How to Get to Know Your Personality Better

Recognize your values. Everyone has an internal compass that distinguishes right from wrong. This is often referred to as one's “inner voice” or conscience. When you understand your core values, you may experience peace and contentment. But when you ignore them, your conscience can lead to feelings of guilt, discomfort, or unease.

• Pay attention when these moral challenges arise. Listen to your inner voice to guide you.
• Your values will steer you toward self-discovery, helping you identify both harmful and hopeful influences in your life.
• As you follow your moral compass, remember that goodness exists and can prevail when you put your principles into action.

Identify your values. Values are the guiding principles that influence your decisions. These are overarching aspirations such as securing financial stability, prioritizing family connections, or maintaining good health. When you recognize your core values, you can set goals that are aligned with who you are, improving your chances of success and leading to a fulfilling life.

• For example, if you prioritize financial security, one of your goals might be to save six months’ worth of salary in an emergency fund. Achieving this might be challenging, but staying true to your values increases your likelihood of success.

Discover what you're passionate about. While your values drive your goals, your passions provide the necessary focus to achieve them. If something captures your attention for long periods, it's a sign of passion. Pursuing a career (or hobby) around these passions will lead to greater happiness and fulfillment than ignoring them.

• For instance, if you have a passion for art, you will likely find more satisfaction in a career related to art, like curating, teaching, or writing about it, rather than working in a bank.

Know your social needs. Everyone requires basic human connections like friendships and support systems, but the extent of these needs varies from person to person. This is where terms like introvert and extrovert come in. Pay attention to how you recharge after a challenging week. Do you seek out social interactions, or do you prefer solitude? Understanding these preferences will help you maintain balance and happiness in your everyday life.

• Extroverts thrive in social environments and enjoy spontaneity.
• Introverts recharge by spending time alone and prefer structured, planned activities.

Observe your natural rhythms. Recognizing when you're most energetic or when you feel drained can have a significant impact on your overall well-being. Keep track of moments when you feel at your best and when you're feeling sluggish. Note factors like hunger or when you're most inclined to exercise, and use this data to keep your mind and body in sync.

• If you're a morning person, working a night shift may not be ideal. Similarly, a night owl might struggle with a 6:00 AM job.

Recognize your strengths and weaknesses. Nobody excels at everything, and that's perfectly fine. Take note of the areas where others compliment you, and the areas where they may not. Pay attention to tasks where you feel confident versus those where you struggle. This awareness helps you understand your unique talents and areas for improvement. By recognizing these aspects, you can focus on honing your strengths or work on improving weaknesses.

• Your strengths could include qualities such as “focus,” “mathematical ability,” “creativity,” or “empathy.”
• It’s okay if this process takes time—stay open-minded and curious, understanding that this journey is ongoing.

Seek feedback. Ask those closest to you, such as friends and family, how they perceive your personality. Compare their responses to your own self-perception. If their views align, it’s a good indication that these traits are consistently present in your behavior.

• If multiple people close to you have conflicting opinions about your personality, it’s worth reflecting on your own beliefs about who you are.

Mirror, mirror on the wall… who’s the fairest of them all? If you exclaimed “ME!” into your screen, this quiz might be just what you need. In this fun self-assessment, we'll help you gauge the size of your ego—whether it's small, moderate, or off-the-charts. Using a blend of psychology and playful scenarios, we’ll guide you on your journey of self-awareness. By the end, you’ll have an answer to the question: how big is my ego?

Next

Identify the right test that suits you. There are countless personality tests available, each designed to measure different aspects of your individual traits. The test you opt for should reflect what you wish to understand about yourself, the time you can dedicate to the process, the types of questions you're comfortable answering, and your budget. These tests may include:

• Assessments that evaluate your cognitive and neurological abilities as well as intelligence.
• Tests that identify if you're more extroverted or introverted and how you interact with others.
• Tests that gauge how you handle stress and analyze various situations.
• Assessments to determine if you're more prone to specific mental health conditions.
• Bear in mind that each test has its advantages and limitations, so it's important to do your research on the test that sparks your interest.

Pick a personality test. The field of personality testing was pioneered by Carl Jung, who, in the early 20th century, devised a system to catalog personal traits. This concept evolved into various iterations, with some of the most notable tests being:

• Personality and Preferences Inventory (PAPI) – Often used in business environments to screen candidates.
• Myers-Briggs Type Indicator – A test designed to uncover your preferences in areas such as introversion, extroversion, sensation, thinking, intuition, and functioning.
• True Colors Test – This test groups personality traits into colors to provide an easily digestible framework.

Take the test when you're calm. Before diving into the personality test, consider taking a few deep breaths or try a visualization technique to relax. It’s best to approach the test when you are well-rested and have a full stomach. Stress during the test can interfere with your ability to answer questions clearly and truthfully. Overthinking the answers will only leave you questioning which one is 'right.'

Be genuine when responding to questions. Years of schooling may have conditioned you to seek the 'right' answer, but personality tests are not about finding the 'correct' response. These tests are a means for you to explore your true self. Answer each question as honestly as possible, rather than how you wish to appear or what you think is expected of you.

• For example, you might come across a question like 'Do you prefer to lead a project or follow directions?' Many people instinctively choose 'Lead the project' because it seems like the 'right' answer, but if you are uncomfortable with leadership, you should answer 'Follow directions.'

Understand the foundation of most personality tests. While not every test follows this model, the majority of personality tests assess traits based on five main factors, collectively known as the Big Five. These traits are present to varying degrees in everyone, and your personality is determined by which ones are most pronounced. The Big Five traits are summarized as OCEAN:

• O stands for openness.
• C refers to conscientiousness.
• E represents extroversion.
• A is for agreeableness.
• N stands for neuroticism.

Consider each trait as a spectrum. For example, no individual is fully introverted or completely extroverted. To be entirely one or the other would mean that someone never wanted to be with others or, conversely, always wanted to be around people. In reality, most individuals fall somewhere in between. This applies to all the personality traits. You are not defined by a single trait but by where you fall on a continuum, such as between introversion and extroversion.

• The same concept applies to openness, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and neuroticism.

Be mindful of changes. As we go through life, we encounter new experiences that influence our growth and transformation. These experiences shape who we are, so it's important to recognize how they might change your personality. Allow yourself to notice even small shifts in your personality, as this will help you remain authentic while you evolve.

Transform aspects of your personality that cause unhappiness. If you're not content with certain parts of your personality, it's possible to make changes. By setting goals and focusing on the traits you want to improve, you can make temporary adjustments. With enough persistence, these changes can become permanent, altering how you view yourself and interact with others emotionally and socially.

• If you're serious about making significant personality changes, consider seeking help from a mental health professional. They can offer the necessary support and guidance to achieve your goals in a safe and responsible manner.

• If you believe that the personality test results don't reflect who you are, give it another try. After all, you are the best judge of your own personality.

• Leverage your personality traits as advantages, rather than using them as excuses. For instance, being an extrovert doesn't give you a reason to avoid spending some time alone, like when you need to study.