A lot of us are like my boys—we look all right on the outside, but without Christ as our head, nothing much is working. Paul says, “All I want is to know Christ and to experience the power of his resurrection, to share in his sufferings and become like him . . . ” (Phil. 3:10 GNB).
Your Best Friend
Have you ever had a friend whom you loved so much that you wanted to be with him all the time and get to know him better every day? Has his presence lit up your life, so you felt energized, just being close? Have you cared so much for him that you were willing to bear his burdens and stand in for him in times of trouble? Have you watched him so closely and followed him so much that you’ve almost become like him? Jesus wants that kind of relationship with you. He wants you to get to know Him better by reading His words and talking to Him; He wants you to feel His power in your life, so you can overcome your weakness. He wants you to realize He suffered, just as you do, and He wants to spend so much time together that you become like Him.
If you wanted to become like Him, you would aim to amplify your strengths and eliminate your weaknesses, for Jesus had the best of each temperament. He had the storytelling gifts of Popular Sanguine, the depth and sensitivity of Perfect Melancholy, the administrative ability of Powerful Choleric, and the calm nature of Peaceful Phlegmatic.
Jesus lives today in the hearts of all believers, so as you put your personal plan for improvement into action, make sure you’re connected to the source of Power to make it all possible. “The Lord hath done great things for us . . . ” (Ps. 126:3).
Personality Plus Power Produces Positive People
APPENDIX
Personality Test Word Definitions
Adapted from Personality Patterns by Lana Bateman, published by Huntington House, Inc., Lafayette, LA.
STRENGTHS
1
Adventurous. One who will take on new and daring enterprises with a determination to master them.
Adaptable. Easily fits and is comfortable in any situation.
Animated. Full of life, lively use of hand, arm, and face gestures.
Analytical. Likes to examine the parts for their logical and proper relationships.
2
Persistent. Sees one project through to its completion before starting another. Playful. Full of fun and good humor.
Persuasive. Convinces through logic and fact rather than charm or power. Peaceful. Seems undisturbed and tranquil and retreats from any form of strife.
3
Submissive. Easily accepts any other’s point of view or desire with little need to assert his own opinion.
Self-sacrificing. Willingly gives up his own personal being for the sake of, or to meet the needs of others.
Sociable. One who sees being with others as an opportunity to be cute and entertaining rather than as a challenge or business opportunity.
Strong-willed. One who is determined to have his own way.
4
Considerate. Having regard for the needs and feelings of others.
Controlled. Has emotional feelings but rarely displays them.
Competitive. Turns every situation, happening, or game into a contest and always plays to win!
Convincing. Can win you over to anything through the sheer charm of his personality.
5
Refreshing. Renews and stimulates or makes others feel good.
Respectful. Treats others with deference, honor, and esteem.
Reserved. Self-restraint in expression of emotion or enthusiasm.
Resourceful. Able to act quickly and effectively in virtually all situations.
6
Satisfied. A person who easily accepts any circumstance or situation. Sensitive. Intensively cares about others, and what happens.
Self-reliant. An independent person who can fully rely on his own capabilities, judgment, and resources.
Spirited. Full of life and excitement.
7
Planner. Prefers to work out a detailed arrangement beforehand for the accomplishment of project or goal, and prefers involvement with the planning stages and the finished product rather than the carrying out of the task.
Patient. Unmoved by delay, remains calm and tolerant.
Positive. Knows it will turn out right if he’s in charge.
Promoter. Urges or compels others to go along, join, or invest through the charm of his own personality.
8
Sure. Confident, rarely hesitates or wavers.
Spontaneous. Prefers all of life to be impulsive, unpremeditated activity, not restricted by plans.
Scheduled. Makes, and lives, according to a daily plan, dislikes his plan to be interrupted.
Shy. Quiet, doesn’t easily instigate a conversation.
9
Orderly. A person who has a methodical, systematic arrangement of things.
Obliging. Accommodating. One who is quick to do it another’s way.
Outspoken. Speaks frankly and without reserve.
Optimistic. Sunny disposition who convinces himself and others that everything will turn out all right.
10
Friendly. A responder rather than an initiator, seldom starts a conversation.
Faithful. Consistently reliable, steadfast, loyal, and devoted sometimes beyond reason.
Funny. Sparkling sense of humor that can make virtually any story into an hilarious event.
Forceful. A commanding personality whom others would hesitate to take a stand against.
11
Daring. Willing to take risks; fearless, bold.
