How Important Is It to Know Yourself and What Is the Impact on Life?

The key to success is when we know ourselves well. When we know the personality within ourselves, it will certainly make it easier to determine our life goals, the study programme we will take, the job we will pursue, and the environment we will live in. In addition, we will also be able to socialise well, communicate comfortably, not be burdened in living our lives, and not be torn when making a choice. However, do we already know ourselves well? How can we find out the personality within us?

            It is indeed not uncommon for some of us to still have problems with ourselves. Whether it is not yet fully knowing oneself, leading to social problems, or not yet having found one's true identity, hindering development in the studies or career being pursued. Many of them still do not know how to get to know themselves, and it is not uncommon for some to fail in the process of searching for their identity.

            Psychology is the science concerned with mental processes, both normal and abnormal, and their influence on behaviour. In general, it studies human psychological phenomena related to thoughts, feelings and will; these phenomena generally have almost the same characteristics in every normal human being. These three main phenomena can be observed through human attitudes and behaviour. Psychological investigation is basically centred on investigating what personality is and how to identify it.

            The effort to understand humans, their behaviour, how they adapt to their environment, including how they deal with their needs, is an effort to understand and know personality. Seeing the many problems caused by the many kinds and types of personality, we need to know what human personalities exist and how they behave in social relationships. The personality types to be identified consist of 4 kinds, namely choleric, melancholic, phlegmatic and sanguine.

            According to Mark A. May, personality is what enables a person to have an influence on others. In other words, personality is a person's social stimulus value. According to Woodworth, personality is defined as the quality of a person's entire behaviour. Meanwhile, according to Morrison, personality is the sum total of what an individual achieves by displaying the cultural results of social evolution.

            Basically, a person's personality can change, which means that a person can easily be influenced by something. That is indeed the case. That is why humans make efforts to educate and form personality. Experts differ in opinion about the factors that influence a person's personality. Therefore, their viewpoints and approaches differ regarding its differing existence.

            Nativism is a philosophical doctrine that has influenced schools of psychological thought. Nativism emphasises the role of innate traits, heredity and sensitivity as determinants of a person's personal development. Next, empiricism, whose original name is the School of British Empiricism (Aliran Empirisme Inggris), is the school that emphasises the role of the environment as the determinant of the development of a person's behaviour or personality, and environmental psychology (psikologi lingkungan). Lastly, convergence is a combination of empiricism and nativism. This school holds that it is the interaction between hereditary and environmental factors in the process of developing a person's personality or behaviour, in which a person's personality is determined by the integral work of both internal factors (innate potential) and external factors (the educational environment).

            Among human personality types is the choleric type, the emotional, logical and stubborn one. This type is caused by yellow bile being dominant in the body. Some traits of the choleric type include being dynamic and active, strong-willed and firm, free and independent, somewhat emotional, and easily angered and offended. The second is the melancholic type, the serious, sensitive and persistent one. This type is caused by black bile being dominant in the body. Some traits of the melancholic type include being serious and persistent, genius and intellectual, orderly and neat, talented and creative, thrifty, deeply caring and compassionate, having low self-esteem, easily saddened and often despairing.

            The next personality type is the phlegmatic, the relaxed, calm and orderly one. This type is influenced by dominant phlegm. Some traits of the phlegmatic type include being patient, calm yet intelligent, humble, sympathetic and kind, happily accepting of life, somewhat static, slow, passive and lazy. Then there is the sanguine type, the optimistic, humorous and active one. This type is influenced by dominant red blood. Some traits of the sanguine type include being talkative, having a high sense of humour, a strong memory for colours, being enthusiastic and expressive, cheerful and full of spirit, active, and sociable.

            One way we can get to know ourselves is to be honest with ourselves and do what we want to do without being influenced by others. Start acting maturely by not comparing yourself with others. Take time to evaluate yourself, leave toxic environments and start looking for an environment that suits your personality; do not hesitate to be yourself.

Published on Tuesday, 27 April 2021

Mata Banua Newspaper

Access link : https://matabanua.co.id/2021/04/27/e-paper-harian-pagi-mata-banua-selasa-27-april-2021/