Belief: If you possess a strong Belief theme, you have certain core values that are enduring. These values vary from one person to another, but ordinarily your Belief theme causes you to be family-oriented, altruistic, even spiritual, and to value responsibility and high ethics—both in yourself and others. These core values affect your behavior in many ways. They give your life meaning and satisfaction; in your view, success is more than money and prestige. They provide you with direction, guiding you through the temptations and distractions of life toward a consistent set of priorities. This consistency is the foundation for all your relationships. Your friends call you dependable. “I know where you stand,” they say. Your Belief makes you easy to trust. It also demands that you find work that meshes with your values. Your work must be meaningful; it must matter to you. And guided by your Belief theme it will matter only if it gives you a chance to live out your values.
- This makes sense. I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, for those of you who don't know. I know God exists and that he loves me. I also know that the commandments he gives are not heartless restrictions, but protective guidelines given by a loving parent to help me return to live with Him.
Connectedness: Things happen for a reason. You are sure of it. You are sure of it because in your soul you know that we are all connected. Yes, we are individuals, responsible for our own judgments and in possession of our own free will, but nonetheless we are part of something larger. Some may call it the collective unconscious. Others may label it spirit or life force. But whatever your word of choice, you gain confidence from knowing that we are not isolated from one another or from the earth and the life on it. This feeling of Connectedness implies certain responsibilities. If we are all part of a larger picture, then we must not harm others because we will be harming ourselves. We must not exploit because we will be exploiting ourselves. Your awareness of these responsibilities creates your value system. You are considerate, caring, and accepting. Certain of the unity of humankind, you are a bridge builder for people of different cultures. Sensitive to the invisible hand, you can give others comfort that there is a purpose beyond our humdrum lives. The exact articles of your faith will depend on your upbringing and your culture, but your faith is strong. It sustains you and your close friends in the face of life’s mysteries.
- I think this ties in to the Belief theme. Because of my faith, I know that we are all Children of God, and are, therefore, all connected siblings. Everyone affects the people around them, for good or bad. Relationships with the people around us are crucial, especially those in our families.
Futuristic: “Wouldn’t it be great if . . .” You are the kind of person who loves to peer over the horizon. The future fascinates you. As if it were projected on the wall, you see in detail what the future might hold, and this detailed picture keeps pulling you forward, into tomorrow. While the exact content of the picture will depend on your other strengths and interests—a better product, a better team, a better life, or a better world—it will always be inspirational to you. You are a dreamer who sees visions of what could be and who cherishes those visions. When the present proves too frustrating and the people around you too pragmatic, you conjure up your visions of the future and they energize you. They can energize others, too. In fact, very often people look to you to describe your visions of the future. They want a picture that can raise their sights and thereby their spirits. You can paint it for them. Practice. Choose your words carefully. Make the picture as vivid as possible. People will want to latch on to the hope you bring.
- I have a vivid imagination, first of all, and I think in pictures. But, I also love playing the "what if" game with myself. Every moment comes with a choice to be made, wither conscious or subconscious. It is quite entertaining to picture what the future holds. I have to admit, these are some of my favorite pictures of my future self:
- playing with legos or blocks on a quilt on the floor with my future kids. For some reason, I've always pictured a little blonde girl, and two boys.
- receiving flowers from my future husband in front of my future choir in a high school. Although I probably would, I never picture myself blushing...
- conducting my future high school choir in various types of concerts
- walking into a kitchen being all barefoot and preggers.
- saving people, usually with super powers.
- Its interesting because these pictures have been very consistent throughout the years, and I think it is because these are like little secret dreams of mine. I want to direct choirs, and I really want a family. (I'd love to have super powers, too, but let's be honest here, who doesn't?)
Strategic: The Strategic theme enables you to sort through the clutter and find the best route. It is not a skill that can be taught. It is a distinct way of thinking, a special perspective on the world at large. This perspective allows you to see patterns where others simply see complexity. Mindful of these patterns, you play out alternative scenarios, always asking, “What if this happened? Okay, well what if this happened?” This recurring question helps you see around the next corner. There you can evaluate accurately the potential obstacles. Guided by where you see each path leading, you start to make selections. You discard the paths that lead nowhere. You discard the paths that lead straight into resistance. You discard the paths that lead into a fog of confusion. You cull and make selections until you arrive at the chosen path—your strategy. Armed with your strategy, you strike forward. This is your Strategic theme at work: “What if?” Select. Strike.
- First of all, this is totally related to Futuristic. Its basically a short-term version that is more decisive rather than dreamy or hopeful. At times, though, I over-think the situation and end up being scared to make any sort of logical moves. Much like this comic, but on a lesser level: http://xkcd.com/439/
- Secondly, this has actually helped me in keeping the commandments. There have been times when I have been tempted, but I was able to sort of picture what consequences would ensue and then choose the better path.
Learner: You love to learn. The subject matter that interests you most will be determined by your other themes and experiences, but whatever the subject, you will always be drawn to the process of learning. The process, more than the content or the result, is especially exciting for you. You are energized by the steady and deliberate journey from ignorance to competence. The thrill of the first few facts, the early efforts to recite or practice what you have learned, the growing confidence of a skill mastered—this is the process that entices you. Your excitement leads you to engage in adult learning experiences—yoga or piano lessons or graduate classes. It enables you to thrive in dynamic work environments where you are asked to take on short project assignments and are expected to learn a lot about the new subject matter in a short period of time and then move on to the next one. This Learner theme does not necessarily mean that you seek to become the subject matter expert, or that you are striving for the respect that accompanies a professional or academic credential. The outcome of the learning is less significant than the “getting there.”
- I love knowing stuff. Almost to a fault, actually. If I were to have cable ever, it would be for the discovery and history channels. I love discovering things (hence this blog), and I love being able to apply and manipulate my knowledge, especially when it comes to music theory and composition. I love learning and knowing about how things work, what makes them tick, that sort of thing. It is very interesting to me!
- That being said, I sometimes don't want to take the time to really master it, I would like to just learn it. That is, until I started taking my conducting class. I LOVE conducting!! I'm not as good as some, but it is something I greatly enjoy, and I feel I can express myself in a way like never before (which is interesting because I never thought of conducting as a separate expressive art form). I look forward to practicing and I am actually determined to master this.
So, I just thought I'd share this today. :)
TTFN,
S
No comments:
Post a Comment