How You Approach Life
Wherever you go Chosen One, you do the right thing. You have an uncanny sense of what is right and what is wrong in this world, and you side with the good-guys every time. People recognize this in you, which is why they might often come to you for advice. People don't see you as judgmental. How could they when you tend to look at an issue from so many sides? Not everybody has the tolerance, or interest, in fairness that you do. But then, not everybody is as motivated as you are to please others.
When it comes to pleasing people, you are a pro. Your balance of insight, kindness and understanding of situations around you is much more developed than most. You are probably a good sympathizer and empathizer, and that adds to your wisdom. You are curious and interested in your immediate environment and you are concerned with how you fit into the world at large. Trouble and unrest on the other side of the planet might as well be in your backyard. You are unusually sensitive to understanding people's plight — even when they come from a completely different background. When it comes right down to it, you're a caregiver — whether you know it or not. Maybe you tend to people's immediate problems, or perhaps you work on a larger scale — pushing ideas, or supporting good causes. Either way, you look out for people.
Though sometimes you might feel under-appreciated for your efforts, you rarely embark on a cause for the glory of it. Still, you do appreciate when people applaud your efforts, or admit that they admire your work ethic and dedication. Even if you don't hear it through your modesty, people tend to trust you, and respect your opinion when it most counts. On a subconscious level, this must have translated into your high-level of confidence about who you are and what you stand for.
As thoughtful as you are, there's still a more spontaneous, adventure-seeking side of you. That combined with your ever-present curiosity leads to a particularly high energy level that people both envy, and want to have around them.
You are warm, giving, knowing, and patient. You go after your goals, but not at the expense of others. Even when you have to step on a few toes to get things done, people have a hard time getting frustrated by you. That's probably because your intentions are usually honorable and you emit very natural, positive feelings. Not to mention, you are unusually reliable and responsible.
There's a reason you're a Chosen One. So get out there and do the world some good.
Your areas of greatest vulnerability
You are driven to do a good job and take pride in your responsibilities. This brings you lots of satisfaction — not to mention the admiration of others. But do you ever find that you push yourself too hard? With so much confidence and such a strong sense of self, you may find yourself determined to finish a task so you don't let others down. The problem comes in when you feel responsible for situations that may be out of your control. This happens to everyone, but for you, this has a different kind of impact. Be your best: It may help to remember that it's okay to let others down once in a while, to let things go sometimes. You needn't worry that this will become a pattern for you, or that you'll lose your values or sense of pride. Your core competence and responsibility are very deep, solid qualities that you can trust. And knowing this can help you begin to give yourself a break occasionally.
Section II — What makes you a Chosen One?
Your personality is actually determined by two personality sub-types — your primary, or dominant sub-type, and your secondary sub-type.
In your case, Chosen One, your two sub-types are Golden and Seeker. Your primary sub-type is defined by "Golden" characteristics and your secondary sub-type is defined by "Seeker" characteristics.
Your primary type is Golden
Like other people with Golden characteristics, you have relatively high self-esteem and are very conscientious. You tend to be someone others rely on since you're responsible, dependable, and dutiful. You are also probably pretty efficient — you hate to waste time. You like to go about life with a positive attitude — both about yourself and the world around you.
You're known intellectually as a careful, deliberating thinker. In terms of entertainment, you gravitate toward media that is romantic, happy, and inspiring — avoiding the more dark, edgy or sad subjects. Lastly, you probably have interests in a wide variety of things including cooking, eating out, nutrition, travel, sports, recreation, fitness, health and traditional religion.
Deep Down
You are the rare being who wants nothing more than to have a positive effect on the world. Not only are you are driven to make the world smooth and efficient so that everyone can live in harmony, but you actively look for ways you can make this dream a reality. Occasionally, this dream can manifest out a fear that if you don't take care of the problems of the world, nobody will. You may have a lack of faith that things will not be okay unless you intervene.
Your secondary type is Seeker
People with Seeker characteristics have a thirst for highly stimulating experiences. They gravitate towards unpredictable situations and they thrive in those environments. Seekers would rather improvise than live by a strict calendar that adds structure to their daily life. They seek out ever-evolving experiences because they tend to find consistent routines boring and unstimulating.
Seekers also like to explore intellectually, which is why they tend to enjoy abstract thinking. With everything they do, Seekers enjoy the challenge of new situations. In terms of entertainment, they like media that is dark and edgy, flashy and loud, strange, and intellectual. They tend to be interested in activities that get them out in the world like the performing arts and new age spirituality.
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 versus 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.
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
Your scores place you in the moderately confident region of the self-doubt/confidence scale. This means that relative to others who have taken the test, you are more confident than most. It also indicates that you are generally more satisfied with yourself than are others. Even when your confidence slips, you're still more dependable than many.
Since you scored just slightly more on the confident 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 scoring high on the confidence side are 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 are also known for having unusually high self-esteem and are natural leaders.
People who score high on the self-doubt side of the scale have a tendency to look to others to determine their self-worth. They seek calm environments and often focus their energies on jobs that have less responsibility and are therefore less stressful. They are sometimes prone to being overly-critical about themselves, but can work their way out of those thoughts because ultimately, others might point out their talents.
If you're feeling some unrest in your life it could be because you don't have as many responsibilities as you'd like to. Other people may be telling you to unload your burdens, that you do too much. But, for you, the opposite might actually be true. You are willing and capable, so maybe it's time to take on a few new projects.
Safety-Seeking versus Risk-Taking
Your scores place you in the moderately risk-taking region of the safety-seeking/risk-taking scale. This means that relative to others who have taken the test, you sometimes throw caution to the wind and leave things up to chance. Sometimes however, you prefer to play it safe and seek the security of predictable situations.
