So, what does Oprah! have to say about me and what I’m striving toward?
Forget your career. Forget your role as a mother or a wife.
We’ll assume this is a unisex quiz, if not quiz intro.
Forget how much money you make or how successful you are. If you’re struggling with the question “Who am I meant to be?”, this quiz can help you figure out what really defines you. Based on personality science, I have identified seven “striving styles,” modes of thought and behavior that direct us to seek satisfaction in different ways. Although everybody is wired with all seven styles, most people have one that dominates. When you engage this innate style, you’ve got the best shot at fulfilling your potential; when you don’t, you can feel stuck.
After responding to the statements below, you will discover your striving style, learn what to do if it’s backfiring from neglect, and find ideas to guide your life in the direction that it was meant to go
Woot! Guidance for my life! And the results?
YOU ARE STRIVING TO BE SECURE
You are a stabilizer: You are the rock in a storm, the one others lean on. Loyal and committed in your relationships, you maintain a support system of like-minded people whom you look out for. (So what if you do it behind the scenes and don’t get credit?) You’re careful with money, cherish the familiar, and defend the traditions you care about.What to watch out for: Rapidly changing environments (like a shaky economy) are very hard for you. As a result of such instability, you can spiral into a state where everything seems catastrophic and you’re sure life will only get worse. You can also become overcontrolling, rejecting any suggestion that doesn’t conform to your idea of the way things should be. To avoid being too rigid, each month try changing one habit. Experiment with clothes, drive a different way to work, initiate conversations about subjects you wouldn’t normally discuss. And when the opportunity arises to do something new, avoid the impulse to immediately say no—this may be nerve-racking, but the more you practice, the less anxious you’ll feel.
Looking ahead: You find meaning in pursuing safety and certainty. Focusing on family can give you great satisfaction. Also consider planting a vegetable garden, hosting class reunions, volunteering as a lifeguard, teaching at your church or temple. In the work arena, look for positions where you’re responsible for others, and for making sure everyone is following the rules. You work well in any environment that is stable and consistent. Careers in government, finance, the military, law enforcement, and product manufacturing are strong options for you.
In other words, I’m stodgy, looking for consistency and standards, but also looking out to take care of people. Um … yeah. Pretty much.
Except I would rather eat a bug than sponsor a class reunion. Just saying.
YOUR SCORES
Many people have two or three strong striving styles, and they can all be important in leading you to the person you are meant to be. If you have a few “highest” scores, read each matching description, and see what rings most true.Striving to help: 12
Striving to be recognized: 15
Striving to be creative: 15
Striving to be spontaneous: 12
Striving to be knowledgeable: 16
Striving to be secure: 17
Striving to be in control: 16
Actually, it’s interesting that I’m relatively “balanced” in the scores here. Maybe it just means I’m needy/striving across a lot of levels. 🙂 Nobody who knows me will be surprised that one of the lowest scores was in striving to be “spontaneous,” but I am a bit surprised that “help” was so low.
(via OGLO)
I’m striving to be Creative, although Secure and and In Control are only one behind. I’m not real good at spontaneous (not a surprise to anyone who has known me long and even less so than ***Dave), but the not striving to be helpful is a little sad. I am drawn to the arts, but please don’t make me draw (very bad), and writing poetry is really bad (it makes greeting cards look profound).
You are an artist: You came out of the womb with a paintbrush in your hand. Or maybe it was a flute or a castanet or a fountain pen to go with your poet’s imagination. The point is, you’re an original, and you know it. Even if you don’t have a singular gift, you’re drawn to the arts—anything creative, for that matter—and you have a unique way of looking at the world. Your need for depth and authenticity in relationships can lead to both great joy and profound sorrow, depending on whether others reciprocate. You don’t care so much about adapting to group or societal expectations; your independence and sharp intuition propel you on your own path.
What to watch out for: When fear of conformity overrides your creativity, you can assume the role of “outsider” or “orphan” and end up feeling alienated. You may even go so far as refusing to vote or pay taxes. This lone-wolf stance might be a defense against feeling vulnerable.Also, dramatizing your emotions can interfere with your creativity.
Looking ahead: As long as you genuinely express yourself, you feel like the person you were meant to be. How you do it is irrelevant.Many advertising and public relations executives are also highly imaginative. Beyond work, there are opportunities everywhere you look to coax out your inner artist: Design your own jewelry line, create an innovative blog, dream up a comic strip. Relationships are another avenue for self-expression.
YOUR SCORES
Striving to help: 11
Striving to be recognized: 12
Striving to be creative: 17
Striving to be spontaneous: 9
Striving to be knowledgeable: 15
Striving to be secure: 16
Striving to be in control: 16
Based on their descriptions, that quiz is a crock. A “striving to help” score of 4 makes me a “nurturer”? 5 on spontaneity means I’m “adventurous”? Bah.
Hey is Oprah, it’s not like I believe it has any real insight.
What?! But Oprah knows all! She is our guiding star! How could we live, meaningfully, without Oprah!