Explorers

 

                Explorers are the most spontaneous of all the different groups. They also have an ability to connect with their surroundings in a way that is beyond the reach for most other types. Explorers are utilitarian and practical, shining in situations that require quick reaction and ability to think on your feet they are masters of tools and techniques, suing them in different ways. They are good at physical things and also convincing others. Unsurprisingly these people are irreplaceable in crisis, crafts and sales, however their traits also push them towards undertaking risky endeavors and focusing on their sensual pleasures only. They are transient in nature most of the time and while very effective as employees they tend to not have any loyalties and prefer to be free spirited and independent.

 

 

ISTP

 

The Craftsman/Mechanic- Bold and practical, experimental, masters of all kinds of tools.

 

Description: ISTP’s are tactile and explorer, they love to work with their hands and examine the world around them using cool rationalism and spirited curiosity. These people are natural makers, moving from project to project, and building and useful they learn about their environment through their projects. Often they turn into mechanics, engineers or carpenters.

 

They find greater joy in getting their hands dirty and pulling things apart then putting them back together after learning how to improve them. The ISTP explores ideas through creating, troubleshooting, trial and error and firsthand experience. ISTP also like to help out, especially if its for a cause they care about and can get emotionally involved in.

 

They only make up 5% of the population however and they tend towards a strange duality, Enigmatic, but private, calm but suddenly spontaneous, curious but unable to stay focused in formal studies. They are very hard to predict as they tend to be have a small control over their inhibitions. They tell off color jokes without thinking about the people hearing it, they get involved in other peoples projects, roughhouse and play around, or suddenly change their plans because something more interesting came up. They are unpredictable and often frustrating to other personality types.

 

Strengths: ISTP”S are optimistic and Energetic and normally up to their elbows in one project or another. Normally cheerful and good natured people they rarely get stressed out, preferring ot go with the flow. They are creative and practice at the same time, which makes them great for Mechanics or crafts people. They are also spontaneous but Rational people, combining spontaneity with logic. They can priorities things with in their own projects well, but often not in their personal life. They are great under crisis situations and under the gun because they are cool and calm and get right into the fray of things to help fix them.

 

Weakness: Stubborn and easily board the ISTP tends to stick to their own projects and avoid taking up others who will just upset them. They are also insensitive because their head is in the game for their own needs first and they are overly private and reserved creating a world to let people into that is more mechanical than personal. They also don’t like long term commitment and prefer a series of short projects over long term ones. Their behavior can also be seen as “Risky” at times as they tend to push boundaries to see what will happen.

 

Famous: Clint Eastwood, Frank Zappa, Tom Cruise, Zachary Taylor

 

How they fair in Karate: the craftsman will be fine in Karate, they will try and dig into the hows and whys of Karate and will excel at Waza because they want to know why it is that things work and how to make tiny physical changes to build better and more effective techniques. The key is to keep the engaged, they will also throw themselves into everything, including Kumite were they will take risks and often find out that its not worth the bumps and bruises.

 

How to teach them Karate: Keep them in the lines, they will work hard but you have to watch them, they will try anything and with little regard for their own safety. They tend to be very energetic and will need to be held to a standard of control. They however will be inquisitive and grow a lot by exploring physically the lessons you have given.

 

What to Expect: Dedication and hard working people that like to get their hands on things and do things in the Dojo. They hate lectures and prefer a brief example then to be put to work looking for the lessons on their own.

 

Conclusion: Solid members of the Dojo with a need to actually do what they are instructed to do and experience the techniques for themselves. They will drill and drill and explore the use of the techniques and then move on. You do have to worry about them as they can be a bit fierce and unrestricted when doing Kumite and can get hurt a lot because of it.

 

 

 

ISFP

 

The Artist /Composer - Flexible and charming artists, always ready to explore and experience something new.

 

Description: ISFP’s are true artists but not in the typical sense. They use aesthetics, design and their own choices and actions to put the limits of social convention. They enjoy upsetting traditional expectations with experiments in beauty and behavior; chances are they’ve expressed more than once the phrase “don’t box me in”! they are colorful and sensual people inspired by connections with people an ideas. They take a great deal of joy in reinventing and experimenting with both themselves and new perspectives. No other type explores or experiments in this way more. They create a sense of spontaneity, making ISFP’s seem even more unpredictable.

 

Even with all this energy they tend to be introverted and creative in solitude not comfortable with the spot light. They live to find ways to push their passions, riskier behaviors like gambling and extreme sports are more common with this personality type than with others. They are very charming in small groups and make them very interesting and popular.  However the ISFP does not take criticism very well, especially of their life choices. They often lose their temper in a spectacular fashion.

