The Speed of Trust is a 2006 book by Stephen M. R. Covey. Within, Covey describes techniques that business leaders can use to inspire trust in both their followers and their customers, which is useful when compared to bureaucratic policies that assume maliciousness.

A 3 Minute Summary of the 15 Core Lessons

#1 Trust Increases Business Speed
This book is primarily useful to businessmen and women because it insists that relationships that are founded on trust are much faster, especially when it comes to doing business. Many business relationships are rooted in the idea that both parties can’t trust each other, so certain bureaucratic checks and balances must be maintained for operational security. Covey attests that trustful relationships allow business to proceed more smoothly and quickly.

#2 Trust is Affordable
In keeping with the above, Covey contests that relationships that are founded on trust can lower the cost of your business model. This is because making transactions go more smoothly and quickly necessarily lowers your operating costs. It also avoids having to pay exorbitant fees for certain bureaucratic security measures that people who trust each other do not need.

#3 Trust Yourself First
Before you can trust others, you have to first trust yourself. Covey likens trust to self-confidence, which is only created when your competence and your character integrity come together. You must first trust yourself by developing four major aspects of your personality and leadership style.

#4 Integrity, the First Trust Aspect
Businessmen and women who are trustworthy will always have integrity. Covey describes integrity as the ability to be honest whatever you can, even if you mess up or make a big mistake that costs your business time and money. This vulnerability is rarely seen in the business world, but it is absolutely crucial for any trustworthy person.

#5 Good Intention
Covey says that the second major trustworthy attribute is content. You need to develop a positive intent for your actions and business model rather than simply trying to earn short-term profits. You may need to develop a new intent after learning this. But chasing after riches is not a good intention that will net you trustworthy relationships in the long run.

#6 Know Your Capabilities
Trustworthy people understand their own capabilities and will work to develop new skills and capabilities over time. You need to be able to practice those things you aren’t good at and understand your own skill limitations when offering your services and talking to others.

#7 Results
Trustworthy business leaders will have the results that can back up their claims to integrity. Sometimes this takes a bit of time to build up, but Covey says that are trustworthy record is worth more than even the most charismatic persuasive speech. A good track record can also stand-in for a demonstration of your capabilities to potential clients and business partners.

#8 Contribute to Build Trust
When you’re building trust within a business or with your employees, it’s often a good idea to contribute as you can. Giving back to your people and organization, either in the form of effort or your time and attention, is a way to build trust that reflects back on itself and paints you as a worthwhile individual with which to build a relationship. It’s a lot like marketing for yourself.

#9 The Trust Tax
Covey says that we now live in a society that suffers from widespread general distrust. This manifests in a so-called “trust tax” which causes people to be less open with their actual desires and fears and which slows the speed of progress and business. It limits economic activity and makes people less likely to take positive risks.

#10 5 Trust Waves
Covey organizes the development of a trustworthy person or business as it occurs in five waves. The first wave hits when you develop self-trust and credibility in yourself. For a business, this may manifest as trustworthiness in the CEO or another executive.

#11 Relationship and Organization Trust
The next two waves are focused on creating relationship trust between yourself and your employees or business partners. Only when there is a trustworthy relationship between you and your collaborators can you successfully cooperate and do work effectively together. Organizational trust is what happens when everyone within a company or group trusts one another, increasing efficiency and lowering the cost of activity.

#12 Market and Societal Trust
The fourth and fifth waves of trust deal with trust from the market and across society as a whole. Market trust is achieved when you get a good reputation for your business model or your results. This only comes after significant effort has been expended and you have a good track record under your belt. Societal trust is an eventual outcome if everyone practices the above trust-building developments, though it is not always present in today’s day and age.

#13 Smart Trust
Covey does note that it is not always wise to have blind trust in others. You don’t want to necessarily distrust people, but you need to learn how to extend trust without making yourself overly vulnerable or by learning how to spot potential liabilities or those who would abuse your trust. This is a skill that takes some experience to learn effectively, and it only comes when you trust in others.

#14 Restoring Trust
Covey also goes over how to change your behavior and repair any damage you may have done to the trust others holding you. It usually requires a significant amount of self-observation and repeated good behavior, often without the expectation of reward. Restoring trust can happen but it takes exponentially more effort and repeated success than establishing trust for the first time does.

#15 Talk Straight
By far, the best behavior you can adopt when establishing or restoring trust is to talk plainly and simply. Even if you have to deliver bad news or admit to a mistake, being honest and straightforward with your speech will do more to earn the trust of your peers and followers than any other behavior.

Top 10 Quotes from The Speed of Trust

1. “We judge ourselves by our intentions and others by their behaviour.”
2. “The first job of a leader—at work or at home—is to inspire trust. It’s to bring out the best in people by entrusting them with meaningful stewardships, and to create an environment in which high-trust interaction inspires creativity and possibility.”
3. “Trust is equal parts character and competence… You can look at any leadership failure, and it’s always a failure of one or the other.”
4. “The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is today.”
5. “In a high-trust relationship, you can say the wrong thing, and people will still get your meaning. In a low-trust relationship, you can be very measured, even precise, and they’ll still misinterpret you.”
6. “We judge ourselves by our intentions and others by their behavior. This is why, as we’ll discuss later, one of the fastest ways to restore trust is to make and keep commitments—even very small commitments—to ourselves and to others.”
7. “Whether you’re on a sports team, in an office or a member of a family, if you can’t trust one another there’s going to be trouble.”
8. “(S × E)T = R ([Strategy times Execution] multiplied by Trust equals Results)”
9. “The trust we have in people and in organizations comes, in part, from believing that they do care.”
10. “For every thousand people hacking at the leaves of evil, there is one striking at the roots.”

Free PDF Download of the Summary to Save or Print

Go here to download The Speed of Trust PDF Summary.

Stephen M.R. Covey’s Advice to Leaders

Covey Explains The Speed of Trust

Please take a moment to pin this post to Pinterest.

The post Speed of Trust Quick Summary: 15 Core Principles in 3 Minutes appeared first on BrandonGaille.com.

ENTPs do effectively handle most types of life challenges. So, they still function when they have a certain amount of stress hanging over them. ENTPs tend to thrive when they face difficulties, and they tend to see challenges as new opportunities to learn and grow as people.

However, when an ENTP can no longer approach overwhelming amounts of stress with this mindset, then they start experiencing problems. These issues start occurring when the ENTP undergoes a substantial amount of stress that would be overwhelming for just about anybody else. When people experience too much pressure, they go into their shadow functions, which makes them act very abnormal. While it can take a lot of stress to cause an ENTP to do this, they are still capable of becoming overwhelmed and acting abnormally.

To help you understand how ENTPs act when they are in their shadow functions, we’ll first take some time to explain the standard features of a healthy ENTP.

#1 ENTPs and the Extraverted Intuition Function

The primary cognitive function of an ENTP is called Extraverted Intuition, also known as Ne. ENTPs see the world using their extraverted intuition, meaning they can comprehend many various possibilities when they see a problem. That means ENTPs are excellent critical thinkers, and they can see all sides of the situation. ENTPs can comprehend a lot of things that other people might not see as quickly as they do.

Another thing the ENTP’s extraverted intuition does when it’s healthy provides the ENTP with an odd, silly sense of humor. ENTPs do enjoy making others laugh, especially when they are happy themselves.

#2 ENTPs and the Introverted Thinking Function

The next most crucial function used by ENTPs is known as Introverted Thinking or Ti. ENTPs use this aspect internally to consistently examine their environment so they can make sense of their surroundings. They use this information to create a web of information in their head, networking the way the world works. Since this is an introverted function, ENTPs typically have a difficult time explaining to other people the way they make logical maps in their heads. However, this is what they do to make sense of the world when they are healthy.

#3 ENTPs and the Extraverted Feeling Function

ENTPs use Extraverted Feeling, or Fe as their extraverted feeling function. Most ENTPs learn how to use this function as they age, so younger ENTPs aren’t as good at using this function as older ENTPs. Extraverted feeling deals with how the ENTP handles emotions, and as the age, ENTPs learn how to understand other people’s emotions. They become more empathetic as they age, and it helps them demonstrate their charisma around others. ENTPs, as they age, start learning how to say the right things to people, and they also know how to make people react and respond the way they want them to after time.

#4 ENTPs and the Introverted Sensing Function

The fourth function that ENTPs rely on is known as Introverted Sensing or Si. However, most ENTPs never fully develop this function, so it couldn’t be considered one of their strengths. However, they do nevertheless possess this skill. Introverted sensing relies on remembering issues from the past, including routine, society, and what feels normal. However, this function never fully develops in ENTPs because they have a strong desire to try new things. ENTPs are not always happy bogged down in a routine, so they have conflicting issues with their Extraverted Intuition mixing with their Introverted Sensing. When an ENTP is stressed out, however, you may start noticing their Introverted Sensing function appear in their actions more than usual.

#5 The Strengths of an ENTP Personality

ENTPs are incredibly energetic and enthusiastic people when they are happy. Most people are drawn to their charisma and magnetism, two characteristics that usually make ENTPs excellent leaders. ENTPs are always interested in trying new things, so if they think a significant change is needed somewhere, they have no problems pushing for that. The healthy ENTP is also interested in focusing on self-improvement, and they don’t enjoy just staying as they are. To an ENTP, one of the most important things you can do in life is to grow and become a better person. ENTPs are very good at seeing all sides of a situation, and they can comprehend concepts that many other people find stressful.

#6 When an ENTP Experiences Stress

When an ENTP gets stressed out, then his or her shadow functions will start to emerge. You’ll notice them relying more on Introverted Sensing, something we mentioned above. Stress can make the ENTP feel overwhelmed and make them act differently. They don’t enjoy the minute details of things since they tend to see the bigger picture when they scrutinize life. When there are too many details, it can become difficult for the ENTP to get anything accomplished. During this type of situation, an ENTP will often shut down.

While under stress, ENTPs also act sensitively to hearing any criticism about themselves. While you may not be used to them working emotionally, they can start using their feelings too much when they are overly stressed. ENTPS also wind up acting when they are stressed out, and they tend to overindulge in things like drinking, overeating, exercising, or any type of task that can take their mind off of things. It can be challenging to get them to break these habits when they feel overwhelmed.

#7 When an ENTP Uses Their Shadow

When ENTPs are healthy, they tend to rely on their dominant function, which is usually their Ne. However, when they become overly stressed, they start using their shadow function, which is Ni. An ENTP in shadow won’t use the normal mind road maps and patterns to figure out the way life works. Instead, when an ENTP is stressed out, he or she will abnormally use hunches or emotions to figure things out, and they aren’t very successful at doing this. When ENTPs are in this mode, they follow their gut feelings and look for theories that resemble paranoia instead of their usual logical thought process.

ENTPs in their shadow mode question things regularly, and then second guess themselves, which often prevents them from getting anywhere. As such, people can find them toxic to be around when they are stuck in a rut like this. That’s because ENTPS will start doubting their friends, families, and loved ones in ways that seem abnormal when they are using their shadow function.

The ENTPs auxiliary function shifts from Ti to Te when they are in shadow, moving them into extraverted thinking. When an ENTP is healthy, he or she tends to look for information to process and facts to analyze, acting logically rather than relying on emotions. However, when an ENTP is in shadow, they’ll start looking at other ways to get down to the truth. When they stop analyzing the world in their usual way, they can become overly harsh and blunt when they talk to others. They’ll start acting aggressively to try and move things along. When in shadow, ENTPs have difficulty learning from the mistakes they make, and instead, they become obsessed with a fear of failure. They will get extremely frustrated if things don’t go well. So, they’ll start acting impatiently with others, and they won’t be as empathetic to friends and family.

The post 7 ENTP Functions Explained for Cognitive, Shadow and Sarcastic appeared first on BrandonGaille.com.

When ESTJs are healthy, they are practical, organized, common sense types that do well in leadership positions. ESTJs have a robust belief system that centers on morals and ethics, and they are willing to fight for their traditions and values. ESTJs are intelligent, logical people that enjoy paying attention to the facts behind situations. They also tend to set high expectations for both themselves and other people. ESTJs are big on self-improvement, and they continuously seek to better themselves. They’ll often push to make those around them better people, too, and their leadership skills can go a long way toward motivating others.

ESTJs value their traditions, and they tend to take rules very seriously. They are a personality type that seeks to conform to the status quo. That, combined with their strong leadership skills, often means they become involved in the community or governmental pursuits. However, ESTJs can be so rigid in their traditional views that some people find them stubborn and challenging to handle. Since most ESTJs try to take charge and act as the leader, some people are put off by their strong personalities.

However, ESTJs have a lot of self-confidence in their leadership skills, and they do a great job of executing plans. Still, they can be overly critical when working with others, especially when they feel somebody isn’t meeting their very high set of expectations. ESTJs can be stable and predictable, and they are also very blunt and honest when people ask them for their opinions. Some people may not be expecting the overly direct nature of the ESTJ and can take that straightforward honesty as harsh criticism.

The ESTJ’s Cognitive Functions

According to the MBTI, each distinct personality type has several cognitive functions (feeling, intuition, thinking, and sensing) that either work with the outside world and are extraverted, or turn inward, using introversion. A personality type’s dominant function is the most robust feature of that personality type, and the auxiliary cognitive function also influences the person a great deal. The tertiary and inferior functions are used less often by the personality type, but they still influence the personality type’s characteristics. We’ll break down the ESTJ’s cognitive functions in more detail below.

#1 ESTJ’s Dominant Cognitive Function: Extraverted Thinking
ESTJs are very logical, objective people. They tend to use common sense when they are trying to make a decision, and they don’t typically rely on their feelings. Instead, they thrive when decisions are impersonal to them, and that’s when they can spring into action and lead the back. ESTJs are excellent critical thinkers and are very good at making objective decisions. They are very good at leaving their feelings out of choices, using facts instead to do what seems rational.

ESTJs are also practical people that have a love of learning. They enjoy finding out about things that work in the real world, and they tend to get lost or bored when ideas are based on theory. So, most ESTJs prefer cold, hard facts and not speculations and concepts that are abstract.

