A Final Thought on Personality

THE WELL-DEVELOPED, WELL-INTEGRATED PERSONALITY IS THE HIGHEST PRODUCT OF EVOLUTION, THE FULLEST REALIZATION WE KNOW OF IN THE UNIVERSE
- Julian Huxley (1887-1975)

We spend a great deal of our lives learning who we are and becoming more of what and who we really are. It is when we have become comfortable with who and what we are that our very best self is portrayed. It can be seen in the way we treat ourselves, the way we treat others (friends, foes or strangers), and the attitude with which we conduct our daily lives.
More than anything, we learn that we are more powerful than we can ever imagine! We learn that we are co-authors of our destinies; while forces outside of us (family, work, God, etc) may be at work, what is at work within us is of even greater consequence. That is, our personality can become an amazing tool of leverage so that we constantly aspire for greater things.
Yet, and even so, it is in learning who we really are that we can aspire for greatness. Until we are comfortable with who we are, we will never bring our best to the thrill of being alive (with all of life's twists and turns). The challenge, then, is to develop a solid understanding of who we are so that we can be comfortable with what we do have and what we do not. Who knows? We may just discover an innate ability that might benefit the world in a marvelous fashion...

(c) 2009, Dr. Kozhi Sidney Makai. No part of this blog post may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system without the written consent of the copyright holder.

More on "Personality as Leverage"

PERSONALITY CAN NEVER DEVELOP UNLESS THE INDIVIDUAL CHOOSES HIS OWN WAY, CONSCIOUSLY AND WITH MORAL DELIBERATION (Carl Jung, 1875-1961)

Choice? We have a "say" in our personality? An emphatic "yes"! While we may be a product of nature and nurture, there is a lot that we have a say about; we cannot continue to hide behind the cloak of being affected - we must affect!

Life never gives us the perfect settings. We work with bosses and colleagues we do not particularly care for; we drive next to individuals whose vehicular skills are highly questionable; we are affected by whether it is minus forty degrees outside or 100 degrees. Either way, the personality we CHOOSE to display in the face of each of these and other circumstances truly determines just how well we cope with the challenges and joys of life.

Having a personality that beckons others towards us is something that can be worked on! Solomon, the wisest man of the his time, said simply: "If you want friends, be friendly!" It is amazing how such a disposition towards others can draw them to want to learn more about you and what you're about.

You see, the truth is that REAL people aren't truly interested in WHAT you do, they are interested in WHO you are! Try it......you may just shock yourself into amazing circumstances...

(c) 2009, Dr. Kozhi Sidney Makai. No part of this blog post may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system without the written consent of the copyright holder.

Personality as Leverage

Carl Jung noted: "Real increase of personality means consciousness of an enlargement that flows from inner sources." I believe that it is this component of who we REALLY are that we hide so much yet it could yield the most satisfying relationships and other great returns.
When we are comfortable with not only WHO we are but also WHAT we are, it means that we never have to rely on "polish" to connect with others. Some call this ability to "just be" one's "charisma" or "the IT factor". I have found that we all have the "IT" factor - we are just not happy with "IT"!
When we operate from the core of our being, we never have to be anything other than what we really are; in other words, we are genuine. And it is the most genuine people that connect better with others and seem to get all the breaks. However, we have to begin my taking stock of what lies deep within our personality.
Psychologist Robert Johnson's 1993 book is perfectly titled "Owning Your Own Shadow." The denials we are so passionate about making with respect to who we really are only show that we have to learn how to own our own shadows - after all, we ALL have them! To flourish in a fast-paced world, we must be adept at being real and honest with ourselves, first and foremost. Only then can we be comfortable and real with others.
There is much in each of our personalities that is wonderful and much that is not so. It is in our ability to take honest inventory that we begin a journey of self-discovery and enlightenment that will shoot us into new heights. What's YOUR inventory looking like?

(c) 2009, Dr. Kozhi Sidney Makai. No part of this blog post may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system without the written consent of the copyright holder.

The Fight Against Indifference

"A different world cannot be built by indifferent people"

Part of the "Journey of Significance" requires a layover that gives us the opportunity to choose what kind of world we would like to see in the present and leave for the future. Without this layover, we become nonchalant about the state of our lives, those of our family, friends, neighbors, and, ultimately, all of humanity. Such, unfortunately, is the live we have become accustomed to; we have become indifferent and "don't care either way" as one person said to me once.

If we truly wish the world to be different, we have to stand for something - something grander than ourselves and what's immediately best for us. I believe there are only two kinds of people in the world: those who live my preference, and those who live by conviction. Outside of these, others are simply indifferent; and it is these indifferent people can become an intolerable nuisance to themselves, family, friends, neighbors, and, yes, the world at large. This is because they have made no choice...no decision...and have no sense of purpose and direction for life. They do not stand for anything...so, often, they fall for everything.

The SIGNIFICANT Life is about discovering what we will live for and what will die for. It is easier to become a martyr than to live for something. We quickly stand front and center to die for something (our country, our children, our values) but not a decibel can be heard when we are required to live for something. Such is the state of human experience and existence today; shoddy and indifferent...

**Our discussion on "leverage" will continue over the coming weeks, for those of you following closely. Thank you for your patience.**

(c) 2009, Dr. Kozhi Sidney Makai.
No part of this blog post may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system without the written consent of the copyright holder.