A day after helping my nephew by shooting down an arrow he got stuck at the top of a really tall window with his nerf bow and arrow, I come out as an Archer in the latest quiz on what my personality is. Although, I don’t think they meant that kind of archer it is still funny. I have also been watching the series Arrow on Netflix which is just great timing on my part. Anyway…

So, I’m an archer. I work on accuracy and think through all the possible solutions and the consequences of those solutions before making a decision. I am understated, independent and careful about the emotion I put out. I use listening to my advantage and really investigate possibilities before reaching any kind of decision. I am on target and will come to a solution given a deadline and time to think through something. I carefully formulate my thoughts and support decisions with hard facts. I can quickly develop solutions and am very deliberate in my communication style.

WOW… um… well… yeah…

I don’t think that I can argue anything there. I very much need to think through something and I try to investigate all the possibilities before making a commitment. I cannot work off the cuff very well and like to have time to formulate responses. I have always been very careful in my communications, the emotions I let out and how much I hold back. I often feel that this understates the value I can bring as it doesn’t show others what I am really thinking, feeling and takes away from the conversation.

In my communication style I am very much thinking about everything I am saying, what I am going to say next, what questions the person I am talking to may have and trying to answer them before they can even ask them. I have struggled as of late in the classroom and at home formulating my sentences as my mind is three sentences down from where my mouth is speaking and sometimes end up jumbling my words. It’s quite embarrassing at times. I sometimes feel like my mouth is too stupid for my head when that happens and wish telepathy would allow my brain to just get it out faster. Then again, that would make me one of the teenage girls I have been around who talks 1000 words a second and then you can’t comprehend anything anyway. Such is my burden here, I suppose. The funny thing is when I go through 5 or 6 scenarios in my head and can choose one and formulate my thoughts in to words as fast as I am talking. People think that I knew the answers as I was talking and don’t realize I was still solving in my head. It’s just my mouth gives my head enough time to work through the problem.

In being independent, precise and careful I have always strived to do so. I don’t like to make others upset, I don’t like to have to rely on others and I like the precise solutions I can come up with on my own. Even in dealing with family I am very careful to not go too far with a line of thought or emotions or anything. I like to keep the peace as it were and know that I am not well understood in manners when I express certain things. I find this forces my independence as then I need to work through things on my own. I cannot rely on others if I cannot express things to them. I know I need to get better at this but it doesn’t help that I am not the type to make close friends easily and even worse at keeping close friends apparently. This has certainly forced a more spiritual side of me where I use thoughts, meditation and prayer as a way to express myself and relieve certain stress.

This actually applies as much in my professional life as it does in my personal. I have always been a very reserved, quiet person. This is why I laugh every time I am given a leadership position. I operate well outside of my comfort zone but that doesn’t make it comfortable.