ESTJs also do well making fast choices under pressure, but sometimes they skip some of the facts and rush to make a decision. However, their decisive capabilities do contribute to their strong leadership skills as well.

#2 The ESTJ’s Auxiliary Cognitive Function: Introverted Sensing

ESTJs are excellent with detail, and their memories typically serve them well. They can recall things that occurred in the distant past with vivid imagery, and they tend to use things that have happened to them in the past to judge present events. Since they use their sensing functions internally, ESTJs are usually not as concerned with novelty and more interested in familiar things. They are routine-oriented people that can also display some quirky habits. However, this also makes them stable, although they can also be overly stubborn on occasion.

#3 The ESTJ’s Tertiary Cognitive Function: Extraverted Intuition

ESTJs enjoy looking for new ideas, and when they feel like exploring their creativity, they are using their tertiary cognitive function. ESTJs enjoy learning new things about themselves and the world. As they learn new things about the world, ESTJs will continuously search for patterns or connections, trying to map things out in their brains. They also use their incredible critical thinking skills as they understand that there is more than one outcome in most situations.

#4 The ESTJ’s Inferior Cognitive Function: Introverted Feeling

When ESTJs use this function, they start to use their feelings more than their common sense to make their decisions. When they are doing that, they may talk about “gut feelings” as they apply in some situations. ESTJs don’t use this function often, but sometimes this inferior function will emerge when the ESTJ’s feelings outweigh their logic. Most of the time, ESTJs don’t rely on their emotions often, so this function exists mostly in their unconscious.

Shadow Functions: When ESTJs are Unhealthy

When ESTJs are unhealthy, then their shadow functions begin to emerge. When that happens, their Extraverted Thinking function becomes completely imbalanced. When that happens, the ESTJ will start acting domineering, controlling, and over-aggressive. ESTJs like to be the leaders that run the show, but when they are operating in their shadow functions, they become strict, difficult micro-managers, feeling that it’s only “right” if you do things the way you do things.

Unhealthy ESTJs don’t see any grey context in the world; instead, things are very black or white to them. They’ll jump to conclusions and lack sensitivity toward others when they are unhealthy. While they are usually blunt, honest people and they feel their honesty should always be admired. Sometimes their reliability comes across as harsh criticism that could have been rephrased to something less severe and more appropriate.

One of the reasons why ESTJs act so off-balances when they are in their shadows comes from the repression of their Introverted Feeling function, or Fi. Usually, when an ESTJ is healthy, its Fi has a secure value system along with a strong understanding of right and wrong. However, ESTJs that are in shadow tend to repress this, and then they start looking like hypocrites. They’ll begin performing actions that go against their value system, and once they start doing this, they can be very challenging to handle.

ESTJs that repress their value system under stress didn’t experience the best childhood, so they don’t have a complete understanding of their cognitive functions and how they treat others when they feel overwhelmed. ESTJs that were neglected or abused when they were young engage in ego-defensive games to keep themselves going. When they get stressed out or overwhelmed, they can easily fall back into this somewhat destructive childhood pattern.

When ESTJs are in shadow, their auxiliary function, Introverted Sensing, or Si, can also become warped. When ESTJs are unhealthy, they’ll become obsessed with going with what they know, and they become less objective in their viewpoints. Change can become difficult for them to handle, and that can make them overly critical of others. They may start shutting down other people’s points of view and have difficulty with their critical thinking skills.

When ESTJs are healthy, their Si pays attention, not facts, other people’s perspectives, and allows the ESTJ to use some excellent critical thinking skills. However, when an ESTJ gets unhealthy, he or she can become annoyingly subjective, losing their usual objectivity.

The post The 4 ESTJ Cognitive Functions Explained appeared first on BrandonGaille.com.

Miracle Morning is a 2012 book by Hal Elrod. It’s a self-help book that exclusively focuses on morning habits and routines as tools with which you can improve your life.

A 3 Minute Summary of the 15 Core Lessons

#1 Wake Up Early
More than anything else, those wanting to take advantage of their morning time and truly create a miracle morning routine need to get up early. The morning hours are precious and spending too much time in bed will truncate the actual productivity you can enjoy and prevent you from fulfilling the other steps of your miracle morning routine.

#2 Form a Routine Beforehand
Elrod suggests that it’s smart to form a miracle morning routine before you actually try to implement it. This relates to our ability to make successful habits stick. It’s a lot harder to get into a morning routine if we aren’t sure exactly how the morning will go and what our goals are. Plan your routine ahead of time and it’ll be easier to commit to it.

#3 Get a Good Night’s Sleep
Elrod stresses the importance of sleeping every night even if you can only steal a few hours before you must rise again. The quality of your sleep is just as important as the quantity, and he suggests that getting four hours of high-quality sleep is better than trying to stay awake the entire night and continue on till morning.

#4 The Six-Step Method
Elrod has a six-step method for all morning routines that combines development practices from his personal experience and his study of other successful entrepreneurs. It follows the “S.A.V.E.R.S.” acronym, with each letter standing for a different step in the entire method.

#5 Silence
The first step suggests that you should spend the first minutes of your morning with a period of silence. Rather than relying on an alarm clock that blasts music were immediately turning on the television, you should enjoy a blissful period of silence that will grant you to focus you need to tackle the day ahead and achieve all of your goals. If you pray, you can take this time to do so. You can alternatively meditate if that works better for your spirituality.

#6 Affirmations
This is the next step in the method, and it requires you to vocally identify your important goals and recite affirmations about how and why you will achieve them. Like with the routine itself, it’s important to identify these affirmations before you go to bed. Say these every morning in an organized manner and you’ll start to believe them.

#7 Visualization
The third step in the routine is to visualize the completion of each task or goal, and particularly with visualizing the end of a productive and stress-free day. In this way, you’ll imagine the actual process of achieving your goals and the rewarding finish line that can motivate you to continue even when things get tough.

#8 Exercise
The fourth step in the routine emphasizes the importance of exercise. It’s already well-known from medical personnel and uncountable numbers of books that regular exercise is a critical part of personal health and happiness. But even if you don’t have time to hit the gym, you can still perform a simple exercise routine, such as push-ups or jumping jacks, that will get your blood flowing.

#9 Reading
This is the fifth stage in the routine. Elrod suggests that you spend some time reading in the morning after you fix your morning cup of coffee or breakfast. Reading engages the brain far better than any other type of recreational activity. You can use this time to improve yourself or read for pleasure; it doesn’t matter what you read about, just that you read.

#10 Scribing
The final step in the routine discusses writing. Elrod states that writing provides excellent benefits across all aspects of your mental health and life. Not only does it improve this skill that you will use daily but it also helps you express yourself in more eloquent in mature ways. A journal is a great way to stick to this part of the morning routine.

#11 Enjoy the Life You Have Currently
Elrod says that too many of us wake up already envious of the lives of others or our life in the future. It’s important that we enjoy the lives that we currently have even as we pursue our dreams and chase after goals that can lead to improvements. Enjoying the life that you have is a great way to wake up happy every morning and stop yourself from getting off on the wrong foot.

#12 Don’t Isolate Incidences
Elrod stresses the importance of looking at all the events in your life as part of a big picture. This will prevent you from skipping working out for a day or doing something bad for your health once per week. Don’t look at things as isolated incidents and instead consider every action you take to be part of the broader story of your life and unique goals. Thinking of every action as isolated is a quick way to accidentally become a slacker.

#13 Tell Yourself Your Sleep is Adequate
While it’s true that most people need between 7 to 8 hours of rest every night, you need to go to bed with a good attitude about the quality of your sleep. Telling yourself that you wake up in a great mood and your sleep will be restful is a good way to boost the quality of your sleep regardless of the quantity.

#14 Place the Alarm Away From Your Bed
This simple trick will help you get out of bed. Placing your alarm away from where you can easily reach it will require you to get up and move around in order to stop the incessant beeping.

#15 Drink Water First Thing
Finally, be sure to drink a glass of water as soon as you get up. Many of us are immediately dehydrated once we awaken, so it’s a good idea to fix that ASAP and provide the body with the fuel it needs to start thinking and moving to its maximum potential.

Top 10 Quotes from Miracle Morning

1. “Remember, the moment you accept total responsibility for everything in your life is the moment you claim the power to change anything in your life.”
2. “Discipline creates lifestyle.”
3. “There is nothing to fear, because you cannot fail—only learn, grow, and become better than you’ve ever been before.”
4. “We must embrace the fact that if we don’t commit to thinking and living differently than most people now, we are setting ourselves up to endure a life of mediocrity, struggle, failure and regret—just like most people.”
5. “Your level of success will rarely exceed your level of personal development because success is something you attract by the person you become.”
6. “Mediocrity has nothing to do with how you compare to other people; it’s simply a result of not making the commitment to continuously learn, grow, and improve yourself.”
7. “One of the saddest things in life is to get to the end and look back in regret, knowing that you could have been, done, and had so much more.”
8. “Always remember that where you are is a result of who you were, but where you go depends entirely on who you choose to be, from this moment on.”
9. “You are just as worthy, deserving, and capable of creating and sustaining extraordinary health, wealth, happiness, love, and success in your life, as any other person on earth.”
10. “Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body and prayer is to the soul. We become the books we read.”

Free PDF Download of the Summary to Save or Print

Go here to download The Miracle Morning PDF Summary.

The Miracle Morning Book Summary

Elrod Discusses the Steps to Miracle Mornings

Please take a moment to pin this post to Pinterest.

The post Miracle Morning Speed Summary (3 Minutes) + PDF appeared first on BrandonGaille.com.

The Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator is a self-report inventory created to identify the personality type, strengths, and preferences of a person. Isabel Myers and her mother Katherine Briggs developed this questionnaire, and they based their work on Carl Jung’s theory of personality types. The MBTI is one of the most widely used psychological instruments in the world. ESFJ (Extraverted, Sensing, Feeling, Judging) is one of the 16 personality types identified by the MBTI. People with an ESFJ personality type can be outgoing, organized, loyal and tender-hearted. Generally described as gregarious, ESFJs gain energy from interacting with others. They tend to encourage other people to be their best and often have difficulty believing anything negative about the people they are close to.

1. Introverted Thinking
ESFJs are organized and they like to plan things out in advance. This kind of planning helps people with this personality type feel more in control of the world around them. Having this aspect of personality ESFJs are enabled to analyze complex information, but it can often be a point of weakness, especially when it comes to making sense of abstract or theoretical concepts. ESFJs can be readily blinded to a point where their inferior function impacts their decisions and behavior. ESFJs are much better at understanding and helping others than they are themselves. They are more “other-aware” than self-aware.

2. Introverted Sensing
When it comes to focus, ESFJs tend to focus more on the present than on the future. Concrete and immediate details interest them rather than information that is abstract or theoretical. Introverted Sensing contributes to ESFJs’ propensity to function as conservators of the past. It is often harder for them to break out of patterns if they do something in a particular way for a long time. When they are adults, ESFJs often continue in the worldview of their youth. When they are immersed in particular sets of circumstances, it becomes more difficult for them to be open to alternatives.

3. Extraverted Feeling
This is the dominant function of ESFJs. They tend to make decisions based on personal feelings, emotions, and concern for others. They will think more about the personal impact of a decision rather than considering any objective criteria. ESFJs happen to judge people and situations based on what their “gut feelings” tell them. Snap decisions are often made as a result and ESFJs are quick to share their feelings and opinions. While this tendency can be great in some ways, because it allows them to make choices quickly, it can also sometimes lead to overly harsh judgments of other people.

4. Extraverted Intuition
This is a novelty-seeking function that helps ESFJs make connections and find creative solutions to problems. People with this function are more concerned about exploring options than they are with experiencing sensory or material novelty. ESFJs prefer to keep their options open whether the situation is easy or difficult. They can often find patterns that allow them to gain more insight into people and experiences. On one hand, they may fancy themselves to be clever, creative, or savvy. On the other hand, this function can be a stumbling block because wrestling with ideas that contradict their worldview can be uncomfortable.

5. Seeking Approval
What drives ESFJs in their pleasure from helping other people is that they have a need for approval after they provide help. They expect their kind and giving ways to be noticed and appreciated by other people. They have a sensitivity to the needs and feelings of others and are good at responding and providing the care that people need. They want to be liked by other people and they can be easily hurt by people who show them a lack of kindness or indifference in return. ESFJs want assurance that their good deeds mattered to those that they helped.

6. Controlling the Environment
All ESFJs have a natural habit of wanting to control their environment. This function demands structure and organization and seeks closure. ESFJs will feel in command of the world around them if they have time to plan and schedule the activities they would like to perform. Environments that have structure are what ESFJs prefer. They most likely won’t enjoy performing certain activities that involve impersonal analysis. When they are allowed to create order and structure ESFJs will thrive as they are very good at these kinds of tasks. They are often unaware of how controlling they can become in situations.

7. Motivators
One positive trait shown by ESFJs is that they try to bring the best out of people. They are naturally geared toward understanding others, and they are careful observers of what other people need. Because they are very good at helping other people feel good about themselves, many will feel drawn to ESFJs. The supportive and reassuring attitude of an ESFJ serves as a positive influence for others. Especially when other people are in an emotionally fragile state where they need to be motivated, ESFJs will feel compelled to lift them back up and help them find and develop their strengths.

8. Personal and Outgoing
ESFJs love socializing. Not only do they become more energetic from social interaction, but they are also generally interested in what is happening to the people around them. They are often described as warm-hearted and empathetic, and they will make the needs of others their top priority. While they are well suited for positions that involve managing or supervising people, if personal relationships become uncertain or chaotic, ESFJs will try to exercise control over people who don’t want to be controlled. ESFJs want to be friendly and start conversations with others, and they want things to be positive on a personal level.

9. Loyal and Dependable
ESFJs have a tremendous sense of loyalty towards friends and family relatives, and they can often be depended on when help is needed. ESFJs can be selfless to the point of overlooking their own issues just to make sure that other people are happy. When it comes to romance, ESFJs are very loyal and devoted. They are not interested in casual relationships and instead focus on developing long-term commitments. ESFJs are sensitive towards the relationships they make and won’t readily abandon them. They are so caring that they sometimes have difficulty seeing or accepting the truth about someone they care about.

