverts are mostly celebrated and appreciated.

Her ability to discuss the challenges and advantages of being an introvert, helping introverts understand why they see the world differently, giving valuable tips on how to behave in certain situations, and how to raise introverted children using results of several types of research on the subject is an answer to many questions by those concerned. Cain also pointed out the myths that accompany the introverted personality and offers insight for parents, educators, and those who feel silenced by the extrovert ideal.

Self-confidence is doing what you believe is right even if others may criticize or do not believe in you. Self-confidence can be termed as having a strong sense of self-worth and self-believe. Everyone admires a self-confident person. A self-confident person is calm to him/herself and to his/her work. Confident people inspire confidence in others: their friends, audience, bosses, colleagues, and clients. Gaining the confidence of others is one of the ways to succeed in life. Self-confidence is vital in people lives, yet many people struggle with it. The following are ways to help boost your self-confidence.

Be Nice To Yourself

The inner voices that tell you are good (or not) are way more powerful than you think or imagine. Always make an effort to be kind to yourself. When you feel like you are slipping, try to always challenge any negative thoughts, and appreciate your small wins. Speak to yourself the same way that you would speak to your friends. This is not easy but always strives to. Remember practice makes perfect.

Stop Comparing Yourself With Others

Comparing yourself to others leads to feeling inferior. This erodes your self-confidence. Researchers have found that people who compare themselves to others, experience jealousy. And the more jealousy they are the worse they feel about themselves. This can be a vicious cycle. When you notice you are comparing yourself with others. Try to focus on your own achievements and goals instead of measuring them against others. Life is not a competition and everyone is running their own race. So focus on your own race.

Nobody Is Perfect

It is important to accept that perfectionist is an unrealistic goal. We all make mistakes. Do not think of your mistakes as negatives but rather as learning opportunities. A negative thought can be very damaging to self-confidence and your ability to achieve goals. The basic rule is to highlight your strengths and success and learn from your weakness and mistakes. Always practice self-compassion and strives to be the best version of you.

Take Care Of Your Body

Exercise is a great way to increase motivation. Breaking a sweat also cues the body to release endorphins, the feel-good hormones that increase self-confidence. Getting moving and exercising your body to boost your self -confidence.

Final Thought

Self-confidence is a state of mind. This is an attribute that most people would like to possess. Boosting your self- confidence means developing good habits that will improve your self-confidence, despite what other people think of you. Feeling good about your past achievements, and setting yourself achievable goals for the future, helps you to build and maintain that confidence. Everyone struggles with self – confidence issues at one time or another. But if your self-confidence issues interfere with your work, your social life, or your education, seek professional help.

“Our personality is our characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting” (Myers & Dewall, 2017, p. 350). For this personality project, I took an in-depth analysis to find out some of my personality traits and my personality type. The three inventories that I decided to use for this project were the DISC Personality, the TypeFinder Research Edition, and The Big Five Personality Test to help me determine my personality traits and type. For each inventory that I used, I will provide a summary of my results along with some of my reactions and comments that I had after completing each inventory. Along with each inventory, I will provide some examples of how I have seen some of my personality traits in my behavior. Moving on, I will explain ten of my personality traits that my dad wrote down and discuss his feelings about my results from the inventories. As I conclude this project, I will explain how the knowledge of my personality traits and type can benefit me in the future and discuss some changes that I could make to help me live a more successful life. To start off with, let’s take a look at the first inventory that I completed: the DISC Personality Report.

The DISC Personality Report measures four factors that reflect some personality factors and ranks them by percentages. The highest percentage is likely to be the most dominant personality factor, the second highest would be the next most dominant personality factor, the third highest would be the next dominant personality factor, and the fourth highest would be the lowest dominant personality factor. The four factors that were measured include compliance, steadiness, dominance, and influence. I scored highest in compliance (45%), which describes how I approach and organize an activity, procedure, or responsibility. My second highest score that I received was steadiness (41%), which describes my temperament (such as my patience, persistence, and thoughtfulness). The last two scores that were measured, dominance and influence, were tied at 7%. Dominance describes the way I deal with problems, assert myself and control situations, while influence describes the way I deal with people, and the way I communicate and relate to others. I do agree with these results from this inventory. I have an interesting example on how I have seen some of my traits in my behavior. When I was in high school, my college English teacher told me that I should have a job that requires a great attention to detail. By paying attention to details, I think that would reflect my compliance (the way I organize things) and my steadiness (patience and persistence). Moving on, let’s take a look at the second inventory that I completed: the TypeFinder Research Edition.

