The Critic

Section I — Your Personality Type: The Critic

How You Approach Life
You are a Critic in the best sense of the word. You analyze, interpret and evaluate the issues and people in your world. And you do so in a way that is much more earnest than most. That's probably because you have an almost superhuman sensitivity to activities around you. Things that go unnoticed by most might rock you like an earthquake. Sure this might feel unsettling at times, but you turn it into a positive. You can see details that others pass by.

You place, or should place, a particularly high value on structuring your environment. Why waste time with chaos and disorganization when all it does is stress people out and make them uncomfortable? For you, it makes much more sense to lead an ordered and predictable life. The efficiency of living that way will free up more time to do the things you enjoy most. This is important when one of the things that matters most to you is success.

You are highly motivated to succeed, and want it to show. How else will people notice your accomplishments if you don't project that image with whatever you've got — your home, your car, your wardrobe, your job? There's always room for self-improvement in your book, and that's not something everybody is willing to admit. You never stop trying to be the best, or have the best, that life can offer. And that shows in your charge to make it big and cash in on the rewards.

Aside from your drive, the truth is you have a very gentle, perceptive spirit. People might fault you for your particularly discerning eye, but that attitude might just stem from their own insecurities about what you see. You're complex and thoughtful, and you feel obligated to judge both by appearance, and by what you see below the surface.

Chances are, you hate arguing and other tense situations — especially when they arise at work. But ultimately, everyone notices your motivation and talent. You're an original thinker, and people will respect your judgments once they get to know you.

Keep at it, Critic. The world is a more discerning place thanks to you.

Take Action

Your areas of greatest vulnerability Your greatest vulnerability is that your senses are on overdrive, soaking in anything and everything from the environment. Things that others might not notice sometimes can send you reeling. The reason this makes you vulnerable is that it can affect your ability to cope with the world effectively. Although your sensitivity is a wonderful asset, it can be scary knowing that you could be distracted at any time. If someone wants to push your buttons, they can go after this, because there's not much you can do to protect yourself from your own sensitivity. Be your best: Buffering yourself with quiet and calm situations will help, and recognizing and choosing friends and associates who respect your boundaries will also make things easier.

Section II — What makes you a Critic?

Your personality is actually determined by two personality sub-types — your primary, or dominant sub-type, and your secondary sub-type.

In your case, Critic, your two sub-types are Thinker and Success. Your primary sub-type is defined by "Thinker" characteristics and your secondary sub-type is defined by "Success" characteristics.

Your primary type is Thinker
Like other people with Thinker characteristics you are extremely sensitive to external stimuli. You tend to be extraordinarily aware of your surroundings — responding emotionally to small changes that others might not even notice. To combat feeling overwhelmed, you may like to move a bit more slowly and seek out calm environments that won't stress you out.

Intellectually, you like to dig deep into a problem to solve it — even when others grow impatient and move on to other subjects. As far as entertainment goes, you gravitate toward media that is sentimental and peaceful — you like feel-good stories. You are more likely than others to be interested in books, inspirational media, self-improvement and arts and crafts.

Deep Down

If there is a change in the air, Thinker, nobody is more aware of it than you. You have an unusually refined sensitivity to subtle changes in your environment and from time to time, this can manifest as a fear that the worst is going to happen. You may have a tendency to be constantly on guard because you ultimately are working to prevent a perceived catastrophe from happening.

Your secondary type is Success
People with Success characteristics are generally driven by achievement and recognition of their talents. They are motivated to work hard to have nice things. They also feel to some degree that their possessions reflect their hard work which is something to be proud of. They are compelled to excellence by a number of factors and they strive to climb whatever ladders come their way — whether corporate or social. To succeed and make a good impression on others, these Success people are focused on the external appearance of how they look. They sometimes see it as an indicator of their internal value.

Intellectually, Success people are goal-driven. They tend to focus on the end results more than the process that gets them through an issue. In terms of entertainment, Successes enjoy media that is sensual, sexy, flashy and loud. They tend to avoid media that is too introspective or sentimental. They like to shop for anything from clothes to cars. They enjoy reading magazines and are usually interested in their physical and mental health.

Section III — Your Four Personality Dimensions

Your primary and secondary personality sub-types determine your personality type. There are, however, additional elements that contribute to your complete personality profile.

Based on how you answered the questions on the Ultimate Personality Test, we have determined where you fall on four distinct personality scales: Relaxed/Apprehensive, Self-Doubt/Confidence, Safety-Seeking/ Risk-Taking, and Internal Experience/External Appearance. The scales are not dependent on one another. They are meant to show you whether you tend towards one or the other extreme, or are somewhere in the middle.

Here's the breakdown of your scores on the four personality dimension scales.