Delightful. A person who is upbeat and fun to be with.
Diplomatic. Deals with people tactfully, sensitively, and patiently.
Detailed. Does everything in proper order with a clear memory of all the things that happen.
12
Cheerful. Consistently in good spirits and promoting happiness in others.
Consistent. Stays emotionally on an even keel, responding as one might expect.
Cultured. One whose interests involve both intellectual and artistic pursuits, such as theater, symphony, ballet.
Confident. Self-assured and certain of own ability and success.
13
Idealistic. Visualizes things in their perfect form, and has a need to measure up to that standard himself.
Independent. Self-sufficient, self-supporting, self-confident, and seems to have little need of help.
Inoffensive. A person who never says or causes anything unpleasant or objectionable.
Inspiring. Encourages others to work, join, or be involved, and makes the whole thing fun.
14
Demonstrative. Openly expresses emotion, especially affection and doesn’t hesitate to touch others while speaking to them.
Decisive. A person with quick, conclusive, judgment-making ability.
Dry humor. Exhibits “dry wit,” usually one-liners which can be sarcastic in nature.
Deep. Intense and often introspective with a distaste for surface conversation and pursuits.
15
Mediator. Consistently finds him- or herself in the role of reconciling differences in order to avoid conflict.
Musical. Participates in or has a deep appreciation for music, is committed to music as an art form, rather than the fun of performance.
Mover. Driven by a need to be productive, is a leader whom others follow, finds it difficult to sit still.
Mixes easily. Loves a party and can’t wait to meet everyone in the room, never meets a stranger.
16
Thoughtful. A considerate person who remembers special occasions and is quick to make a kind gesture.
Tenacious. Holds on firmly, stubbornly, and won’t let go until the goal is accomplished.
Talker. Constantly talking, generally telling funny stories and entertaining everyone around, feeling the need to fill the silence in order to make others comfortable.
Tolerant. Easily accepts the thoughts and ways of others without the ne
ed to disagree with or change them.
17
Listener. Always seems willing to hear what you have to say.
Loyal. Faithful to a person, ideal, or job, sometimes beyond reason.
Leader. A natural born director, who is driven to be in charge, and often finds it difficult to believe that anyone else can do the job as well.
Lively. Full of life, vigorous, energetic.
18
Contented. Easily satisfied with what he has, rarely envious.
Chief. Commands leadership and expects people to follow.
Chartmaker. Organizes life, tasks, and problem solving by making lists, forms, or graphs.
Cute. Precious, adorable, center of attention.
19
Perfectionist. Places high standards on himself, and often on others, desiring that everything be in proper order at all times.
Pleasant. Easygoing, easy to be around, easy to talk with.
Productive. Must constantly be working or achieving, often finds it very difficult to rest.
Popular. Life of the party and therefore much desired as a party guest.
20
Bouncy. A bubbly, lively personality, full of energy.
Bold. Fearless, daring, forward, unafraid of risk.
Behaved. Consistently desires to conduct himself within the realm of what he feels is proper.
Balanced. Stable, middle-of-the-road personality, not subject to sharp highs or lows.
WEAKNESSES
21
Blank. A person who shows little facial expression or emotion.
Bashful. Shrinks from getting attention, resulting from self-consciousness.
Brassy. Showy, flashy, comes on strong, too loud.
Bossy. Commanding, domineering, sometimes overbearing in adult relationships.
22
Undisciplined. A person whose lack of order permeates most every area of his life.
Unsympathetic. Finds it difficult to relate to the problems or hurts of others.
Unenthusiastic. Tends to not get excited, often feeling it won’t work anyway.
Unforgiving. One who has difficulty forgiving or forgetting a hurt or injustice done to them, apt to hold onto a grudge.
23
Reticent. Unwilling or struggles against getting involved, especially when complex.
Resentful. Often holds ill feelings as a result of real or imagined offenses.
Resistant. Strives, works against, or hesitates to accept any other way but his own.
Repetitious. Retells stories and incidents to entertain you without realizing he has already told the story several times before, is constantly needing something to say.
24
Fussy. Insistent over petty matters or details, calling for great attention to trivial details.
Fearful. Often experiences feelings of deep concern, apprehension, or anxiousness.
Forgetful. Lack of memory which is usually tied to a lack of discipline and not bothering to mentally record things that aren’t fun.
Frank. Straightforward, outspoken, and doesn’t mind telling you exactly what he thinks.
25
Impatient. A person who finds it difficult to endure irritation or wait for others.
