Did you make a New Year resolution to lose weight and get fitter? How’s it going, are you sticking to it, or is your interest and enthusiasm waning?
How you answer those questions may well be driven by what personality type you are, or so the research findings of Rich Thompson and his colleague’s at OPP found. Their research led them to conclude that how well you stick to your fitness regime will depend in part on your personality type, and on choosing the right conditions in which to exercise?
For example, you will very likely find Extraverts exercising at a gym with others rather than working out at home, alone. Many will attend the same classes regularly so that they can develop and foster relationships. Extraverts will also enjoy sharing their exercise achievements with others.
Introverts, on the other hand, are ambivalent about exercising in the gym or at home but prefer to exercise alone and interact with few people, especially if they also have preferences for Thinking. In general, they tend to keep their exercise achievements to themselves.
When it comes to walking or cycling I think it’s fair to say that most people will like to mix things up a bit and will generally take a variety of routes. However, those with preferences for Intuition or Perceiving will really dislike and feel very frustrated if they are forced to always take the same route.
The research also showed that selecting a fitness coach or instructor will be a different process depending on your personality preferences. For instance, the qualifications and experience of whom they work with will be a very important factor in the selection process for someone with a thinking preference. However, for someone with a preference for feeling their decision will very likely be made wholly on how well they get along with or connect with the instructor or coach.
The research conclusion is that it seems knowing your MBTI type can help you choose a form of exercise that you are more likely to enjoy and stick with, and could well make the difference as to whether or not you are successful with your fitness goals.
Getting fitter is great for individuals, but it does also have some really positive benefits for the companies for whom they work, such as lower levels of illness-related absence and higher levels of job satisfaction and productivity.
Many organisations promote the benefits of exercise programmes but ensuring that people buy into and support these programmes can be a challenge. By better understanding what floats boats for individuals organisations might lead to a greater and more sustained take-up
No one is saying that knowing your MBTI type is going to make you fit overnight, but choosing exercise that works with who you are can certainly make things easier, which has got to be great news for both individuals and organisations.
Meryl Gilbert is a Certified MBTI Practitioner, Trainer and Coach and her business MGL work with organisations and the people within those organisations to be the best that they can be.
If you want to find out what MGL and MBTI can do for you, your business and team, then get in contact with me to arrange a 15 minute no obligation call.