Sometimes, we all wonder how other people see us.
Have you ever been told you have a strong personality and wondered what it meant?
Or do you sometimes notice that your personality seems just a little bit more forceful than other people’s?
When you know how to listen, the way you behave tells you everything you need to know about what kind of person you are.
So keep an eye out for these behaviors that are sure signs of a strong personality.
1) You are direct
Everyone has a different communication style. And people with strong personalities tend to have a very direct style of communication.
That means you say what’s on your mind with a minimum of small talk and formalities. You tend to get straight to the point and don’t have a lot of patience for dancing around the subject.
Sometimes, this can make other people feel intimidated by you, or even that you are rude.
But as psychologist Donna DiCampli points out, there is a difference between being assertive and aggressive.
Being assertive means that you communicate your thoughts and desires clearly and briefly, but without hurting other people’s feelings. You protect your own rights but are also aware that other people may disagree.
Being aggressive, on the other hand, is all about trying to win against the other person. And that’s not a sign of a strong personality.
2) You’re decisive
People with strong personalities are also people who often make decisions quickly.
That’s because you like to get to the point and move on.
And also, because you know that often, the worst decision you can possibly make is not making a decision at all.
This can be something as simple as what to order from a menu or something major like what to do for a living.
But whatever the case may be, strong personalities have no trouble accepting responsibility for their own decisions.
And being decisive can be a very useful trait since it often means…
3) You’re comfortable leading
Strong personalities often find themselves in leadership roles.
Their ability to be direct and get straight to the point, as well as their willingness to make even tough decisions quickly, means they are a natural fit for management roles.
Do you often find that you get promoted to leadership roles at work? Or do you find that your friends defer to your decisions, even in social situations?
If so, it may be because you are a strong personality who other people trust to lead.
4) You focus on results
Usually, strong personalities are all about results. In fact, this is another thing that makes them natural leaders.
Strong personalities tend to focus more on outcomes than they do on the process to get there. This makes them very efficient and effective, although it can sometimes seem overbearing to people who are more interested in focusing on processes.
But there is no need to apologize for that. A laser focus on results is what makes strong personalities so successful, both in business and in their personal lives.
5) You’re confident
Confidence is one of the most desirable traits a person can have.
It can lead to greater career success and make you more attractive to other people, too.
According to Australian business coaching firm Kaplan Professional, confidence in the workplace helps you to get more done and communicate more effectively with others.
And according to several psychological studies, both men and women rate confidence highly as an attractive quality they look for in partners.
Having a strong personality means having a healthy belief in yourself and your abilities. It’s not the same as being arrogant, but it means that you aren’t plagued by anxiety and self-doubt.
And because being confident helps you get more out of life, it can often become a self-perpetuating cycle. The more you achieve, the more confident you become.
6) You don’t care what other people think
I don’t mean that you are dismissive of other people’s concerns or that you don’t care about others at all.
What I mean is that people with strong personalities are not shaken by the criticism of others.
Having a strong personality means knowing what you want out of life and going after it. And if other people don’t like that, that’s okay.
If you have a strong personality, you understand that this is your life, and no one else’s, so you need to do what’s best for you, regardless of what others say.
That doesn’t mean you can’t take constructive criticism.
In fact, the confidence people with strong personalities have allows them to take criticism on board and decide for themselves if it is valid or not.
But a strong personality will not be put off pursuing what they want just because somebody else doesn’t think it’s a good idea.
7) You’re strongly motivated
Strong personalities are often strongly motivated, too.
Whatever it is that they want out of life, they aren’t afraid to go after it.
And unlike more timid people, they won’t be put off by struggle, criticism, or self-doubt.
Strong personalities are often excellent at motivating themselves.
“Self-motivation means being driven by a personal desire to set value goals and to focus on, commit to, and move toward these goals despite obstacles,” writes psychologist Arash Emamzadeh.
And that’s a quality strong personalities have in spades.
They don’t procrastinate. They don’t make excuses. They hold themselves accountable for doing what they set out to do.
That’s why they are often highly successful.
8) You take risks
Having a strong personality doesn’t mean being reckless. But it does mean that you are willing to take risks when you feel it can benefit you.
While other people might be afraid to take on a new challenge, you are willing to step up and try something new, even if it fails.
Partly, that’s because you’re less vulnerable to criticism than most people. So if you do fail, you won’t be hurt by what other people think.
Of course, being willing to fail is one of the most important factors in success. So being willing to take risks is another way that people with strong personalities stand out from the crowd.
9) You have strong opinions
Having a strong personality often means having strong opinions.
And being more or less immune to what other people think means that people with strong personalities form their own opinions on any subject, without being swayed by what everybody else thinks.
Plus, because they are not vulnerable to criticism from others, they have no problem expressing those opinions, even when they know they won’t be popular.
Now, that doesn’t mean that people with strong personalities force their views on others. Sometimes, you have to pick your audience and know when your opinion isn’t necessary.
But it does mean that a strong personality has no problem standing up for what they believe in when they see it as being important.
And if that makes you unpopular, so be it.
10) You have good emotional control
We all have emotions, some more powerful than others. But a key sign of emotional maturity is being able to control your emotions and express them in a healthy and positive way.
If you have a strong personality, you are able to control yourself. You aren’t given to outbursts of anger or public displays of sadness.
That doesn’t mean you don’t feel emotions just as strongly as anyone else. It just means you don’t feel a need to burden other people with them.
Sometimes, that can make other people mistake your strong personality for being emotionless. But you know better. And since you have a strong personality, you know it doesn’t really matter what they think.
11) You can be impatient
There are plenty of good aspects of having a strong personality. However, this one is a little more negative.
In psychological terms, a strong personality is often referred to as a type A personality. And as psychologist Elizabeth Scott writes, time urgency and impatience is a common trait of people with this personality.
Getting frustrated at being interrupted by others or waiting in line can increase your stress levels and lower your overall well-being.
So if you have a strong personality, keep an eye on your tendency to lose your patience and try to keep it under control.
The world belongs to strong personalities
Not everyone likes strong tastes.
Sometimes, having a strong personality can rub people the wrong way. Being direct, not caring what other people think, and expressing your opinions can make you come off as rude.
But if you have a strong personality, you already know it’s nothing to apologize for.
And when you consider all the advantages that come with having a strong personality, you’ll see that it can be a great thing to have.
If you recognize these behaviors in yourself, chances are that you have a strong personality.
I would say you don’t need to apologize for it, but you already knew that, didn’t you?