10. Sensitive to Criticism
One drawback of the ESFJ personality type is that people are prone to not handle criticism well. Being very observant and careful about how they are perceived by other people, ESFJs will always try to put their best foot forward. When they make a mistake or fail at an activity, they don’t respond well to criticism, especially if it is harsh. Their strong need to be liked can be played against them if they try too hard to impress. When they experience criticism ESFJs are likely to shut down, quit an activity and walk away, not wanting to think about what had happened.

Conclusion

At their best ESFJs are warm, sympathetic, helpful, cooperative, tactful, practical, organized, enthusiastic and energetic. They will seek stable lives that are rich in contact with friends and family, and they will look past the faults of others in order to help them. Popular careers that ESFJs can pursue would be in fields like childcare, nursing, teaching, social work, bookkeeping, and office management. ESFJs often thrive in practical settings that involve taking a caregiver role. Many traits of ESFJs are suitable for careers that guide other people, such as their dependability and their innate need to take care of others.

The post 10 ESFJ Cognitive Functions Explained appeared first on BrandonGaille.com.

The ISFP (Introverted, Sensing, Feeling, Perceiving) personality type is one of 16 types identified by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. An estimated 8-9% of the general population is comprised of ISFPs, making them one of the more commonly recognized types. ISFPs are known to be lovers, nurturers, and caregivers. ISFPs are frequently described as being quiet, peaceful and easy-going. People with this personality type are usually the first to hear the different drummers, and many of them will eagerly plunge into new fashions, avant-garde experiences, and new trends that are considered to be hip. ISFPs are also very independent and self-motivated.

1. Introverted Feeling
ISFPs care more about personal concerns rather than objective and logical information. People with this personality type will deal with information and experiences based upon how they feel about them. ISFPs can spontaneously develop their own codes and credos, about which they are sober and intense. ISFPs tend to create their own spontaneous judgments based on how things fit with their own idea. Emotions are not readily expressed or dramatized for ISFPs. The same introverted property which provides emotional restraint is also responsible for promoting the depth and intensity of this judging function. Finding it hard to relax and do nothing, ISFPs thrive at constantly busying themselves with tasks.

2. Introverted Intuition
ISFPs happen to develop some degree of interest in abstract or theoretical topics. Tertiary intuition works best in the mental background of an ISFP. People with this personality type are comfortable going with their “gut feelings” about topics. They take in details about the world, often developing their opinions about situations on the fly. While they generally do not like abstract ideas or concepts, this function may lead them to experience epiphanies about themselves and others. ISFPs gain most of their insights through lived experience rather than through bursts of intuitive knowledge. Intuition as their means of communication often lacks, evidenced in spoonerisms, non-sequiturs, and mixed metaphors.

3. Extraverted Sensing
ISFPs are most likely to keep a finger on the pulse of here and now. They have a stronger willingness to be doing rather than considering, at acting than reflecting, and at tasting than wondering. This function attunes to the concrete sensory details of the external world by using the five senses of sight, smell, touch, sound, and taste. People with Extraverted Sensing can often be found scanning the environment for unique sensory novelties, and they will notice details that others might miss. ISFPs focus on the present moment, processing new information and then taking action. Using the five senses they can recall powerful memories.

4. Extraverted Thinking
This function may be employed by ISFPs in external situations that require closure. This kind of thinking behaves in an all or nothing manner. Having this kind of thinking puts ISFPs at risk for getting a lack of context and proportion. In most cases, ISFPs enjoy being able to operate in the open-ended style of sensing, implying the opinions of feeling values in the indirect fashion characteristic of introverted functions. ISFPs have a weakness in organizing, and they use this function to look for the most efficient way to do something. ISFPs can be easily blinded to the point where this inferior function impacts their decisions and behavior.

5. Reserved and Quiet
Mainly being introverted, ISFPs tend to be shy, and especially will stay reserved and quiet around people they don’t know well. They prefer to stay close to groups of people they do know well, such as family and friends. They are very private and will keep their true feelings to themselves. They may purposely avoid sharing their thoughts, feelings, and opinions with other people in their life, including romantic partners. Since they try their best to avoid conflict, they often defer to the needs or demands of others. ISFPs are action-oriented and show their care and concern through action instead of discussing their feelings.

6. Hands-On Learning
ISFPs enjoy learning new things by experiencing them, doing them and memorizing them. They particularly prefer loose and unstructured learning. They want to be personally involved in activities and they are motivated to participate. Especially if the activities they are learning involves any combination of the five senses, they will take advantage of these opportunities. Under the right teaching conditions, ISFPs will benefit from developing judgment, criticism, and objectivity. When other people demonstrate to them real-world examples of what is required of them to do, ISFPs typically respond well. They collect facts and are good at storing and retrieving information.

7. Caring and Considerate
After spending time with people, as introverts ISFPs tend to accept other people as they are when they know they can’t convince them to change. ISFPs have an easy-going attitude and won’t be concerned about forcing their points of view onto others. There is often the misconception that ISFPs are cold and inconsiderate of others because they don’t often express their concerns in words. ISFPs internalize their feeling which quickly erupts and then leaves as quickly and mysteriously as it came. ISFPs form deep emotional attachments to their loved ones, which contributes to their strong sense of loyalty and devotion.

8. More Physical Energy
The desire to be competitive can be found in ISFPs. They can be fiercely competitive, especially in sports or table games. They may have great difficulty losing in these events. This competitive nature also encourages ISFPs, because of their desire to succeed, to take more risks and to go with their gut feelings. They are often athletic and have more physical energy and stamina compared to other people. They are endowed with good dexterity and hand-eye coordination. Showing the willingness to be physically active benefits ISFPs if they are performing jobs that require a lot of physical energy to complete them.

9. Harsh Critics of Themselves
Because of their drive to excel in the things they do, ISFPs tend to go overboard on an emotional level if they fail to perform activities correctly. If you happen to be a parent of an ISFP child, you will quickly notice that they can be perfectionists and can be their own harshest critics, even when such criticism isn’t warranted. Because of the high expectations they place on themselves, ISFPs often underestimate or undervalue their own talents and skills. ISFPs should be encouraged to be more kind to themselves and recognize their value if they are going through any adversity.

10. Unpredictable and Easily Stressed
Long-term commitments and plans are often not considered by ISFPs. They have a tendency to actively avoid making future plans, and this can cause strain in their romantic relationships and financial hardship later in life. Living in the present and full of emotion, when situations get out of control ISFPs can get easily stressed out. They will shut down and lose their characteristic charm and creativity in favor of gnashing teeth. While they are whimsical and warm people and love to explore new things, their habit of making snap decisions makes ISFPs hard to predict.

Conclusion

Because of their preference to focus on the present, ISFPs will often perform well in careers that involve practical, real-world problems. Jobs that provide a great amount of personal freedom and autonomy are especially appealing to ISFPs. Careers that ISFPs will enjoy include being an artist, a musician, chef, designer, forest ranger, teacher, nurse, or veterinarian. People with ISFP personality types love animals and are fascinated by nature, so they may seek out jobs that put them in contact with the outdoors and with animals. ISFPs are friendly but they need time to get to know others before they will open up.

The post The 10 ISFP Cognitive Functions Explained appeared first on BrandonGaille.com.

Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking when Stakes are High is a 2001 book by Joseph Grenny, Al Switzler, and Ron McMillan. The book discusses how to handle high-stakes conversations and how to handle disagreements, particularly in high-stakes business and relationship scenarios.

A 3 Minute Summary of the 15 Core Lessons

#1 Self-Monitor
All three authors of the book suggest that learning to self-monitor yourself is critical for having successful high-stakes conversations with regularity. You need to be able to evaluate your own reactions and the words as you are within a discussion so you can adjust as necessary. Doing this frequently will also help you become a better conversationalist in the long run.

#2 Listen!
We all know how to talk, but too few of us know how to actively listen. Whenever you are in a discussion with others and the stakes are high, it’s important that you remember to listen carefully to what others tell you. This involves asking questions and mirroring the body posture of those you are conversing with. Listening is not just numbly nodding your head.

#3 Paraphrase Often
Speaking of listening, one of the best ways you can make sure that you are taking in what your conversational partner wants you to understand is to paraphrase what they just said. Not only does this show that you are an active listener, but it also prevents miscommunications and misunderstandings from running rampant throughout the discussion.

#4 Avoid the “Fool’s Choice”
The book describes fool’s choices as either/or choices, which limit the flow of the discussion and artificially truncates the endpoints for the discussion. These usually increase hostility within a discussion group and make people feel as though you aren’t allowing them to properly express themselves. There are always options within a dialogue.

#5 Be Open to Challenge
Everyone has a unique viewpoint in the world, and that viewpoint sometimes causes others to perceive certain statements in ways we did not intend. If you say something and another person challenges what you meant, don’t take it as a personal insult. Instead, be open and accept the challenge. You must be competent enough to state your opinion multiple times without becoming insulting. You must also be willing to change how you say things for the good of the conversation as a whole.

#6 Words Matter
The book also makes it quite clear that the way in which we say our thoughts and statements matters a great deal. It doesn’t matter how right you are in an argument if no one respects you enough to listen. Choose your words carefully and pay attention to how others are responding to your dialogue to see if you need to make adjustments and change your tone of voice.

#7 Be Curious
During conversations with high emotional or business stakes, many people adopt defensive postures right off the bat or in response to something you or another said. A great way to draw people back into the conversation fully is to engage your curiosity and ask them questions. Try to determine what your conversational partner is feeling or thinking and be sincere in your curiosity.

#8 Find Purpose You Share
No matter what you are discussing, all dialogues should eventually revolve around finding mutual purpose. This involves honesty and integrity on the part of both parties. You should always take initiative when trying to find the common ground that you and your conversational partner inevitably share, even if you come from vastly different backgrounds and are after drastically different goals.

#9 Control Yourself
A conversation with others necessarily requires you to give up some control, as you can’t really be sure what others will say or think over the course of the dialogue. But you can control yourself, and this aspect should be one in which you have an iron grip. Don’t ever let yourself say something you don’t mean to and always be self-monitoring to see if you need to change your tactics.

#10 Follow the Facts
High-stakes conversations are often filled with emotional outbursts and hyperbole. You should always endeavor to stick to the facts whenever you are engaged within a crucial conversation. This is often more difficult to do than you might think, especially since we tell ourselves stories that may or may not be fully true. Still, trying to stick to facts to the best of your ability can yield excellent results.

#11 Keep the Conversation Safe
One of the fastest ways that crucial conversations are shut down is when one or more parties don’t feel emotionally safe. As emotions run high, you need to work to keep the conversation space safe for all. Check for signs of fear in your conversational partners and use curiosity and questions to bring the conversation back to safe ground.

#12 Recognize the Signs of a Crucial Conversation
Knowing how to navigate a crucial conversation is one thing, but recognizing when one is going to occur is another. Specifically, you should look for physical signs that show stress or anxiety, emotional signs, such as fear or anger, and behavioral signs, such as your conversational partner becoming quiet or engaging in unhelpful behaviors. Check for these signs and yourself, as well.

#13 Choose Time and Location Carefully
Crucial conversations can’t usually happen just anywhere. It’s often a good idea to check with your eventual conversational partner about a time and place that will be appropriate for a critical talk so that both of you can feel safe.

#14 Remember that It’s Difficult for Everyone
We can all get caught up with our own thoughts and fears, especially during high-stakes conversations. But it’s important to remember that everyone feels the stress and anxiety of a difficult discussion. This empathy will help everyone find together and get through the talk in one piece.

#15 Agree on a Plan at the End
When the critical conversation concludes, you must agree to an action plan with the others within the discussion. This will help the conversation not be repeated and will ideally help everyone feel that the discussion yielded concrete results you can all be proud of.

Top 10 Quotes from Crucial Conversations

1. “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in baskets of silver.”
2. “An apology is a statement that sincerely expresses your sorrow for your role in causing—or at least not preventing—pain or difficulty to others.”
3. “As much as others may need to change, or we may want them to change, the only person we can continually inspire, prod, and shape—with any degree of success—is the person in the mirror.”
4. “At the core of every successful conversation lies the free flow of relevant information.”
5. “Goals without deadlines aren’t goals; they’re merely directions.”
6. “Instead of getting hooked and fighting back, break the cycle. See their aggressive behavior for what it is – a sign of violated safety – then step out of the conversation, build safety, and step back into the content.”
7. “It’s the most talented, not the least talented, who are continually trying to improve their dialogue skills. As is often the case, the rich get richer.”
8. “One of the best ways to persuade others is with your ears—by listening to them.”
9. “Practice doesn’t make perfect; perfect practice makes perfect.”
10. “Remember, to know and not to do is really not to know.”

Free PDF Download of the Summary to Save or Print

Go here to download the Crucial Conversations PDF Summary.

Video Review for Crucial Conversations

Grenny Discusses The Art of Crucial Conversations

Please take a moment to pin this post to Pinterest.

The post Crucial Conversations 3 Minute Summary: 15 Lessons Learned + PDF appeared first on BrandonGaille.com.

ESTP (Extraverted, Sensing, Thinking, Perceiving) is one of the 16 personality types identified by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. ESTPs are frequently described as outgoing, action-oriented and dramatic. ESTPs typically enjoy spending time with a wide circle of friends and acquaintances they can relate with. They are mainly interested in what happens in the present time and they are more likely to focus on details than taking a broader view of things. People with this personality type are generally logical in their thinking. They will place a greater emphasis on objectivity rather than personal feelings when making decisions. ESTPs are known for being persuasive with other people.

1. Extraverted Sensing
Having a great focus on the present world, ESTPs can be viewed as realists. Sights, sounds, and experiences that are going on immediately around them catch their interest, and they have little use for daydreams or flights of fancy. People with this personality type want to touch, smell, hear, taste and see anything and everything that could possibly draw their interest. It isn’t enough for ESTPs to read about things in a textbook or listen to a lecture if they want to learn something new. Having lots of energy they want to experience things for themselves as long as the process isn’t tedious.