 

Strengths: ISFP have the ability to be very charming, they come across as relaxed and warm and their tendency to not be judgmental is very appealing. They are also very sensitive to others and like to help them. They are also very imaginative and being aware of others emotions they can use imagination and creativity to craft bold ideas that speak to people hearts.  They are also passionate and curious. They explore art, feeling aesthetics in such a way that they can reach out to others and show meaning very well. And they are boldly artistic and able to create in tangible ways with stunning beauty. Whether its writing a song, painting and emotion or other artistic endeavors they have the ability to visualize things that resonate with their audience.

 

Weakness: Fiercely independent they are not team players really and their unpredictability is a hindrance for long term commitments and planning including relationships. They are easily stressed out as well. Putting any kind of shackles on them will cause them to rebel and stress out. They also tend to be overly competitive. They escalate small things into intense competitions, turning down long term success for glory found in the minute. They also have an issue with self-esteem in that it fluctuates and goes from a dismal point of self-worth to being very narcissistic in nature.

 

Famous: Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Kevin Costner, John Travolta, Christopher Reeve, Donald Trump, Ulysses S. Grant.

 

How they fair in Karate: they will hate Kumite! They will love Kata and other forms of self-expression. These are the short term students that will stick around more if they realize that Kumite is not about conflict but more about expression of oneself.

 

How to teach them Karate: Show them who they are, let them know that Kumite is a form of self-expression and watch them grow in Kata like nobody else can. You will need to keep an open mind and drive the student softly towards the answers because they are a tad overly sensitive.

 

What to Expect: I always say they won’t stick around full time. They will come and go and depending on their fancy they will come back. Treat them like deer, approach slowly and let them get to know you or they will run. Also remember….Kumite is self-expression not conflict.

 

Conclusion: Colorful and charming they are not the first group you think of as Black belt material but the true artist will flourish in Kata and once they get that fighting is not Kumite and Kumite is not fighting they will start to reveal themselves there as well. They are into everything for the personal growth of it and you have to drive this home with them.

 

ESTP

The salesman/Dynamo/Doer- Smart, energetic and very perceptive people, who truly enjoy living on the edge.

 

Description: ESTP’s always have an impact on their immediate surroundings, the best way to spot them at a party is the whirling eddy of people flitting about them as they move from group to group. Blunt and earthy humor, they tend to love being the center of attention they love to entertain.

 

Theory, abstract concepts and plodding discussions about global issues and their impactions don’t keep ESTP’s Interested at all. They use their intelligence to keep the conversation much more active. They often like to leap before they look and fix their mistakes as they go. They are the likeliest to have a life style filled with risky behavior. They live in the moment and dive into the action and are seen as the eye of the storm. People with ESTP personality types enjoy drama, passion and pleasure, not for the emotional thrills but because it stimulates their mind. This makes school and other highly organized environments a challenge for ESTP’s it certainly isn’t because they are not smart, but the regimented lecturing approach of formal education is just far from the hands on learning that they enjoy.

 

Rules are made to be broken! This is a sentiment few high school instructors or corporate supervisors are likely to share and it earns this type a reputation as hard to handle. If they are able to harness their energy they are super successful because they challenge the conventional norms. This group is also one of the most perceptive of the groups, they can see small changes and read people very well. They also see the changes and call them right away. ESTP’s however often get caught up in the moment and take things far to far, and run roughshod over more sensitive people. They also fail to take care of their own needs and health as they live so much in the moment.

 

Strengths: The ESTP’s are bold and full of energy and they love pushing the boundaries and discovering new things and ideas. They are rational and practical and love random knowledge and philosophy, but not for their own sake. They are also very good at being original and combine their boldness and love to experiment with new ideas and solutions. The ESTP’s are extremely perceptive and good at reading people and situations. They see small shifts in habits and appearance and can read them as changes or just adjustments. They are also very direct in their approach and do not use mind games and communicate clearly and directly. They are also highly social animals and get along good in social groups and are natural leaders.

 

Weakness: the ESTP’s biggest weakness is its inability to empathize with others and this makes them insensitive to others feelings and emotions. They are also very impatient with others and prefer to do thing on their own when possible and draw a crowd to watch them, but not rely on others to do the task with them. They are also risk prone and adrenaline junkies! They love going into uncharted territory and putting their neck out…as long as others see it. They are also chronically unstructured people with a They prefer to live moment to moment and let life’s issues be fixed when they can. They also don’t see the bigger picture in things, they are so focused on what is happening RIGHT NOW that they don’t care about what is happening outside of their here and NOW! If you box them in and try to put rules on them they become very defiant and will rebel against rules and authority.

