I work with my own unique take on personality psychology. I call my model The Flow Code. I believe that our personality is a combination of genetic predispositions and environmental factors, shaped by our experiences and choices. Personality can develop over time, with certain traits becoming more dominant based on our experiences and how we choose to use them.

When we embrace and develop our innate personality traits, such as introversion or extroversion, we can experience Flow more easily and with greater enjoyment. By setting goals that align with our personality traits, we can build our confidence, motivation, and energy levels. On the other hand, when we suppress these traits, we can experience boredom, lack of motivation, and lower self-esteem.

Neglected personality traits can also become a source of stress and anxiety, especially when we face challenges related to those traits. However, when we actively work on improving our skills in these areas, we can reduce our stress levels and build resilience.

Overall, my Flow Code model encourages people to recognize and embrace their natural inclinations, and to use these traits to achieve a state of Flow and increase their overall well-being.

Based on Carl Jung, Csikszentmihalyi and The Big Five/OCEAN Model

My Flow Code model is based on the work of Carl Jung and his four dichotomies, which include Introversion and Extroversion, Intuition and Sensing, Feeling and Thinking, and Judging and Perceiving.

However, I have adapted Jung’s model to make it more compatible with the modern Big Five personality system, which is a more well-researched and widely used system. In my model, Intuition is seen as synonymous with Openness to experience, Feeling is synonymous with Agreeableness, and Judging is synonymous with Conscientiousness.

In addition to these traits, I explore other aspects of personality in my model, such as Assertiveness versus Modesty, and Playfulness versus Industriousness. These traits can also impact how we experience Flow and overall well-being.

By using a combination of Jung’s dichotomies and the Big Five system, as well as exploring other personality traits, my model provides a comprehensive understanding of how personality impacts our ability to achieve Flow and lead fulfilling lives. I want to ensure that my theories are grounded in science and academic disciplines.

My Flow Code model is also heavily influenced by the theory of Flow, developed by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. According to his theory, Flow is a state of optimal experience that occurs when a person is fully immersed and engaged in an activity that is challenging but also within their skill level.

In my model, I apply Csikszentmihalyi’s theory of Flow to the understanding of personality traits and how they can impact our ability to achieve Flow. By embracing and developing our natural inclinations, and by working on neglected traits, we can increase our capacity for Flow and experience greater levels of enjoyment and fulfillment.

“The Secret to Happiness is Flow: A Conversation with Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi” by Wired: https://www.wired.com/2013/09/the-secret-to-happiness-is-flow-a-conversation-with-mihaly-csikszentmihalyi/

The Subtypes and Unique Personality Traits of the Flow Code

Through my research and interactions with people, I have seen that some individuals within a particular personality type tend to exhibit more assertive or confident traits, while others may lean towards a more modest disposition. Similarly, some individuals have developed a more playful, recreational nature, while others have honed their serious and industrious side.

These unique variations in behavior and personality are what drive my subtypes theory. I believe that by acknowledging and understanding these nuances, we can gain deeper insight into ourselves and others, and ultimately lead a more fulfilling life.

The Flow Code in short

Your ability to experience flow is the result of:

1. Your genetic inclination towards something
2. Your environment and upbringing
3. Your level of skill at a personality trait or cognitive function
4. Your personal goals and decisions

When you have a base genetic inclination towards something, or when you have a supportive environment and upbringing, or when you have set goals and made decisions to move in a certain direction, you have a heightened capacity to experience flow and passion towards something. When you move outside your skill, or are faced with obstacles and goals beyond your capacity or level of development, or are stimulated beyond what is comfortable for you, you experience anxiety and or excitement. Anxiety when you don’t want to experience this and feel a resistance towards something. Excitement when you surrender to the uncertainty and discomfort and allow it to become like a rollercoaster ride of surprise and stimulation. This is also what allows a person to experience a heightened Creativity.

When a person lowers goals or obstacles, and engages in more familiar and comfortable activities, where they show a strong capacity and level of development, they experience more control and stability, but possibly, also boredom and lack of motivation. This state can be positive in order to help you recharge energy or recover from a difficult or overwhelming situation, but it can also lead you into a state of autopilot or passivity. It can also reduce creativity and innovation.

When a person experiences goals beyond their skill and capacity, or tasks outside their goals, decisions, and personal preferences, they tend to experience stress. Stress is not only a negative emotion, but also a positive emotion, and stress can drive positive personal growth. When a person is pushed beyond their limits and beyond what is comfortable, and beyond what they want, they can become stressed and tense. But if they surrender to the experience, and face the situation head on, they can also experience an amazing state of wonder and awe and euphoria, especially if they are able to overcome the challenge.

The Personality Traits and The Cognitive Functions

In my Flow Code model, I believe that each person has unique thinking patterns and cognitive function preferences based on their combination of personality traits. For example, individuals who score high in Introversion and Intuition tend to exhibit strong Existential Intelligence and Introverted iNtuition. These individuals may find it easier to experience Flow during philosophical, existential, and theoretical activities that allow for solitary exploration.

I like to think of the personality traits as building blocks, or “Lego” pieces, that fit together in a logical way. Each person’s cognitive functions follow from their unique combination of personality traits, which can give rise to different thinking patterns and preferences.

For example, a person who is strong in Introversion, Intuition, Feeling, and Judging may show a strong preference for Introverted Intuition and Introverted Feeling, as these functions logically follow from their combination of traits.

It’s important to note that every cognitive function represents a unique intelligence, and learning to harness these functions can lead to greater Flow experiences and overall well-being. To learn more about the cognitive functions and how they impact personality and Flow, I invite you to check out my article on the topic. There, you can explore in more depth how each function contributes to our unique way of thinking and experiencing the world.

The Personality Types in Flow

I understand that personality is a complex and multi-dimensional concept that cannot be strictly defined by a set of fixed traits or characteristics. Instead, it is a fluid and evolving entity that changes throughout our lives due to our personal experiences and decisions. You can be more or less introverted or extroverted, more or less intuitive or sensory, more or less feeling and thinking, and more or less Judging and Perceiving. Changes in your environment, lifestyle, and goals, can also lead to changes in how you express your personality and individuality.

Carl Jung, believed that our ultimate goal as individuals is to achieve a state of individuation. This means finding a way to express our inner feelings and values to the world, while also learning to differentiate between different traits and functions and ways of thinking, and seeing the value of each individual trait.

Jung believed that in order to reach our full potential, we must integrate other personality traits and cognitive functions into our own lives and learn from their wisdom. This involves transcending our base personality to live a whole, and full life, in tune with all archetypes. To him, a personality trait or cognitive function preference was the result of an imbalance, what we today know as cognitive assymetry, and can lead to flawed and biased perspectives, and an incomplete understanding of the world.

Instead of trying to fit ourselves inside a personality type box, we should use personality types as a language and framework to explore different styles of thinking and different perspectives. By doing so, we can learn to use their truth and perspective to achieve balance and flow in our own lives.