Since you scored just slightly more on the risk-taking 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.
Don't underestimate the power structure and routine can have on your emotional state. Take a look at areas in your life you feel restricted. Is there anything that can be done about them? Do you have to adhere to strict work hours, for example? If that is something you can't control, focus on the areas in which you do have control. Take a walk in the morning instead of the evening. Go out to dinner instead of making it. Even little things like that can have an impact you might not expect.
External Appearance versus Internal Experience
Your scores place you in the moderate internal experience region of the internal experience/external appearance scale. This means that relative to others who have taken the test, you're focused on the internal experience of a given situation. It also indicates that occasionally, you take more pride in how things appear to others.
Since you scored just slightly more on the internal experience 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.
Section IV — The Chosen One and the World Around You
How Others See You
People see you as down to earth with a free spirit. You convey your genuineness to others with your ability to focus on what counts — you are not easily swayed by superficial things. You also don't act in fake ways to “get ahead” or to look better than others. People notice that about you and appreciate it. People intuitively trust you with their secrets. They can see that you are not judgmental, and that appeals to many. You are open and free, yet grounded in the things that really matter.
Communication Style
When communicating with others, you are both confident and calm — a powerfully appealing combination. Your even demeanor means it's rare for you to become upset or overwhelmed. In fact, you're likely to act as a neutralizing force when things get really intense. When you're approached aggressively, you're unlikely to react defensively. It is important for you to stay sensitive and realize that what might appear irrational in others may just be the manifestation of their own self-doubt. Use your strength to have compassion for others.
Your Romantic Life
You have high standards for love, believing in one love that outshines the others. To you, successful romance has two aspects: an emotional connection based on mutual care, and doing things together that you and your partner both love. You're happy with someone who enjoys the unexpected as much as you do. You'll both be excited at the prospect of situations with an unknown outcome. You and your well-suited mate enjoy high quality conversation and fulfilling experiences together. You are deep, sincere and willing to take emotional risks. You succeed in romance when you use your intuition and intelligence to choose someone whose compatibility with you goes deeper than the surface.
You At Your Best
You would love it if every day were full of play and freedom. When you can indulge your creativity, zest for fun and knack for expressing yourself, you're at most definitely at your best. For balance in your life, however, it's important for you to build in times of peace, quiet and recovery. Left to your own instincts, you can become overstimulated at times, and exhausted by exploring all of your interests. So give yourself the gift of some downtime. That'll set you up to be really present when you follow your passions for exploration and fun.
Achieving Success
You don't need possessions and status to prove your self-worth. So what does ambition mean to you? As long as you're pleased with what you are doing, there's no need to strive for more. With this combination of traits, you're beautifully suited to finding work that is personally fulfilling and of service to others. You're fortunate to not have self-esteem tied up with external success, so ask yourself what you want to accomplish with all that talent — and then enjoy the process.
What Really Motivates You
Motivation for you is simple: doing the right thing. You have a crystal clear sense of your values — and you settle for nothing less than acting with the utmost integrity. You love to help others, prevent problems and, in general, be the responsible party. You are intensely motivated by your wish to always be part of the solution and to vigorously avoid ever contributing to the problem.
Conflict
You value issues that go beneath the surface so you're not likely to get caught up in petty conflicts. When you do find yourself in conflict with people, it's likely to be people you're truly close to and with whom you're emotionally engaged. The topic of the conflict tends to be something fairly complex and definitely profound and challenging. Your insight and calm help you get through these situations with minimal drama. The only drawback there is that sometimes people mistake your cool demeanor for not caring about the issue. Your challenge is to communicate that getting upset isn't the only way to thoughtfully address a difficult issue.
Getting Unstuck in Your Life
For you, being stuck in your life is not likely to mean stuck in self-doubt or self-defeating patterns. You're more likely to get stuck on a whirring treadmill of activities, ideas and adventures. Although you're often admired for your energy and gusto for living, the downside is that you can exhaust yourself and miss out on some of life's subtler pleasures. Another possible pitfall is that those around you — your friends, your sweetheart, your friends and family — don't naturally run at the same non-stop pace. This means that sometimes you wind up dragging them along on your sprint through life. Your challenge is to slow down, take some time for reflection and recovery. Just remember that you can always step off that treadmill. And when you do, you'll see everything from a new perspective.
Section V — What is Personality?
You know that everyone has a different personality, but what exactly is a personality?
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.
More than three million Myers-Briggs Type Indicator tests are administered each year in the U.S. More than four million people have taken Tickle's Ultimate Personality Test.
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 TestsIn 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, including Tickle's Ultimate Personality Test, 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.
Section VII — The Science Behind Tickle's Personality Test
Tickle and a team of four PhDs spent the past two years developing the Ultimate Personality Test. While fine-tuning it, we wanted to make sure of two things: 1. That is was a fun and insightful test that yielded interesting wisdom about your personality and 2. That it was grounded in real science.
Your Ultimate Personality Test went through it's own tests while being developed. The test you took is 50 questions long — but those questions fell out of months of research that tested thousands of qualities associated with personality. These were the best of the best when it came to identifying and isolating personality types.
Our scientific research team pored over the vast literature on personality. We administered a two-hour test giving hundreds of questions to thousands of people. We performed factor and cluster analyses on the results, then went back to survey those same test-takers to validate our study.
Now, more than 4 million people have taken the test.
As we've collected that enormous volume of data, we have been able to refine the test and make it even more accurate — delving deeper into the personalities and characteristics of the individuals who take our Ultimate Personality Test.
Now, we're offering the results of our research to the public. The Ultimate Personality Test is scientifically accurate. The results of the test will tell you what your personality type is, and how your personality type reacts to situations that involve romance, career, family, and health. In short, this test will change your life.
