Using Personality Type To Set Your New Year’s Resolution

If you are like most people, you have the best intentions to set a resolution for the New Year. However, sticking to it is a struggle. Or for some, even deciding what to resolve in the first place is a struggle. Here are some suggested focus areas for setting new goals based on your primary DiSC personality style:

Option 1: Focus on what you do well and make it even better:
Often when creating a New Year’s Resolution, we focus on what we aren’t doing well. This year, consider improving on what you do well. Your natural strengths based on your DiSC personality style are your gift to others. It is your contribution to the team, the family, and your relationships. Here are some suggestions based on your DiSC style:

• D Style:
  – Bottom-line organizer
  – Places high value on time
  – Challenges the status quo
  – Innovative
  – Risk-taker

• I Style:
   – Creative problem solver
  – Great encourager
  – Motivates others to achieve
  – Positive sense of humor
  – Negotiates conflicts: Peacemaker

• S Style:
  – Reliable and dependable
  – Loyal team worker
  – Compliant towards authority
  – Good listener; patient and empathetic
  – Good at reconciling conflicts

• C Style:
  – Perspective: “The anchor of reality”
  – Conscientious and even-tempered
  – Thorough in all activities
  – Defines situations
  – Gathers, criticizes, and tests information

Options 2: Own your fear versus letting your fear own you:
When we stop and take a closer look at what is triggering us or blocking us, we usually discover a fear.  Our personality type is often at the root of this fear. This fear can drive our behaviors and decisions. This year you may decide to make a resolution to be more aware of how your fears are driving your behaviors, reactions, and decisions. Take notes, literally take notes, and journal throughout the day or at the end of the day. Here are the fears tied to each of the 4 primary DISC personality style:

• D Style – Being Taken Advantage Of
• I Style – Being excluded or Rejection
• S Style – Loss of Security
• C Style – Not Getting Things Correct and/or Criticism

Option 3: Improve my relationships with better communication:
Knowing how your personality style communicates, as well as how others do, can greatly impact your communication. Great communication is the key to great relationships. For a deeper dive into the natural communication methods of each of the primary DISC personality style, check out my book Coach Yourself To Excellence.

• D-Style – Naturally assertive, competitive, and results-oriented. They are direct in their communication and desire to accomplish things quickly. D-styles are more goal and task-oriented. Because of this, they may be more guarded and limited in how much they share about their personal life.
  To improve your relationships and communication, try directing some of your focus to the people in your world. Try letting your guard down a little. Be a little more vulnerable. Try sharing a little more about how you are feeling. You might be surprised how much this increases trust and connection.

• I-Style – Naturally open, verbal, and social. I-style is direct, yet in a friendly way. They are people-oriented versus goal or task oriented. I-Style is open and direct, and they accomplish things through people and relationships. They have a natural way of influencing through encouragement and talk.
  To improve your communication and relationships, try practicing your listening skills. In addition, be aware of the fine line between encouraging others and talking others out of their feelings. Although your intentions are kind, sometimes people just want to be heard.

• S-Style – Naturally steady, supportive, and stable. The S-Style loves routine, can be very compliant and are people-oriented. They are natural collaborators and bring harmony to the team, the family, and their relationships. The S-Style desires harmony. During stress, they tend to slow down the process.
  To improve your communication style and relationships, try expressing your ideas, opinions, and feelings. You don’t have to always be compliant, and expressing yourself in a kind way actually is playing to your need to collaborate. Set yourself free to do so. You may be surprised by how good it feels and how much deeper your connections and relationships become.

• C-Style – Naturally conscientious. They like analysis, standards, and structure. They are goal or task-oriented and can be very precise and have high standards.
  To improve your communication style and relationships, try focusing less on facts and more on people. Take risks along with other team members, family members, and your partner. Focus on doing the right things, not just doing things right. You might really enjoy the freedom it brings.

What goals are you setting for the new year?

Want to learn more about using the DiSC to become a better you?
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