Insecure. One who is apprehensive or lacks confidence.
Indecisive. The person who finds it difficult to make any decision at all. (Not the personality that labors long over each decision in order to make the perfect one.)
Interrupts. A person who is more of a talker than a listener, who starts speaking without even realizing someone else is already speaking.
26
Unpopular. A person whose intensity and demand for perfection can push others away.
Uninvolved. Has no desire to listen or become interested in clubs, groups, activities, or other people’s lives.
Unpredictable. May be ecstatic one moment and down the next, or willing to help but then disappears, or promises to come but forgets to show up.
Unaffectionate. Finds it difficult to verbally or physically demonstrate tenderness openly.
27
Headstrong. Insists on having his own way.
Haphazard. Has no consistent way of doing things.
Hard to please. A person whose standards are set so high that it is difficult to ever satisfy them.
Hesitant. Slow to get moving and hard to get involved.
28
Plain. A middle-of-the-road personality without highs or lows and showing little, if any, emotion.
Pessimistic. While hoping for the best, this person generally sees the downside of a situation first.
Proud. One with great self-esteem who sees himself as always right and the best person for the job.
Permissive. Allows others (including children) to do as they please in order to keep from being disliked.
29
Angered easily. One who has a childlike flash-in-the-pan temper that expresses itself in tantrum style and is over and forgotten almost instantly.
Aimless. Not a goal-setter with little desire to be one.
Argumentative. Incites arguments generally because he is right, no matter what the situation may be.
Alienated. Easily feels estranged from others, often because of insecurity or fear that others don’t really enjoy his company.
30
Naive. Simple and childlike perspective, lacking sophistication or comprehension of what the deeper levels of life are really about.
Negative attitude. One whose attitude is seldom positive and is often able to see only the down or dark side of each situation.
Nervy. Full of confidence, fortitude, and sheer guts, often in a negative sense. Nonchalant. Easygoing, unconcerned, indifferent.
31
Worrier. Consistently feels uncertain, troubled, or anxious.
Withdrawn. A person who pulls back to himself and needs a great deal of alone or isolation time.
Workaholic. An aggressive goal-setter who must be constantly productive and feels very guilty when resting, is not driven by a need for perfection or completion but by a need for accomplishment and reward.
Wants credit. Thrives on the credit or approval of others. As an entertainer this person feeds on the applause, laughter, and/or acceptance of an audience.
32
Too sensitive. Overly introspective and easily offended when misunderstood. Tactless. Sometimes expresses himself in a somewhat offensive and inconsiderate way.
Timid. Shrinks from difficult situations.
Talkative. An entertaining, compulsive talker who finds it difficult to listen.
33
Doubtful. Characterized by uncertainty and lack of confidence that it will ever work out.
Disorganized. Lack of ability to ever get life in order.
Domineering. Compulsively takes control of situations and/or people, usually telling others what to do.
Depressed. A person who feels down much of the time.
34
Inconsistent. Erratic, contradictory, with actions and emotions not based on logic.
Introvert. A person whose thoughts and interests are directed inward, lives within himself.
Intolerant. Appears unable to withstand or accept another’s attitudes, point of view, or way of doing things.
Indifferent. A person to whom most things don’t matter one way or the other.
35
Messy. Living in a state of disorder, unable to find things.
Moody. Doesn’t get very high emotionally, but easily slips into low lows, often when feeling unappreciated.
Mumbles. Will talk quietly under the breath when pushed, doesn’t bother to speak clearly.
Manipulative. Influences or manages shrewdly or deviously for his own advantage, will get his way somehow.
36
Slow. Doesn’t often act or think quickly, too much of a bother.
Stubborn. Determined to exert his or her own will, not easily persuaded, obstinate.
Show-off. Needs
to be the center of attention, wants to be watched.
Skeptical. Disbelieving, questioning the motive behind the words.
37
Loner. Requires a lot of private time and tends to avoid other people.
Lord over. Doesn’t hesitate to let you know that he is right or is in control.
Lazy. Evaluates work or activity in terms of how much energy it will take. Loud. A person whose laugh or voice can be heard above others in the room.
38
Sluggish. Slow to get started, needs push to be motivated.
Suspicious. Tends to suspect or distrust others or ideas.
Short-tempered. Has a demanding impatience-based anger and a short fuse.
Anger is expressed when others are not moving fast enough or have not completed what they have been asked to do.
Personality Plus: How to Understand Others by Understanding Yourself Page 19
