If humans were computers, our dominant traits would be the operating system that is embedded and hard-coded in our minds. These deeply ingrained behaviors run on autopilot, driving our every action without conscious thought. Like breathing or blinking, we can actively choose to control our actions with enough concentration. However, most of the time, our recurring behaviors seem to be driven by our subconscious, functioning effortlessly and instinctively.

Instinct is a marvelous thing. It can
neither be explained nor ignored.

Agatha Christie

Dominant traits are often mistaken as strengths in most other personality systems. But here in Personality Ninja, we hold a different view. To us, traits are just traits, shaped by the wiring of our cognitive functions. Whether a trait is good or bad largely depends on the way it is used. As such, these traits can either be the source of one's greatest strengths, or the cause of their biggest downfall.

Naturally, we will hone our dominant traits, refining them into our super strengths. However, if we are not careful, there is a chance that we may push our dominant traits into overdrive, manifesting them in very unhealthy ways. In the end, our dominant traits are our natural tendencies and nothing more. The key to harnessing them effectively lies in knowing when, where, and how to use them.

With a big appetite for the new, Pathfinders are always on the lookout for novel concepts. Unrivaled in creativity, ideas flow through their minds like water, which is why they can unleash an avalanche of them without even lifting a finger. The thing about Pathfinders is that they don't merely see things as what they are, but what they can be. As such, they believe that possibilities are everywhere; to see them, one only has to change their lens.

However, Pathfinders may sometimes see life through a pair of dreamy eyes, coming up with ideas that are overly idealistic. They may think that far-fetched possibilities are within reach, but the truth of the matter often proves them otherwise. Because Pathfinders dwell mostly in the realm of imagination, they tend to overlook cold, hard facts. Therefore, their ideas might make sense in an idyllic utopia but ultimately crumble into pieces in the face of reality.

On top of that, most Pathfinders tend to fall short when it comes to real life execution. Rather than focusing on an idea to work on, they jump endlessly from one to another, following wherever their hearts take them. Pathfinders who do this might think that everything is going just fine as long as they feel content. However, regret will eventually dawn on them when they grow older, only to realize that none of the seeds of their ideas have ever bore fruit.

While others may judge a book by its cover, Pathfinders read into them. More often than not, people will dismiss a concept just because it is unheard of. Pathfinders, on the other hand, welcome all sorts of unique possibilities, even ones that are unfathomable. With curiosity built into their core, they crave ideas that introduce new meanings to life. Ultimately, Pathfinders believe that the only way to expand their perspectives is to traverse the unknown.

The downside is that they tend to struggle when it comes to narrowing things down. Seeing potential everywhere, Pathfinders find it hard to chuck ideas away because all of them are worth a shot in their eyes. To stick to an idea would mean giving up on other realms of possibilities. Caught in a dilemma, some Pathfinders might just cross their arms and refuse to decide. This works, for a while. Before long, they will realize the many long term opportunities they have sacrificed in exchange.

On the extreme side, some Pathfinders might be blind to the obvious shortcomings of an idea. As if in a fairytale, they think that anything is possible as long as they believe hard enough. When told that their perspectives are unrealistic, they might just shrug their shoulders and brush the doubts off. Unable to tell fact from fiction, Pathfinders who choose to look at the world through dreamy eyes will forever be trapped in a bubble of fantasy.

Like the constellations that hang over the night sky, everything in the world is connected in its own unique way. Events, concepts, thoughts, and people; these things may seem unrelated to one another. But Pathfinders know that invisible lines run between all of them, tracing breathtaking patterns that are unseen by most. As such, Pathfinders can easily weave distant ideas into neverending chains of possibilities.

Sadly, most of them are like engines on overdrive, linking all sorts of random concepts round the clock. So much so that if their thoughts were painted on a canvas, everything would be everywhere, creating a portrait of a glorious mess. Hence, Pathfinders often struggle to stick to a thought, constantly distracted by all the other noises in their head. This makes them pretty hard to understand at times as they tend to talk about one thing while their minds are already onto another.

More than that, some Pathfinders might link concepts that are way too far apart, leading to conclusions that may sound totally absurd. Fooled by their own unbridled imagination, they may be convinced of patterns that are simply not there. It gets worse when they turn their heads away from the facts that prove their assumptions wrong. If Pathfinders refuse to see eye to eye with reality, their perception will always be muddled by a veil of ignorance.

The world has an abundance of knowledge at every corner. Given an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, Pathfinders are always keeping an eye out for new concepts to dive right into. Because of that, they often lose themselves in a plethora of topics, fascinated by the many ideas that they encounter. For Pathfinders, life is full of wonder as there are millions upon millions of concepts out there to bury their minds under.

Unfortunately, their interests in topics often come as quickly as they go. Pathfinders tend to go through a honeymoon phase when they come across new concepts, spellbound by what they have to offer. But once the fascination wears off, they are quick to dump these old concepts in search of new ones. In the end, Pathfinders who do this might know a wide spectrum of things but never truly understand them.

Furthermore, some Pathfinders are like black holes when it comes to learning. They absorb a vast array of concepts wherever they go, but fail to use their new-found knowledge to create output. Moreover, the amount of planning and effort needed to bring a project to fruition can be fairly exhausting, dissuading such Pathfinders from pursuing their ideas. Without a change in mindset, their knowledge will prove to be useless as there is nothing to show for all they have learnt.

To wrap it up, dominant traits are neither our strengths nor are they our weaknesses. They are simply traits we tend to exhibit naturally in our daily lives without much realization.

The biggest reminder here is this: a trait is a trait. It is a unique characteristic of an archetype, each carrying its own pros and cons. With that understanding, let us now venture into the next set of traits that we do more consciously—our supportive traits.

Read next section →
Supportive Traits [Pathfinder]