I recently listened to Shirzad Chamine's best-selling book: http://positiveintelligence.com/.
I can recommend this book without reservation. In it, Chamine identifies ten behavioral patterns or ways of thinking and acting that are developed early in life and persist into adulthood for many individuals. He calls these patterns saboteurs, and names them as follows: 1) Judge, 2) Stickler, 3) Avoider, 4) Hyper-Vigilant, 5) Restless, 6) Hyper-Achiever, 7) Victim, 8) Pleaser, 9) Controller, 10) Hyper-Rational. He claims that these patterns, while helpful for survival in early development, hinder (or sabotage) us later in life. Charmine goes on to identify five "sage" powers, or behaviors/exercises that can be utilized to weaken the saboteurs which he calls: 1) Activate, 2) Navigate, 3) Explore, 4) Innovate, 5) Empathize.
I found the description of the saboteurs most compelling. It has helped me to recognize some these qualities in myself, and in others with whom I interact. The simple act of noticing and recognizing a pattern is enough to weaken it. The book could have stood on its own with just that. Charmine's description of the sage powers took longer to resonate with me. The perspective is that any challenge or problem is a blessing/gift/opportunity, or could be turned into one. It has taken me quite a while to appreciate this perspective, especially with the most difficult challenges in life. Chamine describes “five powers” of the sage that can be activated to navigate challenges as follows: 1) Explore with curiosity and open mind, 2) Empathize with self or others, while bringing compassion and understanding to any situation, 3) Innovate to create new perspectives, 4) Navigate to a path that is supportive of a one's own deeper sense of purpose and peace, 5) Activate toward action and decision without interference or influence of the saboteurs.
