Many people now identify themselves as having a strong personality, and while there are plenty of upsides to this, there are also some potential hazards to consider.
It is not uncommon for the underlying traits of such a personality to get out of hand and actually cause trouble to the individual and those around them.
If you have this type of character, you may wish to learn about the 12 pitfalls below so that you can avoid them at all costs.
1. Lacking Tact In Conversation
You have strong opinions and you are not afraid to express them to others.
While this can be seen as confidence, it can also come across as rude or inconsiderate.
You should try to understand that, in some circumstances, your outspokenness might not be the best approach to take.
It might benefit you to pick and choose when to speak up, while adopting a more amenable manner when the situation calls for it.
Perhaps the wisest advice would be to take a moment to consider the context of a conversation before deciding what to say.
2. Not Listening
Conversations do not only require you to speak. There is a need for you to listen to what others are saying.
It is important, however, that you don’t listen merely to respond.
When the other person is speaking, if all you are doing is preparing your next sentence, you are likely to miss the full, nuanced meaning of what is being said.
Furthermore, it can be quite obvious when you are not paying attention and this can be read as uncaring or uninterested.
You may be used to doing most of the talking, but you can easily take it too far if you are not careful.
Be conscious of the balance between the participants and try not to take over the conversation.
3. Seeking Dominance
Because of your strength of character, it can feel natural to control a situation.
You may be the type of person who takes charge in order to get things done, but you must try to do so without dominating those involved.
Leading is one thing, but dictating is a whole different ball game.
If you try to pursue your own agenda without consulting those around you, the likely result will be one of resentment and bitterness.
If you’ve been called bossy before, this may be a sign that you haven’t quite achieved the balance between assertiveness and diplomacy.
4. Manipulating Others
When not kept in check, a strong personality may sometimes come across as manipulative because of the ‘can do’ attitude alluded to above.
To see that things are done your way, it can be quite easy to let a little bit of bribery, deceit, and trickery creep into your conduct.
You may not see the harm in pulling out the charm to get what you want, but by bending them to your will, you might leave some with a bad taste in their mouth.
There is a fine line to walk between persuading someone to follow your advice and manipulating them into doing so.
Be very wary of slipping into the latter.
5. Being Overly Competitive
Competition is something that can be both beneficial and detrimental to those who participate.
When the competition is healthy, it can drive you forward and help you to accomplish great things, but take it too far and you relinquish control to your dark side.
It is quite common for a strong personality to go hand-in-hand with a competitive nature.
You may be an achiever in various aspects of your life, but this can rub people up the wrong way if you are not careful.
Being successful can be both exhilarating and isolating.
If you let your desire to win control you at times where a friendly and relaxed approach is more appropriate, it can build barriers between you and others.
Remember, collaboration and teamwork is often required to reach the pinnacle in many walks of life.
If you set out to win in everything you do, it might prevent you from doing just that.
6. Arrogance
You might hold yourself in quite high regard and feel confident in any situation, but as with competitiveness, this can also be taken too far.
If you become boastful about your achievements or ostentatious in your use of the rewards, people will find it difficult to relate to you.
It is generally a good idea to remain humble despite any success so that those around you don’t feel intimidated or alienated.
It is worth remembering that you can’t take anything with you beyond the grave, and that the best friends you’ll ever have will be the ones who love you regardless of your physical abilities, mental aptitude, or material wealth.
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7. Aggression
Sometimes you may slip from assertiveness into downright aggression as you try to get your point across, and this is not a behavior that anyone likes to see.
The chances of this happening increase significantly when you encounter another strong personality.
It can be nigh-on impossible to reconcile differences of opinion when you both have such self-assurance and determination.
When a debate turns into an argument, it doesn’t matter who comes out on top – the damage will already have been done.
Feeling attacked and needing to go on a counteroffensive only serves to destroy inner peace.
It causes stress, anger, and hurt than can last long after the confrontation has ended.
8. Impatience
There’s a good chance that you are a doer more than you are a thinker and this can lead you to make somewhat rash decisions from time to time.
This impatient part of you enjoys the buzz of getting things done, trying new things, and seeing dreams become reality.
Unfortunately, this impulse can get you into some sticky situations that could have been avoided with a bit more due care and attention.
What’s more, slowing down just a little bit can often lead to great results at the end.
If you act on every whim, maybe it’s time to take a deep breath before diving in head first.
9. Taking Risks
One of the most obvious outcomes of any impatience you may have is the risks this often leads you to take.
When you neglect to think things through, you may put your body, mind, health, wealth, and wellbeing in jeopardy.
This is a trap than many strong characters end up in when they fail to fully consider the consequences of their actions.
If you have ever been guilty of charging ahead with something before making the necessary preparations, then you’ll know what this means.
10. A Reluctance To Seek Help
This type of personality typically requires an abundance of self-belief. You think that you are capable of anything you put your mind to.
Unfortunately, one possible result of this is an unwillingness to ask for help when it is needed.
Being so sure of your own abilities, you prefer to just keep trying at something rather than seek the assistance or guidance of another individual.
You may fear looking weak or you may consider it a failure, but if you are unable to ask others for help, it may not prove your resilience, it may simply demonstrate your pigheadedness.
11. Stubbornness
On a similar note, strength of character is often associated with an element of stubbornness.
You may hold certain views or do things in a particular way and these may not be up for discussion.
This can, of course, be a good thing. It can also be damaging to all kinds of relationship where an element of flexibility often comes in handy.
It can be a source of conflict, driving a wedge between you and others while also being fairly unwise if you aren’t willing to adapt to new circumstances or evidence.
12. Suffering Burnout
People with strong personalities are more inclined to be busy, active individuals whose diaries are packed with events and responsibilities.
While you may well enjoy this frenetic pace, seeing it as living life to the full, you run a greater risk of burnout if you don’t occasionally take time to relax.
The idea of slowing down and chilling out may not sound that appealing to you, but it will prevent a far less desirable result.