2. Extraverted Feeling
This function focuses on creating social stability and relationships with others. ESTPs have a great need for social engagement, even though emotions are not their strongest suit. They love being at the center of attention and are generally good at establishing a friendly rapport with other people. While they want to socialize, ESTPs can sometimes be less comfortable sharing their judgments and opinions with others. Instead of ruffling any feathers, they focus more on pleasing others and keeping the peace with everyone around them. At times they may overlook their own personal needs to make sure that other people are happy.

3. Introverted Thinking
When making judgments about the world, ESTPs tend to focus inwardly where they process information in a way that is logical and rational. Other people may not notice this because this side of the ESTP personality type is introverted. Having a feeling of control, ESTPs are enabled to have a great amount of self-discipline. Their observational skills are excellent as they will notice things that others won’t see right away. As they take in information, ESTPs then apply whatever sense of logic they have to look for practical and immediately applicable solutions. They employ their thinking to evaluate, structure, and order their observations.

4. Introverted Intuition
ESTPs can be easily blinded to the point where their inferior function impacts their decisions and behavior. Without sufficient enough awareness, ESTPs will continue to feel incomplete and will be prone to making unwise decisions in their lifestyles, careers, and relationships. As a consequence ESTPs seeking more knowledge and personal growth must work to understand how this inferior function manifests in their personality. ESTPs focus on looking at information in order to see patterns and develop a gut feeling about issues. They will gain impressions of incoming data and develop a sense of the future. They may look for connections to gain a sense of what to prepare for next.

5. Bold and Original
ESTPs are more likely to become entrepreneurs compared to other people. They are typically full of life and energy and they take great pleasure in pushing boundaries and discovering and using new things and ideas. Having both boldness and practicality, ESTPs love to experiment with new solutions that may work. They have a tendency to put things together in ways that no one else would think to. Because of their boldness, ESTPs are particularly skilled at influencing people. They are willing to push the envelope with their original ideas regardless of how strong or weak they may end up being in execution.

6. Direct
When ESTPs feel very passionate about certain topics, they will express themselves in ways that are not only bold, but they also prefer to communicate clearly. When they try to drive home to others their key points, they will have the intent of providing direct and factual questions and answers. In their minds, things are what they are. In attempting to maintain a strong public image, they may be particular about punctuality, and they prefer not to sugarcoat any important details. While they like to be friendly and socialize with others, telling jokes isn’t a top priority that ESTPs consider.

7. Insensitive
Feelings and emotions fall far behind facts and reality for ESTPs. People with the ESTP personality type will often engage in emotionally charged situations that become awkward and uncomfortable affairs. The blunt honesty voiced by ESTPs sometimes hurts in these situations. They often have a lot of trouble acknowledging and expressing their own feelings while also trying to better understand the feelings of others. When ESTPs tell jokes they will sometimes miss the mark and come across as insensitive to others who may feel offended by what was said. The straightforward approach of ESTPs can be seen as too aggressive as well as insensitive to others.

8. Impatient
ESTPs will move at their own pace to keep themselves excited. If they have to slow down because someone else doesn’t understand specific details, or if they have to stay focused on one detail for too long, ESTPs will start feeling overly challenged and annoyed. They can grow bored with routines quickly, and they will want to stay busy with lots of hands-on activities. ESTPs find it difficult to focus, especially during lengthy discussions. They will respond to these discussions by taking their attention off other people, or they will change the topic to something else. Wasting time is the worst thing for them to do.

9. Independent
ESTPs often enjoy the independence of action and the freedom to move. Rules and regulations are things that will easily make ESTPs lose interest in any given activity. Following the rules other people have made serves as a good way for ESTPs to miss opportunities and adventures, and they will break them if they believe there is potential in it. If they feel micromanaged by their superiors, ESTPs will find it to be an encroachment to their independent nature. Being in an environment that features repetition doesn’t sit well with ESTPs since they prefer to take action first and learn later.

10. Risk-Takers
The lack of patience that ESTPs show can push them into uncharted territory without thinking of the long-term consequences. Whenever they get bored ESTPs will intentionally combat it by taking more risks. They take risks because of their adventurous nature. While they can usually dodge problems as they appear, if they struggle to overcome certain problems, the results can be catastrophic, both for them and for the people around them. They are also motivated to take risks if their competence is doubted by others. Conflict could be generated if people show a lack of trust in the ability of ESTPs.

Conclusion

People with an ESTP personality type feel energized when they interact with a wide variety of people. They perform their best at jobs that involve working with others. They have a strong dislike for routines and monotony, and they prefer to work more fast-paced jobs. Because of their many different personality characteristics, ESTPs are well suited for certain careers. They will fare well working as sales agents, marketers, entrepreneurs, police officers, detectives, and computer support technicians. They generally make great salespeople because they are so observant and have such strong people skills. ESTPs can work with plans that offer excitement, novelty, and challenges.

The post 10 ESTP Cognitive and Sarcastic Functions Explained appeared first on BrandonGaille.com.

ISFJ (Introverted, Sensing, Feeling, Judging) is one of the 16 personality types identified on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. People who have the ISFJ personality type are generally loyal, supportive, and reliable individuals who are committed to the people they consider to be important. More often than not they will go out of their way to ensure the well-being of the people around them. They put their own personal needs aside to address the needs of others. They have a great ability to organize and they prefer working with already established policies and procedures. They respond well to working with set schedules and deadlines.

1. Introverted Sensing
This function leads ISFJs to focus mainly on the details and facts. ISFJs prefer information that is concrete instead of abstract theories. They are highly attuned to the immediate environment and are firmly grounded in reality. The longer they are immersed in a particular set of circumstances, the more difficult it can be for ISFJs to open themselves to alternatives. Because of how they perceive things, they are less inclined to function as front line activists for their beliefs than ESJs, whose dominant function is a judging function. ISFJs instead prefer to spend their time reflecting on the past or their cherished traditions.

2. Introverted Thinking
ISFJs are known to be great planners and they tend to be very well organized. This function can often become stronger as people grow older and involve utilizing logic in order to understand how the world works. As they take in new information and experiences, ISFJs will look for connections and commonalities in order to find patterns. Trying to understand a small part of an issue doesn’t catch the interest of an ISFJ, who will instead explore how things will fit together and how they function as a whole. With time and maturity, ISFJs can grow more comfortable with this function and appreciate its value.

3. Extraverted Feeling
ISFJs place a great emphasis on personal considerations. This function enables them to focus on developing social stability and connections. This is accomplished through behaviors that are viewed as socially appropriate or beneficial, such as being considerate, helpful, kind and polite. ISFJs may have a difficult time perceiving their own emotions compared to perceiving the emotions of other people. ISFJs are less equipped to independently manage their emotions compared to ISFPs. While they don’t necessarily look for other people to solve their problems, ISFJs value emotional support, empathy, and reassurance. They may be more open and direct with their concerns and grievances when they are socializing with close friends.

4. Extraverted Intuition
ISFJs can be blinded to the point where this inferior function impacts their decisions and behavior. Without having sufficient awareness and integration of this function, ISFJs will be prone to making unwise decisions in their lifestyles, careers, and relationships. While they tend to be focused on the present and on concrete facts, this largely unconscious function can help balance personality by helping them focus on possibilities. After they take in the facts about an issue, ISFJs can then explore the “what-ifs”, which can lead to new insights about problems. They are concerned with connecting ideas, brainstorming new theories, and conceiving alternate options.

5. Hardworking
When a task needs to be completed, ISFJs go about their business in an intense and serious manner. They are super-competent go-getters who bring a hard-nosed approach to their work that can sometimes come across as excessive to others. However, it is important to remember that ISFJs care deeply about other people. When they put hard work into their tasks it is a sign that they believe what they are doing will improve people’s lives and is worth taking seriously. Even when their tasks change on the fly, though they may not be quick to change, ISFJs are adaptable and continue to work hard.

6. Reluctant to Change
Since they put value in traditions and history in the decisions they make, being able to make changes can be difficult for ISFJs. A situation sometimes needs to reach a breaking point before ISFJs are persuaded by circumstance, or the strong personality of someone they admire, to alter course. If ISFJs don’t see a need to change what they are doing, it will take a lot to convince people with this personality type to take a step back and review their actions. ISFJs will sometimes need to see their actions break down right in front of them before they can understand why they can be so detrimental.

7. Too Altruistic
ISFJs have a wonderful quality of altruism as they are warm, good-natured people. While they are optimistic about situations and believe that things will get better soon, they sometimes fail to see the big picture. They are willing to let things slide and will try not to burden other people by accepting their offers of help, while their own troubles mount unassisted. This can cause further emotional and mental exhaustion to ISFJs. Their sense of optimism tends to be blind as they are so eager to see the good in others while at the same time disregarding any potential red flags.

8. Self-Neglect
Their strong senses of duty and perfectionism combine with their aversion to emotional conflict to create a situation where it is much too easy for ISFJs to either overload themselves or to be overloaded by others. Attempting to fulfill their need to help other people, their perfectionism will cause them to fall flat on their own expectations. Though they may be practical in solving problems, ISFJs are not as well versed in being practical about their own limits or emotional capacities. Though they make amazingly caring and thoughtful friends, they take their own best interests for granted, allowing themselves to get hurt.

9. Shy and Humble
ISFJs also happen to be extremely shy and humble. Possibly the biggest challenge that ISFJs face is the fact that they can’t express their emotions, can be overly concerned with the feelings of others, and they fear the spotlight. Therefore they are unable to take any recognition for their work, even if they crave it. The high standards ISFJs have for themselves make them significantly downplay their successes. However, they also don’t desire to look boastful or arrogant of their hard work, even if they can afford to pat themselves on the back. Often they will allow other people to take the credit for their successes.

10. Too Sensitive
Another problem ISFJs experience is that they come across as taking things too personally. They often have trouble separating personal and impersonal situations. Any negativity or conflict that develops from any situation can carry over from the professional aspect of their lives to their personal aspect. Their penchant for seeing work as a reflection of their values also means that there may not be a fine line between what is professional and what is personal. Any ideas pitched by ISFJs that are criticized or turned down at work are stumbling blocks for them. Harsh criticism is one of the main reasons why they avoid confrontations.

Conclusion

Though they may be quiet and reserved, ISFJs don’t have a standoffish behavior. They are known for their compassion and caring for others, often working to secure the safety of other people without asking for thanks or anything in return. Being quite social and well attuned to the feelings of others, ISFJs would make a good fit for careers in fields like healthcare and mental health. They are also meticulous and orderly, making them suited for jobs that involve attention to detail, planning, and structure. ISFJs can most likely obtain jobs as teachers, nurses, bankers, bookkeepers, accountants, office managers, and administrators.

The post The 10 ISFJ Cognitive Functions Explained appeared first on BrandonGaille.com.

If you are wondering to yourself, “what should I name my food blog,” then get ready for some serious inspiration. I have compiled a list of the 101 most clever and creative food blog names ever thought up. Each name is from an existing blog that used their unique name to vault them into greatness.

Add a Pinch
Bake Me Happy
Bakeology
Blissful Bites
Bread Pitt
Brown Sugar
Butter Lane
Cafe Delites
Cake and Spoon
Cake House
Cake My Day
Chef in Training
Clean Food Crush
Cookie Encounter
Cookies and Cups
Cotton Cakery
Crumble & Flake
Crumbs
Cupcake Dreams
Cupcake Gallery
Cupcake Nation
Curious Appetite
DeLuscious
Disco Danish
Donut Panic
Doughy Delights
Farm to Flame
Flour Shower
Flying Apron
Food Babe
Food Finds
Food for Moods
Food Frolic
Food Stories
Foodie Crush
Foodie Queen
Frost Goddess
Grateful Bread
Harvest and Honey
Hope Crepe
Hungry Guys
Husbands That Cook
Incredible Edibles
Just a Taste
Knead to Know
Lettuce Eat
Lord of the Fries
Love and Risotto
Love at First Bite
Love in the Oven
Mad Batter
Make It Sweet
My Little Italian Kitchen
Oh Taste and See
Party Fowl
Queen of Tarts
Recipes From a Pantry
Restaurant Girl
Sassy Kitchen
Sensational Bites
Simply Delicious
Simply Recipes
Skinny Piggy
Skinnytaste
Stairway to Leaven
Star Spangled Batter
Sticky Buns
Still Hungry
Sugar Booger
Sugar Plum
Sugar Rush
Sugar Seduction
Sugar Whipped
Sweet Indulgence
Sweet Sensations
Sweet Tooth
Sweetie Pies
Temptation Alley
The Bun Also Rises
The Cake Fairy
The Crusty Croissant
The Dough Knot
The Eater
The Flour Bin
The Flourishing Foodie
The Garden of Eating
The Graphic Foodie
The Magic Oven
The Messy Vegetarian
The Petite Cook
The Pie Chart
The Rolling Scones
The Spice is Right
The Spices of Life
The Sweet Spot
The Vanilla Bean
ThoroughBread
Thyme to Mango
Two Peas & Their Pod
Warm Delights
Will Travel For Food
Wok This Way

The post 101 Clever Food Blog Names to Inspire Ideas appeared first on BrandonGaille.com.

Another one of the 16 personality types identified by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator would be ESFP (Extraverted, Sensing, Feeling, Perceiving). People with this personality type are often described as spontaneous, resourceful, and outgoing. They love taking center stage at any time and they are often viewed as entertainers or the “class clowns” of a group. ESFPs have a habit of getting caught up in the excitement of the moment, and they want everyone else to also feel that way. ESFPs spend their time and energy encouraging other people, and compared to other personality types, ESFPs do it with such an irresistible style.

