At some point, all of us have faced financial difficulty. Whether it’s because of a bad economy, or it’s that we’ve overspent, it’s an unfortunate situation, or just bad luck on a business or investment, we’ve all been there. Our research indicates that based on your temperament the path to financial trouble is unique. In other words, depending on your temperament, your potential demise is a predictable path. We would recommend, therefore, that you understand these destructive paths, in order to avoid the pitfall of bankruptcy from ever happening in your life.
The Guardians path toward bankruptcy occurs when larger systemic forces are in the backdrop. It might be a recession, a bad economy, or the tanking of an industry. Since Guardians are reliable, dependable, and compliant, they follow the rules of the system. So as long as the system is working great, Guardians do well because they follow. When the economy is booming, the Guardians follow along. The sad part of this is that when the economy is suffering, they still follow along. The key to avoiding bankruptcy for the Guardian is about knowing when to go with the flow and when to go against the tide. When the system starts to fail, rather than being a victim of the system, Guardians need to take charge and step up to take matters into their own hands; to not let fate determine where they are taken, but to determine what they will do to survive. Rather than being a victim, they need to find ways to come out victorious.
The Artisans path toward bankruptcy occurs when their need for the adrenaline rush gets out of hand. Artisans play big, live large, make huge bets, and give generously. In business and in life, they want to make big waves. And when they get to see the effects their grand gestures make, it gives them a high. What this means is that they are prone to play, party, and pursue pleasure endlessly. Artisans are also apt to take higher risks, for higher and more immediate payoffs. When there’s an opportunity, they do everything they can to seize it, often betting the entire farm. Artisans are young at heart, and never grow out of it. They can’t just get it out of their system. The antidote to the adrenaline high is to actually get to rock bottom fast. When an Artisan has had enough, and they are sick and tired of the same stuff that doesn’t lead anywhere, they wise up and say, “Enough is enough! I am done.” And when this happens, they jump to their feet ready to pounce.
The Idealists path toward bankruptcy occurs when they are naïve about reality. Idealists reside in their imagination, dreams, and ideals. They can sometimes be unaware of how much money it takes to make life work. Unless they are directly managing the books, they often are oblivious as to where the money comes from, or where it goes. There’s an assumption that believing in the goodness of life and good intentions of people will bring about good things. So, if their relationships are harmonious, and they see that life is beautiful, they are content. Money does not matter to them all that much. And it’s because it doesn’t matter, that they care very little about how much money is made, how much is spent, and how much is saved. For the Idealist, life is so much more than money, so they pay very little attention to it. They use money for good, out of the benevolence of their hearts. So, if they can learn to count their money, they can make their money count for so much more.
The Rationals path toward bankruptcy occurs when they make big errors in judgment or serious miscalculations in their strategies. Rationals are visionary, and they seek to create the future they envision. So they commit, and then align their focus, energy, and resources toward the achievement of their objectives. When their calculations are correct, their investments pay off. When they are off target, and miss the mark, they can be dumbfounded as to how they could have been so off. Rationals are extremely sure of themselves, and this can be a great asset in making it happen. It’s when they’re wrong, however, that they can end up in total disarray. Depending on how gross the error was, recovering from such a place can sometimes be difficult for the Rational. The way to get through this is to anticipate failure as part of the process, and to have contingency plans in place. It’s to be humble and gracious when there is failure, so that they can just get back up and try again.
How money plays a factor in the various temperament combinations. Financial stress can ruin a relationship. Be informed so that you can make better financial decisions. This can make or break your bank account and your relationship.
Depending on your temperament, we have a natural bent toward understanding and approaching money. You are you, for better or for worse, and your natural approach can help you or handicap you. In this article, we’re going to provide you with insight on why you do what you do when it comes to money.