Personality/MBTI

April 6, 2020June 30, 2021

5 common triggers for highly sensitive people, and 5 antidotes to help them survive social distancing

My Life, Personality/MBTI, The Examined Life

My family of six is spending a lot of time together these days. We enjoy spending time together—and up till about five years ago, we homeschooled our four kids—but now, ... Read more

July 26, 2018September 10, 2021

The Enneagram types of your favorite books, characters, and authors

Books & Reading, Personality/MBTI

Inspired by my recent What Should I Read Next? episode with Enneagram expert Ian Morgan Cron, today I’m combining two of my favorite things: reading and personality theory. In that ... Read more

November 20, 2017November 11, 2019

On personality, emotional labor, and surviving the holidays.

Holidays, Personality/MBTI, The Examined Life

I just finished listening to an old podcast where Dan Pink interviews Susan Cain, author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking. I’ve read ... Read more

September 13, 2017September 19, 2017

Parenting the good kids and the odd ones out

My Family, My Life, Personality/MBTI, The Examined Life

A few years ago, I heard Susan Wise Bauer, author of The Well-Trained Mind, speak at a conference. She’s an old college professor of mine, and also a public figure, ... Read more

July 19, 2017September 19, 2017

This is why assumptions are dangerous

Personality/MBTI, Reflections, The Examined Life

Earlier this summer, I was talking with a friend in my kitchen (where so many of the good conversations happen). My friend mentioned that she had recently read a certain ... Read more

July 17, 2017July 1, 2021

The perfect summer reading for every Myers-Briggs personality type.

Book Lists, Books & Reading, Personality/MBTI

Today I’m combining two of my favorite things: personality theory and summer reading. I’ve chosen a great summer read that features a protagonist representing each of the 16 Myers-Briggs personality ... Read more

July 5, 2017September 19, 2017

Sometimes you have to decide you have what it takes

Personality/MBTI, Reflections

Last year I read Amy Cuddy’s fantastic book Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges. I’m still impressed at how many ideas have stuck with me, more than a year ... Read more

June 28, 2017August 8, 2019

What’s your reading personality?

Personality/MBTI

Something new, something fun: In anticipation of the September release of my book Reading People: How Seeing the World Through the Lens of Personality Changes Everything, we’ve created a quiz ... Read more

January 13, 2017September 19, 2017

The best book you’ve never heard of on … the beliefs that guide your life

Best Books You've Never Heard Of, Books & Reading, Personality/MBTI, The Examined Life

This is the first new book in a long time in our ongoing Best Books You’ve Never Heard of series. Nearly ten years ago I encountered a book that changed ... Read more

November 7, 2016September 19, 2017

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Personality/MBTI, The Examined Life

I’m a sucker for any conversation that begins with the words “there are two types of people.” We’ve explored some of these fault lines in humanity on the blog in ... Read more