Christian author and psychologist, Dr. Tim LaHaye is well known for co-writing the bestselling
Left Behind series, which was set in a post-rapture, apocalyptic world. He also re-introduced the world to the four temperaments concept in his books, The Spirit Controlled Temperament (1966) and Why You Act The Way You Do (1987). Both were written after counselling several individuals from all walks of life, and an in-depth study of the Bible.
Dr. Tim LaHaye believes that every individual is either a melancholic, choleric, sanguine, phlegmatic or a combination of two of these temperaments. In order for us to function at our best, we must fully understand our personality type and learn how to manage those of others around us. This is similar to the concept of
Emotional Intelligence popularized by self-help gurus like Chike Anya here in Nigeria.
Here’s a summary of the temperaments and their descriptions (we also included Tim’s biblical examples):
1. Melancholic: This person is a natural perfectionist who creates high standards for himself, people and the world he lives in to meet. He believes very much in ideals, is crazy about details and can be very inquisitive (always wants to know the “why” behind a thing). He fails to accept human and worldly flaws; hence, he can be very self-critical and critical of others. He’s also very introverted and gets moody often.
Biblical example: Moses
2. Phlegmatic: He’s your average “Yes-Man” who avoids conflict like the plague and sticks closer than a brother. He’s very likely to keep promises, obey rules at all costs, hate to offend with his words or actions and would rather stay silent in most cases. Unfortunately, some may see him as a doormat, too quiet and dependent on others for motivation.
Biblical example: Abraham
3. Choleric: Such an individual is very self-confident, strong-willed and independent in his ways. He can come off as rude, arrogant and loud in some settings. He’s a natural leader and commander but lacks empathy to a large extent. He is also very competitive but hates to lose, and is single-minded in the pursuit of his goals.
Biblical example: Paul, the Apostle
4. Sanguine: He is a happy-go-lucky fellow who makes friends easily, is very extroverted and likes to live in the moment. He also tends to be an attention seeker and loves to be the life of the party; surrounded by many friends. He’s a great motivator too. Unfortunately for him, he can be very undisciplined, talkative and emotionally impulsive.
Biblical example: Peter
From these descriptions, what’s your sole or dominant temperament?
To learn how to read personalities from handwriting styles, click
here.
About the Writer: Ify Halim is a young Creative and a promoter of values through the force that is writing. Follow her on twitter @MissHalim