1. Extraverted Sensing
ESFPs prefer to keep their focus on the present time rather than the distant future. They also prefer learning about concrete facts instead of theoretical ideas. Since they don’t have their eyes on the future, they don’t spend a lot of time planning and organizing. ESFPs like to keep their options open instead. When it comes to solving problems, ESFPs will trust their instincts and their own abilities to come up with a solution. They are reasonable and pragmatic, but they dislike structure, order, and planning. They would rather act spontaneously than to spend significant time coming up with a plan or schedule.

2. Extraverted Thinking
While they think, ESFPs make decisions based on logic. This function enables them to organize and categorize items such as thoughts and arguments. It is the ability to see the logical consequences of actions. This function is focused on enforcing order on the outside world. Productivity and results matter to ESFPs. Since this happens to be a weaker aspect of their personality, they may not always feel secure about sharing their judgments, especially if they feel it will cause a distraction to the group. This function provides ESFPs a boundary from those who would take advantage of them. When overused or overestimated, thinking becomes a liability.

3. Introverted Feeling
The use of this function is somewhat high as ESFPs will make decisions based on their feelings. This function allows them to know what they value. They have the ability to see through other people and know what they are like, reading other people like books. ESFPs will place a stronger emphasis on personal feelings rather than logic and facts when making decisions. They are extremely aware of their own emotions and are empathetic towards others. They see it as a way of progression when they put themselves in another person’s shoes. ESFPs have the desire to connect when they identify a person with similar values.

4. Introverted Intuition
This function is the least visible. Intuition in an ESFP lacks a sense of balance. ESFPs appear to be the most successful in deducing patterns and seeing connections only after they take a thorough examination of the facts. Although some ESFPs may be able to develop such abilities, the mastery of logic, analysis, and abstraction is normally difficult and wearying, and not being fun for the ESFP. They are usually not adept at being methodical to sort through abstract concepts, but this function can sometimes lead to sudden flashes of insight and epiphanies about themselves, other people, or the world.

5. Bold
Since they are viewed as being entertainers, ESFPs aren’t known for holding back. Wanting to experience everything there is to experience, ESFPs don’t mind stepping out of their comfort zones when no else is willing to do so. Testing new experiences is a source of motivation for them, and they excel in situations when they are allowed to interact with others or learn through their experiences. They desperately want to help others, but they also expect to see immediate results from their efforts and will be aggressive in completing tasks. When ESFPs feel that something or someone they value has been slighted, they will stand firm and stubborn.

6. Excellent People Skills
Entertainers love to pay more attention to people than they do to things. They are very talkative, witty, and rarely ever run out of things to discuss. For people with this personality type, happiness and satisfaction emerge from the time they spend with the people they prefer to be around. ESFPs are fun-loving and interpersonal, and they have a good understanding of how other people are feeling. Because they are able to read people well, ESFPs are able to respond to other people’s emotions in productive ways. They make good leaders and have a knack for mobilizing, motivating and persuading group members.

7. Original and Practical
Traditions and expectations are secondary to ESFPs, if they are considered at all. Experimenting with new styles and constantly finding new ways to stick out in the crowd are things that ESFPs love. In their eyes, the world is meant to be felt and experienced. Truth matters more to ESFPs than fiction, and they prefer to see and do rather than to engage in philosophical conversations about “what-ifs”. Thinking about dreams or fantasies about how the world should be doesn’t appeal to them. They are high-quality practical workers who will never put aside their determination to accomplish amazing things in the present moment.

8. Showmanship
ESFPs are known to have lively personalities that they will use to liven up every room they occupy. What gives the ESFP a great amount of satisfaction is that they are able to put smiles on faces and promote enjoyment. They inject artistic creativity into their words and actions, and ESFPs will see every day as a performance since entertainers love putting on a show. Being cheerful and humorous as well as entertaining comes naturally to ESFPs, and the people who know them best realize their interest in the happiness of other people is sincere and motivated by empathetic and compassionate instincts.

9. Sensitive
Especially if they happen to be turbulent entertainers, ESFPs are strongly emotional, and they leave themselves very vulnerable to criticism. Though they put on display their showmanship and outspokenness, ESFPs can be deeply hurt when others pick apart their ideas, personalities or conduct. They have a hard time seeing such criticism as constructive, and they will normally react with hostility and resentment when they feel like they are being attacked. When they get confronted with any form of criticism, they can feel like they have been backed into a corner. This weakness makes it hard for ESFPs to address any other weaknesses that are brought to light.

10. Easily Bored
ESFPs have the need for constant excitement, and if they don’t have this need fulfilled they will find ways to create it themselves. Because of this need, ESFPs will find it hard to keep their focus on the topic at hand, often demonstrating the kind of attention span that is normally seen only in kindergarten classrooms. They can often appear to be flighty, uncertain and unfocused if they become easily bored of any activity. In their eyes, life is a non-stop party, and they do need to knuckle down if they are to use their high energy to accomplish a goal.

Conclusion

Having a strong dislike for routine, ESFPs perform at their best in careers that involve variety. Jobs that involve socializing are great fits for people with this personality type because they can apply their excellent people skills. ESFPs are most likely to excel as actors, artists, athletic coaches, musicians, teachers, and chefs. ESFPs can also succeed as consultants who improve employee or customer satisfaction. ESFPs tend to be honest and genuine in relationships. They are not interested in playing games and are warm and enthusiastic. There is a balance between emotional sensitivity and a strong sense of independence and resourcefulness when it comes to ESFPs.

The post 10 ESFP Cognitive Functions Explained appeared first on BrandonGaille.com.

ISFPs tend to be gentle and easy-going people that show signs of a creative, independent streak. ISFPs don’t enjoy drama, and their personalities can be rather sensitive at times. If you are currently dating an ISFP, it’s a good idea to be gentle when you speak to your partner and try to remain smooth and even with your behavior style. If you are an over-expressive person that uses a lot of assertive gestures, you will need to learn how to take things down a notch. By doing that, you can make your ISFP partner feel a lot more comfortable. Feeling comfortable with their partners is a significant way you can make that ISFP in your life happy.

ISFPs tend to enjoy activities that are pleasant and comfortable, and they’ll stay away from things that make them act competitive. They don’t enjoy competing against other people that they love. So, don’t’ take your ISFP out on a competitive mini-golfing date and try to win. A better date option would be a pottery-making activity that forces you to cooperate with your ISFP rather than compete with them.

ISFPs don’t enjoy large crowds of people and enjoy hanging out with their significant others on a one on one basis, where things can be more personal. ISFPs enjoy moonlit walks or sunny drives through beautiful scenery. ISFPs tend to gravitate towards quiet evenings that feature pleasant things. So, stay away from nightclubs since the music is loud, and think about a friendly jazz club where you can get a booth and some one-on-one personal time.

#1 ISFPs and Love Relationships
ISFPs tend to be charming when they are in love. Your ISFP may act somewhat reserved at times, but they still have a kind, friendly nature overall. An ISFP may take some time to get to know you, and there could be a long period of dating. However, once they approve of you, you’ll get plenty of love and attention from them.

ISFPs tend not to be as direct as some other personality types, but they are great at making small, romantic gestures. If you are currently dating an ISFP and you want to make your partner happy, make a big deal out of those romantic gestures. ISFPs love it when you notice things like this.

ISFPs love being appreciated by their significant others. So, find little ways to show how much you value your ISFP. On the other hand, ISFPs aren’t excellent at handling criticism, so be careful when it comes to that. You may want to sugar-coat your criticisms so that your ISFP won’t get offended or angry with you.

#2 ISFPs and Compatibility
ISFPs are most compatible with ESFPs, ISTPs, and ISFJs. They connect quickly with these three personality types because all of them share a sensing factor. That helps these personality types get along well with each other.

On the other hand, ISFPs can also be very attracted to INFPs, ESFJs, ESTPs, and ENFPs. ISFPs tend to have a lot of chemistry with these relationship types.
Relationships can work between ISFPs and INFJs, INTPs, ISTJs, and ENFJs. However, it may take some work.

ISFPs are opposites when it comes to dating INTJs, ESTJs, ENTPs, and ENTJs. While opposites do attract sometimes, the relationship will eventually fizzle out because of the enormous differences between the personality types.

#3 ISFPs Dating ISFPs
ISFPs are often attracted to other ISFPs because of their similarities. Those similarities will pull the two ISFPs together in the initial stages of the relationship. Two ISFPs will share a lot of creativity between them, a strong sense of aesthetics, and a lot of originality. These two will stay loyal and committed to each other, but they’ll still give each other the required amount of personal space necessary to be individualistic.

There is one problem that ISFPs dating other ISFPs may face. After the two ISFPs get together, they may both have issues sharing their emotions. Two ISFPs can get past this initial hiccup if they can understand each other’s body language. Once they get past this stage, if they can make the relationship work, both partners will be delighted that they hung in there.

Since there can be an overall lack of communication between two ISFPs, that will be a significant challenge. ISFPs don’t do well when conflicts arise, and they will do everything they can to escape confrontation. When issues like that occur, it can create unresolved problems for the relationship.

#4 ISFP Dating an ENFP
ISFPs and ENFPs get along well together. Since this relationship combines an introvert with an extrovert, the ENFP winds up with a partner that will enjoy listening to them. The ISFP, on the other hand, will be willing to open up and share with their fun, entertaining significant other. The ISFP will be the more introverted partner and will feel impressed by how well the extroverted ENFP talks to others easily. This concept is a skill that the ISFP lacks and craves the most. So, the ISFP may even learn how to open up and talk to others, learning by example.

While the extroverted and introverted combination can bring the ISFP and ENFP together, it can also fracture the relationship. The ENFP will want to attend more social events and activities than the ISFP. The ISFP will probably want to stay home more often than not. So, the two partners will need to learn how to compromise and balance things out so that both sides feel happy. For example, the ENFP can go hang out with his or her friends while the ISFP stays home and enjoys some alone time.

The combination of an ISFP with an ENFP is still a good match since the partners will balance themselves out as long as they learn how to understand each other. They both prefer feelings, share sensitivities, and care about other people. So, this makes both the ISFP and ENFP kind, thoughtful, caring people that do share similar things in common as well.

#5 ISFP Dating an INFP
INFPs are a great match with an ISFP. These two personality types get each other, meaning they’ll be a happy match. Since both personality types are introverted, they’ll get along well together. Both of these personality types prefer feeling and perceiving. They are sensitive and easy-going by nature, putting the needs of their partners ahead of themselves. Both personality types can be romantically spontaneous, so they’ll enjoy surprising each other with cute gifts.

There is one difference that the partners will need to address, and that’s with their sensing-intuition preferences. One of the partners will use senses to live in the moment, and the intuitive partner will have a unique perspective on handling situations. While this can add some spice to the relationship, it can also create arguments between the couple.

#6 ISFP Dating an INTJ
ISFPs and INTJs both share an introverted connection, which can help make their relationship blossom. However, beyond that, they don’t share many similarities. There could be significant issues because of the feeling and perceiving connection between the two. It may be difficult for an INTJ to understand how sensitive an ISFP can be. The INTJ may be prone to criticisms of the ISFP, which can create severe problems since ISFPs don’t deal with criticism well.

If they can get past their differences, then the couple will experience a strong attraction. However, at some point, the pair will notice that they are two very different people.

Conclusion

Dating an ISFP means you will be entering into a world of charm and laid back date nights with the one you love. They might require a more gentle nature than other personality types, but putting in the effort will be worth the love you receive back in the end.

The post 6 ISFP Compatibility Findings for Relationships and Dating appeared first on BrandonGaille.com.

The Richest Man in Babylon is a 1926 book by George S. Clason. It provides financial advice through the lens of parables that are set in the ancient city of Babylon, which originally stood around 8000 years ago.

A 3 Minute Summary of the 15 Core Lessons

#1 Seven Cures to a Lean Purse
According to the book, Arkad, the richest man in Babylon, shares seven major points that both individuals and general society can use to improve their financial growth and success. The first of these is arguably the book’s central point – “start thy purse to fattening”. In essence, this means that you should pay yourself first. The recommendation means you should save about 10% of all the income you earn, even if you are paying off debt. This will start you well on your way to saving a significant amount of money.

#2 Control Expenditures
The second primary lesson revolves around controlling how much you spend. In the modern context, this means avoiding lifestyle inflation when you get a raise and continuing to live within your means no matter how much money you make. Avoid letting your mind tempt you into spending more money just because you can. Chances are you don’t really need whatever new thing you want to buy.

#3 Make Your Gold Multiply
Another key lesson from this book revolves around using your existing currency to make you more money. Money that is just sitting in the bank and not making you extra cash is essentially being wasted. You should start by making small but smart investments and take advantage of things like compound interest to their maximum effect.

#4 Guard Your Treasure from Loss
The book focuses on protecting your principal capital from any kind of loss. This means making smart investment choices and refusing to invest too much of your money in the event of a poor stock market day. Take a big picture view and make your risks carefully, without spending too much cash at once.

#5 Make Your Home an Investment
One of the best investments you can make is by investing within your own home. You should eventually be making payments that will eventually become equity instead of paying a landlord for your entire life. This is essentially a rehash of the old “owning your own home versus renting” debate, with Clason coming down largely on the side of owning.

#6 Insure your Income in the Future
The book’s stories delve into the idea of planning for your retirement and investing in insurance. Don’t spend all of the money you earn today; save plenty of it and make sure that you will have enough money to live comfortably in your twilight years.

#7 Increase Your Ability to Earn
You should always put yourself in positions in which you can make more money either by making yourself more employable or learning more marketable skills. You should always be taking jobs or going to classes, always improving yourself rather than resting on your laurels. Set specific and measurable goals to help you keep moving.

#8 Five Laws of Gold
Another key aspect of these parables is the aforementioned five laws of gold. The first three of these laws focus on building wealth and are very similar to the earlier rules mentioned above. The last two laws talk about how your money might be lost. Specifically, the book says to avoid investing in things you aren’t familiar with and preventing your romantic desires from interfering with your investment opportunities.

#9 Money is Needed for Success
Virtually no one reaches their dreams or their maximum potential without the money necessary to secure their goals. Clason essentially points out that, even if you aren’t interested in becoming a business tycoon, learning how to properly manage and grow your wealth is needed if you want to live your life to its fullest extent, period.