The TypeFinder Research Edition gave me a personality type of an ISFJ, which means that I am introverted (I), sensing (S), feeling (F), and judging (J). The first set of scores determine if the test taker is introverted or extraverted. Introverts (like myself) are energized by being quiet, reflective, and calm, while extroverts (not like myself) are energized by being around other people and by being in busy surroundings. The second set of scores determine if the test taker is sensing or intuitive. Sensors (like myself), focus on facts, details, and real-life experiences, while being intuitive (not like myself) focuses more on ideas, impressions, and interpretations of meaning. The third set of scores determine if the test taker is a thinker or a feeler. Thinkers (not like myself), make decisions based on logic and reason, while feelers (like myself) make decisions based on emotions and personal concerns. The last set of scores determine if the test taker is a perceiver or a judger. Perceivers (not like myself) prefer to be spontaneous and flexible, while judgers (like myself) prefer to keep things organized and plan in advance. By being an introvert, I really do not like being the center of attention. When I was around twelve years old, I asked my parents to not have birthday parties for me because I hated the feeling of people being there only for me. I would just rather go play a game of pickup hockey for my birthday. I agree with most of the results from this inventory, except for classifying myself as a feeler rather than a thinker. This really surprised me, and I disagree with this because I try to make my decisions based on some logic, and not my emotions. This knowledge of knowing that I am a feeler will benefit me in the future because I can try to think about my decisions rather than going with my emotions. By using a logical decision rather than an emotional decision, it can help me live a more successful life because using logic usually results in better decisions. Moving on, let’s take a look at the last inventory that I completed: The Big Five Personality Test.

The Big Five Personality Test was my favorite inventory that I completed. The Big Five measures scores based on five dimensions of personalities. The five dimensions include openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. I had a low score for openness (46%), which describes a person’s tendency to think in abstract, complex ways. Low scores in openness means that one is more conventional, practical, and more down-to-earth. Also, low scores in openness can mean that one is more comfortable in familiar surroundings and is more hesitant to try new things. They tend to enjoy more mainstream entertainment such as sports and movies, and not enjoy more cultural activities such as an opera. Next, I had a high score in conscientiousness (83%), which describes a person’s ability to exercise self-discipline and control in order to pursue their goals. People who are high in conscientiousness tend to be more organized, reliable, and persistent when pursuing goals. Also, people high in conscientiousness are more likely to be successful in their careers, are less likely to develop addictions, and are good at resisting impulses. Next, I scored low in extraversion (25%), which is how outgoing and social someone is. Introverts (like myself) are more content with simple, quiet lives, and rarely seek attention from others. Also, introverts tend to be more independent and do not need recognition from others in order to feel satisfied. Next, I scored high on agreeableness (79%), which describes a person’s tendency to put others’ needs ahead of their own. People who are high in agreeableness are usually trusting and forgiving and experience a great deal of empathy towards others. They also sympathize easy with others and want to get along with others. Lastly, I scored moderate in neuroticism (56%), which describes the tendency to experience negative emotions. Some emotions that they can experience are sadness, anxiety, and shame. My score indicates that I feel sadness, worry, anger, and guilt about as much as the average person. The test also gave me a core pattern, which describes the essential role I take in approaching the world. The role that I scored highest in was the practical caretaker, which means that I help others maintain stability and security. I agree with the results from this inventory. I have an example on how I seen my personality traits in my behavior. I had an uncle that passed away when I was ten years old, and it really hit me hard. I could not relate to any of my peers because they did not have any experience with something like this. But one day in high school, a girl in my grade had her dad pass away unexpectedly. I tried to be there for her to show support because I knew how hard it was to lose a loved one. I feel like this would relate my high degree of agreeableness.