 

Famous: Ernest Hemmingway, Jack Nicholson, Eddie Murphy, Bruce Willis, James Buchanan.

 

How they fair in Karate: the Salesman/Promoter will do fine with Karate training as long as they first view it as a place to decompress. Great at things like Kumite and short term training they may not stick it out long because they have more important things coming up…all the time. They are fantastic in the club but you need to keep them motivated.

 

How to teach them Karate: they deal better with short term goals than long term goals. Let them focus on the belt in front of them and don’t worry if they don’t talk about black belt or teaching at all. Their attitude is perfect if you can keep them pushing and “selling themselves” on Karate training with repeated short term goals.

 

What to Expect: ESTP’s are hard workers but lack long term focus, you need to keep them in the here and now to show them the benefits. They will be great at short term projects as well if you choose to include them. Getting them to work on Tournaments or such projects will be a benefit to the organization.

 

Conclusion: Few personality types are as charming and attractive as ESTPs. Known for their ability to improvise and focus completely on the present, ESTPs are great at finding exciting new things to explore and experience. ESTPs' creativity and down-to-earth attitude are invaluable in many areas, including their own personal growth.

 

 

ESFP

 

The Performer- Spontaneous energetic and enthusiastic entertainers- life is never boring around them.

 

Description: Spontaneous, selfish, impatient and a little insecure…the ESFP is the type that gets caught up in the excitement f the moment and wants everyone else to feel that way too! They are very generous with their time and energy and encouraging to others and they have great style. They are born entertainers and love the spotlight and all the worlds a stage!

 

Many famous ESFP personality types are actors and love soaking up the attention and making every outing feel like a party. Utterly social there is no greater joy than a good group of friends. They also have a strong aesthetic sense of any type and grooming and any aspect of their lives, from homes to hair, are always don’t up properly.

 

They know its all about them, they are also very observant and are sensitive to others emotions. They provide practical advice and like to help others talk out their issues. They love a little drama and passion but not if it is pointed at them in a negative way. Their biggest challenge is in looking past the immediate pleasures and working hard for future things. They don’t plan well and complex analysis and repetitive tasks do not come easy for them. They would rather rely on luck and opportunity than work for things. The ESFP is welcome whenever there is a need for laughter, playfulness and a volunteer to try something new and fun.

 

Strengths: The ESFP’s are bold and original and never hold back, full of energy and they don’t mind stepping outside of their comfort zone. They are Aesthetics and showmanship experts, not stopping at just what they wear they inject artistic cre3ativityin into the words and actions they do as well. Every day is a performance and ESFP’s love to put on a show. They are practical and emotionally observant which makes them great at working out issues with others and being great emotional councilors. They have EXCELLENT people skills and listen well. They are talkative, witty and very caring people and don’t mind seeking out answers for others issues.

 

Weakness: they are overly sensitive and strongly emotional, and very vulnerable to criticism and react poorly to this. They don’t like Conflict in any shape and will avoid it any way they can. They are easily board and will move from one drama or spot light to the next and when it gets dull they move along. They are incredibly poor long term planners and live so much in “the now” that they fail to make any kind of plans for life down the road. And they are often unfocused without a project in front of them.

 

Famous: Marilyn Monroe, Eva Gabor, Steve Irwin, Jamie Oliver, Arsenio Hall.

 

How they fair in Karate: the performers have a rough time with Karate because they are very well adapt at doing the Kata and Waza and even can go through Kumite well, but the minute they are corrected their self-confidence begins to melt away. They need to be handled lightly and most instructors don’t have the patience for this.

 

How to teach them Karate: KID GLOVES and still a firm hand. They can be or create a huge distraction in classes and you need to be able to put them in their place…without looking like you are doing it. Be mindful of their overly sensitive reactions and focus on keeping things off a personal level when correcting them, offer up alternatives over pushing them to hard. The Drill sergeant approach does not work here.

 

What to Expect: a tad flighty in their training and often off doing other projects the performer is a difficult student to keep happy and training. They will eat up a large percentage of your time and still probably find a new idea or task to focus on aside from Karate.

 

Conclusion: Charming and skilled at hiding their true emotions behind a mask, they are difficult to get to know and you will find times that they create more drama than they are worth. Be patient with them and try and keep them engaged or they will just find a new task to get involved in. for them its about personal growth so remember hits and gear your training towards it.