Rational
Understand Analyze, Mesaure
"Seek truth through clear thinking."
Total Character Score
3.7
Character Statements
I strive to be as objective as possible.
3.7
I pride myself on my ability to make logical decisions.
3.7
I am prone to over-thinking.
3.7
Your Rational is the part of you which gives you:
An active, intellect which takes pleasure in thinking through difficult problems
The ability to observe objectively, to reason coolly, to weigh evidence analytically
Critical insight: the capacity to see flaws, errors and deficiencies in arguments
To be skeptical of first impressions, quick judgments, gut responses
A relentless desire to understand, to know what’s true, to understand causes and effects
Feeling
Feel, Intuit, Sense, Receive
"The heart knows."
Total Character Score
3.7
Character Statements
When I have a decision to make, I let my heart guide me.
3.7
I am tuned into emotions (mine and other people's).
3.7
Sometimes I take things too personally.
3.7
Your Feeling is the part of you which gives you:
Emotional literacy: the capacity to understand and name feelings, both your own and others’
Sensitivity and empathy: able to “tune in” and hear what’s spoken and unspoken, to walk in another’s shoes
Highly developed intuition: can rapidly synthesize and make sense of information, forming narratives and making connections, picking up subtle signals that others may miss
The capacity to communicate from the heart, with openness and authenticity, to speak to what matters most
Overuse Patterns
Your score of 3 suggests moderate risk of over-using Being.
You may be over-using your Rational if you:
You may live in your head, over-thinking, sometimes to the point of analysis paralysis.
You meet every challenge in life with your keen intellect, logic and rationality. You are prone to do this even in domains of life it’s not well-suited for, like love, faith, meaning.
You love spreadsheets, pro & con lists, formulas, and algorithms.
Valuing quantitative data, you are likely to overlook or undervalue qualitative and narrative data. You can be quick to dismiss data which doesn’t fit your mental model.
You may experience “empathic misses.” You are so focused on facts, you can miss the moment to connect with others by expressing empathy, caring, concern, understanding.
Your score of 3 suggests moderate risk of over-using Being.
You can address be over-using your Feeling if:
You can be hyper-sensitive, including taking things personally which may not be about you at all.
You feel deeply, and value emotions as a source of truth. This can make it difficult for you to let go of strong emotions.
You may come across to others as moody.
You can be an “emotional sponge,” taking on others’ feelings and confusing them with your own.
Addressing Overuse
You can address overuse of your Rational by accessing the following strengths of Feeling:
In relationships, ask yourself “What, in addition to factual information, is this person trying to communicate?”
Practice active listening. Reflect back what you’ve heard, including the emotions you perceive.
Note your first impressions, hunches and intuitions. They may not always hold up to later examination, but intuition can accelerate understanding.
You can address overuse of Feeling by accessing the following strengths of Rational:
Learn about cognitive biases, the many ways the heart and mind interact to make (and distort) meaning. Notice how what you feel, and what you want to be true, affects your perceptions.
When you are upset, work on separating facts (what’s objectively true) from stories (what we make those facts mean).
Balancing Perfectionist Messy
Why does Perfectionist / Messy balance matter?
You can have fun in the most mundane and habitual tasks.
Your duties and obligations feel lighter; something you get to do, rather than have to do.
How do you know if Perfectionist and Messy are balanced?
You are neither too tight (rigid, orderly, precise) nor too loose (spontaneous, emergent) in how you organize your life.
You are neither over-prepared nor under-prepared.