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.

Every so often, a spark lights up in the minds of Visionaries. Whether it be profound revelations or simple insights, they cannot help but to continuously refine their understanding of life. They do this not to gain some sort of divine enlightenment, but rather to grasp the human condition in a more logical and practical manner, cultivating a more effective way of living. It is through these realizations that Visionaries come to see the purpose and meaning of existence.

Although profound, their realizations are often conceived without any factual basis. Despite spending much time developing a concept, Visionaries may still fall short when it comes to backing it up with hard data. As such, when they share their thoughts with others, many may remain skeptical. In the end, no matter how wise Visionaries are, without facts, their insights will only be taken lightly.

Unfortunately, Visionaries might get overly absorbed in this quest, desperately trying to find an answer to existence. But the truth is, certain questions have no answers. The more they think about humanity's place in the world, the more they tend to overthink it, creating unnecessary anxiety. Once it passes a certain threshold, life might become too much for Visionaries to handle, putting them at risk of falling into a deep depression.

While others are still trying to figure out the rules of the game, Visionaries are already ten steps ahead. Their gift of foresight allows them to visualize effective strategies right within their minds, giving them an upper hand in whatever they do. But Visionaries will not rest on their laurels. They will work on their existing plans, optimizing for maximum effectiveness. Through meticulous strategizing, Visionaries ensure they cross the finish line before the race even begins.

However, in a world of constant change, there is no such thing as a perfect plan. Visionaries may find that no matter how thorough their strategy is, things might never go exactly as planned. As a result, they go back to square one, attempting to refine their vision. Alas, reality is an enigma of ever-changing circumstances, leading Visionaries down a never-ending cycle of strategizing and restrategizing, in pursuit of a perfection that can never be fully attained.

At their worst, Visionaries may resort to extreme measures in order to achieve perfection. In furthering their extreme visions, they might exaggerate certain facts or twist reality to fit their narrative. Not only will they sound ridiculous to others, but also very uncompromising about these views as well. With an all-or-nothing mindset, Visionaries run the risk of becoming delusional extremists.

It is easy to complicate, but difficult to simplify. Yet, across dilemmas big and small alike, Visionaries can easily unravel the complexities of any issue by boiling it down to its essence. Usually, they can recognize the recurring patterns amidst the chaos. This helps in clearing the fog, enabling them to determine the core of any problem. In other words, Visionaries excel at removing the unnecessary so that the necessary may present itself, giving rise to invaluable insights.

But the world is a complicated place, where nothing fits squarely into simple concepts. Visionaries would be too idealistic if they think that every issue can be boiled down to its essence. Truth is, most problems are simply chaotic, and no amount of rationalizing will ever turn a mess into a message. Even if Visionaries think that they have found the answers, life would simply change the questions. Ultimately, their attempts to simplify issues may turn out to be redundant.

To make things worse, by reducing complicated matters into simple ideas, some Visionaries may unintentionally misrepresent issues in ways that could be considered deceptive. Instead of addressing the core of a problem, they might distort it just to simplify it. This narrow perspective might limit them to solutions that are terribly ineffective. If Visionaries continue to force things to fit their perspective, they may end up undermining their ability to make rational decisions.

To bring their strategic visions to reality, Visionaries organize their surroundings to maximize group productivity. By cleverly designing their workflow, they streamline their approach, allowing their teams to achieve goals with ease. Even those who initially resist the Visionaries’ methods may eventually become impressed by the results they yield. As such, one can always rely on Visionaries to get the job done correctly, decisively, and effectively.

Nevertheless, by being too accustomed to working in a controlled environment, Visionaries may find themselves like a fish out of water when they are forced to abandon the order that they have painstakingly created. Even when facts and circumstances have differed, Visionaries may still insist on their established strategies, reluctant to adopt a new approach. Until they learn to navigate the ever-changing tides, they run the risk of being swept away by the unremitting currents of change.

Worse still, the desire to organize and control may sometimes devour Visionaries, making them feel compelled to micromanage every aspect of a project. As a result, they may often impose tough restrictions on others, fearing that any misstep will lead to catastrophic consequences. However, this would do nothing more than get others annoyed. In the end, Visionaries will realize that the tighter they hold on, the more their plans would slip through their fingers.

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 [Visionary]