Type R Personality. Why You Need to Know This!

by Donna Gibbs

Type R Personality! Business professionals are talking about it. Even Good Morning America got in on the discussion last year. According to these reports, Type R Personalities are trumping type A Personalities in success. So what does Type R mean? It means resilient. And, as you know, that is a word close to my heart.

Many of you set out to accomplish something new this year. You set a goal, or a resolution. You resolved to reach an important objective. We’ve talked before about imagining, having purpose in your goal, believing beyond your perceived limitations, allowing failure to be your friend, and looking beyond the past into the future toward a “new thing”.

But more than anything, it takes resilience to reach a goal that has previously felt untouchable. Why? Because we live in a tough world. We face obstacles every day. Even when we try our hardest, we still fail. We suffer. We struggle. But our ability to bounce back, or even bounce forward, from a trial or a failure ultimately determines our success. Our success in business. Our success in life. Our resilience is the most significant predictor of our outcome.

The best news of all? Resilience is not something you either have or don’t have. (That is why the subtitle of my book, Becoming Resilient, is “How to Move Through Your Suffering and Come Back Stronger”). Resilience is something you develop. Yes, you can bounce back from a failed New Year’s Resolution. You can bounce back from an unsuccessful business plan. You can bounce back from your poor decisions. You can even bounce back from a painful betrayal or an unthinkable trauma. The most encouraging news? Though there are some struggles in life that you cannot bounce back from (things will never be the same), you can bounce forward into a beautiful new normal that is meaningful and purposeful. You can overcome. You can thrive again.

Friends, let us build up one-another through the inevitable obstacles and struggles of life. Let us persevere. Let’s allow resilience to be contagious as we encourage one-another. As Jim Valvano always said, “Never give up!”

Let’s throw out the Type A and reach for the Type R!

“But forget all that – it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland”. (Isaiah 43:18)


Donna Gibbs

Donna Gibbs, co-owner of Summit Wellness Centers, PLLC, is author of the recent releases, Silencing Insecurity and Becoming Resilient. Donna has authored numerous other books, her blogs are frequently shared in various media outlets, and she is commonly featured on radio broadcasts across America, and occasionally internationally as well. Donna has been providing individuals and families the hope and help they need for more than twenty years as a national certified counselor, board-certified professional Christian counselor, and licensed professional counselor supervisor. A member of the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC), she is a leading professional provider for Focus on the Family, Christian Care Network, r3Continuum, FINDINGbalance, and Samaritan’s Purse. 

Follow Donna’s author page at https://www.facebook.com/DonnaGibbsResilience/ for daily encouragement, the weekly blog, and updates regarding events and speaking engagements.

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