I have turned seventy and I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up! I found myself as lost and unprepared for the next chapter in my life as I did when I left high school well over fifty years ago. The seventy-year milestone really has been a time of reflection; a time of reconciling my life and a time of
mulling over what lies ahead. There have been many accomplishments that I have been proud of over that time, but one thing has been constant since my mid-thirties. You could say that since then my life’s work has encompassed the rich theory of Jung’s Personality Types using the MBTI® (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator).* I have used it in many settings, the most important of which was using it to bring up my children in the best way I could. I also have used it in teaching, counselling, and training courses. It has been clear to me that not enough attention is paid to personality – I call it the Personality Factor – and how it can play a vital role in the way we manage our lives. Over thirty years ago I wanted to write a book to share the insights I’d gained from knowing about my Personality Factor, but it has taken me a lifetime of experiences to get here. Now, I feel that it is a waste of my life’s work if I do not document my experiences to pass on to the next generations.
The Personality Factor is an anecdotal account of aspects of my parenting and working life. It highlights the importance that an awareness of personality played in negotiating around hurdles presented to me along the way. It also provides a look at the theory of Personality Types by Carl Jung written in the 1920’s. My aim is to create an awareness of the importance of considering the Personality Factor, using the knowledge and experience I have accumulated over the last thirty years or so.
In typical fashion of my own Personality Factor, I want the world to live in harmony; for everyone to get on with each other. I want everybody to reach their full potential. I acknowledge that each person will take away something different after reading this book. However, if I can help even a few people make more
sense of their lives and become better versions of themselves, then my work is done!
This book may not have all the answers, but it can provide a way to look at things differently and to change what can be changed by being mindful of your Personality Factor. Knowing my own Personality Factor has been the single most helpful tool for me in my life.
While there are many resources available to learn about personality, I believe one of the simplest ways to find out your Personality Factor is to undertake the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI®). The MBTI® was developed by Isabell Myers and Katherine Briggs in 1962 to more easily access the theory of Personality Types written by Carl Jung in 1921.
I was first introduced to Personality Type in the late 1980s. I loved it so much I undertook my MBTI® Accreditation in 1988 and have continued using it ever since. I completed a more in-depth training course in MBTI® in 1992 and undertook MBTI® STEP II accredited training in 2015. It has been an invaluable tool
for me to understand my place in the world. Most importantly, it has enabled me to better understand other people in my life, my parents, my siblings, my partners, my children, and my work colleagues.
There is a wealth of valuable resources on personality already available, so rather than writing another textbook, I want to provide a book that is easy to read and enlightening at the same time. The purpose is to create an anecdotal account for the uninitiated, about how knowledge and understanding of your Personality Factor can have a significant bearing on understanding yourself better and appreciating other people while managing your life. I want it to be available more widely to the everyday reader rather than only the practitioners of Personality Type Theory. My greatest challenge is being able to share my passion and knowledge in a way you will understand.
This book, nevertheless, may become a steppingstone for you to become aware of your own Personality Factor and its importance in helping you navigate through life. I urge everyone to have the courage to gain an understanding of their Personality Factor, to give yourself permission to be yourself and appreciate the
differences in other people.
* Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Myers Briggs, MBTI, the MBTI logo, Step I, Step II, Step III and Introduction to Type are trademarks or registered trademarks of Myers & Briggs Foundation in the United States and other countries.