Relaxed		Apprehensive
Self-Doubt		Confidence
Safety-Seeking		Risk-Taking
Internal Experience		External Appearance

Relaxed versus Apprehensive

Relaxed

Apprehensive

Your scores place you in the mid-range of the relaxed/apprehensive scale. This means that relative to others who have taken the test, you're more relaxed than some and less relaxed than others.

To give you an idea of how to gauge yourself on this scale, let's look at people who scored towards the extreme ends of the scale.

People who score high on the apprehensive side of this scale are likely to be drawn to situations that are less stimulating to their senses. Because they are easily affected by change, they try to stay away from environments that can over-stimulate them.

These people have strong reactions to what others would consider minor changes. That is why people who score high on the apprehensive side of the scale try to slow down the pace. When faced with chaotic situations, they will look for more calming places to be. Despite their talents, they are generally more self-critical and shy than others, even if it seems there's no reason for them to be.

People who score high on the relaxed side of this scale are likely to be stimulated by chaos. They approach life with a "the more the better" kind of attitude. They tend to have high energy levels because they are relaxed about problems that are out of their control. These people are relatively less inclined to react emotionally to things that happen — not because they don't feel the emotions, but because they don't let things get to them as easily as others.

Take Action

You, more than others, may need a place that is all yours — a quiet spot where you can clear your head. Sometimes it can seem that the world around you is loud and chaotic: information can bombard you from every direction, and friends can be overly dramatic. Instead of letting it get to you, make sure you have a place to which you can retreat. Remember that you can't change the nature of cities and the world, but there are ways you can cope with overwhelming situations. You can't control the outside world, but you can control how you function in it. Try setting up a room in your house filled with comfort items, or finding a calm corner of a public library, or bench in the park you can call your own. This is your key to facing the noisy, fast-paced and often overwhelming world. So do what you need to do for yourself and take charge.

Self-Doubt versus Confidence

Self-Doubt

Confidence

Your scores place you well into the self-doubt side of the self-doubt/confidence scale. This means that relative to others who have taken the test, you may radiate less confidence.

Like other people who score high on the self-doubt side, you may have a tendency to look to others to determine your self-worth. You also may be harder on yourself than is necessary. You have a tendency to seek calm environments and focus your energies on jobs that have less responsibility and are therefore less stressful.

On the flip side are people who score high on the confidence end of the scale. They are known for being extremely self-assured and responsible. Because of these traits, they are often the one friends and colleagues come to rely on — both on the job and in personal situations. These people also tend to have unusually high self-esteem and are natural leaders.

Take Action

To really enjoy life, you, in particular, need your freedom from obligations. If you're feeling stifled, uncreative or unhappy, look at your life and figure out if there are areas where you are carrying too much responsibility. Then see if you can shed any of them. When you carry too many unnecessary burdens, you can weigh yourself down. In this world filled with multi-tasking, power people, the trick is learning how to sort the necessary obligations from unnecessary duties. Having more burdens than your fair share is a stress you don't need in your life. Luckily, you can control more of this than you might think — as long as you just decide what to take on, and what to leave to others.

Safety-Seeking versus Risk-Taking

Safety-Seeking

Risk-Taking

Your scores place you in the in the moderately safety-seeking region of the safety-seeking/risk-taking scale. This means that relative to others who have taken the test, you sometimes play it safe and seek the security of predictable situations. Sometimes however, you throw caution to the wind and leave things up to chance.

Since you scored just slightly more on the safety-seeking side of things, let's take a look at characteristics of people who scored more towards the extremes of the scale to gauge where you fall in between.

People who score high on the risk-taking side combine a love of the new and unusual with a talent for inquisitive, abstract thinking. They seek out action and find structure and predictability to be strangling experiences.

People who score high on the safety-seeking side of the safety-seeking/risk-taking scale prefer their environments to remain stable. They feel that predictability has positive connotations and that stability is a comfort and an indication of safety.

Take Action

Some things in life are within your control and some aren't. If you're feeling intimidated, or uncertain throughout your days, take a look at your life and figure out which areas are unpredictable and what areas are not. You can't eliminate the unpredictable. But there might be ways you can better structure your routine around the unpredictable. For example, you can control which train you want to take, but you can't control if the train is going to be on time. By recognizing the elements you can be in charge of, you can adapt your patterns accordingly. If you have a critical meeting, realize there is a possibility that your train could be late. Instead of racing out the door at the last second, prepare yourself to catch the early train — just in case your regular train is late. Learn an alternate route. Is there a different bus you could take, a faster train that leaves from a different stop? Since you feel most comfortable in predictable situations, try thinking ahead and structuring where you can.

External Appearance versus Internal Experience

Internal Experience

External Appearance

Your scores place you in the moderate external appearance region of internal experience/external appearance scale. This means that relative to others who have taken the test, you take more pride in how things appear to others. It also indicates that occasionally, you are focused on the internal experience of a given situation.