#10 Don’t Take Advice from Inexperienced People
Many people will love to give you their own investment in money-saving advice which you should ignore unless you know of their prior success. In the book’s words, don’t take advice on finance or savings from a common laborer.

#11 Surround Yourself with People Who Are Good with Money
Your social environment will help dictate your habits and your ability to network with like-minded individuals. You should endeavor to surround yourself with people who are familiar with how money works and you have made a lot of it. This will increase your chances of success and put you in the right mindset for wealth building.

#12 Enjoy Your Life
Even while focusing on accumulating wealth and saving everything you can, you must remember to enjoy your life while you are here. Don’t over save and not enjoy any of the wonderful aspects of life in an attempt to reach an arbitrary monetary goal. It’s a fine line to walk but is critical for maintaining your motivation.

#13 Avoid Sexy Investments
Many people are lured into risky investments that end up costing them lots of money because of the dramatic appeal of the investment opportunity. You should instead focus on relatively boring investment opportunities that will likely yield dividends in the future instead of risking it all on short-term or unfamiliar investments.

#14 Wealth is Income, Not Bank Balance
Rather than focusing on the overall number you have in your bank account, consider your consistent income when determining your relative level of wealth. As long as you are earning a significant amount of money consistently, you can plan for future investments and saving opportunities.

#15 Have a Guarantee of Repayment
If you do ever invest in something or loan money to friends and family, you should always have a way to repay yourself in case the investment goes poorly. This doesn’t literally mean repay yourself, but instead refers to having enough income to quickly make up for the loss without affecting any of your other long-term wealth-building goals. In a nutshell, no investment should potentially sink your ship.

Top 10 Quotes from The Richest Man in Babylon

1. “Advice is one thing that is freely given away, but watch that you only take what is worth having.”
2. “Our acts can be no wiser than our thoughts.”
3. “It costs nothing to ask wise advice from a good friend.”
4. “If you desire to help thy friend, do so in a way that will not bring thy friend’s burdens upon thyself.”
5. “Learning was of two kinds: the one being the things we learned and knew, and the other being the training that taught us how to find out what we did not know?”
6. “Will power is but the unflinching purpose to carry the task you set for yourself to fulfillment.”
7. “The hungrier one becomes, the clearer one’s mind works— also the more sensitive one becomes to the odors of food.”
8. “The sun that shines today is the sun that shone when thy father was born, and will still be shining when thy last grandchild shall pass into the darkness.”
9. “The reason why we have never found measure of wealth. We never sought it.”
10. “As for time, all men have it in abundance.”

Free PDF Download of the Summary to Save or Print

Go here to download The Richest Man in Babylon PDF Summary.

The Richest Man in Babylon Summary

Please take a moment to pin this post to Pinterest.

The post The Richest Man in Babylon Speed Summary (3 Minutes) + PDF appeared first on BrandonGaille.com.

ISTPs are introverted, quiet people that love their independence and freedom. It can be challenging to initially get to know them if you are romantically interested in an ISTP. However, once time passes and they feel comfortable with their significant other, they’ll be willing to form a rewarding, long-term relationship with you. ISTPs don’t tend to be talkative, although they are great listeners. ISTPs enjoy analyzing and observing people so that they can gain an edge on understanding those that are around them.

Most ISTPs enjoy their independence and place a great emphasis on their freedom, so they don’t like to commit unless they feel that they’ve found a person that will stick with them for the long haul. They enjoy being in long-term relationships, but they do require space and time apart from their significant other. ISTPs don’t enjoy complicated, emotional connections, and they don’t do well with controlling partners. So, if your ISTP finds that you are too controlling, then he or she will have no problem moving on from you.

ISTPs take pleasure in many simple things. They’ll commonly be fixers that enjoy improving their houses or making sure everything is working. Since they aren’t great talkers, they’ll be more likely to express their love for another by performing small, romantic actions. They’ll deliver services for their partners and also give them gifts. They tend not to say “I love you” often, but their actions will speak louder than their words when it comes to romance.

ISTPs aren’t excellent at handling emotions, so when their partners become emotional, it can be difficult for the ISTP to deal with this. Since ISTPs are more logical and objective, they’d rather stay in the area of common sense and logic than deal with feelings. They’ll try to use facts to educate their partners as well, which their partners may not always appreciate.

#1 The Traits of an ISTP

ISTPs enjoy being alone to recharge their batteries. So, when they get tired, or they need to think, they’ll often withdraw. They are also very logical people and tend to base their decisions on logic. They are also adaptable and don’t mind going with the flow and off their schedules. Most ISTPs are both creative and intelligent, and they can stay calm even when things get very stressful. ISTPs display a profound ability to solve problems and think logically.

#2 Dating Characteristics of an ISTP

When an ISTP is dating another person, they typically act as straightforward, action-focused partners that remain calm under stress. When an emergency arises, they can stay calm and solve the problem quickly, even if their partners seem overwhelmed. They’ll most commonly show their love for another by fixing things around the house, completing chores with their partners, or purchasing tiny, romantic gifts for their significant others.

ISTPs can be shy and soft-spoken when it comes to dealing with people. They aren’t outgoing individuals, and they’d rather take the time to get to know and trust somebody before they seek out a relationship with another person. If you are interested in an ISTP and you’d like to ask one out on a date, activities they typically enjoy include mountain biking, comedy clubs, and rock climbing.

#3 ISTP Dating Strengths in Relationships

When an ISTP is in a relationship, they’ll demonstrate their usefulness, and they’ll always try to bring something extra into the relationship. They’ll make sure everything is running appropriately around the house, and they’ll never be shy about performing chores with their partners. ISTPs are also good at encouraging their partners to stay independent. ISTPs work best with other people that also need to take time to themselves. Most ISTPs remain calm under pressure, so when an emergency arises with their partner, they’ll be a great source of support.

#4 ISTP Dating Challenges in Relationships

ISTPs are not great when it comes to handling feelings and emotions. They’ll have difficulties understanding and clicking with their partner’s emotions, particularly if they have a very emotional partner. Most ISTPs prefer to focus on physical wellbeing rather than one’s emotional wellbeing. Most ISTPs won’t frequently share their emotions, either. They tend to bottle up their feelings since they simply don’t like dealing with them.

If an ISTP dates an emotional partner, there can be a lot of room for challenges. If an ISTP needs to learn how to handle a sensitive partner, then he or she will need to get used to understanding his or her own emotions before the ISTP will be able to understand their partner’s feelings. However, it is still possible for an ISTP to learn how to tune-in to another’s emotions; it’s just not a powerful skill they use often.

#5 ISTPs During Commitment

ISTPs make great long-term partners, including marriage, since they typically want to find a partner that will stick with them through the long haul. ISTPs do well with partners that provide them plenty of alone time, and that can also handle the ISTP’s soft-spoken, easygoing personality. ISTPs will commit long-term to somebody that also wants to commit to the long-term. While it can take a long time for them to want to commit to somebody fully, that’s because they want to get to know their potential partners. Once they know that somebody is good for them, they become confident that a long-term relationship can work, and they become much more interested in committing.

Once an ISTP has committed to another person, he or she will be a very loyal partner that will show a lot of love by performing actions. Once the ISTP senses that his or her partner is just as dependable as he or she is, then the ISTP will be ready to commit to marriage and stay with their significant other for life.

#6 ISTP’s Compatibility

So, what’s the ISTP’s compatibility with different personality types? Most people that get along with ISTPs similarly see the world and share the same values as an ISTP. The personality types that get together best with the ISTP are listed below.

ISTP and ESTP Compatibility
ESTPs tend to get along with ISTPs quite well since they share similar traits. ESTPs enjoy spending time with others when recharging, where the ISTP prefers to be alone. However, other than that, there are several similarities between these two. For example, both the ESTP and ISTP enjoy exploration and independence. They also both do well staying calm when some stressful situation happens. These two will have a lot of fun together as a couple.

ISTP and ISTJ Compatibility
ISTJs enjoy tradition and consistency, which an ISTP would be just fine handling. Similar to the ISTP, the ISTJ likes doing tangible things as well and tends to demonstrate their love through action. So, these two partners will understand each other’s love language quite well. Both the ISTP and ISTJ don’t like focusing on emotions or feelings often. Instead, these two personality types prefer action and logic, making them an excellent match.

ISTP and INTP Compatibility
INTPs tend to be eclectic people that like intellectual stimulation. Since ISTPs are very rational and common-sense thinkers, they’ll enjoy the INTP’s respect for them. Both of these personality types enjoy independent adventures, and they both hate emotions and feelings. So, they will work together and understand each other well.

Conclusion

Dating an ISTP means giving that person their space and taking a little extra time to really know one another in the beginning. Once you make that connection though, it can last a lifetime.

The post 6 ISTP Compatibility Insights for Relationships and Dating appeared first on BrandonGaille.com.

ESTJs are blunt people that often act unemotional, so it can be challenging to get to know them. While that might sound odd to some given the fact that ESTJs tend to be charming socially, they are protective of their personal feelings and private lives. Because of this deep need for privacy, they can struggle to connect with others emotionally since ESTJs struggle with their emotional intelligence problems. While it takes a long time for an ESTJ to get to know somebody and start a romantic relationship, they use that time wisely because they are trying to meet the perfect long-term partner. Once an ESTJ commits to a person, he or she becomes a stable partner that is honest and willing to go the distance. Because of their deep-seated ability to commit to their significant others, being in a relationship with an ESTJ can be satisfying and rewarding because the commitment will be built on trust.

#1 ESTJs in Romantic Relationships

ESTJs are very focused on personal self-improvement, and they continuously seek ways to grow and improve themselves. ESTJs apply this desire to grow to both their job situations and their relationships. ESTJs tend to be organized people, so they’ll fully dedicate themselves to their self-improvement plans and usually have distinct goals set aside to help them better certain areas of their lives. Since ESTJs are so committed to personal improvement, they’ll also expect their significant others to want to improve themselves continually.

ESTJs also tend to be extremely blunt and honest when it comes to romantic relationships. So, the ESTJ’s significant other will always know where he or she stands in the relationship. If the significant other can’t deal with the ESTJs dedication to planning and self-improvement, then they probably aren’t the right person for an ESTJ. The

ESTJ will always be committed to planning since it’s one of their most substantial gifts. They’ll always plan ways to make decisions they feel will help their self-improvement plans.

In romantic relationships, ESTJs can act unemotional on the outside, which can dismay some of their partners. Since introverted feeling is an inferior function for an ESTJ, they often don’t focus on their own emotions. This issue also means ESTJs can struggle to express their feelings. Since they struggle to voice their feelings in words, they’ll tend to give their partner romantic gifts and use actions to show their love. ESTJs also tend not to understand love language usage, which can make the other partner feel unappreciated. However, if the ESTJ’s significant other can take the time to realize that the ESTJ simply doesn’t understand love language, then the relationship can still proceed without issue.

#2 ESTJs and Commitment

ESTJs aren’t turned off by commitment. Instead, they often seek out potential long-term partners and try to avoid flings. While ESTJs can be challenging to get to know, once they fully commit to their partners, they are very loyal and trustworthy lovers. Once an ESTJ commits to a significant other, the ESTJ is already looking at this relationship as a potential long-term commitment that could include marriage. ESTJs are also outspoken when they date, and while it can take time to get to know them, they aren’t shy about letting people know when they are romantically interested as soon as the ESTJ feels they can trust that potential partner.

#3 ESTJs and Relationship Strengths

The ESTJ’s traits make them naturals at being trustworthy, long-term partners. If their partner needs them to do something for them, the ESTJ will accomplish that task in an organized manner. ESTJs also value traditional family relations, and they like having structured homes that feature plans, calendars, and schedules, so they know what’s happening over the coming days. ESTJs will also demonstrate their love to their partners more often by performing actions instead of using words.

#4 ESTJs and Relationship Weaknesses

Since ESTJs have a natural tendency to schedule things for themselves and others, some significant others may feel that the ESTJ is overly controlling. However, the ESTJ’s trend isn’t towards controlling; it’s focused on organization. That may feel a bit too rigid and overbearing for some people. However, ESTJs can remedy this issue by asking their partners about plans first before committing, instead of just assuming that they can make plans for everybody.

ESTJs also aren’t great at handling their own emotions or understanding the feelings of their partners. Some partners may feel that ESTJs are too dismissive about their feelings. However, if the partner can talk to the ESTJ about the importance of emotions, something the ESTJ already knows he or she lacks, then the ESTJ will be willing to listen and apply feelings to future conversations.

To many ESTJs, emotional conversations feel annoying and unnecessary. However, ESTJs need to understand that discussing emotions helps relationships to grow and become healthier. So, ESTJs may need to learn how to check into their own emotions more often so that they’ll become more comfortable when discussing feelings with their partners.

#5 ESTJs and Communication

ESTJs are known for being logical and blunt when they communicate. Some people may feel that the ESTJ is too aggressive, but the ESTJ’s primary focus is on honesty. In the workplace, the ESTJ’s style of communication usually makes them excellent leaders. ESTJs also make excellent partners because of their dedication to fairness. So, if their partners are willing to see past their blunt nature, they’ll wind up with a loving, truthful long-term partner.

#6 ESTJ Compatible Partners

ESTJs are most compatible with the personality types we’ve listed below.

ESTJ and ISTJ Compatibility
ESTJs are compatible with ISTJs because these two personality types share many of the same traits. However, ISTJs prefer to refresh and recharge while they are alone, while ESTJs prefer to be around people when they refresh and renew. ESTJs and ISTJs match well because they both digest information using a commonsense approach, enjoy planning and scheduling, and work using logic instead of emotions. Plus, both ESTJs and ISTJs are dependable, trustworthy people that enjoy committing to long-term relationships.

