According to a well-known psychological theory, there are two types of people: Type A and Type B. People with a Type A personality are typically ambitious, organized, anxiety-prone, and proactive. The Type B's of the world are known to be more laid back, easygoing, and spontaneous. Anyone who knows me, or has ever met me, would tell you I am stereotypically and painfully Type A most of the time. This personality type comes with a lot of tendencies, both positive and negative, that greatly affect how a person lives and interacts with the world around them. Here are a few pros and cons of being a Type A poster child.
1. Pro: Assignments and projects are always finished on time.
Having a proclivity for making to-do lists and keeping up calendars makes it fairly easy for Type A's to stay on top of their work. We know exactly how long we need to study for each test, and we stick to the timetables we create for ourselves. Therefore, we never really face the panic of forgetting an assignment or rushing to finish something at the last minute.
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2. Con: We can be a little too hard on ourselves.
Type A is often synonymous with perfectionist, and this is true most of the time. We are our own worst critics and expect a lot of ourselves. While this drives us to succeed and do our best, it can be harmful to our confidence if we expect too much or push ourselves too far. This unrealistic goal of perfection can put a lot of excess and unnecessary stress on a person.
3. Pro: Our friends never have to worry about us being late.
Punctuality is another trait that goes hand-in-hand with the Type A personality. I plan to be fifteen minutes early to every appointment, meeting, or class. I also plan for every single traffic situation and give myself extra time for unforeseen accidents or delays. This quality makes a Type A person reliable and dependable to other people, as they never have to wait around for us. Plus, we never have to get into a big rush for anything, because we've given ourselves more than enough time.
4. Con: Our need to plan everything can sometimes be annoying.
I truly believe that Type A's are the minority group of the two personality classes. When you combine that with the "opposites attract" theory, you realize that most Type A's will end up in many romantic and platonic relationships with laid-back, Type B individuals. While they live for spontaneous trips and last minute cramming, we crave itineraries and to-do lists. This can cause a bit of tension. But remember that the right people will love you for your true, slightly neurotic self.
5. Pro: You know exactly what works for you.
A Type A is never reluctant to go for what they want, and they are not afraid of being picky. You know exactly how you want your makeup and clothes to look. You know the exact grade you expect to get on a test and how to achieve it. You've probably even pinpointed the exact amount of milk it takes to make your own perfect bowl of cereal. Type A people take the time to figure out what they like and what works for them. There's no shame in being particular.
Obviously, no one is 100 percent Type A or Type B. Every person is their own perfect mix of personality traits. However, my fellow list-makers, organizers, and planners fall heavily into the first category. I am proud to call myself Type A. But, honestly, no one would believe me if I said otherwise.
