Have you ever thought about how your personality translates into your homesteading life? Take this quick, informal homestead personality test and see what your strengths and weaknesses might be in you DIY lifestyle.
Personality Tests
Are you familiar with the Myers Briggs Personality test or any of the other myriad of personality profiling tests (like the color code) online and in professional psychiatric practices? If so, then some of this information will be a repeat for you. Some of you already have a pretty good handle on what your personality strengths and pitfalls are and know to look for them.
For others, these ideas will be completely new.
Either way, I encourage you to keep an open mind while we discuss how your personality can affect and effect your homestead lifestyle.
Personality Test Caveat
I actually don’t really care for the word personality when describing who we are in our core. After reading the fabulous book It’s Just My Nature
- environment
- upbringing
- family
- job
- social pressures
- major life changes or events
- trauma
- tangibles like economic status and safety
And so much more! Because our personalities can be altered to fit our circumstance, it can be dangerous to our well-being to stake too much on what kind of personality traits we exhibit.
However, who we are inside, this light (or energy) we carry around as an intrinsic part of our soul is stable. There are core characteristics that are, simply put, who we really are eternally speaking. We can deny these energetic characteristics or forcibly live outside of them, but they are, nevertheless, WHO WE ARE.
Personality Test Types
Still, personality is the word most of us are familiar with, so it’s the one we’ll use for our purposes today. To keep things simple we will cover the four basic personality (or energy) types today. I didn’t come up with this idea – in fact, neither did Ms. Tuttle, nor did the duo of Myers and Briggs. The Four Temperaments, as they are referred to classically, can be traced back to Hippocrates. However, many philosophers, physicians and others have commented on these personality types throughout the centuries.
(The following four personalities are listed according to similarity. That is, Sanguine and Choleric are the most similar to each other of the four. Also, Melancholic and Phelgmatic are the most similar to each other of the four.)
By those ancient thinkers these types were assigned the names:
- Sanguine
- Choleric
- Melancholic
- Phlegmatic
The color code assigns them colors (keeping the same order):
- Yellow
- Red
- White
- Blue
Ms. Tuttle assigns them energy profile numbers (keeping the same order):
- One
- Three
- Four
- Two
Personality Type Descriptions
In brief, they can be described as follows:
Sanguine – Yellow – Type 1
“The personality type of Sanguine is described primarily as being enthusiastic, active, and social. Sanguines tend to be more extroverted and enjoy being part of a crowd; they find that being social, outgoing, and charismatic is easy to accomplish. Individuals with this personality have a hard time doing nothing and engage in more risk seeking behavior.
Choleric – Red – Type 3
“Choleric individuals also tend to be more extroverted. They are described as being independent, decisive, and goal oriented. They enjoy being in charge of a group since they have many leadership qualities as well as ambition. Choleric personalities also have a logical and fact-based outlook on the world.
Melancholic – White – Type 4
“These individuals tend to be analytical, detail oriented, and are deep thinkers and feelers. They are introverted and try to avoid being singled out in a crowd. A melancholic personality leads to self-reliant individuals, who are thoughtful, reserved, and often anxious. They often strive for perfection within themselves and their surroundings, which leads to tidy and detail oriented behavior.
Phlegmatic – Blue – Type 2
“A phlegmatic individual tends to be relaxed, peaceful, quiet, and easy-going. They are sympathetic and care about others, yet try to hide their emotions. Phlegmatic individuals also are good at generalizing ideas or problems to the world and making compromises.”
Blessings of a Homestead Personality Test
I have found that having an understanding of my energy profile (personality) has positively effected nearly every aspect of my adult life. This knowledge has helped to guide me in my homemaking, homeschooling and homesteading efforts.
In homemaking I am better able to accurately judge what I will make time for, how I will order my day and plan to accomplish the basic tasks of cooking, cleaning and living.
In my homeschooling I am so much better able to plan and predict the performances and interests of myself and my children. How did I ever home educate before I understood these basic principles of my and my children’s personalities?!
On the homestead I can set reasonable, achievable goals because I can anticipate my own strengths and those of my family.
This is NOT a box!
Some types have a very hard time accepting this concept. Some simply can’t decide which type they are (a common problem of Blue/Type 2s) and others simply refuse to put themselves in a box (even though boxes are really their thing – Whites/Type 4s).
No worries. Just ponder these ideas and see if you can find anything of merit here to help you homestead smarter, not harder. It’s not a race, either. Or, if it is, the only person you’re working with is yourself.
I believe that someday – in a long, long distant future of eternal space and time – I WILL achieve complete balance between my types. All four types will be in perfect harmony and I will be a perfect (I prefer the Greek translation of that Biblical word which is whole). But that day isn’t today. So, I do the best I can on my homestead and begin from where I am.
Homestead Personality Test
Try and see yourself in these homesteading personality types. See the inherent strengths?! See a few of the natural challenges that occur with each type? Both have value for you as work your home and land.
The Non-Mellow Yellows
You yellow people are so full of energy! In fact people often accuse you of pretending to be happy and peppy but you’re just full of natural joy. Your whole purpose in the universe is to bring people up; to bring light and activity and movement to any room or group of people. You’re excited by information and projects. You are full of creativity and ideas. In fact, you’re usually the one saying, “I have a great idea and I know it can work!”
Smothering your natural light and slowing down will NOT make the people around you happier so never do it! One of the things to look out for as a Yellow personality is that, in order to keep the flow going and people happy, you can accidentally become a chameleon. It is easy for you to change your own desires and plans to facilitate others. This can be called adaptability on one hand, and becoming a doormat on the other.