I would consider my dad to be one of my best friends, so I asked him to write down ten words that describe me. The ten words he used to describe me are: honest, caring, teachable, sensitive, motivated, ambitious, passionate, indecisive, perfectionist, and courteous. A few days after he wrote down this list of words that describe me, I showed him the results that I received from the personality inventories. He said that he agrees with most of the results that I received. He said that he defiantly agrees that I am introverted because I “do not like to go outside of my bubble.” Also, he agrees that I am very conscientiousness. I have to be organized, otherwise I do not even know how to start something. He says that my perfectionist personality (in the list that wrote down) really reflects my conscientiousness because I have to have everything in the perfect order for me to feel content with things. However, he does disagree with one of the results from the inventories. He thinks that I should have a higher score in influence. He says that I serve as a role model for my younger sister. With me having more experience in life, I can relate to some troubles that she has had and can help communicate with her to get through some troubles. All in all, he says that most of the results from the inventories do reflect my personality.

In conclusion, this personality project was very interesting to learn some things about myself. It was very surprising to me to see how close these inventories were to my personality. My dad even mentioned that the results were just about a spitting image of my personality. I disagreed with very few of the results because they were very close to describing my personality. The knowledge of my personality can benefit me in the future because I can put myself in the right position to succeed in whatever I am doing. Knowing what I am good at and what I am not good at can help me in whatever situation I am in. I know that I can make a few changes in my behavior now that I know my personality type. I really would like to change some of my negative attitude. Usually, I think the worst of something, and I get pretty down on myself. If I change this and have a more positive outlook on something, I think it would lead to a more happier and more successful life.

The relationship amongst Individuals and the organizations can be studied through the methods of Interaction between personnel and groups, as well as the strategies and factors affecting the behavior between each. For the purpose of this literature review, stress and Job burnout will be used to depict a major behavior of the relationship between the organization and its personnel (Ghana 2004). For example, Job burnout and its characteristics can have substantial effects on the organization and its personnel, which is why many researchers in recent decades have chosen to Investigate the phenomenon further.

The term Job burnout’ came Into play In the United States during the sass when It was identified more as a social problem, rather than a focus of systematic study by researchers (Mismatch 2001). However, the power of the term ‘burnout’ made it possible to delve deeper into an Individual’s experiences in the workplace and capture their realities, no matter what profession was under scrutiny. According to the Australian Journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, the phenomenon of Job burnout happens In different Jobs at various levels with major side effects to the organization, TTS personnel and their families (Freakish 2009).

Due to the detrimental effects to job performance brought about by the phenomenon in question, defining job burnout, finding the indicators of where it occurs and discovering the preventative measures will be the focus of this paper. Defining Stress and Job Burnout Stress and job burnout have been considered occupational hazards for many people-oriented professions such as healthcare, human services and education. The practitioners In these professions began their Job with enthusiasm, positive expectations and a strong dedication to helping people.

The demands of such Jobs are usually understated, but the norms are the same: to work long hours to do what you must to help the client, to put others’ needs first and to ultimately be selfless. However these demands often come at a high price when one experiences the beginning stages of Job burnout. Brandenburg, Pines, Aaron’s and Kathy define Job burnout as a syndrome consisting of emotional and physical tiredness caused by development of negative occupational tendencies, and missing one’s Interest In one’s own job (Brandenburg 1975).

The key characteristics can be seen through feelings f frustration, exhaustion, anger and cynicism as well as a sense of failure and ineffectiveness. In addition, personnel and even management may suffer from sleep disorders, frequent headaches and anorexia (Freakish 2009). These experiences affect both social and personal functions of their Job performance. Naturally, this not only affects the Individual worker, but the people depending on him or her, and of course, the organization as a whole (Mismatch 1998).