Since you scored just slightly more on the external appearance side of things, let's take a look at characteristics of people who scored more towards the extremes of the scale to gauge where you fall in between.

People who score high on the internal experience side of the scale don't really believe that material possessions are a reflection of their success. In fact, they tend not to focus on how things appear to others at all. They feel that success comes from doing a good job, and knowing that they have positively influenced the world.

People who score high on the external appearance end of the scale tend to be motivated by a wish to be socially desirable. They want to move up and be seen in the world. For them, true success is important, and material possessions are the sign they have achieved it. Therefore, these people sometimes believe that happiness is directly a result of success and that the possessions they own are a reflection of that success.

Take Action

If you're feeling dissatisfied, take a look at your life and figure out if there are areas where you are compromising your values. Is your heart really in it when you go to the gym every day or are you doing it because your friends are? You probably have your own reasons, but don't fall in with friends just to be part of your group — even if it seems the thing to do at the time. While friends might be racing to buy the latest electronic gadget or flashy car, you might wonder why you don't have a strong drive to acquire the same things. Don't worry. You're just happier focusing on other things in your life. That's not to say you don't like having nice things, it's just that you acquire things you need more than things you want to show off. If you feel indifferent toward external appearances, it may not be worth it to you to put much energy into maintaining them. Listen to yourself, since it's you — not other people — who knows what you like best.

Section IV — The Critic and the World Around You

How Others See You
You're composed and sophisticated. Socially, you project a flawless exterior — organized, thoughtful, and somewhat restrained. People are impressed by your unruffled image and see you as stable and mature. Occasionally others may worry that they don't measure up in your obviously discerning eyes.

Communication Style
Your gift, is the ability to handle intense conflict without losing your cool. With your level-headed approach, you are able to shrug off most of the bothersome things people say. Occasionally, you might question your actions or others' criticisms of you. But despite some lingering concerns, you are almost always well-served by your composure in the face of confrontation.

Your Romantic Life
Your romantic ideal is a sweet and loving partner — someone to cocoon with. Your best match is also a hit with your family and friends. You long for stability, coziness and the comfort of sharing a life with someone who cares. You gravitate toward domesticity and commitment. At the same time, you want your partner to fit in well with the other people in your life. When friends, family, coworkers and others approve of your partner, it gives you a sense of security and community that you just love.

You At Your Best
You are blessedly free from many common fears and anxieties about the world. You're at your best when you're using your ease and fearlessness to explore possibilities and get to know yourself better. Entertain your inclinations. Learn by trial and error. Challenge yourself and then be gentle when you bump up against your limitations. You'll find great satisfaction and strengthen your sense of self when you get your feet wet in the stream of life.

Achieving Success
You are focused on success in your life; and you define it in a variety of ways. You love the boost you get from getting credit for your work, financial rewards, achieving your personal goals, finding luck in love, having great friends and, in sum, getting what you want. You can be held back, however, by a pesky self-doubt that occasionally questions your ability to really "make it" in the world. You've never been afraid to let the world know what you have to offer. Whether it's standing up to take credit in a work scenario or letting a new person you meet get a sense of your charms right away, you know how to put your best assets front and center. A challenge for you in the area of ambition is to partner with others as you pursue your dreams. Don't let that niggling self-doubt keep you from teaming up, combining resources and sharing the trip. You'll find the rewards of being on a team or part of a duo can be felt during the process and pay off in the final reward.

Take Action

What Really Motivates You Peace and stability are your motivating rewards. You're willing to work hard if it means creating comforting ease for yourself and your loved ones. You value stability and security. And you know that it sometimes takes sophisticated thinking and clever planning to pull off simplicity. You're always motivated to think ahead now if it means less stress later.

Conflict
Sure you have your pet peeves and irritations, but your even-keeled personality helps you sail through tough situations. The frequent difference between what people deserve — in terms of credit, money, happiness, friends or any type of reward — and what they actually have can be pretty galling for you. Not to mention times when you don't feel justly rewarded for your efforts and assets! But it takes a lot to get you angry enough to say or do anything, so overt conflicts are few and far between in your life.

Getting Unstuck in Your Life
You may not know it yet, but you're ready to take some chances. You'll break out of insecurities and stuck places in your life when you open up to new experiences. Try something new and pay attention to how it makes you feel. You have a natural resilience; so don't fear that your experiments with work, interests, relationships or self-exploration will fail. Wherever they lead you, you'll find yourself with more self-knowledge and a richer understanding of your place in the world.

Section V — What is Personality?

You know that everyone has a different personality, but what exactly is a personality?

Did You Know?

