The Self-Righteous Mechanisms of Personas

As described in the book, each Persona is associated with particular thought patterns which result in certain emotional triggers. Understanding these underpinning triggers will greatly influence the control one can have over the demolition of the Persona mechanism.

Avoiding the association of unwanted patterns with negative emotions is a crucial step to the dis-confirmation of the Persona mechanism.

The following table will outline what is the most common thought-to-emotion association for each Persona. If such an association sounds familiar to you, then be aware that each time such a thought enters the mind is almost immediately followed by the corresponding emotive reaction (around 100 msec), so that a stronger confirmation of the thought mechanism has taken place.

Persona	Thought Pattern	Negative Emotion
Sanguine	I can’t have it all	Dissatisfaction
Lymphatic	I have failed	Discouragement
Nervous	I’m better than that	Pride
Melancholic	What about me?	Envy
Bilious	They’re in my way	Anger
Phlegmatic	It’s pointless	Apathetic

Imagine the Persona as an addict; its drug of choice is an emotive reaction caused by a thought pattern. The currency the Persona uses to obtain its drug is specific recursive problems and therefore, as an addict, its mission is to find problems in order to have the emotive reaction it seeks and continue the repetitive pattern as long as it exists.

How do you stop an addict? You stop the availability of drugs? You force a different behavior?

In the case of the Persona, the only way to eliminate the problems it causes is to stop providing the emotional feedback.

In other words, stop confirming the negative thoughts with emotive reactions.

Problem Currency

Confirmation Addiction!

Negative Thought Drug Dealer

Emotive Reaction Drug

Self-perception Craving

Persistence vs Stubbornness : Know when to Detour

Persistence is often the key to success: true.

Perseverance and determination are elements that contribute to the achievement of every important goal: true.

Nevertheless we humans have a tendency to interpret every act of purposefulness with something else: stubbornness.

Stubbornness is the force that drives us to be self-righteous and 100% convinced of something even when we are completely and objectively wrong.

Diligence and fortitude are essential for achievement and great performance but when insistence is taking the place of persistence one can end up performing the same action repeatedly after failure. When studying effective people you can always find a blend of determination and flexibility at the core of their decision-making engine.  They would never stubbornly fixate on one task or problem without trying different approaches; otherwise this will stop them from attaining the desired end.

Often times, a detour or an alternative approach around the insurmountable wall in front is the only way to get to where you want to go, so that the aim persistently remains while you are dealing with the problems that may crop up along the path.

The real stoppage arises when one is so fixated on a present problem to the point that the original aim is lost and the person falls into the qualms and worries of the hindering situation.

Whichever way you choose to travel, do so with confidence, drive, and resolution. But when faced with an insuperable and unchanging obstacle, don’t try to continue as you have so far banging with frustration against it.

Keep the goal persistently in your mind while trying to creatively solve the problems in the way.