When you are constantly surrounded by a large group of people you tend to overhear things. Some weird things, some gross things, and some things that make your ears perk up. Over the course of WorldRace Training Camp I overheard something intriguing.
“Christians are more interested in who you are, not what you do for a living.”
I don’t necessary know if that statement is generally true, but it sure was a topic of conversation at Training Camp.
After you get accepted to the WorldRace, one of the first forms to be completed is a simple Myers-Briggs personality test. I suspect two key reasons why they ask future racers to complete the test. Primarily, I believe that personality tests can begin a process of self-discovery and self-awareness. To understand why you think a certain way and to understand not everyone thinks the way you do. Secondly, it makes for great ice-breaker conversation.
There are not enough fingers and toes on my body to count how many times I heard the question, “What is your Myers-Briggs type?”
I have always been a big fan of personality tests. I feel understood, and I also get a healthy reminder that not everyone thinks the way I do.
So here are mine.
Myers-Briggs Type: ENTP (Extrovert, Intuitive, Thinking, Perceiving)
ENTPs are inspired innovators, motivated to find new solutions to intellectually challenging problems. They are curious and clever, and seek to comprehend the people, systems, and principles that surround them. Open-minded and unconventional, Visionaries want to analyze, understand, and influence other people.
ENTPs enjoy playing with ideas and especially like to banter with others. They use their quick wit and command of language to keep the upper hand with other people, often cheerfully poking fun at their habits and eccentricities. While the ENTP enjoys challenging others, in the end they are usually happy to live and let live. They are rarely judgmental, but they may have little patience for people who can’t keep up.
ENTPs are energized by challenge and are often inspired by a problem that others perceive as impossible to solve. They are confident in their ability to think creatively, and may assume that others are too tied to tradition to see a new way. The Visionary relies on their ingenuity to deal with the world around them, and rarely finds preparation necessary. They will often jump into a new situation and trust themselves to adapt as they go.
Enneagram: Seven, the Enthusiast.
Sevens are extroverted, optimistic, versatile, and spontaneous. Playful, high-spirited, and practical, they can also misapply their many talents, becoming over-extended, scattered, and undisciplined. They constantly seek new and exciting experiences, but can become distracted and exhausted by staying on the go. They typically have problems with impatience and impulsiveness. At their Best: they focus their talents on worthwhile goals, becoming appreciative, joyous, and satisfied.
Sevens are frequently endowed with quick, agile minds, and can be exceptionally fast learners. This is true both of their ability to absorb information (language, facts, and procedures) and their ability to learn new manual skills—they tend to have excellent mind-body coordination. All of this can combine to make a Seven into the quintessential “Renaissance person.”
Ironically, Sevens’ wide-ranging curiosity and ability to learn quickly can also create problems for them. Because they are able to pick up many different skills with relative ease, it becomes more difficult for them to decide what to do with themselves. As a result, they also do not always value their abilities as they would if they had to struggle to gain them. When Sevens are more balanced however, their versatility, curiosity, and ability to learn can lead them to extraordinary achievement.
How I would like to grow over the next year.
I don’t like to think of myself as having a personality that can be typecast. I am uniquely me, Caleb. However, I know I am not full actualized into the fullness and awesomeness I could be, and therefore I must grow. I must force myself into uncomfortable situations and circumstances and see myself persevere.
At this stage in the game I have things I would like to focus on, and be intentional in growing in:
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I have always been cerebral oriented. However, I know my heart can go places my brain cannot go. Therefore, if I want to go deep and truly understand, empathize, and meet people where they are at I need to have my heart full engaged. To be honest, I cannot remember the last time my heart was fully engaged. According to these personality types I tend to run from my feelings. I need to stand firm and learn how to feel again, not just the feelings of elation but also the feelings of sorrow. This will not be easy, this will be heart breaking, but I think I am up for a challenge.
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I want to become more disciplined. Discipline is something I abhor. It is just too much work. Everything comes so easily to me. I think it is time I put my intellect, determination, stubborn will, tenacity, and exuberance to good use. My mind is always full of new ideas, new ways to reinvent the wheel, and new creative ways of telling stories. But it is the discipline I lack. I always get discouraged when I do not see growth fast enough. Now I will have 11 months to practice discipline, in every area of my life.
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I need to stay present. My mind tends to wander into the land of fantasy and possibility, especially when I get bored in the present. Being in the present I can fully enjoy the moment. I can fully take in the grandeur and beauty in every moment. I want to live in a head space where I can be fully fulfilled in every moment. Where I can see God working in every moment, every millisecond, and see His Glory manifest on a grand scale and in the subtle beat of butterfly’s wing.
Staying present, disciplined and using my heart and feelings can foster an environment that could produce amazing fruit, not only for me, but for everyone else with whom I have intimate contact with. This journey is not mine alone. I am a member of a community, with a collective heartbeat. I want to be my best for them. I want to see them reach their fullest potential, and see their dreams come alive. I want to be their “Yes Man”, be their first follower that starts a movement. This trip is not about the “Caleb Experience”. However, to be the best Caleb I can be, I need to be self-aware of where I can improve and be intentional about my transformation.
Cheers to a transformative year!