ESTJ and ENTJ Compatibility
ENTJs also enjoy planning and organizing things. Much like the ESTJ, ENTJs are also great leaders and enjoy spending time socially rather than staying at home alone. The significant difference between these two personality types has to do with the ESTJ’s focus on concepts rather than facts, which makes the ESTJ very innovative. Both of these personality types are logical and don’t place a tremendous amount of emphasis on emotions. Plus, ESTJs and ENTJs both tend to be very straightforward and trustworthy people.

ESTJ and ISTP Compatibility
ISTPs enjoy going with the flow rather than adhering to a strict schedule, and they also like being alone rather than spending time out socially. However, ISTPs, like ESTJs, focus on common sense and logic, so there isn’t a significant focus on emotions for either one of these personality types. Both ESTJs and ISTPs like practical solutions and don’t enjoy paying much attention to their feelings.

#7 ESTJ Partner Preference

ESTJs enjoy partnering with thinkers when they start relationships. Thinkers typically use introverted or extroverted thinking as either a dominant or auxiliary function. ESTJs make decisions based on their logic and common sense and prefer to spend time with people that use a similar strategy. Since ESTJs are also blunt and honest, they’ll need a partner that understands their straightforwardness. ESTJs don’t enjoy sugar-coating things and sometimes may even sound rude with some of their comments. However, if an ESTJ pairs up with another thinker than that thinker will most likely understand that blunt communication style.

Conclusion

Dating an ESTJ can take a lot of effort due to their wanting to keep their private lives to themselves. If you work hard to break down their walls and earn their trust though, the relationship can be very rewarding.

The post 7 ESTJ Compatibility Findings for Relationships and Dating appeared first on BrandonGaille.com.

The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment is a 1997 book by Eckhart Tolle. It’s a spiritual focused guide for day-to-day living and focuses on how important it is to live in the moment without worrying about the past or future.

A 3 Minute Summary of the 15 Core Lessons

#1 Life is Always Just Present Moments
The main way to reframe your thinking in relation to this book is to consider life as a sequence of present moments. Rather than a story with a past, present, and future, this book suggests that all life ever is and will ever be is present moments one after another. This highlights the importance of making the most of the present-day rather than stressing about the past or future.

#2 Pain is Resisting Things you Can’t Change
Tolle makes an argument that is very similar to Stoicism as a philosophy, stating that the only pain we experience comes from resisting the things we can’t change. In a nutshell, we feel regret or fear about circumstances or experiences in our lives that we can’t change. This pain is unnecessary, and we should stop worrying about things we can’t effect for greater happiness.

#3 Free Yourself by Observation
One of the key ways in which you can get rid of the pain of anxiety and stress about the past or future is to observe your own thoughts without judging them. Simply being aware of what your mind is focusing on without constantly berating yourself for wasting time is usually enough to stop your anxiety or fear in its tracks. Simply notice whatever thought is giving you trouble, accept it, and move on.

#4 Full Attention to the Now
No matter where you are and what you’re doing, you should always strive to provide your full attention to the present moment. This requires accepting whatever is happening, as you can’t resist what is happening to you at the same time as fully experiencing it. This will make every experience richer and help you avoid anxiety and pain.

#5 Don’t Let the Mind Wander
While it’s important that you accept all the thoughts you experience, that doesn’t mean you should let your brain wander without paying attention to the present moment. This will take practice, but Tolle stresses the importance of training yourself to refocus your mind on what is in front of you in the present moment.

#6 Acceptance is Not Defeat
Many think that talking so much about accepting your thoughts or your circumstances is the same thing as allowing defeat to rule your life. This is not the same thing. Accepting your circumstances means you can stop focusing on the pain that whatever negative thing in your life is causing you and begin to change it or act upon it.

#7 Focus on Positive Things
As you train your mind to focus on the present, you should simultaneously practice focusing on positive things in the present day rather than ruminating on negative things. This will eventually result in a happy feedback loop that causes your brain to feel encouraged when focusing on the present, as you will eventually expect good things rather than fearing bad ones.

#8 Avoid Complaining
Tolle makes it clear that complaining is an essentially negative behavior that does no good to anyone. It’s also a huge roadblock when it comes to accepting the present moment. You should instead seek to adapt to your circumstances rather than lamenting the bad things in your life.

#9 The Past can Ruin the Future
Tolle explains that focusing excessively on the past can lead you to negative behaviors or terrible anxiety that ruins your future. You won’t experience moments as they come to their fullest extent. Or you may make choices that are primarily to protect your emotional fragility rather than choices that are to your benefit.

#10 You Are Not Your Mind
The book’s spiritual core shines through with this concept, which states that, as a person, you are a being of pure consciousness, love, and joy. You aren’t your brain and all of the fear that comes with the organ within your skull. Becoming enlightened requires that you first recognize your pure consciousness, which is necessarily free from your body.

#11 The Ego is Tied to the Mind
The ego is best thought of as the mind’s representation of itself, rather than your actual self-respect or your true representation. This is easily seen when you consider how you would describe yourself to a stranger. Chances are, most of your descriptions are related to external sources. Therefore, your ego is not your true self, as your true self is independent of any external source of validation.

#12 All Spiritual Teachings Are Similar
Tolle contends that all spiritual teachings come from the same primary source, which means that there has only ever been one spiritual master that has taken different forms across the centuries. This explains religion and any other types of spirituality that have helped humans deal with the inherent madness of their minds throughout history.

#13 Enlightenment Means Being Above the Mind
Tolle states that true enlightenment requires freeing yourself from the thoughts that echoed throughout your mind and body. He claims that this is why drugs and other mind-altering experiences like sex are so important to the human experience; they allow humans to momentarily leave their mind behind and exist on a deeper level.

#14 Enlightenment Means Openness
Once you’ve attained true spiritual enlightenment, you’ll be entirely open to love and will accept your partner without any conditions. This ideal state is one that all should strive for, as it is the ultimate path to long-term human happiness.

#15 Enlightenment Becomes Calmness/Joy
The ultimate attainment of enlightenment is necessary for true happiness because it is the only way you can experience legitimate calmness or happiness. By focusing on the present and learning to accept and dismiss your thoughts, you’ll escape the confines of your mind and biological body and experience yourself as true, unfiltered consciousness.

Top 10 Quotes from The Power of Now

1. “Realize deeply that the present moment is all you have. Make the NOW the primary focus of your life.”
2. “I have lived with several Zen masters — all of them cats.”
3. “It is not uncommon for people to spend their whole life waiting to start living.”
4. “If you get the inside right, the outside will fall into place. Primary reality is within; secondary reality without.”
5. “…The past gives you an identity and the future holds the promise of salvation, of fulfillment in whatever form. Both are illusions.”
6. “What a caterpillar calls the end of the world we call a butterfly.”
7. “Nothing has happened in the past; it happened in the Now. Nothing will ever happen in the future; it will happen in the Now.”
8. “Your outer journey may contain a million steps; your inner journey only has one: the step you are taking right now.”
9. “Where there is anger there is always pain underneath.”
10. “Being an outsider to some extent, someone who does not “fit in” with others or is rejected by them for whatever reason, makes life difficult, but it also places you at an advantage as far as enlightenment is concerned. It takes you out of unconsciousness almost by force.”

Free PDF Download of the Summary to Save or Print

Go here to download The Power of Now PDF Summary.

Guide to the Power of Now

Please take a moment to pin this post to Pinterest.

The post The Power of Now 3 Minute Summary: 15 Lessons Learned + PDF appeared first on BrandonGaille.com.

ESTPs are often impulsive, rational, and competitive. A person with this type of personality will be very energetic and driven and will also enjoy being the center of attention. ESTPs often enjoy dates that involve lots of activity, rather than having conversations about feelings. That’s because most ESTPs don’t understand other people’s emotions well.

On top of that, ESTPs tend to have difficulties sharing their own emotions and feelings. Because of this tendency, many ESTP partners feel unsupported because they’ll seek affirmation that ESTPs aren’t always capable of giving.

#1 ESTP Character Traits

Since ESTPs tend to be impulsive and also have no qualms about taking risks, they can wind up making poor decisions at times. ESTPs also have a very energetic, magnetic personality that tends to attract others. Since they are so enthusiastic, ESTPs can be fun to have around, especially when it comes to romantic relationships. That’s because, with an ESTP, there’s never a dull moment and plenty of entertainment to go around.

ESTPs can also be very competitive and driven, and they also enjoy being the center of attention. The also enjoy adrenaline-charged activities on dates, instead of experiencing emotional conversations with their potential partners. Most ESTPs enjoy living in the moment, and they can be very creative people. Their energetic nature attracts others to their magnetic personalities, making most ESTPs great leaders. It can be difficult for an ESTP to maintain a long-term relationship, but they have plenty of strengths that make them excellent long-term partners.

#2 ESTPs in Relationships

ESTPs also don’t have any doubts when it comes to approaching another person. They are very charming and do a great job of captivating others. Since they also possess beautiful senses of humor, they can get through awkward moments in a relationship with ease. Early on in their relationships, ESTPs can be very charming and romantic. If you are in a relationship with an ESTP, then you are bound to have a great adventure with plenty of fun moments. ESTPs are also remarkable lovers because they are entertaining when it comes to intimacy. Once they’ve decided to stick with somebody long-term, they are also very loyal to their significant others.

ESTPs make great long-term partners, but they aren’t always out for a long-term partnership. Many ESTPS aren’t eager to commit to a long-term relationship immediately. For an ESTP, there has to be something special about that other person for them to cross that line. So, most ESTPs will go slow when they are interested in somebody, and they’ll observe the slow process of the relationship. Unfortunately, much of this also has to do with the fact that ESTPs enjoy keeping their options available. That’s because ESTPs will start looking for a new partner if they feel things aren’t going well with the current relationship. ESTPs do tend to get bored quickly in relationships because of how enthusiastic they are. If the ESTP doesn’t stop working on this issue, he or she may wind up jumping from one relationship to the next without experiencing any sincere commitments.

#3 ESTP Dating Strengths

ESTPs love to seek out thrills and have reliable energy when it comes to living their lives. So, most ESTPs find dating to be very adventurous and thrilling. Since ESTPs enjoy new adventures and educational conversations, they often enjoy dating. Most ESTPs are also open sexually to trying new things, which is part of their adventurous streak. ESTPs perform well under pressure and can remain calm when times get tough.

#4 ESTP Dating Weaknesses

ESTPs do have difficulties committing to somebody long-term. That’s partially because they find dating to be so fun, but also because they can feel bored and stifled in long-term relationships. ESTPs don’t always do well handling the monotony that is part of being in a long-term relationship. Some ESTPs may also struggle to connect with their partners intimately because they can be rational and detached in relationships, rather than staying connected to their partners. That can make them difficult to handle at times when they feel emotional about things.

#5 ESTP Compatible Partners

ESTPs work well in long-term relationships with a few personality types. Below we list the most compatible partners for an ESTP.

ESTP and ISFJ Compatibility
ISFJs are loving, nurturing people that can be very kind and tender when dealing with their partners. ISFJs are also great about turning into other’s emotions, which means they are perfect for balancing out the rational ESTP. ISFJs and ESTPs both have something to teach the other and can work together to balance each other. Also, a relationship between these two personality types can allow both partners to grow.

ESTP and ISTJ Compatibility
ISTJs are loyal, dependable people that tend to be a little shy, but also caring. ISTJs aren’t extremely emotional people, but they are very supportive when times get tough. That means they’ll work well with an ESTP because ESTPs are also not into emotions. Both the ESTP and ISTJ enjoy showing love by performing romantic gestures.

ESTP and ISTP Compatibility
ISTPs enjoy being by themselves, and ESTPs are great at understanding small details when it comes to empathy. So, these two personality types wind up, making an excellent match for each other because they are both very willing to be easygoing and spontaneous at the same time. ESTPs and ISTPs both process information in a similar way, which is an immense strength for this couple. Both ESTPs and ISTPs tend to view the world logically.

ESTP and ESTJ Compatibility
ESTJs are logical, social leaders that can be rigid with others at times. ESTJs get along well with ESTPs because they share many similar traits. For example, both of these personality types are logical, social, charming, and inclined to be leaders. The primary difference between these two is their flexibility. However, they can balance each other out well since one partner is more oriented toward planning, and the other tends to go with the flow.

#6 ESTP Non-Compatible Partners

Remember, even non-compatible partners can still have a good relationship with each other since people can learn to adjust to each other. So, if you’re worried about appearing on the list below, that doesn’t necessarily mean your relationship doesn’t stand a chance. Regardless, the following personality types are least likely to get along well with an ESTP.

ESTP and INTP: Non-Compatible
INTPs enjoy theories and deep conversations about philosophy. INTPs are also loners that many people find to be eccentric and odd. INTPs often spend time figuring out how the world works to them, and they want to be able to process everything. For an extroverted ESTP, handling such an introverted partner can be challenging. That’s because the ESTP would instead go out into the world and be social than hanging out at home alone.

ESTP and INFJ: Non-Compatible
INFJs are also loners that enjoy being by themselves rather than going out into the world. INFJs are also very empathetic, but they can be strict when it comes to plans. INFJs are also interested in emotions, which the ESTP finds difficult to understand. ESTPs struggle with emotional expression, and also enjoy going with the flow. So, the INFJ may also be too rigid for the ESTP.

Conclusion

People with the ESTP personality type are exciting and fun to date, always seeking the next thrill. If you work to share your emotions and feelings with one another, there is a great possibility that you will be in it for the long haul.

The post 6 ESTP Compatibility Findings for Relationships and Dating appeared first on BrandonGaille.com.

Making new connections and growing relationships with others can lead to new and exciting experiences that we would have previously never had. Pushing ourselves to get out there and connect with people who are similar in some ways and different in others gives us new outlooks on life and helps us grow as people.

Today we will look at two types of people with different personality types to see how compatible they are. The ENFP and INTP personalities are quite interesting on their own, and these 10 facts about how these people could potentially act together can give you an insight as to how to work with these people.

1. They help each other in difficult times
Each of these personality types has a very different approach to looking at situations, and this means that in a time of difficulty, the other person will be able to offer a different perspective on the situation. An ENFP person will be primarily driven by emotion and use this to try and answer questions and resolve conflict. What this means is that they can often lack the raw logic needed to get through difficult times and make rational decisions.

