Life
11 Online Quizzes That Help Determine Your Biggest Personality Strengths & Flaws
If you're all about online quizzes — and really, who isn't? — then you should consider taking a few as a way of revealing your biggest personality strengths and flaws. Quizzes like these can be eye-opening, as they may even be eerily accurate when it comes to describing what makes you tick. And, in many ways, they can also uncover things you didn't know about yourself.
Online quizzes are fun and can be validating. But it is important not to diagnose yourself, or let them have too much sway over your life. "Online personality quizzes aren't diagnostic and should always be taken with a grain of salt," psychotherapist Brennan C. Mallonee, LMHC tells Bustle. "But they can be fun and give insight. If the result you get from a personality quiz is a useful lens for you to learn more about yourself, how to care for yourself, or how to build stronger relationships, then enjoy! If your result doesn't seem like a useful lens for understanding yourself, then best to let it go and not worry about it."
Or, you could always follow up with a therapist, to see what the have to say. But it never hurts to do a little research, and get to know yourself a little better. To get the best info possible, answer the quizzes listed below as honestly as possible, and you should be able to learn more about your strengths and flaws.
1Myers-Briggs
By now, you've probably heard of the Myers-Briggs test, which presents you with four letters that describe — with spooky accuracy — who you are as a person.
And because it can be so spot on, therapists love to recommend it to their patients. "It tells you if you are more introverted or extroverted, sensing or intuitive, thinking or feeling, judging or perceiving," Heidi McBain tells Bustle. "These can be important traits regarding how we view ourselves and navigate the world around us." Once you know your four letters, you might be able to make better choices for yourself in life, at work, and in your relationships.
2The Five Love Languages
When it comes to love and dating, everyone shows their affection in different ways. Five different ways, to be exact, if you're going by Dr. Gary Chapman's Five Love Languages. These include: words of affirmation, acts of service, gift giving, quality time, and engaging in physical touch.
Are you a cuddler? Or a gift giver? Knowing which category you fall into can come in handy when dating, since it will allow you to better express your love. And if you know your partner's love language, it can make it easier to ensure both your needs are being met.
3Type A Personality Test
If you'd like to know more about how you handle stress, and whether or not you're at risk for stress-related illnesses, it can help to take a quick quiz and figure out whether you have a Type A or a Type B personality.
According to Psychology Today, "This test assesses whether you possess the hallmark behavioral characteristics of the Type A Personality. These include hostility, impatience, difficulty expressing emotions, competitiveness, drive, perfectionism and an unhealthy dependence on external rewards such as wealth, status, or power." Or, you might possess the qualities of a more laid-back Type B personality. Knowing which one you most relate to can help explain a lot about how you handle yourself at work, and in relationships.
4Four Tendencies
Best-selling author Gretchen Rubin created the Four Tendencies quiz, which can help you get to know yourself better, and thus make more informed decisions about your future.
"The self-knowledge I have gained from taking Gretchen Rubin's Four Tendencies quiz is what has empowered me to rock my side hustle," Leslie Fischer, founder of Sustainable Slumber, tells Bustle. "This quiz helps you to understand whether you are an obliger, a questioner, an upholder, or a rebel. These are names for tendencies that describe how you respond to expectations of others and yourself. This kind of knowledge has empowered me and thousands of other people to understand how to set up a happy, productive life."
5VIA Character Strength
Have you heard of the VIA Survey of Character Strengths? "It's a free and well-researched assessment that utilizes the Positive Psychology principles of cultivating and engaging one's strengths in order to experience increased positive emotions, more meaningful connections, and an improved quality of life," clinical psychologist Sarah Gray, PsyD, tells Bustle. And if that doesn't sound useful, I don't know what does.
6EN Personalities
Similar to the Myers-Briggs test, EN Personalities — which was created by millennial mentorship website ENTITY — asks questions that are relatable to the lives of millennial women. Do you save work projects until the last minute? Do you gain energy by meeting new people?
Once you answer questions like these and complete the quiz, you'll get to see your strengths and weaknesses, learn more about how you operate in friendships and romantic relationships, and even receive advice for career paths that best suit your personality. Pretty cool, right?
7The Dosha Quiz
If you'd like a little nudge in the right direction when it comes to determining your life's purpose, it can help to identify your elemental composition. "The elemental quizzes tell you a lot about your strengths and weaknesses, and how to identify your innate talents," natural lifestyle expert Jaya Jaya Myra, author of Vibrational Healing, tells Bustle. "The quiz asks questions about your body type, preference in foods, how you relate to different aspects of life, and from there, determines your elemental composition which you can use as a basis to determining your life purpose, learning how to minimize your weaknesses, and understanding your personality better."
8DiSC Profile
The DiSC profile — which stands for dominance, influence, steadiness, and conscientiousness — can help you figure out your strengths when it comes to communication, productivity, and teamwork. "I find it very accurate and illuminating," Dr. Gayle Carson CSP CMC FIMC tells Bustle. "I find it helpful in forming teams and getting them to work together positively. It improves how everything functions and how to negotiate effectively. It's positive to learn about our strengths and flaws so we can improve and where we need help."
9Strengths Finder
If you want to play up your natural strengths, then you'll need to become more aware of what they might be. And that's where the Strengths Finder quiz comes into play.
"It focuses on identifying your top five natural strengths, encouraging you to emphasize them throughout your day-to-day life," life coach Hunter Healy tells Bustle. "You can drastically increase self-awareness through the process of analyzing your survey results. Although I've found online personality surveys to not always be the most accurate for my clients, analyzing whether certain traits fit a person and why is the most beneficial part of the quiz process as it stimulates personal reflection, growth, and discovery."
10Highly-Sensitive Person Test
If you've alway been super empathetic and extra sensitive, it may be meaningful to confirm that through the Highly Sensitive Person quiz, based on Dr. Elaine Aron's research. "It refers to sensory-processing sensitivity (SPS), a neurological trait that means you are highly sensitive to all sorts of external stimuli and which can have a big impact on personality," says Mallonee. "People who score high on the HSP quiz tend to get overwhelmed easily, especially in crowds or noisy spaces."
It can also reveal physical sensitivities, too. People who score high "are often very sensitive to caffeine and highly attuned to feelings of pain," Mallonee says.
11Enneagram
Another eye-opener is the Enneagram, which is a "system of nine numbered personality types arranged visually in a circle based on their core traits falling into one of three Centers: the Instinctive, the Feeling, and the Thinking Centers," Mallonee says. "While people have one dominant type, the types on either side on the circle (called 'wings') can be more or less relevant for particular people. This complex system allows for more nuance and fluidity and is appealing to a lot of people."
But keep in mind, the results shouldn't define you. "As with any personality type system, it's important not to use it to limit yourself or others but rather to explore or spark deeper thought," she says. "There isn't good research evidence for the Enneagram, so while it can be a lot of fun and inspire personal exploration and growth, it isn't a great basis for making big decisions."
And that's true for all the quizzes, as they only offer a small glimpse into your personality, and thus can't define or diagnose anything. When it comes to how you feel, you're the best judge of that. And if anything feels like it's beyond your control or holding you back in life, don't be afraid to reach out to a therapist.
