Supportive traits are like great personal assistants that help us navigate through life’s challenges more smoothly. From handling day-to-day responsibilities to tackling complex issues, we often and consciously rely on these trusted aides—our supportive traits—knowing that they are capable and reliable at what they do. Ultimately, living in the absence of our supportive traits is akin to losing both our arms; we would struggle tremendously to function without them.

Your habits shape your identity,
and your identity shapes your habits.

James Clear

As our supportive traits come naturally to us, we tend to employ them effortlessly, as if we are writing and drawing with our dominant hand. Therefore, we often take our supportive traits for granted, not realizing how valuable they are to someone of a different archetype. If left unchecked, we might even run the risk of overusing them, preventing other parts of ourselves from flourishing.

Like our dominant traits, our supportive traits are simply facets of our personalities. Whether they are strengths or weaknesses is entirely dependent on the way we utilize them. If we cultivate and develop our supportive traits well, they can become valuable additions to our toolbox of super strengths. However, if we use them in an unhealthy manner, the same traits will ultimately lead to our undoing.

A purposeful vision is a powerful catalyst that propels the team to greater heights. Instead of setting short-term goals, Gurus give their team a long-term direction, empowering them to strive towards a shared vision. They motivate each team member by showing them their role in serving a greater purpose. By doing so, Gurus inspire their team to achieve greater and more meaningful feats.

Driven by a desire for control, Gurus tend to plan everything out ahead of time. It is frustrating when unexpected changes arise and disrupt their carefully crafted plans. Overly fixated on their visions, some Gurus may even view new ideas as mere distractions from their end goal. This makes them unwilling to deviate from their intended trajectory, and ultimately, they fail to adapt, leaving themselves paralyzed in a world of chaos.

Once Gurus lock onto a vision, they expect full commitment from the others too. Wanting nothing less than perfection, some Gurus may become controlling over the actions of those around them. In their minds, Gurus might see it as a gentle nudge to guide others back to the right path. But in reality, their obsessive need to correct others will only be perceived as distrust. If Gurus become too fixated on their visions, they might risk hurting others without even knowing it.

Every now and then, sparks of insight light up within Gurus, revealing profound answers to humanity’s biggest conundrums. Through these epiphanies, they gain a deeper understanding of humanity as a whole. Often, Gurus share these great revelations to transform the lives of many. By imparting their wisdom to the world, Gurus inspire others to lead a life illuminated by meaning and purpose.

As profound an insight may be, it will never inspire change if it’s unrealistic. Sometimes, Gurus may have epiphanies that lack factual evidence, making their insights appear incomplete, riddled with holes and gaps. Their utopian visions for the world are often too vague and abstract for others to comprehend. If Gurus do not ground themselves enough, they will eventually find themselves losing touch with reality, dwelling in a world of their imagination.

As they delve deeper into their thoughts, Gurus will inevitably confront the ultimate question—what is the meaning of life? Little do they know, they are searching for an answer to an impossible question. The more they think about humanity’s place in this infinite universe, the deeper they fall into the endless abyss of their minds. In the end, Gurus might drown in an existential crisis, spiraling down into a deep depression.

A vision will never serve its purpose unless it serves people. Driven by a higher aim, Gurus share a dream to inspire great change in the world. With a glimpse of an ideal future, they set a clear trajectory towards achieving it, allowing nothing to get in their way. To bring humanity one step forward, Gurus inspire others with a purpose bigger than themselves, paving the path towards a brighter future.

However, a vision without action will only remain a mirage, no matter how magnificent it may seem. Sometimes, their ability to envision the future overwhelms them with thought, paralyzing them from taking active steps to push their vision forward. Because of that, their vision becomes an unattainable ideal. Without defining waypoints and plotting roadmaps toward success, Gurus are merely dreaming of a better world, one that exists as a figment of their imagination.

Sometimes, a vision assumes the form of blind faith when taken to its extreme. In the midst of their zeal, some Gurus may lose all sense of objectivity, convinced that only they hold the one true answer to life. They might even twist facts to fit their narrative, distorting their own perception of reality. Without intervention, such Gurus may lead their people down a path of delusion, leaving them at the mercy of illusions.

Thus far, we have explored both the Guru's dominant and supportive traits. In our jargon, these traits are known as one's heroic traits. Think about it, don't we all look like heroes when we put these traits to use? Not just wannabe heroes, but real ones—those who are truly powerful yet unimpressed with their own abilities.

Superhuman strength and the ability to fly are awesome superpowers that we all wished we had. But Superman doesn't pride himself in any of those abilities. To him, using those powers to save the world is just another day on the job. Similarly, even though we are great at our dominant and supportive traits, we do not find them the least bit amazing. From our perspective, there is nothing special about these mundane things that we do every day.

That said, as heroic as our traits may seem, no hero in the world is perfect. Even the most powerful heroes, such as Naruto, Thor, or Wonder Woman, have their own flaws and weaknesses. However, that does not invalidate them as heroes; it only makes them all the more admirable. The same goes for our own heroic traits. They may not be perfect, but our strive to improve them is what sets us apart.

I am not a hero. I just did what any
decent person would have done.

Miep Gies

When our heroic traits bask in the light, they will inevitably cast shadows—traits that we tend to neglect. Our shadows are foreign to us, as they are the complete opposite of our natural traits. Because we fear what we don't understand, most of us will subconsciously push away or suppress these parts of ourselves. Unfortunately, if we allow the fear of failure to overpower our minds, these suppressed shadows will eventually swallow us whole.

Nevertheless, shadows are not our weaknesses. They are simply parts of ourselves that we are unfamiliar with, and therefore, would rather avoid. But if we harness our shadows, they will eventually become our hidden strengths. It may be daunting at first to explore these dark and unknown parts of ourselves. However, with a curious mind and a compassionate heart, there's nothing to be afraid of. With that said, let us venture deep into the shadows within us.

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Shadows Within [Guru]