For the INTP person, they are nearly the exact opposite where they look at things like a calculator and try and find the most efficient and logical approach to solving issues. This may seem like a conflicting trait, but when one of the two parties is going through a rough time, the other person could provide the outside idea and way of looking at a problem that you would have never considered.

2. They have deeper conversations
One thing that keeps relationships fresh and interesting is the conversation. Each of these two personalities is based around the concept of abstract thinking that makes for great conversation. What this means for these two when conversing is that conversation will be rich and full of interesting points.

These two personalities especially when talking to one another make for interesting conversation because they both tend to avoid boring and irrelevant conversations. You can skip the small talk and move right onto philosophy.

3. Shared ideals for improvement
The shared desire for improvement is rooted at the core of both of these personalities and can help them move forward together. The never-ending pursuit of more information keeps both parties interested in improvement and will help you push one another in difficult times.

The ENFP person may look at ways to make the world a better place while the INTP person will do research into technological advancements that can help drive the world forward.

4. May have a conflict with logic and emotion
The conflict of logic and emotion is very apparent in this relationship as both personalities look at things from opposing lenses. An ENFP personality will often look to make emotional connections with others so that they can find out what drives and motivates them.
For the INTP personality, an intellectual connection that involves thought and logic is more enjoyable. When trying to connect with one another, this conflict may create some mild tension.

5. Can help each other learn more
The different outlooks on the world are sometimes hard to overcome in relationships, but the different world views can help to grow one another. The ENFP person will be able to help expand on ideas of humanity in making decisions and how you can better learn to work with others.

As the INTP party, you can help provide a dose of logic and reason to help the other person connect their humanity to a base of rational decision making.

6. Both have the drive to make things better
These two personality types look at things fairly differently, but they both strive to help make the world a better place. ENFP personalities generally go into humanitarian filed like healthcare and teaching to give others a chance to become better and feel happier inside.

For the INTP personality, a meaningful job in business or engineering allows them to give back to others in a different way while still making the world a better place.

7. Usually share mutual interests
The intellectual connection both personalities share means that they are both interested in learning new things about the world. Whether it is learning about new cultures or trying new things, each of you will find common ground in the experience of wanting to try new things.

The desire to keep growing and learning brings these personalities together and offers a great way to connect together by trying new activities together.

8. Both lack a preference for structure and organization
While some personalities are all about structure and organization, these two are certainly much more fluid with their organization. Things like having a daily schedule and cleaning routine are not very common among either of these personalities, so they can live well together.

Despite the lack of conflict around organization and time, it may be best for you to both take on certain roles so that your lives don’t go completely off the rails.

9. Communication issues are bound to happen
One of the more prominent issues of this relationship is the way that each party tries to deal with communication. The ENFP party will want to use emotion and humanity to deal with problems right away and get you spilling out emotions when they are first present.

For the INTP person, they need time to think and analyze before reaching a conclusion. This difference can lead to uncomfortable conflict and tricky conversations at first.

10. You derive energy from different means
Just like the classic extroverted and introverted personalities, each of these two personalities relies on different things for getting energy. The ENFP personality is based on interacting with others as often as possible as a means to get energy from social interactions like an extrovert.

For the INTP person, they often need alone time to get back their energy before going out and socializing. This dynamic requires careful planning between the two parties so that everyone is feeling comfortable and able to get the energy they need.

Conclusion

The ENFP and INTP personalities are certainly different in many ways, but they are able to find a certain harmony that makes them work great together. They act as a push and pull to each other that makes both parties better off and opens up the relationship to more experiences together. Understanding these 10 facts about relationship compatibility between ENFP and INTP personalities will help you grow your own relationships and have better interactions in the future.

The post 10 Facts About ENFP and INTP Relationship Compatibility appeared first on BrandonGaille.com.

Never Eat Alone is a 2005 book by Keith Ferrazzi. It provides secrets for networking and relationship success, primarily for businessmen and women, but ultimately for anyone looking to improve their social network quality.

A 3 Minute Summary of the 15 Core Lessons

#1 Success is People You Meet and What You Make Together
According to Ferrazzi, success in your life can largely be defined by the people you meet and what you make together. This is another way of saying that knowing the right people and collaborating with excellent coworkers or friends will yield greater dividends in every aspect of life satisfaction than working alone.

#2 People Can Help You More Than You Think
Arguably the entire premise of the book centers around the idea that people provide you with more soft benefits than you may originally believe. Mentors are more responsible for your eventual success then your talent, and the guidance of your peers can help you stay on a path to success rather than falling off or making lots of mistakes.

#3 Networking is Purposeful
There’s networking in terms of finding casual social acquaintances, and then there is purposeful social networking that is designed to connect you with individuals who can help you reach your goals. You’ll need to find people who are as successful or more successful than you and form real connections with them to benefit from networking’s true potential.

#4 Generosity is Key
Another major idea of Ferrazzi is that generosity is a huge factor for overall success. You have to both give generously and be extremely willing to accept the generosity of others. This ties people together and forges relationships and institutions that are based on trust and mutual assistance. Generosity is far from a weakness; it’s what makes networking super effective.

#5 No One Succeed Alone
Ferrazzi claims that the myth of the self-made man is more harmful than it is helpful. The truth, in his eyes, is that no one succeeds alone and all worthy endeavors are undertaken by teams that support one another and help a project or business reach its maximum potential.

#6 Don’t Worry About What the World Can Give You
Ferrazzi advises everyone to stop worrying about what they can get from the world and their peers. Instead, he suggests that you should focus on what you can add to the world or give to your companions. By adding value to the lives of others, your own life will become more valuable and you’ll inspire a system of generosity that eventually comes back to benefit you as well.

#7 Your Network Determines Who You Are
Rather than an individual, self-made image, who we really are is defined by who we know and who we spend our time with. As an example, if we surround ourselves with healthy and happy people, we are more likely to ourselves by both healthy and happy. On the contrary, surrounding ourselves with negative people will make our paths more difficult.

#8 A Goal is a Dream with a Deadline
This smaller idea is crucial when forming new connections with others and outlining your life goals. It’s important that you don’t let your dreams run away from what is practical or realistic. Instead, focus on what you can realistically achieve an outline a clear plan in which you can reach all of the goal’s metrics or victory conditions.

#9 Find Your Passion
Many people attempt to complete their goals or follow their dreams without actually discovering their passion. Actually sitting down and thinking about what you truly love and what you are good at will allow you to find your passion and create worthwhile goals that make meaningful progress toward creating a good life. Don’t just follow the crowd; instead, think of your goals and surround yourself with people like you.

#10 3 Supervisors
Ferrazzi specifically recommends that creating a “personal board of advisors” is a good idea for anyone. This isn’t to say that they actually determine your actions, but having trusted friends who you can rely on for support or supervision is critical. He advises selecting three friends or mentors who can support, supervise, and hold you accountable.

#11 Don’t Disappear
As you build a network, take pains to never disappear for too long or without a good explanation. Out of sight, out of mind, as the saying goes. Whether you are an employee or executive, you should talk to those above and below your station and always be seeking to make new connections.

#12 50 People
Ferrazzi specifically advises that everyone should talk to at least 50 people per day. This ensures that you get enough new social activity to stimulate your networking muscles and you are suitably seen throughout all levels of your organization. The more you focus on your network, the bigger and better it will get.

#13 Be a Speaker
It’s always good to cultivate skills when it comes to listening to others and absorbing feedback. But it’s even more important to become a confident and trusted speaker. Speakers have an easier time meeting other people and expanding their network. You should seek out opportunities to speak at conferences or meetings to make use of this fact.

#14 Become an Expert
Whatever your passion is, it’s a good idea to become an expert in it. Experts have intrinsic authority on whatever subject they speak about. This allows them to grow their network of underlings and superiors even more effectively. Experts also enjoy greater life satisfaction and will find it easier to meet with other experts in their field. Such a positive feedback loop is excellent for overall life success.

#15 Weak Ties Matter
While the connections in your social network that are already strong are important, the weak ties are even more critical. These are relationships such as acquaintances or work companions. Focus on these networking relationships as they help you find new information, ideas, and job opportunities. More than your core network, they will help you expand your social web and gain new advantages from networking.

Top 10 Quotes from Never Eat Alone

1. “Success in any field, but especially in business is about working with people, not against them.”
2. “Real networking was about finding ways to make other people more successful.”
3. “Poverty, I realized, wasn’t only a lack of financial resources; it was isolation from the kind of people who could help you make more of yourself.”
4. “Who you know determines who you are—how you feel, how you act, and what you achieve.”
5. “Wherever you are in life right now, and whatever you know, is a result of the ideas, experiences, and people you have interacted with in your life.”
6. “Human ambitions are like Japanese carp; they grow proportional to the size of their environment. Our achievements grow according to the size of our dreams and the degree to which we are in touch with our mission.”
7. “I believe that every conversation you have is an invitation to risk revealing the real you.”
8. “Your network is your destiny, a reality backed up by many studies in the newly emergent fields of social networking and social contagion theory. We are the people we interact with.”
9. “By giving your time and expertise and sharing them freely, the pie gets bigger for everyone.”
10. “Friendship is created out of the quality of time spent between two people, not the quantity.”

Free PDF Download of the Summary to Save or Print

Go here to download the Never Eat Alone PDF Summary.

Ferrazzi’s 10 Rules for Success

The Famous Keith Ferrazzi Ted Talk

Please take a moment to pin this post to Pinterest.

The post Never Eat Alone Speed Summary: 15 Core Principles in 3 Minutes appeared first on BrandonGaille.com.

Forming relationships with people different from ourselves can open up our worlds and minds to fantastic new experiences. We can help others learn new things and in return become new ourselves as we see things from differing points of view.

For the ENFP and INFP personality type, they help share in each other’s energy and boost each other up when together. Taking the time to understand the other person and how they think will only lead to better relationships and communication in the future. Let’s look at 10 insights about the ENFP and INFP relationship compatibility to see how best to navigate the relationship.

1. Have somewhat conflicting energy levels
The energy levels of a relationship are very rarely ever on the same page, and that is especially true when you look at these two personalities. The ENFP personality relies on activity and social interaction for energy. This means that they need to be going out and meeting people in order to build up their own energy.

For the INFP person, they are the opposite as they get the majority of their energy from taking things slower and being more at ease. Finding a balance of both energies will prevent conflict when making decisions.

2. Shared compassion and care for each other
Despite the different energy requirements, this relationship has plenty of potential for a really deep and meaningful connection. With both parties having a similar approach to looking at life and dealing with obstacles, it is easier to overlook differences and reach a conclusion together.

Each of these personality types is based on a compassionate view of things, so it is easy enough too work through problems together and reach a mutual conclusion together. There is certainly potential for a very compassionate relationship when these two personalities meet.

3. Less potential for conflict
Shared compassion for each other in the relationship also helps the parties to have less conflict. The ideals and desire to help other people mean that the relationship will have plenty of giving and taking, so conflict is less likely to arise in the first place.

If a conflict does come up, these two personalities are very good at seeing past trivial issues and making sure that they are focusing on the issues at hand. These people can easily see the other person’s point of view and see where they are coming from.

4. Potential for meaningful and intellectual conversations
The abstract style of communication that is shared between both the ENFP and INFP personality types means that each person has something interesting and meaningful to offer to a conversation. This means that conversation between you will flow naturally and each member will feel engaged with what the other has to say.

A shared interest in positive change also means that you will both have ideas of optimism and change that will make you better able to understand what exactly motivates and drives the other person.

5. Both want to help others
Both of these personalities are based around the idea of helping others, and that can help bring them together with each other. They both want to see the world become a better place and don’t want to become complacent by accepting things as they are when they could be much better.

The desire to help others also comes across in giving back to others through service or through a job. Many people who have these personality types end up working in fields that are dedicated to helping other people.

6. Working on goals together can require more detail
Despite having similar goals that are based on good intentions, these personalities may need additional help when working on goals. With each party being fairly laid back and relaxed, issues can begin to arise when you need to get something done or planned out in advance.

It will take a lot of effort from both parties to make sure that you are getting done what needs to be done in an effective and organized manner.

7. Potential for thoughts that are too similar
Since both personalities are very similar, any small conflict that exists could be very dangerous. An argument that comes up and divides you can be very explosive because you share so many similarities in every other way. If you start acting and existing in the same way as one another, you start to lose your identity.

When you lose your identity in a conflict, determining who is wrong and who is right is nearly impossible. It can be very devastating to a relationship to disagree on a meaningful idea.

8. Both want harmony in a relationship
Even if a conflict does arise in the relationship, both parties will certainly want to resolve the issue. The ENFP and INFP personalities both rely heavily on harmony and want to make sure that everyone is happy. The shared sense of empathy and understanding of others helps keep the harmony in the relationship alive.

All of the similarities and connection established elsewhere makes it easy to justify wanting to try your hardest to keep the relationship alive.

9. Similar lifestyle approach to planning and organization
Both of these personalities are somewhat free spirits and rarely find the need for planning or organization. This means that a messy room won’t really upset either party and will get resolves at some point. This also means that both parties enjoy spontaneous activities and like to act before planning.

On the other hand, this can lead to a lack of planning and organization with both parties. If both personalities are laid-back and reluctant to plan, then both people will have to face the consequences.

10. Compromises will need to be made
The compromises in every relationship are important, and this one is no exception. The ENFP member of the relationship will want to go out and meet others for fun, while the INFP party may just want to stay at home and watch a movie for fun.

Making sure that there is room for compromise and adaptation will ensure that each person is feeling listened to and their time is being valued. Making a compromise to do some activities and forgoing others will keep the respect and relationship alive.

Conclusion

The ENFP and INFP personality types are very interesting in that they are very similar yet very different. As one pushes, the other can pull if things are not carefully considered. By learning these 10 insights about the ENFP and INFP relationship, you can better understand and embrace a relationship with the other person.

The post 10 Insights About ENFP and INFP Relationship Compatibility appeared first on BrandonGaille.com.