Blue

One of the checklist items for the Pay It Forward Scholarship was completing the color survey. Many years ago, I embraced the MBTI and am comfortably in the INTJ quadrant. Supposedly less than 1% of people reside there, yet, nearly everyone I associate with falls in or near the INTJ. The Color Code was new to me. I was uncomfortable with the test. Either none of the terms seemed to fit me or the ones that did seemed to conflict with what I’d chosen earlier. How could I be reliable and unreliable at the same time? I struggled with this. The instructions said to go with my gut feel, so I focused on not dwelling too long on any one item.

I came out as a Blue. What did that mean? Here’s what the site says:

Motive [ Intimacy ]

Blues are motivated by Intimacy. They seek to genuinely connect with others, and need to be understood and appreciated. Everything they do is quality-based. They are loyal friends, employers, and employees. Whatever or whomever they commit to is their sole (and soul) focus. They love to serve and give of themselves freely in order to nurture others’ lives.

ABOUT BLUE

Blues have distinct preferences and have the most controlling personality. Their personal code of ethics is remarkably strong and they expect others to live honest, committed lives as well. They enjoy sharing meaningful moments in conversation as well as paying close attention to special life events (e.g. birthdays and anniversaries). Blues are dependable, thoughtful, and analytical; but can also be self-righteous, worry-prone, and moody. They are “sainted pit-bulls” who never let go of something or someone once they are committed. When you deal with a BLUE, be sincere and make a genuine effort to understand and appreciate them.

The About Page says this about the colors in general:

Red are the power wielders. Power: the ability to move from point A to point B and get things done, is what motivates and drives these people. They bring great gifts of vision and leadership and generally are responsible, decisive, proactive and assertive.

Blue are the do-gooders. Intimacy: connecting, creating quality relationships and having purpose, is what motivates and drives these people. They bring great gifts of quality and service and are generally loyal, sincere, and thoughtful.

White are the peacekeepers. Peace: the ability to stay calm and balanced even in the midst of conflict, is what motivates and drives these people. They bring great gifts of clarity and tolerance and are generally kind, adaptable, and good-listeners.

Yellow are the fun lovers. Fun: the joy of living life in the moment, is what motivates and drives these people. They bring great gifts of enthusiasm and optimism and are generally charismatic, spontaneous, and sociable.

I think the “do-gooder” comment turned me off at first. There are strong negative connotations with that phrase. Also, the idea of connecting with others. That’s not something I do well. Additionally, the comment about paying close attention to special life events doesn’t seem to fit. I really do not do this. I do agree the Blue description seems to fit me better than any of the other colors. I’m not certain if the pie chart on my results page is indicative of my color break down. I have not paid for access to the advanced analysis, but if I had to guess, I’d guess the smallest piece of the pie is Yellow, and the other two pieces, which are about even, would be the Red and White of my personality.

I bought the book and took the test on paper. I am solidly a Blue (24), and I’m becoming more comfortable with that. My distant secondaries are tied (9 each), Red and White. Yellow comes in a very distant third (3). No wonder I have no idea how to have fun. And apparently my desire for power is offset by my desire for peace. Just kidding on all those — I haven’t read enough about the system to know what the answer really is.