Color Me Blue: The People Code

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by Sara Louise

Color me blue! Not only is it my favorite color, but it pretty much sums up my personality. Not that I’m always in a state of “the blues,” but I definitely have melancholic tendencies. Since college days, I have been fascinated with personality types and have taken multiple tests to determine my distinctive profile.

Whether comparing personalities to animals, characters in the Bible and literature, or using descriptive psychological terms, most systems differentiate four main personality types, acknowledging you can be a combination of several. Each approach generally results in the same conclusion: our personality is an intrinsic part of our nature and in large part determines how we relate to other people.

Recently I was directed to a personality study by Taylor Hartman in his book entitled The People Code (formerly The Color Code). The subtitle sums up the premise: “It’s all about your innate motive.” The key to unlocking your personality “color” is to find out what motivates you and use this knowledge to improve relationships, both in families and in the workplace.

This method of linking someone’s core motive with their personality was an eye-opener for me, and I was excited to learn more about the people I love, live with, and work around.

According to Taylor, people fall into four main categories based on their motivation: power wielders, do-gooders/connectors, peacekeepers, and fun lovers. Or, for those who remember best by alliteration:  powerful, perfectionist, peaceful, and playful.

This book reinforced what I suspected, that our family was composed of all the colors, and our four children each demonstrated different predominant personalities—at least in this mom’s opinion!

The Red personality marches purposefully through life.

Motivated by power, the Red personality wants to be in control and be productive. They are generally resourceful and  able to see the big picture. They have a need to be respected and to be right. They love a challenge.

The Blue personality thrives on connecting the dots.

Motivated by doing good (and doing it right), the Blue personality innately knows that life is all about relationships. They are directed by a strong moral conscience, and they specifically need to be appreciated and understood. They love to improve the lives of those around them.

The White personality stays calm in the midst of chaos.

Motivated by keeping the peace, the White personality has a keen awareness and astute perspective. They accept life’s challenges for what they are. They need kindness from others and want independence. They welcome diversity of opinions.

The Yellow personality moves to the beat of a different drum.

Motivated by fun, the Yellow personality knows exactly what they love to do and always find the time and resources to do it. They have a need to look good and seek approval from others. Easily bored, they want freedom and crave action and adventure.

These brief descriptions are just a teaser for The People Code‘s 300 pages of fascinating discovery about yourself and those you know. Although not written from a biblical perspective, I found the book to be a helpful tool for understanding how God made us each unique, yet complementary to other personality types. Taylor asserts that personality plays heavily into our interpretation of life.

The author also believes our code of behavior is determined by our motives, our needs, and our wants which are different for each personality. By learning about all the types, we can better understand what makes a person tick.

The “quick guide” for each color type includes both strengths and limitations in the following areas: as an individual, as a communicator, as a goal-setter, as a career person, as a parent, as a child, as a friend, and in a committed relationship.

These are followed up with more subjective observations such as careers most likely to attract each color type, celebrities who appear to be that color, and five things each color group should do before they’re thirty. More helpful in my opinion are the suggested dos and don’ts for relating to each personality type in order to foster a positive connection with them.

Connecting. I guess it’s a “blue” trait. And for me, that’s why I’m drawn to this topic because I really do want everyone to get along! Thankfully, God knew what He was doing when He placed us in our respective families. If it weren’t for our differences, we’d be missing out on a colorful life!

Discover your colors with the free personality test at ColorCode.com.

Sara Louise has been a wife for 31 years, a mother for 30 years, a homeschool teacher and Creative Memories Consultant for 25 years, and a grandmother for 6 years. She feels blessed indeed by the rainbow of relationships she has enjoyed with the people God has placed in her sphere of influence.