Ryan Frawley
Do you have a strong personality?
If so, you’re lucky. A strong personality can be a huge asset in life, both in the workplace and your personal relationships.
People with strong personalities are generally respected by others. A strong personality can make you a natural leader and someone that people seek out for advice and guidance in their own lives.
Having a strong personality means that the people around you can’t help respecting you, even on a first meeting.
What does this mean for you? Well, if you have a strong personality, you have an important tool that can help you go far in life. But how do you know if you have a strong personality?
The good news is, there are a few signs that you have a strong personality that draws other people to you. Let’s take a closer look at them.
1) You aren’t fazed by criticism
One of the clearest signs of a strong personality is the ability to take criticism.
Strong personalities know what their values are and understand the thought process that leads to their decisions. That means that if other people criticize their actions, they aren’t upset, since they know why they did what they did.
But there’s more.
Being a strong personality doesn’t mean you don’t listen to criticism or ignore what other people think of you. Instead, it means you don’t take criticism of your actions personally.
This is such a valuable skill to have in life that it’s practically a superpower.
People whose personality is strong enough to let them consider criticism without getting upset by it open themselves up to the possibility of real growth.
If you can accept criticism without taking it personally, or disregard personal attacks that have no basis in fact, you almost certainly have a strong personality. And people can’t help but respect you for it.
2) You use conflict as a way to grow
Unfortunately, conflict is a part of life. And not a pleasant one.
For that reason, most of us try to avoid it when we can. But conflict avoidance can be even more destructive in the long run.
Strong personalities may encounter more conflict than others, since they are not afraid to share their views even in the face of criticism. But strong personalities use conflict as a way to grow.
By not taking criticism and conflict seriously, they allow others to question their actions and assumptions.
This means that conflict is just another way that they grow even stronger.
Maybe that’s why…
3) You take a positive view
Being a strong personality doesn’t necessarily mean being an optimist. But strong personalities tend to have a positive outlook.
That’s because they are focused, determined, and proactive. When a strong personality encounters a problem, they will seek to understand it, mitigate its harmful effects, and solve it in the most beneficial way possible.
What does that mean for you?
Ask yourself: are you a problem solver? Do you see obstacles as challenges to overcome rather than letting them defeat you? If so, you probably have the kind of strong personality that people can’t help but respect.
And that means…
4) You seize opportunities for growth
Strong personalities see everything as an opportunity. That’s how they grow through conflict and criticism, as well as through success.
In fact, they seize growth opportunities wherever they find them.
No wonder they often end up in leadership positions. They are not afraid to take on a new role, a promotion, a big move to a new city, or to start their own business and pursue new opportunities.
At the same time, they also look for opportunities to grow in their personal lives. For instance, the breakup of a relationship gives a strong personality time to reflect on what they really want in a partner and allows them to emerge with even greater clarity and focus to go after what they want.
But that’s not all. Having a strong personality also means…
5) You accept responsibility
Ever notice how kids will often try to lie their way out of trouble?
It’s a natural instinct for all of us to want to avoid responsibility for anything bad that happens. But avoiding responsibility can compromise your growth as a person.
Strong personalities don’t accept blame for things that aren’t their fault, but they do accept responsibility for their own shortcomings.
This earns the respect of people around them, since it shows maturity and a willingness to get to the bottom of problems so that they can be fixed.
Strong personalities don’t avoid responsibility, even though they often could. That’s because…
6) You are persuasive
Strong personalities tend to be very persuasive.
Here’s why:
They come across to others as confident and in control, because they are. That makes people want to agree with them.
It means they are often great leaders, since they can easily get across their point of view and convince others by their thought process.
If you find it fairly easy to persuade people of your opinions, there’s a good chance you have a strong personality. And the people around you respect you for it.
Which means…
7) Other people value your leadership and opinion
As I mentioned earlier, you’ll often find strong personalities in leadership positions.
Whether it’s managing an office, running a classroom, or leading a team, they thrive in leadership roles. And people naturally look to those with strong personalities to lead them.
Leadership traits often possessed by people with strong personalities include:
- effective communication
- responsibility and accountability
- self-motivation
- confidence
- strategic thinking
These traits are common in strong personalities, and they are hallmarks of effective leaders. That’s why people tend to instantly respect those with strong personalities.
8) You are a perfectionist
Do people call you a perfectionist?
Maybe you don’t see yourself that way. But strong personalities often have a hint of perfectionism.
That’s because they have a clear idea about how things should work, and aren’t afraid to put in the work to improve things. Strong personalities are not afraid to express their view of how things can be improved – and to put those views into action.
9) You don’t take yourself too seriously
There’s a big difference between being a strong personality and being overly domineering. Truly strong personalities are willing to listen to the feelings and opinions of others, even while they pursue their own goals.
And a key to being a strong personality people respect rather than a tyrant people fear, is having a sense of humor about yourself.
Because strong personalities don’t take criticism of their actions personally, they can generally easily laugh at themselves.
And there’s more. Being a strong personality means you are aware of your flaws and quirks, and can see the humor in them. This ability to laugh at yourself can make people respect your strong personality even more.
But it’s not all fun and games, because…
10) You are strongly self-disciplined
Strong personalities tend to be extremely disciplined with themselves. They have a clear idea of who they want to be and will pursue their goals with a determination that rarely fails to make people respect them.
Are you someone who pushes yourself hard, whether at work or in your personal life?
Are you the kind of person who has no problem going to the gym to work on your fitness or to the office to work on your career?
If so, you’re probably a strong personality. And you’re probably well respected by the people around you.
11) You are decisive
Being a strong personality means knowing exactly what you want. And having an unwavering set of principles and ideals can make it much easier to make decisions.
Strong personalities are guided in their decisions by their core values and ideals. This makes them very decisive, which in turn means people respect their leadership qualities.
And finally…
12) You set firm boundaries
Are you the type of person who has strong boundaries of what you will and won’t tolerate, both from yourself and the people around you? If so, you may have a strong personality.
Strong personalities know exactly what they want and are confident enough to clearly tell others where their boundaries are.
That doesn’t mean being bossy or a control freak. But it means respecting yourself enough to establish with others the behavior you expect from them, and what they can expect from you.
This kind of clear communication often makes people respect you, because they know exactly where they stand.
Being a strong personality
How about you?
Do you exhibit the traits listed above? Are you someone that people come to for advice? Do you often find yourself in leadership roles? Do you grow through conflict and challenges?
Do people immediately respect you?
If so, chances are good you have a very strong personality. And if so, congratulations! You’re lucky to be the kind of person that others instantly respect.
