Take these 6 Personality Tests to know yourself better!

What kind of person are you in your family or your workplace? Loud? Quiet? Messy? Organized? None of these?

You’re probably already thinking about some of your more obvious characteristics.

… yet those tendencies just scratch the surface of who you are.

Personality tests (or personality assessments as I prefer to call them), explore not only WHAT you do, but also WHY you do it.

Ultimately, when you learn more about your unique personality, you unlock a treasure trove of how you can become more intentional with your time and energy. You just got to do something with that knowledge. (more about that in another post)

It’s pretty cool when you think about how much more fun life can be just after taking some time to explore your personality.

But where do you even START with finding a great personality test? I’ve got your back!

In this post, you’ll get a brief overview of several personality assessments so you can start living intentionally with passion and purpose as God’s beloved.

Let’s dig in!

How do you define personality?

According to dictionary.com:

Personality – the combination of characteristics or qualities that form an individual’s distinctive character.

Dictonary.com

Your personality can also be called your nature, disposition, temperament, persona, psyche or identity.

It’s a modge podge of different qualities that make up YOU.

How understanding your personality can help you intentionally live a life of passion and purpose

When you better understand WHO you are – including what drives you, how you tend to problem solve, how you organize your life, etc. – you can be more intentional about how you live your life.

By leveraging your strengths, you can better lean into the design your Creator gave you.

You can be more thoughtful about your priorities, time, energy, projects… so much!

Will you still make mistakes? Totally.

Still flawed, still imperfect, still need to grow.

But… you can find more purpose and passion in your life when you lean into the glorious beloved you are.

And that is a wonderful thing.

Want more about this topic? Read Feeling small? Like you don’t measure up? Friend, you are God’s beloved.

Now, let’s dig into the personality tests*!

*Note: Personality tests are actually personality assessments. Why should you care about this? In an assessment, you’re assessing where you fall across a spectrum of behaviors. You can pass or fail a test. You can’t fail a personality assessment! Think personality tests are useless? Try this instead.

CliftonStrengths

Personality framework in a nutshell

“What would happen if we studied what was right with people versus what’s wrong with them?” asked Don Clifton.

This assessment identifies what are your top 5 strengths, how you can better leverage them, and how you might partner with others with different strengths.

The focus of this personality framework

Completing the online talent assessment (formerly the Clifton StrengthsFinder) is your way to:
– discover what you naturally do best
– learn how to develop your greatest talents into strengths
– use your personalized results and reports to maximize your potential

No. of possible types

34 possible themes, 5 top themes per individual – endless combinations

DISC

Personality framework in a nutshell

It describes patterns of behavior. It doesn’t describe people. You may have a blend of styles!

The focus of this personality framework

The DISC model is based on a theory that people tend to develop a self-concept based on one of four factors – Dominance, Inducement, Steadiness, or Compliance.

No. of possible types

4 personality styles with 12 recognized combinations

Enneagram

Personality framework in a nutshell

The Enneagram does a deep dive into your motivations, fears, longings, and desires. It can be an icky-good experience.

The focus of this personality framework

The Enneagram is a map for self-discovery and personal growth based on 9 basic personality types. The Enneagram accurately and clearly describes why you think, feel, and behave in particular ways based on your core fears and core desires.

No. of possible types

9 types with 18 variations with wings and 3 subtypes per “main” type

Keirsey Temperament Sorter® (KTS®)

Personality framework in a nutshell

This theory focuses on how you engage in the world, including what energizes you, how you take in information, how you make decisions, and how you organize your life. This theory uses the MBTI® as the overarching framework and then identifies four basic temperaments. These are determined by how types communicate and take action.

The focus of this personality framework

Temperament is a configuration of observable personality traits, such as habits of communication, patterns of action, and sets of characteristic attitudes, values, and talents. It also encompasses personal needs, the kinds of contributions that individuals make in the workplace, and the roles they play in society. Each temperament has its own unique qualities and shortcomings, strengths, and challenges.

No. of possible types

4 temperaments with 16 types overall

Myers Briggs Typology Indicator®(MBTI®)

Personality framework in a nutshell

The MBTI® focuses on how you engage in the world, including what energizes you, how you take in information, how you make decisions, and how you choose to take action.

The focus of this personality framework

Through a series of questions, the MBTI® assessment helps you identify your natural preferences in four areas of personality:

• How do you direct and receive energy—by focusing on the outside world, interacting with people, and taking action, or by focusing on your inner world and reflecting on ideas, memories, and experiences?
• How do you take in information—by focusing on what you perceive using your five senses or by seeing the big picture and looking for relationships and patterns?
• How do you decide and come to conclusions—by logically analyzing the situation or by considering what’s important to the people involved?
• How do you approach the outside world—in a planned, orderly way or a more flexible, spontaneous way? 

No. of possible types

16

True Colors

Personality framework in a nutshell

This is a handy tool to better understand how you work and how others work, especially in a team environment.

The focus of this personality framework

Designed to uncover key social information about yourself and others, True Colors is a tool that fosters an environment of understanding and collaboration. This system takes the most important concepts presented in the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and distills them into a user-friendly, fun, and—most important—practical tool.

No. of possible types

4 color types, with various color combinations

Head’s up!

Coffee Chats and Yoga Mats uses the Myers Briggs Typology Indicator®(MBTI®) and the Keirsey Temperament Sorter® (KTS®) as its primary personality references.

Articles related to personality tests to know yourself better

• How your personality influences every moment of your life
• Think personality tests are useless? Try this instead.
• How you can live with passion and purpose by understanding your personality
• What does God say about personality? (Especially Yours??)

Wrapping up personality tests to know yourself better

A lot of folks don’t buy into personality systems. In fact, you might relate to a buddy of mine who shared, “None of the tests I’ve taken actually seem to describe me. They’re just not quite right.”

… but you’re not going to know if something resonates with you until you try it. And those 15-60 minutes with one assessment may actually change the trajectory of how see yourself – for the better.

When you think about it, that’s a pretty small investment of time that could become a game-changer for your life.

In this post, you’ve learned a bit more about the following personality tests to help you start living a life full of passion and purpose:

1. CliftonStrengths
2. DISC
3. Enneagram
4. Keirsey Temperament Sorter® (KTS®)
5. Myers Briggs Typology Indicator®(MBTI®)
6. True Colors

So, beloved, I challenge you to take ONE of these assessments this week. Take it right now or make it a calendar appointment to show up and give it a go. You might be surprised by what you learn!

P.S. Want some crazy simple steps to start living intentionally? Grab the Embrace Your Potential Playbook. It’ll help you zoom in on your God-gifted personality and give you practical tips to be more intentional, passionate, and purposeful as God’s beloved so you can become the best version of yourself.