Learn About Fuels – Personality Profiles for Teens

Finding the perfect job or career is easy when your passion, purpose and personality are aligned. It’s when you feel 100 per cent in flow. In this week’s article I’m going to share more details about your personality and how to learn what makes you tick, or not.

What is personality?

Your personality is your natural strengths, attributes, gifts and talents. Understanding these characteristics will help you to make better choices and define a career role that suits your personality type.

To help you figure out personality types in more detail, let me introduce you to the four ‘Fuels’ that make up the Ignition Compass. Ignition (a Back on Track Teens company) is a personal development and discovery programme designed specifically for young people and the Fuels are our personality profiles for teens.

You will have a preference towards one of the four Fuels because it’s what lights you up inside, making tasks, activities and communication effortless and exciting. It’s the things that give you energy and help you feel in flow.

Let’s consider the Fuels in more detail to see which one you resonate with. Read through each description carefully because, even though you will relate to one main Fuel, there will be characteristics from the other Fuels that will be identifiable in friends, family members, even enemies (meant in the nicest possible way), that will help you to understand them better.

“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.”
Mae West

Fuel 1: NOVA – north point on the compass

If Nova were a season, it would be springtime because it’s a fast-paced Fuel and full of life. People who thrive on Nova Fuel have lots of ideas and a creative imagination, and they love to invent or innovate.

If this sounds familiar, you are spontaneous but not the best at timing. You may change your mind often and find yourself deviating from plans, but you are a big picture thinker. You always look on the bright side, but sometimes you think you can achieve more than you can in the given time. You are an inspiration to those around you and you love to get new things started. You may not necessarily get these same things finished as the novelty wears off if progress takes too long and you lose the inspiration. You can be impatient with yourself and others and consequently you find it difficult to pass on responsibility. You have high expectations and can be disappointed easily.

Fuel 2: EXUBERANT – east point on the compass

Exuberant Fuel as a season would be summer because this Fuel creates warmth, friendliness and passion. It can also be a bit fiery.

Are you energised by friends and family, and love to be around people – lots of people? If so, Exuberant could be your Fuel. You love to get stuck in and connect with as many people as possible. You may well talk more than you listen (which can be noticed). You take energy from outside and bring it inside, as you love variety in your life and constantly ask questions because you’re curious and are like a sponge when it comes to dipping your toe in.

Being a social butterfly, you love a party and are great at spotting the potential in those around you and nurturing them by saying so. You’re competitive and love being in a team, so an open plan office or large organisation would be perfect for you to work in. You often seek the opinions of others before making your own decision, because you value feedback just so long as you don’t get confused.

Fuel 3: SENSATIONAL – south point on the compass

Sensational as a season would be autumn, and as an element, Earth, because it’s a grounding Fuel.

If this is you, you are good at sensing the world around you, in nature and in people as you use your senses – touch, taste, sound, sight and smell – to your advantage. You instinctively know the right time to do something and have strong gut feelings. You have deep thoughts, are caring and want to look after people, animals or the environment. You’ll always go the extra mile, but you can be upset easily because you’re sensitive and overthink situations, taking throwaway comments to heart. You like things to be fair and you are good at planning and will always make sure the job gets done by the right people and at the right time – but you’ll want proof of a positive outcome before you take action.

Fuel 4: WISE – west point on the compass

The Wise Fuel is all about facts and figures, data analysis and structure. If this sounds familiar, you may not be a ‘people person’ because you want to get stuck into the finer details, dot the ‘I’s and cross the ‘T’s, and do your research to find all the facts. You don’t need validation from other people to get the job done and you are brilliant at taking control and bringing certainty to a situation. You do also need a lot of certainty and want to know the steps to follow for the project, the agenda for the meeting or the itinerary for the trip.

Being in a social setting for long periods doesn’t come naturally to you and saps your energy. Your patience can run thin, and you want people to get to the point quickly because you just need the stark facts – idle chitchat is not for you. It’s not that you’re a social recluse or that you don’t like being around people: it’s just that quiet time alone helps you to replenish your energy levels.

As a season, Wise would be winter.

“Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are.”
Kurt Cobain

Mixing the Fuels to find your Traveller

As you read through the description of Fuels you might be thinking, ‘well, I can relate to this, but I also relate to that’. Personality types are not meant to pigeon-hole you or stick you with a label and you will adapt in different situations. What the Fuels are designed to do is highlight where you feel most comfortable.

As well as the four Fuels of the Ignition Compass, there are also eight types of Traveller. In the Ignition Programme, the Travellers are extended personalities that match certain careers and help guide you to ask questions and explore industries and roles that align with your three P’s.

You can find out which Fuel is ideal for you by taking the Ignition Spark Test here.

If this ‘sparks’ your interest and you want to learn more about the Travellers, please contact us here and we will put you in touch with one of our Ignition Travel Guides (qualified coaches dedicated to supporting young people to grow) to start exploring your journey in more detail. Also, click here to read about the Travellers in more detail in the next blog.

“If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.”
Milton Berle

Choose the life you want to lead

It’s so important to choose a life to lead that is aligned with your passion, purpose and personality. Not listening to your true wants will hold you back from doing what you love and will cause stress, anxiety, uncertainty and even depression because you will be fighting against what feels natural.

Please share your Fuel with our socials and let us know what you have learnt:

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Twitter

You deserve to live a life full of adventure and joy, so go find your passion and purpose.