Type A or Type B?
By katsmeow1213
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
United States
October 1, 2011 8:58am CST
I've been studying personality types in school.
If you seem to constantly be in a hurry, want everything to be perfect or your way, and have difficulty accepting things that aren't your way, you probably have Type A personality.
If you're more easygoing, accepting, and feel no compusion to compete, you're probably a type B personality.
It is said Type A personalities get sick more often, but they also get raises and promotions more frequently than type B personalities.
I'm a Type A personality. That describes me perfectly! My husband leans more towards Type B. He's not a completely Type B, there are times when he shows a few Type A traits.. but over all he's a Type B. Although there are times we butt heads on things, mostly we get along almost perfectly. We've always said we balance each other out.
My manager at my current job is also a Type B.. to the letter! My old manager was more of a Type A, but she fell sick and had to step down from her role. Personally, I loved the old manager. The new one doesn't work as hard and isn't as concerned with getting things done. I am very concerned with getting things done, so it's stressful on me to work with the new manager. I like her as a person, I just don't really like working with her that much.
I'm not always happy with being a Type A personality. I wish I could let things go more often, especially when I have no control over them. Like at my current job. Sometimes it gets really busy, and when it gets really busy that usually means we'll be stuck there late to get everything done. Most of the time this causes a huge amount of stress because I want to get everything done quickly. I wish I could be more like a Type B personality and not stress over the fact that I'll be stuck at work a little longer than I'd like to be.
Which personality type are you? Do you mesh well with those who are the opposite of you at work or in your personal life? Do you sometimes wish you could be the other personality type? Which do you think is the better type to be?
3 people like this
14 responses
@ravinskye (8237)
• United States
1 Oct 11
I feel like I may be split down the middle on that one. I'm not usually in a hurry and things done have to be perfect but I usually want things to go my way and if my plans get changed I don't always handle it well. I'm also easy going though and accept change if it's to other peoples plans lol. I don't feel a major compulsion to compete other than on games on facebook, I like to see my name at the top of the scoreboard lol. I don't get sick very often either but that also could be from my lack of getting out of the house often enough lol. I guess I'm bi-polar! lol I usually can get along with everyone also.
1 person likes this
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
1 Oct 11
I think I am a mixture too.. I want things to be neat and nice, but I don't have a heart attack if they aren't. However, when it comes to my work, I need it to be right, because my name is associated with my work reputation.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
1 Oct 11
I diagnos you with split personality disorder. LOL. J/K.
I think being a mixture of both is good. You know what's important and will fight for that, but you're also willing to let things go. To me that sounds well rounded.
BTW- I don't get sick much either.. but I'm young still. Eventually the stress I put on myself will catch up with me and I'll start having very serious problems like high blood pressure, heart problems, maybe a stroke. I need to learn how to calm down while I'm still young and healthy!
@r03249 (357)
• Philippines
2 Oct 11
Hi katsmeow!
I always wonder what's the difference between the two because they say Type A personality gets more heart diseases than the Type B's because they are workaholic. But I haven't look at the definition of the two and so I thank you for this. :)
If that it, then I'll definitely have a Type A personality. I don't know why, but I feel like I'm always in a hurry. It seems like any minute I'll be late and sometimes I hate it because I can't work smoothly. I want everything to be perfect. Especially my paper works. I even thought I am an OC because I had to look at what I did a hundred times before I'm convinced that nothing's wrong. And accepting things.. kinda hard for me. That's why I easily get depressed whenever I am rejected or embarrassed or humiliated.
And it's so hard, sometimes, being a type A, really. It's frustrating but not all the times because it gives positive results. :)
I don't really get conflicts with Type B's. I like them, actually. They make my life more easy going. I just hate it when everything should be serious yet they joke around and messes with everything.
Have a nice day!
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (161165)
• United States
2 Oct 11
I am a little bit of both. I find I become more Type A as I age. I want things when I want them, how I want them and I want them done that way yesterday, and I want you to read my mind and know what I want and why I want it that way. I was much happier when I did not want so much. It is better if I get enough sleep.
@GardenGerty (161165)
• United States
2 Oct 11
Yes, both at home, which can be scary. He does take notions to cook or do dishes or whatever, and it is not always how I want it and I just have to accept that he has done it. If I am consciously thinking about things, I know that people are more important than things.That helps.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
2 Oct 11
OMG.. that's almost scary how well you just described me here.. but you forgot something which may or may not pertain to you, probably not because as I recall you and your husband are both unemployed still? Well, as you know mine works like 50 hours a week plus I work usually opposite hours and do my schooling.. so if I want him to do the dishes when he gets home, not only do I want him to read my mind to understand that he needs to do the dishes, but I also want him to be in 2 places at once so that he's not taking time away from me while he does those dishes!
1 person likes this
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
2 Oct 11
From what u have said i'm definitly a type a.No sense stressing over what type u are.U can't change the facts, lol.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
2 Oct 11
I'm not stressing over being a Type A.. but being a Type A makes me stress over everything else, like getting things done right and in a timely manner. I don't really like being that way. It's good to want to get things done right and quickly.. but I shouldn't stress so bad if I can't get to it when I want to.
@bounce58 (17385)
• Canada
9 Oct 11
I am definitely Type A!