The word "personality" actually comes from the word "persona" which referred to the various masks that actors wore to depict different roles in Greek plays. That's how we got the popular notion of personality as the combination of traits that make each person distinctive.

While most people agree that a human being's personality is far too complex to categorize and label, some scientists and philosophers have devoted their lives to doing exactly that. They believe that although there are idiosyncrasies to each distinct personality, there are more general "personality types" that can be identified. One of the advantages of defining these types, is that once you know how someone tends to behave, you can start to predict future behavior. This has applications in both the real, and the theoretical world.

Before we get into exactly what these models are useful for, let's look at the history of personality typing and how older theories have developed into today's more popular personality tests.

Section VI — History of Personality Tests

As early as the fifth century B.C., the Greek philosopher/physician Hippocrates recorded the first known personality model. He based his four "types" on the amount of body fluids an individual possessed. The Greek physician Galen expounded upon Hippocrates' theory. He believed a predominance of blood led to a confident person who was cheerful and strong. A predominance of mucus led to an indifferent, slow personality. A predominance of black bile led to a depressed personality, and a predominance of yellow bile led to a violent and strong personality.

German philosopher Immanuel Kant later popularized these ideas in the 1700's, when he organized those constructs along two axes, feelings and activity. Depression represented weak feelings, confidence reflected strong feelings. Indifference represented weak activity, violence represented strong activity.

The next big step came from Wilhelm Wundt who started to think about these categorical groups not as finite, but as continuous dimensions. He proposed that the four temperaments fall on high or low positions on two axes, changeability and emotionality.

The idea that four basic temperaments existed, eventually became the basis of a number of late 19th-/20th-century behavioral theories. Some of the most significant work on this subject was done by the Swiss psychoanalyst, Carl G. Jung. In 1922, he introduced four categories of mental functioning: sensing, intuition, thinking and feeling in his work Psychological Types. At the time, Jung's ideas about personality types went largely unnoticed, due to the frenzy surrounding the modern psychoanalytic theories of Sigmund Freud, B.F. Skinner and others.

In the 1950s, however, Isabel Myers and her daughter Katherine Briggs revived Jung's ideas. Myers and Briggs used Jung's personality types as a base, then devised a 16-type indicator designed to identify patterns of human action. This test became the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), a tool for identifying different aspects of someone's personality. This "tool" exposed a whole, new international audience to Jung's psychological types. The tool further connected the science of personality typing, because the MBTI types were consistent with Hippocrates' four temperaments.

Did You Know?

More than three million Myers-Briggs Type Indicator tests are administered each year in the U.S.

Behavioral scientists are not the only researchers interested in personality types. For a more mystical look at personality, we should turn to the Enneagram. This system has a more mysterious background. Based on an ancient nine-pointed diagram used as far back as 2000 B.C. by Pythagoras, the Enneagram leaves a blurry trail through many of history's mystical philosophies. Plato and his followers, the Kabbala branch of Judaism, the Islamic Sufi tradition, and even esoteric branches of Christianity have all found spiritual significance in the nine-pointed symbol. It wasn't until the 20th century that the Enneagram meshed with new-age psychology. The nine-pointed symbol became the template for a personality typing system that overlayed nine personality types on top of the Enneagram structure.

Modern Personality Tests
In addition to the MBTI (the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) which is still one of the most widely used personality tests, other popular theories and tests exist. The Keirsey Temperament Sorter is a test built around David Keirsey's groundbreaking 1978 book Please Understand Me. The Keirsey Temperament Sorter is similar to the MBTI in its use of four dimensions and 16 categories, but the Keirsey method claims to have a more complex system of characterization.

In the 1970's researchers agreed that there was another way to measure personality traits. Tests like the IPIP-NEO are based on a five-factor personality methodology. Some scientists feel this is the most revealing way to describe personality because it can measure five fundamental dimensions of personality.

Personality Tests and Daily Life
An important thing to remember about personality tests is that no one personality type is better or worse than another. In addition, the results of most personality tests derive their final personality types from more than one influence — usually a primary type shaded by at least one secondary type.

Although it is an imperfect science, personality models shed light on the complexities of human behavior. Undeniable patterns in human actions have existed since the dawn of man. Taken as guidelines and not absolute truth, personality tests can help us understand and better relate to ourselves and the world — to understand why we are the way we are. We can also use them to understand each other, not only to improve friendships, but to facilitate work relationships and career choices.

Many businesses use personality tests or abbreviated versions of personality tests to evaluate a prospective employee's strengths and weaknesses. Marriage counselors recommend certain personality tests to determine compatibility. But the most common use of personality typing is for fun and self-discovery. As you understand the spectrum of personality types and where you and your friends sit along that continuum, you can't help but gain a new appreciation for the simple differences, and amazing similarities, among us complicated beings.