Character Study

Personality is such an interesting subject. Trying to understand how the brain develops and ultimately shapes who we are as humans is unbelievably fascinating. It is also quite amazing how different everyone's personality is. Even within close families, personalities can vary drastically. This difference is what psychologists try to understand and make sense of. There are so many different theories trying to explain this phenomenon, but which one is "right"?
I decided to analyze my dads personality and see what I can figure out about the way that he was raised and the person that he turned into as an adult and see how they correlate.
I found an online personality test and had my dad take it to see his results:

His personality was characterized as CONSUL

• MIND- 74% extroverted 26% introverted 
• ENERGY- 44% intuitive 56% observant  
• NATURE- 49% thinking 51% feeling 
• TACTICS- 72% judging 28% prospecting
• IDENTITY- 69% assertive 31% turbulent 

Looking at his results, I don't find much that is surprising. He was characterized as a consul personality type which for lack of better words means that he is very popular which does not surprise me at all. Growing up, he has always been involved in every organization that I was a part of. From coaching to president, he did it all, making him quite a popular and well liked man. This test says that he is 74% extroverted which also doesn't surprise me. This goes along with his overall personality type. He is always one to start a conversation and talk to everyone in a room, especially good at giving speeches to big groups of people (something which I am very bad at). Regarding his energy and identity this is very accurate. He works as a sales rep for a grocery store chain called HEB. He reps different companies and their products and sets up the displays for what they will look like in stores. He has to be very assertive and creative because if he is not the company might lose its spot on the shelf. 

I think that taking a personality test can show you a lot about who you are and how you function. I also took the assessment and it was crazy to see the results and think about how I came to be who I am today. 

Our personalities have a lot to do with our genes and our environment growing up. My dad grew up with a mom that was not very attentive or caring and it shocks me to see what an amazing and responsible person he became as an adult. He saw what it was like to have a broken family and knew that was not what he wanted for his family and made it a point to make a better life for his future family, which he most certainly did. 

The search for an answer to define how personalities are shaped will never 100% be answered. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and sides on theories and no one will ever agree to one theory. But it is cool to see the different sides to a theory and look at it from a side that you maybe would not have though about before to give a change in perspective.