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Knowing my personality type has always been just a fun way to analyze myself. My MBTI is now ISFP or The Adventurer (when a few months ago, it was ENFP and a few years ago, it was INFJ!). My Enneagram is Type 7 or The Enthusiast. My zodiac sign is Pisces, and I feel like most of its stereotypical traits are accurate for me. But all those information is just interesting trivia that float around my head.
Little did I know, personality types can also be useful when trying to achieve certain goals, such as managing your finances better. Luckily, the company I work for got a captivating motivational speaker and coach, Jayson Lo, who introduced me to yet another personality typing system called DISC. Knowing which DISC I fall under has made me understand why I spend the way I do and how I can improve.
What is DISC and what are the personality types?
One of the concepts that Jayson passionately discusses is the DISC Personality Types. First proposed in 1928 by physiological psychologist William Moulton Marston, DISC is essentially a personal development model. It aims to illustrate the “behavioral expression of emotions,” generally categorized into four types. Jayson adapted this model to Pinoys, and in his book, YOUnique, he defines DISC as represented by Filipino fable characters:
- Dominant Eagle
- Influential Rooster
- Steady Carabao
- Corrective Tarsier
In his book, he explains, “These characters can serve as icons to represent who we are: our strengths and our weaknesses, our motivations and our desires, our tension areas and sweet spots, our perspectives in life, and how we react to situations based on those perspectives.”
BTW, you may have primary and secondary personality types. For instance, you may be mainly a Dominant Eagle, but you also have traits of an Influential Rooster. He included a personality test and explained the quadrant model and the nuances between these four in the book.
How can you apply your DISC personality to finances?
In an exclusive interview with Cosmo.ph, Jayson stressed that in managing your money, the best place to start would be to know your roles. Are you a provider, a manager, a supporter, or all of the above? “We're not putting them in a box or categorizing them. When it comes to money, we have to understand our roles,” he says. Once we know our roles and we figure out our personality type (or behavior tendencies), then we can figure out what success to us looks like and what money means to us.
Jayson highlights that the mindset about money is relative. “[The true value of] money is not the amount that you accumulate, but it's the contentment that you have. Contentment is the most powerful financial principle because when you're contented, you have your own definition of success and happiness, and you know that money cannot make you happier—instead, it's contentment. Once you reach contentment, you will find that simple joys of life actually mean more and can bring you more than all of the possessions that money can buy.”
Of course, for anyone at a loss on where to start, these concepts might seem vague. Jayson suggests taking baby steps first. “In life, we need to be good in a few things that we can be the best in rather than a jack of all trades and a master of none,” he suggests. “It was Bruce Lee who said, ‘I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man was practiced one kick, 10,000 times.’ So, what is it that you want to learn about money? Start with the basics, and then grow your knowledge from there. Kasi success is sequential. It's one step at a time.”
He also points out, “The key here really is not comparing yourself to others and keeping in mind that skills are built over time. Now, it's so confusing with social media, where you really can’t help comparing yourself to others. For example, chances are, many would want to travel again because they saw their friend traveling.” Jayson says that in these instances, you need to focus on your own finish line and not on whatever those friends are doing. “It’s important that you understand that you have your own race to run and don’t compare yourself to others.”
So what’s your DISC personality and how can you start handling money better this year?
Money management can be a difficult task for many. But understanding your DISC personality type can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses when it comes to your finances. With excerpts from Jayson Lo’s YOUnique, here’s an overview of the DISC personality types and some tips on how to be better at managing your money based on yours:
Dominant Eagle
“The eagle soars the air to look for its prey, and like the eagle, the main goal in life of a Dominant is to conquer.”
Make use of your natural leadership skills by setting financial goals and creating a plan to achieve them. Use your risk-taking nature to your advantage by seeking out investment opportunities, but make sure to do your research first. Be mindful of your tendency to overspend and try to stick to a budget.
Influential Rooster
“The Influential personality is much like the rooster, in the sense that both desire the attention of everyone in sight. They back up their talk with flair.”
Use your social skills to your advantage by networking and seeking out financial advice from trusted individuals. Take advantage of your natural optimism by setting positive financial goals and visualizing yourself achieving them. Be aware of your tendency to make impulsive purchases and always keep your budget in check.
Steady Carabao
“Like [carabaos], the Steady personality is patient, hardworking, and dependable. They are easily the most balanced among the four personality types.”
Make use of your organized nature by creating a detailed budget or financial plan and sticking to it. Your patience will come in handy when seeking out long-term investment opportunities. Be mindful of your tendency to avoid risk-taking and try to step out of your comfort zone when it comes to finances from time to time.
Corrective Tarsier
“Corrective personalities may be seen as having inquisitive eyes. All of us see things in a certain usual way, but Corrective personalities seem to have a sixth sense about certain situations.”
Make use of your analytical nature by researching investment opportunities and creating a well-thought-out financial plan. Take advantage of your attention to detail by regularly reviewing your budget and making adjustments as needed. Be aware of your tendency to be too cautious and try to take calculated risks when it comes to finances.
Will these DISC personalities help in managing a couple’s finances?
Jayson and his wife, Kat, also authored YOUniquely in Love, which lets you get a better understanding of your partner based on their DISC personality type. Aside from the rich insights from this book, Jayson also advises that there should be complete trust between partners, especially for married couples. He says you need to ask, “Are you aligned with your definitions [of success or your goals] and values? If not, how do you meet halfway? The most important values in families is not your individual ones, but your shared values. There should be synergy between you and your spouse. Find out how those ‘definitions’ can help you grow together and build from that.”
He also suggests a practical new habit that couples can practice: regular money talks and budgeting dates. “Once they talk about money, it’s encouraging, empowering, and exciting to be on the same page. It’s possible to talk about debts, payables, bills, and all that and be more positive about it. Once you have the basics in place, such as laying out your definitions of money, mastering your emotions, and mastering your relationship with money, then comes the exciting part: Building it, one step at a time.”
He recommends, “Try meeting with your spouse regularly. Maybe start off once a month. Eventually, meet maybe once every week. You can talk ten minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes until it becomes a habit and it becomes a pleasant conversation.” You may start from merely discussing what bills you need to pay and eventually, once you grow your money, you can plan the exciting joint ventures you can have with it.
Another idea for competitive couples out there: “You can even turn it into a game. Let’s sat, combine your salaries and each of you get a certain percentage like 5%. At the end of the next month, you can compare what you did with your 5%, how you made it grow, what investments you made, or what you’re saving up for. I personally know a couple who has a friendly competition of whose stocks made better profits. Kanya-kanyang trip ‘yan.”
Remember, these tips are meant to serve as a guide and it's important to keep in mind that everyone's financial situation is unique. It's always a good idea to consult a financial advisor for personalized advice. By understanding your DISC personality type and utilizing your strengths, you can make better financial decisions and be better at handling your money in the new year.
Grab a copy of Jayson Lo’s books via his website or Shopee. For more bits of inspiration, follow him on social media, tune into his podcast “The YOUnique Life by Jayson Lo” on Spotify and Apple, or tune into his upcoming talks and workshops.
Links are updated regularly and as much as possible, but note that products can run out of stock, discounts can expire, and listed prices can change without prior notice.
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