"Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous-how well I know it." -Psalm 139:14
I love that God created us all so wonderfully, and so uniquely. There is no one on earth with the same fingerprints as you! However, people who are different from us can sure get on our nerves. How can we best relate to people who are different than we are? I think one of the best ways of interacting with different personalities is to understand what makes us and others tick - our personality.
There are many personality assessments out there, but I think the easiest ones to remember are those comprised of 4 distinct temperaments. Whether it is the animals: Golden Retriever, Otter, Beaver, Lion (Gary Smalley); Gems: Pearl, Sapphire, Emerald, and Ruby (Dani Johnson); or the original Greek: Phlegmatic, Sanguine, Melancholy, Choleric temperament, there is no doubt that each of us have unique motivations. Check out the chart below and see if you find yourself in the mix:
Phlegmatic:
Relaxed and quiet
Primary motivation: Serving, helping others
Love most: Stability
Sanguine:
Fun-seeking and sociable
Primary motivation: Having fun
Love most: Being around people
Melancholy:
Analytical and thoughtful
Primary motivation: Finding the right thing, the truth
Love most: Order, details, the right or perfect thing
Choleric:
Ambitious and leader-like
Primary motivation: Challenge
Love most: Accomplishment
Do you know what most motivates you? Can you figure out what motivates others? Discovering this will help to bring harmony to your relationships.
Related resource: Spirit-Controlled Temperament by Tim LaHaye