Who is the Real You

This is from an archive article I read in Cleo magazine (Singapore), November 2007 issue. In a study conducted by  anthropologist and author Helen Fisher ,  she started looking into why people fall in love with one type of person rather than another. After an extensive study of thousands of people from 17 countries, she came up with an answer: Four Personality Types– The Builder, The Negotiator, the Director and the Explorer. All these types are affected by a high level of one particular chemical in the brain. Here’s the gist:

You’re a Builder…

When you’re influenced by serotonin–a feel good chemical associated with hapiness, sociability and feelings of calm.

You are conscientious, loyal, managerial, outgoing and dependable.

At work, you’re great at managing people and knowing what needs to be done to get results.

With friends, you’re usually the centre of the friendship group plus you’re loyal and dependable.

In love, you’re a good match for unpredictable and spontaneous people. You bring stability into their lives.

Best match with the explorer.

You’re a Negotiator …

When you’re influenced by estrogen– a female hormone associated with emotion, intuition and creativity.

You are selfless, imaginative, sympathetic, socially skilled, flexible, verbal and idealistic.

At work, you’re articulte and great at dealing with everyone. Solid people skills mean you excel in team environments. A negotiator’s downfall in the workplace is that they’re so keen to please everyone that they end up saying yes to everything, and often load themselves up with far too much work and as a result, burn themselves out.

 With friends, you’re the go-to person.

In love, you want nothing less than a soulmate.

Best match, good with all types.

You’re a Director…

When you’re influenced by testosterone– a male hormone associated with rational thinking, energy and strength.

You are analytical, focused, daring, logical, direct and goal-oriented.

At work, directors are very often the boss, or at least on the fast track there.  You’re ability to be logical and rational gives you a really good business mind.

With friends, it’s a matter of quality and not quantity for you.  Directors have high standards and expect much from their friends.

In love, your high standards get even more intense. Directors need someone to balance them out and quite often the flexibility of the negotiator is the perfect antidote.

Best match with the negotiator.

You’re an explorer…

When you’re influenced by dopamine– a “pleasure” chemical, which is assosiated with the feelings of curiousity and spontaneity.

You are a risk-taker, impulsive, curious, adaptable and optimistic.

At work, you may jump from job to job, because you get bored easily and hate rules. However, explorers love a challenge and when they find the right environment, then they’ll excel.

With friends, you’re the life of the party.  An explorer’s boredom threshold is easily tested in the social envirorment and you need lots of interesting people to hang out with. But even though everyone loves your company, you often prefer being alone and having your own space.

In love, your energy and optimism can be contagious and people like you, but as with work and friends, you get bored with potential partners. 

Best match with the Builder.

People can be a mixed bag of the four personality types, but generally there’s one that truly shines.   Hope you find this a ”fairly enlightening experience.”