What is a Personality Type?

Personality type refers to the psychological classification of different types of individuals. ‘Personality type’ is usually distinguished from ‘personality trait’ as the latter embodies a smaller grouping of behavioral tendencies. Types are sometimes said to involve qualitative differences between people, whereas traits might be construed as quantitative differences.

For example, according to type theories, introverts and extraverts are two fundamentally different categories of people while according to trait theories, introversion and extraversion are parts of a continuous dimension, with many people positioned in the middle.

Ultimately, your personal type is nothing more and nothing less than the group of your inborn tendencies, characteristics, and skills that you gain along the way. Not everyone uses their mind the same way and as a result, not everyone develops the same patterns of behavior. People do not perceive the world identically, do not value the same things, do not have the same priorities, do not react the same or are interested in what interests each and everyone; they are ‘different types’.

 

Why it is important to know your Personality Type

Your personality type is like a small manual of yourself. It highlights your strengths and weaknesses and gives you the advantage of acting on the basis of this wisdom.

You learn to love yourself because you are able to appreciate him/her as a whole. And most importantly, you learn how to control or avoid your weak spots which prevented you from reaching the outcome you wanted in past situations.

Once you become familiar with the way the personality types’ theory works, you will find yourself more capable of recognizing other types around you and interact better with them by becoming more understanding.

Imagine how useful this can prove to be within your workplace for example; how much easier it will be to approach with confidence the person you are interested in, or how to make amends with a friend who is angry with you.

Moreover, you can learn how to better distribute your energy in your everyday activities and allow yourself to feel whatever he/she feels without guilt but with a constant and ultimate goal to become the best version of you. And if this is your goal, knowing your personality type could be a solid first step.