5 Things Only Type A People Will Understand
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“He’s so Type A!” It’s something that we’ve all heard used to describe someone who is hardworking, demanding or extremely organized – and not always in a positive way. Now a fixture in pop-culture psychology, the concept has been around since the 1950s, when cardiologists Meyer Friedman and Ray Rosenman found a link between heart disease and what’s now identified as “Type A personality.” And while the stereotypes about this kind of person are easy to recognize, concrete criteria for who is and isn’t a Type A isn’t as clear-cut, especially for someone who is, let’s say, on the compulsive side.
“You realize you’re a Type A person when you work with Type Bs – and vice versa,” says Michael Sanger, manager for Hogan Assessments, a company that provides personality assessments to businesses. “And true growth happens when you appreciate and learn from the other personality type.” Don’t know if you’re a Type A? Keep reading to see how many of these traits you identify with.
1. You Race the Person on the Treadmill Next to You
Even if the other person isn’t aware you’re competing against them, you just can’t help but indulge your desire for the top spot. “Because of their goal-oriented focus, Type As tend to be competitive in all things,” says Molly Owens, CEO of Truity, developer of the TypeFinder personality-type assessment.
Related: 9 Things Only Type B People Will Understand
Whether you’re striving to get ahead at work, leading your neighborhood soccer team to victory or simply aiming to be smarter, better, faster and stronger than you were yesterday, it’s important that you find an outlet for your strong competitive nature – just as long as you can still be a gracious winner and avoid being a sore loser.
2. You’re Headed to the Top of the Ladder or Bust
Type A personalities are typically considered outgoing, domineering high achievers,” says Owens. “They are driven by lofty goals and typically focus on things like social standing, accomplishments and traditional status symbols.” So if you’re always gunning for that promotion and keep that corner office in the back of your mind at all times, you’re likely a Type A. But remember, work isn’t everything, so make it your goal to keep your work life and your personal life in balance.
3. Your Motto Is: “If You Want Something Done Right, Do It Yourself”
Sure, you could delegate a task to someone else, but when it comes to doing something correctly – and on time – you prefer to handle it yourself. While this means that Type A people are usually incredibly efficient at getting a lot done, doing too much can take its toll. “We think everything is our responsibility, and thus, within our control to affect,” says stress-reduction expert Melissa Heisler. “We fear if we don’t take care of everything there will be horrible consequences.”
Related: Physical Effects of Stress & How to Keep it in Check
Heisler tells her clients to try an experiment: Stop doing. Just for a little bit (and on something without an urgent deadline). Or delegate a smaller task. You’ll see that the world doesn’t end just because you didn’t handle something personally.
4. You Get Stressed and Frustrated Easily
Though there are plenty of great things that come with being a Type A, one of the worst is the way your health can suffer if you don’t keep your Type A tendencies in check. “In our multitasking-driven world, Type As tend to get ahead in terms of traditional barometers of success, but their health is likely to suffer,” says clinical psychologist Ramani Durvasula. “Research has shown that it really was the hostility element of the Type A personality that is most consistently associated with health outcomes like heart disease.”
So when you feel yourself getting stressed, ask yourself if it’s really worth it to get worked up over something that you may not even be able to control. Heisler often asks her clients, “If this is the last five minutes of your life, is this what you want to experience?” Take a step back and allow yourself a few deep breaths before diving back in with a clearer head.
5. Your To-Do List Is Ever-Present (and Ever-Growing)
In fact, even your to-do lists have to-do lists (or, at the very least, lots of highlights and annotations). “You know you’re a Type A person when you go over your to-do list first thing in the morning and you’re multitasking to a superhuman amount,” says Heisler. So use your affinity for color-coding and list making to your advantage. Capitalize on your organizational skills to help your non-Type A family members and coworkers and motivate them to do well without setting unrealistic expectations, says Durvasula. Take charge of planning your next family vacation, volunteer to head up a new project at work or organize a weekend getaway for your friends. But maybe, just maybe, learn to delegate some of those action items.
The original article “9 Things Only Type A People Will Understand“ appeared on LIVESTRONG.COM.
By Rachel Grice
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