One last strength that can become a weakness if you’re not careful! You have a fantastic ability to drop a project when it’s just not worth your time or isn’t working out. Sometimes, though, this can become a tendency to walk away from a plan, or even a person, when things get hard. Be careful what you say yes to AND what you say no to – life isn’t always fun. Things can get hard.
But you can do hard things. In fact, you can laugh when hard things happen – like when the pigs get out!
Homesteading Strengths and Pitfalls of Yellows:
- Creativity
- Energy
- Excitement
- Positive attitude
- Adaptability
- Ability to abandon a project if it’s just now working out – this can be good, and not so good
- Difficulty concentrating on one project at a time
- Proclivity to let go of your own plans to facilitate another’s – this can be good, and not so good
The Fiery Reds
The reds among us have a mantra – “I have a goal and you can get on board or get out of my way”! Reds know how to work and they work hard. Being extremely task oriented is both their strength and their caution in the universe. Reds need to watch out not to burn the candle at both ends while working the homestead.
Reds are very capable of making plans, usually a lot them, and seeing them through. They’re very interested in a lot of subjects and usually have piles of books and materials tottering by their beds. Sometimes the plans they lay take awhile to fulfill, but reds will usually come back around to the original plan and get it done.
Reds, like all of us, have strengths that can also double as weaknesses. For example, reds are passionate about so many things but sometimes passion can override common sense, or even cause harm to relationships. Reds have an absolute sense of self-confidence, which can sometimes be understood as unhealthy pride. Don’t let people tear you down! You are what you are, and what you are is awesome!
Homesteading Strengths and Pitfalls of Reds:
- Drive
- Excellent work ethic
- Ability to accomplish
- Curiosity and interest in a lot of topics
- Passion – this is a strength but watch out that you don’t lash someone with it!
- An occasional disregard for advice or experience of others
- Can easily get overwhelmed with too many tasks and unhealthy expectations on the homestead
The Cool Blues
Ah, those soothing blue types – what would the world be like if we didn’t have their calming influence. I’ll tell you what the homestead would be like: a big mess of half-baked projects and dozens of plans from those yellows and reds!! Blues are soft, kind, empathetic and understanding. They seem to have an innate ability to understand people’s (and even animals’) hearts and minds. So much so that sometimes the feelings of a blue can be easily hurt. They also have a tendency to get overburdened with worry for others or circumstances.
Sometimes blues can seem shy, and perhaps some are, but unlike the first two types, blues are simply able to hold still and hold their tongues. Blues are peaceful and quiet. This can sometimes lead blues to allow others to “push them around” and have too much influence over them. Being accommodating and kind isn’t the same thing as being a push-over.
Blues are very willing to set a reasonable pace for themselves and never take on more than they can handle. Blues are also capable of making detailed plans and thinking through a project before it’s begun. In fact, you sweet blues need to be careful not to get stuck in the planning. Don’t just plan and plan and wait for everything to be perfect – a plan is made for action! Say yes, get started, just do it – you’re ready!
Homesteading Strengths and Pitfalls of Blues:
- Empathy and kindness
- Ability to understand the subtleties of projects and people
- Fantastic planning skills
- Naturally self-paced
- Need to watch out to not get stalled out with waiting and planning
- Watch out for worrying too much
- Don’t let others push you around!
The Wise Whites
White personalities are always being accused of being critical but they’re gift is a perfecting nature. Whites can analyze a plan and immediately see the holes and the problems that the rest of us can’t see. You want a white personality quality checking your plans, I promise!
Whites can be realistic about the vagaries of homesteading – it ain’t all unicorns and rainbows. Whites takes the time to ponder, study and analyze – so much so that they really aren’t fast movers. Don’t expect a white personality to move like a red or a yellow one on the homestead – they have their own pace.
Whites speak directly and concisely and need to be careful not to be too short with people, or even impatient with other personality types. Whites love to organize data and set things in order. In fact, if you have tangled baling twine or Christmas lights, hand them to your white friends and they’ll delight in getting those untangled for you. Whites need to be careful not to put people and ideas in boxes that can’t be changed and improved, but keeping things in order is their forte!
Homesteading Strengths and Pitfalls:
- Analytical nature
- Capacity to plan
- Ability to take their time to really study out an idea
- Fantastic gift for seeing the flaws and weaknesses in any plan or idea
- Watch how you communicate with others; be helpful, not critical
- Be careful not to be too stringent and inflexible
What Were Your Homestead Personality Test Results?
Remember that as you run through these ideas, you’re looking for your dominant nature first. What is that personality that you typically lead out with and in which you feel most at home? What comes naturally to you?
After you’ve done that, try figuring out your second, third and fourth types. You have all four in you just waiting to be explored and used to help you reach your full potential!
Please bear in mind that the types are neither good nor bad. Some attributes of each type are easy to identify as a strength or a weakness, but pleased don’t feel these are BAD! Be grateful that God gave you the order type you have – it was meant to help you accomplish your work in the world.
You are exactly what you need to be.
What’s the Point of this Homestead Personality Test?
The point is to use this information to help your homesteading efforts.
- How will you make plans more efficiently now that you know your type?
- What projects will you begin and which ones will you toss to keep true to your nature?
- Have you thought of your family – how do they test out? Will this knowledge change how you interact on the homestead?
- How will you make goals for this coming year?
I have been blessed by the knowledge of my nature in pretty much everything I do here on the homestead. My family has similarly been helped in our homesteading efforts, as well as in our home education efforts.
I hope this information will be helpful to you, too, as you work to increase your self-sufficiency one day at a time.