I set expectations for me, and sometimes for everybody else. And I easily get frustrated if things don't go my way. It's not that I do something about it, it just bothers me to no end if something isn't as it is supposed to be. That's the reason too that I have to be doing a million things at the same time. So, I don't have to dwell on things, and see how frustrating they are.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
9 Oct 11
Funny, I was just telling myself yesterday that my expectations of other people, even complete strangers, is way too high. Anything I do, I take very seriously. I can't do things half way. Even my job at Subway.. you know I don't get paid enough to deal with some of the stuff I deal with, but I treat that job as if I'm the one running the store myself. I want everything done just right, and I could never dream of leaving the store looking like a mess at the end of the night. Last night we were creamed, we got so busy. My co-worker stayed an extra hour and half to help me get caught up with my work. I easily could have said "Well we don't need to mop or clean the bread cabinets, they'll see that we were really busy and they'll understand". Well I did it all anyway. The only thing I didn't do was set out bread trays for the opener, but that's not something that I have to do.. I usually just do it to be nice.
@rose1717 (190)
• United States
2 Oct 11
I am type B personality. My husband also is type B. We get along really well. Our Moms are both type A. My mom rushes and hurries, stresses out a lot because no one can do it like she does, or so she says. I usually get along ok with her as long as we are not both organizing something. If we are, it drives me crazy because she is so high strung.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
2 Oct 11
Well she can't help it. She's probably used to it from raising kids and needing to make sure everything is just so for the kids. I think becoming a mom has made me more Type A than I used to be. I have to do everything myself because nobody does it as well as I do, and in my head I know the concequences of it not being done right. If the kids aren't dressed right before school they may get picked on. If laundry isn't done everyday we may not have clean socks tomorrow. If the dishes aren't done we may get bugs in the house. Where as my husband thinks the kids can go to school dressed however they want and they will survive just fine, the laundry can wait or we'll do it later, the dishes can wait and we'll work around them.
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
2 Oct 11
I am probably more type B.....I like getting things done but I don't have a fit if they don't. I am more laid back but usually am right on completing things or getting to them. I think type B is probably a little easier to live with.....I don't want to be type A....this late in life I like the laid back part!
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
28 Oct 11
I'm a B. A's can sometimes be too intense for me. I don't think it's a matter of one being better than the other, just different.
But I don't think I'm nearly as much at risk for a heart attack at 53 as some of the A's I know.
@frankiecesca (2489)
•
5 Oct 11
I guess I am type A! I even do get ill more than hubby who is definitely type B! How mad is it to think there are really only two types like that!
@singlemommy (2955)
• United States
2 Oct 11
I would say I am a mixture of Type A & Type B. Like type A, I am always in a hurry, but like Type B I am easygoing and accepting. I guess it is good to be a little bit of both. :)
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
2 Oct 11
Sounds like your more Type B. Type A is a lot more controlling, the urgency is just an added trait. Since you're primarily easy going and accepting I'd say you're primarily a B. But some people do fall somewhere in the middle of the scale. So you're a Type B with a couple Type A traits.
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
1 Oct 11
I was a type A but over the years have morphed into a bit of B too. I no longer expected everything to be done my way and compromised a great deal. probably too much in some cases as people walked all over me. My husband was definitely a B. Three of my children are A's and one is a B. Have a great weekend.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
1 Oct 11
I think it's natural to turn into more of a B as you get older (not that you're old!!). You begin to learn that nothing is as important as you make it out to be, so you can relax and go with the flow. I need to learn that soon!
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
4 Oct 11
I actually think that I'm an even mix of a type A personality and a type B personality. In fact, when I was in college I was so curious about learning as much as possible about my own personality (I was a psychology minor) that I took a complete class on personality. I found that most of my tendencies are toward a type B personality, but on those type A characteristics that I have, I am to the extreme with them.
I think that is honestly what makes me a good writer.
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
1 Oct 11
Hi Kats! I'm a mixture between the two. I'm a writer, and I am very serious about my work. I will devote 6 to 8 hours to my writing, but some days I am more productive than other days due to having other things to do to... like chores around the house. I can't just stop and let the house go to pot because I have a job to do. So I try to loosely schedule my work time and then get up in between and do what needs to be done.
I might only get 2 articles done in a day... when I used to get 5 or more done... this used to bother me, but if I am not on a deadline I can pretty much set my own... like now.. I have a plan to submit 10 articles at once for payment so that my payment will be $50 or more... instead of submitting them one by one and getting $5 here and there... so I have set my own deadline to be by October 10... that gives me plenty of times to get them done and submitted. I have my own private website that I put them on until I am ready to submit them. I have my keywords and meta tags all included so all I have to do is copy and paste them into AC when I am ready.
I'm still very devoted to what I do, but I don't kick myself if I don't quite make my goal for each day. I am a stickler for the quality of my work. That will never change.
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
1 Oct 11
I think you would need more than just your work ethic to decide which personality type you are. Although I know for a fact I am an A type, I still have varying work ethics depending on the day, my mood, my energy level, and who else I'm working with.
@rmendoza123 (637)
• Philippines
2 Oct 11
maybe i'm a Type-A person, because i want everything to be perfect, it's difficult for me to accept things just the way they are, im more of a skeptic type.
