There are a couple of things that are universal that help us understand personality types. We are all products of our environment and secondly, we see what we look for. The first one is something that happens over time and the second can change on a daily basis.

If you grow up in a family of doctors, you are highly likely to work in the medical field. If you grow up in a family where education is not valued then you are more likely to end up doing a job where you use your body more than your mind. If you are surrounded by optimists looking at life as an opportunity, you are likely to be that way inclined also, etc. The concept is well proven and understandable.

The second part is more to do with a circumstance we find ourselves in or how we are feeling on any day, based on what’s happening to us at that time. For example, if you are thinking about buying a new car and you like white Subaru Outbacks, as you drive around you will constantly see white Subaru Outbacks. If a friend says to you “I’m thinking of buying this house, can you go and see if you can find any faults?” You will go to the property and all you will see is faults, no matter how good the property is. I feel sorry for Building Inspectors as they spend all their lives looking for errors and faults. Same applies for audit accountants and the police. If you spend all your working life looking for errors, it would be very difficult to just switch this attitude off in your private life.

One insurance policy against this is gratitude. If you start your day thinking about all the things you are grateful for in your life, it will set you up for a positive day no matter what your background is or what you have to do that day. Sounds corny but it definitely works. Make a list in your phone and look at it each morning. You will be amazed the difference it makes.

Article by Marty Maher