When organizational performance is effected negatively, this results in less work, absence from the job, arioso complaints, conflict in work environment, frequent delays, change of position and Job and even the quitting of the job. Ultimately, any manager who has suffered from Job burnout for whatever reason puts his psychological health at serious risk which could hinder the ability to communicate with others and solve personal oppositions Ana tendencies In an accepted, logical manner (Frankness 2 Mismatch and Letter, two of the leading scholars in the analysis and study of Job burnout, have done over 25 years of research on the subject.

These experts claim that although there is no standard definition to Job burnout, they agree there are here prevailing dimensions which maintain a consistent structure throughout a variety of professions ( Mismatch 2001). These three components are: exhaustion, cynicism (a distant attitude toward the Job), and reduced professional efficacy. Of these three components, exhaustion is the most meticulously studied due to its predominance in the workplace. Some even argue that because of this strong identification with burnout, the other two aspects of the syndrome are unnecessary to consider.

Exhaustion reflects the stress dimension of burnout, yet it fails to encompass the relationship people have with their work. Mismatch and Letter say that exhaustion is not Just experienced – it instigates the motion to disconnect oneself cognitively and emotionally from one’s work. This act has a specific name: diversification. This is an attempt to distance oneself and the ones receiving services (perhaps the client) by actively ignoring the qualities that make them engaging, unique people.

People use this distancing method to develop an indifferent or a cynical attitude, so that they can manage the demands of their Job without having to view their counterparts as real people but as impersonal objects (Freakish 2009). Distancing is such an expected reaction to exhaustion that the strong correlation to cynicism (diversification) is always found when studying burnout (Mismatch 1996). The third component, lack of professional efficacy (reduced personal accomplishment) can be seen in a work situation with constant, overwhelming Job duties that add to the exhaustion or cynicism.

This is because it is difficult to have a feeling of accomplishment when one feels exhausted or indifferent toward the people they are supposed to help. The main difference between the three components is that a lack of efficacy stems from the lack of elevate resources, whereas exhaustion and cynicism arise from social conflict and work overload (Mismatch 1998). Where Does Burnout Happen? According to the Annual Review of Psychology Journal, burnout is an individual experience that is specific to the work context.

Therefore, the situational factors of Job burnout must be examined in order to fully understand the reasons behind its presence in many of our major industries. As mentioned above, research indicates that burnout is a response to work overload, time pressures and other quantitative job demands (such as too much work for available time). Studies of qualitative demands include role ambiguity and role conflict. Role conflict occurs as the conflicting demands of the Job must be met, whereas role ambiguity happens when there is not enough information given to do the Job well (Mismatch 1997).

Another situational factor which is highly consistent with burnout rates is a lack of Job resources such as a lack of social support from management and fellow employees. Another set of Job resources has to do with control and information. If there is a lack of feedback from supervisors and no opportunity for decision making between management and employees, then the chances for burnout are much higher (Pulitzer and Mashers 2003). Based on the situational factors as seen in the quantitative and qualitative Job demands, it is easier to see where (I. . What Job Inaugurates) Joy Turnout occurs ten most. When telling Turnout earlier In tons paper, it was stated that in the professions of healthcare, education and human services, Job burnout has been prevalent due to the orientation toward emotion and people. Mismatch and Letter said there are actually five occupational sectors where the three emissions of burnout can be seen: teaching, social services, medicine, mental health and law enforcement.

For example, in a study conducted by Stress and Health, it was found that physicians in South Africa have high levels of stress due to lack of organizational support, inadequate salaries, making critical on-the-spot decisions, dealing with crisis situations and working overtime. Apart from the inadequate salaries, American physicians were found to have similar sources of Job stress, especially female doctors due to a lack of support on Job stress severity (Pulitzer and Mashers 2003).

Mismatch and Letter said there are mainly five occupational sectors which are prone to burnout; however, it would not be logical to limit the study to Just those five industries as it seems logical any individual in any Job could become victim to Job burnout, depending on their age, demands of the Job and the length of time worked. Thus, this brings up the issue of who experiences burnout? Who Experiences Burnout? There are three personal factors which have been found to be related to Job stress and burnout: demographics, personality characteristics and Job attitudes.

