I got a couple of private mails asking various questions on
personalities and temperaments, so I am dedicating this week to writing about
the various personalities/temperaments. The main purpose of these series is for
us to know how to unlock the secret of our personality, learn how to be a
better person and have a better understanding on why people act the way they do.
One of the most reliable means of learning to know oneself
is the study of the temperaments. For if a man is fully aware of his temperament,
he can learn easily to direct and control himself. If he is able to discern the
temperament of others, he can better understand and help them.
Temperament refers to those innate aspects of
an individual's personality. Temperaments
are not learned, all of us are born with his or her distinct personality
traits. I believe God created each of us with our natural temperaments so that
we can complement each other. All of us are born with distinct personality
traits. Some people are naturally pushy and bossy, while others are just
satisfied to get along and be at peace with all. Some people live for crowds
and parties; while others look for privacy and time for sober reflection. We
don't pick and choose these traits; they're just part of the way we're made.
Personality
type is not new. It’s been around for more than fifty years. In the second
century A.D. the physician Galen described four temperaments based upon the
four humors or bodily fluids - melancholic,
phlegmatic, sanguine and choleric.
These became known as the four classical temperaments. However, an individual
can have a mix of two temperaments, but one would predominate over the other. Over
the centuries, various philosophers have used these four to understand human
nature.
Each
of these temperaments has their strengths and weaknesses. The key is to live
out your strengths and not your weaknesses.
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