If you’ve worked for a company for more than fifteen minutes, you have taken their preferred personality profile test: Myers-Briggs, DISC, Hermann Brain, Enneagram. . . .
You may have even taken their preferred test before you started.
Like many of you, I have a love-hate relationship with these tests.
They provide valuable insights, but they also pigeonhole people. People are more nuanced, varied and beautiful than a letter, number or animal descriptor.
That being said, I am an Enneagram Five.
The Enneagram Institute describes a five this way: “Fives are alert, insightful, and curious. They can concentrate and focus on developing complex ideas and skills. Independent, innovative, and inventive, they can also become preoccupied with their thoughts.”
And as much as I hate to admit it, it’s pretty accurate, especially that last sentence.
This tendency is great when trying to solve a problem. It’s awful when I ruminate on the wrong things.
There is a line from the ancient Hebrew scriptures that says, “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
Over the last 24 hours, have you thought about these types of things?
Honestly, I haven’t.
I have thought about things that aggravate me, worry me, anger me, and that I wish I had done differently in the past.
And it has not been good.
As an Enneagram five, I can make a compelling argument that I must focus on these things. After all, who is doing to solve these problems and make the world a better place . . .
But that is just justifying bad behavior.
Our final lesson in this blog series on time is crucial: Make Your Thinking Time Positive. This simple shift in mindset can profoundly impact your day and your life.
- Start each morning by listing three things you are profoundly grateful for and why. This practice of gratitude can shift your focus to the positive aspects of your life, setting a positive tone for the day.
“I am grateful for our family dog because she brings joy to every family member.” - Start each day with this simple phrase: Today will be a great day!!
It primes your brain to look for the good and begins your day with hope. - When you face a challenge, don’t say, “Oh crap.” Say, “Oh?”
“Oh crap” implies that you can’t handle it. “Oh?” is a statement of curiosity that prompts you to look for solutions. - Stop checking the news. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it.
No matter your political affiliation. I know what your news sources tell you, and it’s terrible. And it’s designed to make you angry, outraged and aggravated.
If you need to stay informed, pick one time during the day–preferably after noon and before evening—to check what is happening in the world.
Then get busy living the life that brings hope and joy to others right where you live. - Set a timer for periodic intervals throughout the day. When it goes off, take a deep breath and acknowledge something positive in your life.
And yes, I wrote this article for me, as much as I did for you. Maybe more. 🙂