Of all demographic factors, age is most consistently related to burnout (Mismatch 1996). Among younger employees, the level of burnout is reported to be higher than those over 30-40 years of age. Researchers suggest this is because age is confounded with work experience so burnout could occur earlier in one’s career. Also sex is an indicator of burnout. Some studies show there is a higher burnout for women because they fall under the dimension of exhaustion, whereas other studies say men are more likely to have higher levels of burnout because they score higher on Hyannis.

Some studies say those with a higher level of education report higher levels of burnout perhaps because highly educated people have higher expectations for their Jobs, and thus, are more stressed if these expectations are not met ( Mismatch 1996). Many personality traits have been analyzed in an effort to find which types of people may be at a greater risk for burnout. It has been suggested that low levels of hardiness (sense of control over events, openness to change, etc. , poor self-esteem, an external focus of control (give credit to others) and n avoidance coping style (passive to stressful events) all correlate to high levels of Job burnout. The exhaustion dimension of burnout has been linked to Type-A behavior (hostility, competition, excessive need for control). There has also been connections between individuals who are “feeling” types rather than “thinking” types who are more prone to burnout, especially on the dimension of cynicism (Freakish 2009). And lastly, the expectations and attitudes people bring to their Jobs is connected to levels of Job stress and burnout.

According to Applied &Preventative Psychology Journal, those with high Job expectations are more likely to work too hard and do too much, which leads to exhaustion and eventually cynicism when the extended effort does not yield the expected results (Mismatch 1998). Prevention of Stress and Job Burnout In Mismatch and Goldberg article “Prevention of burnout: New perspectives,” they suggest two new approaches to ten prevention AT JODI Turnout. I en TLS approach Is based on the Mismatch multidimensional model and focuses on the opposite of burnout: increasing engagement with work by creating a better ‘fit’ between the individual and the Job.

The model provides a way to analyze more accurate connections between the Job situation and the personal experience. The advantage to this approach is that it allows for clarity and articulation of the source of the burnout which would aid in designing more effective prevention techniques. The second approach is based on decision-making and redefines burnout in relation to perception of the risk of burnout and how it may lead to choices that actually increase the likelihood of becoming “burnt” (Mismatch 1996). Both of these approaches can be simply put into two categories: person-centered approaches and taxation-centered approaches.

With the person-centered approach, it is suggested that the individual plays a central role in the prevention of burnout. It is often presumed that it is the responsibility of the person, not the organization, to do something about their stress management. In order to do succeed with this approach, the individual must be able to develop preventative coping skills, utilize social resources, develop a relaxed lifestyle, improve health, and at the end of it, self- analyze in an objective, realistic manner that allows them to reevaluate their own arsenal standards and unconscious expectations (Mismatch 1998).

The situation- centered approaches have been given very little attention for strategies to preventing stress and burnout. However, at the situational level, the few strategies that have been suggested tend to focus on ways of enhancing the Job experience. According to “Then Handbook of Organizational Communication”, one of those ways to enhance job experience is through social support networks. A social support network focuses on the ways in which communication networks help organizational members cope tit stress. They do this by offering the members social support in the form of resources and sociability.

Researchers have determined four main components of a social support network: emotional aid, material aid (goods, money and services), information and companionship Cabling and Putnam 2001). There is a significant amount of research which states that the role of networks in providing social support in varying organizational contexts, such as families, communities and neighborhoods, is highly correlated with lowered levels of stress Cabling and Putnam 2001). Conclusion Investigations by researchers and scholars for the past 25 years have shown that there are many sources and indicators causing stress and Job burnout.

Many researchers such as Mismatch have devoted their lives to developing interactive models for Justifying and preventing this phenomenon. Many of these methods and strategies have been proposed by people with some type of direct, personal experience with burnout in their particular profession. This is because Job burnout can be seen in almost any industry, especially when it is broken down into its three dimensions: exhaustion, cynicism (diversification) and lack of personal accomplishment. In this literature review, there are sections outlining what Job burnout is, where it occurs, who it happens to and how it can be prevented.