In which I present a useful framework to understand one's personality?

 

I've always believed that, in career and financial planning, a person needs a deeper understanding of their personality to succeed, but many frameworks exist, and adherents to one often pour scorn on others. For example, folks who subscribe to the Big5 OCEAN personality models pooh-pooh the folks who follow the MBTI framework. Of late, having exposed myself to the idea that personality can be determined by neurotransmitters, as in my last article, I am beginning to see the usefulness of treating all personality frameworks as a stack, like the OSI model in networking engineering.

If we can arrange theories of personality as a stack, we can start at low levels, examining biochemistry, and move up to models based on actual brain structure, like the OCEAN model. Above OCEAN are the more HR-oriented models, like MBTI. We can then go even further and incorporate ancient techniques, such as the Enneagram, above the MBTI. Above the more prosaic models are astrological and metaphysical models. In this way, we respect the models validated by science, but we also do not discard models that facilitate communication in pop culture or company culture (like MBTI) or models derived from our own cultures and ancestry (like Bazi).

As we build our personality stack, we can gain a deeper understanding of ourselves so as to effect consequential change in our lives. That's the application layer, where I tend to use personality models to explain why some people achieve FIRE earlier than others, and HR professionals explain why some people are suited to particular jobs. Couples can also spend countless hours examining their significant others' personalities.

So, with this insight, I reveal parts of my own personality stack.

a) Neurotransmitter - The Molecule of More by Lieberman and Long

Reading the book explained a lot about my behaviours in recent times, when I constantly feel I can never enjoy the present moment like other people do. These days, I stare into a blank space to think about the future of not just financial markets, my impending doom and whether my kids can make it as adults. And I'm always acting to remove future obstacles in my life. I have a dopaminergic personality, and I respond weakly to the "here and now" neurotransmitters such as serotonin and oxytocin.

b) OCEAN - Just Google a personality test online

The OCEAN model is best in class because each factor, Extraversion, Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, Openness to New Experience and Neuroticism, can be traced to a physical structure of the brain.

I'm quite familiar with my own personality here. I'm highly disagreeable and justly more conscientious than my peers. I should do ok with money matters, as I enjoyed being rude to financial advisors. They are not as well-trained as I am, and when I buy term and invest the rest, I really invest the rest.

c) MBTI - Also available in many places online

The MBTI does not need to be strongly validated by psychologists. The power of MBTI is that it maps to an easily identifiable stereotype that HR professionals can use. It is also quite dynamic and contextual. 

I tested ESTJ when I was 18, and I continue to be very data-driven and empirical, but I was raised by N, so I am quite intuitive and trust my gut before I make a trade so over the years, I shifted to ENTJ, and now as I get older I become more antisocial and AI rates me an INTJ when it reads my blog. So I pay more attention to ENTJ weaknesses, like being blunt, when I read notes on social media.

Today, I still identify more with ENTJ, but I'm less reckless with age and still enjoy hanging out more than my friends, who are getting more and more reclusive over the years.

In this layer, you will find many alternative models that generate significant revenue for consultants like DISC, Gallup StrengthsFinder, and Emergenetics. I have done them all and conclude that it's profitable to do this.

d) Enneagram

If you can accept MBTI and its lack of a variable to include neuroticism and how it shifts from context to context, then you will have no problem using a simple 9 personality archetype system like the Enneagram.

For me, I'm a type 3 Performer that is gradually shifting to a type 5 Sage because I'm an investment trainer. I don't find Enneagram particularly useful, but it's good for cocktail conversations.

You will also find other fun diversions like Kingdomality in this layer. Also, for folks who are into philosophy, some questions, like whether you tend to be a Stoic or an Epicurean, can reside in this layer too.

e) Bazi - Chinese Metaphysics

As we reach levels where models can hardly be validated by science or even conventional logic, why would someone like me enjoy analysing my Bazi?

If you follow Bazi experts like Joey Yap, you will notice that Chinese Metaphysics have evolved from fortune telling into life coaching, so Joey Yap videos are as fun to watch as TED talks or presentations from McKinsey Consultants. Also, I think it's very hypocritical to challenge Chinese metaphysics and believe that stock prices will bounce off a resistance level or any projection from an economist.

But I have a deeper rationale that might astound even Joey Yap - I use LLMs to analyse my Bazi, and I suspect that AI has somehow trapped my writings and content in its training models, giving the readings with an eerie accuracy that a human astrologer couldn't possibly predict. I will provide more content on this on the Chinese New Year, but here's just a small snippet.

According to Bazi, my favourable element is Earth, my unfavourable element is Fire. And throughout my decade of life, investments with an Earth theme have always done well for me, despite years of underperformance. I held AIMS APAC REIT until I have my full capital returned to me in the form of dividends. And yet, even when I identified Palantir as early as during my time in IDA, when it first came to town, invested in it early, and participated in its IPO, fate intervened to prevent me from making real money from it.

I would not use Bazi to make specific investments, but my Earth element ensures I will always hunt for a margin of safety, steady dividends, and a low beta in my portfolio. Even when I invest based on trend-following algorithms, which is a Fire endeavour, my algorithm has led me to commodities like Lithium (Metal or Earth investment), which has made me the most money.

Even if you discount the predictive power of metaphysics, there are two practical applications of metaphysics. You can identify a stance in the way you live your life. Earth is defensive, patient, long-term and trundles along slowly. Also, as you identify your elements, you begin to arrange events in your life into a more coherent framework to understand the meaning of your existence.

I'm still not at the point of paying for expensive consultations, but I strongly urge you guys to just try it out for fun with LLMs. I intend to do a more specific article on how to do this with a paid version of ChatGPT.

Depending on your culture, you would also find Western Astrology in this layer, which I intend to play with soon enough.

Conclusion - Build your stack

In summary, I am proposing a much more open-minded approach to understanding your personality so that you can make better decisions in life and derive more meaning from the events that happen to you. 

You can use some hints on where to find these personality tests, and do share with me how things go.