While I was reading through a mountain of work the late Jack Falt had produced, I came across a section on “blended types.” We use the term blending in Personality Dimensions when we talk about people with different colours and dimensions coming together to work on a common goal. However, Jack uses the term when you have two colours that closely make up your preferred dimensions. Even if you have a clear top preference, it is useful to understand how the second-place colour influences your outlook on life. The following is adapted from Jack’s Appreciating Differences Thru Colours mini course.
Authentic Blue & Resourceful Orange -> Sunburst
Just as the name sunburst suggest, this combination loves a bright, passionate life. They are very right-brained, taking in everything at once. Their strong feelings come bubbling out with lots of physical energy. They are irrepressible and their joy of life infectious. This energy can burst forth at just the right time, but sometimes it can come at inappropriate times as well.
They love their work, finding it an ongoing adventure of discovery. Usually, their work is with other people, as people are endlessly fascinating. The combination of the desire for freedom of the Resourceful Orange and the need for meaning and significance of the Authentic Blue gives them the energy to be creative, full of fantasy, with fiery feelings and a desire to experiment. They need to relate to the people they work with or for. They find a lot of personal satisfaction in their encounters even if they are only momentary. They have a lot of physical energy and need to keep on the move, but they do it with sensitivity.
A key emotion for Sunbursts is love. Their love is expressed in all their relationships — clients, coworkers, friends, family, and particularly in their most intimate relationships. Their sexuality is an expression of this love. They express their love with enthusiasm.
Everyone needs some down time, and if they do not take a break now and then, they can become depressed. Taking some “me” time usually brings them back to their old bubbly self.
Not all of their feelings are bright and sunny. They have negative feelings too, and these tend to be very strong. They can get angriest at the ones they love the most. A cooling off time is very beneficial. Often the anger is based on a misunderstanding. Being able to examine the problem objectively can often bring resolution. Making up can be just as passionate.
Being very creative and needing the freedom to create, neatness is not usually a high priority for Sunbursts. Sometimes it can get a little too “creative” and major organization is needed. They can be quite comfortable living in chaos. They know where everything is. Others colours may not be as tolerant.
The Resourceful Orange part wants to do it now. The Authentic Blue part wants everyone to be happy. Sometimes an action without thought can cause pain to others. This causes their Authentic Blue part to feel guilty. On the other hand, when they are always trying to do their best for others, the Resourceful Orange part can feel resentful of the restrictions it places on them. They need to keep these two parts in balance. High energy and strong feelings are a double-edged sword.
Extraverted Sunbursts are out there for everyone to see and enjoy. The Introverted Sunbursts are there as well but working away in the background, impulsively doing good things for people.
Authentic Blue & Inquiring Green -> Mystic
Here deep thoughts are combined with deep feelings. They are drawn to the mystical, wisdom and sacred writings, and philosophical understanding. They live in a world of metaphor where dreams are important. They take heed of their inner promptings and trust their inner wisdom. Even their external world is interpreted in light of deeper meanings. Special objects can be very precious to them and may be assigned value and power. These objects have a deep personal meaning and can even be thought of as sacred to them. Mystics are concerned with their identity and are intrigued by the spiritual realm.
Even love is a mystery to them. They see it as a spiritual journey, going beyond the physical. Their emotional life is very personal and shared with care and gentle respect. Even the act of giving a gift can take on a deeply personal, often spiritual significance.
While they are drawn to the spirituality, they may find that organized religion leaves much to be desired. They are often on their own individual spiritual quest. They may be intrigued with other cultures and religions, taking from each what is meaningful and moving on.
The Mystic appears calm and serene, but inner passions run deep and strong below. While they may not show it at the time, they are quite susceptible to shocks, both emotional and physical. They need quiet time alone or comfort from their loved ones to retrieve their equilibrium. They tend to choose work that allows them this balance, and they find the cut and thrust of the outer world very upsetting.
Because of their need for contemplation, they may be indecisive when swift action may be required. The Authentic Blue’s feelings conflict with the Inquiring Green’s rationality. When conflict occurs, their tendency is to withdraw, but this is not always the best course of action. They may need to make the effort to be more spontaneous.
This is a more introverted blend. They may share their wisdom but will probably need to be asked. The extroverted Mystics are the ones who proclaim to the world the meaning of life and how to become enlightened.
Inquiring Green & Organized Gold -> Diamond
A diamond denotes value and quality. Diamonds measure the world with a yardstick that has pride at one end and humiliation at the other. They are concerned with beauty, developed skills, special knowledge, appearance and recognition. These are all measures of success in the minds of Diamonds. They are very conscious that they and others are giving their best and presenting themselves in the best possible light. As leaders they are content to stay in the background, but everyone knows that they are the source of power.
Diamonds are calm and deliberate with little emotion. Being gushy is considered too sentimental. Praise is not something that Diamonds engage in lightly, either for others or themselves. It has to be sincere and well-deserved, yet understated. It is understood who is most qualified and the power behind the throne. They work hard and expect to be justly rewarded.
Duty and mutual respect are expected in matters of love. Their emotional investment in others is more calculated. Loyalty to their loved ones plays a big role in their relationships. They express their love by doing and giving rather than words of appreciation and spontaneous expressions of affection. Diamonds like to have a clear understanding of where things stand in all their relationships. They may need to learn these other skills to meet the needs of their loved ones.
Inquiring Greens want lots of information to make the best decision while the Organized Golds need to act responsibly and achieve their goals. Diamonds can find themselves in a quandary as to what is their best course of action. It can be a paralysis of analysis. A spontaneous partner can help move them along or there can be a lot of conflict that will need to be frequently resolved.
Because of their high standards, they can be critical of others, leading to resentment by others if expressed too openly.
Resourceful Orange & Inquiring Green -> Firecracker
This combination are the wittiest of the bunch and relish pricking pomposity in others. They love to poke fun at those who take themselves too seriously. They are not impressed by those who put on airs and they don’t hesitate to go for the jugular. Their Resourceful Orange side brings lots of physical energy and social aggression while their Inquiring Green side brings sharp insights and clever language. Firecrackers are independent and have little respect for the traditional or sacred cows.
They are independent thinkers. Some might consider them cantankerous and eccentric at times. They are fascinated by ingenuity and cleverness. They are skeptical of other’s ideas but are fascinated with their own inventions. Since both colours are very practical, they are not particularly moved by emotional appeals. As lovers, they are energetic and creative. Their feelings are deep but not readily accessible to them, and therefore, only shared with great difficulty. They don’t often think in romantic terms and having to be romantic can be irritating to them.
In their work they become highly competent and want to be as independent as possible. You are not likely to put anything over on them but they may put something over on you.
The combined characteristics of the Inquiring Green and Resourceful Orange can sometimes make for a sharp-tongued and tactless person. The energy of the Resourceful Orange can get them into difficult situations but and logic of the Inquiring Green helps them get out of their predicaments.
Resourceful Orange & Organized Gold -> Torchbearer
Social responsibility combined with energy and drive help Torchbearers accomplish an amazing amount of work. They love tough projects and have fun doing them. It gives them great pleasure to accomplish things and find ways to make it enjoyable, and it is even more enjoyable if they can rally together a team to help them do the work. They like to be in charge and know how to manage others. They have a plan in their heads that they may or may not share with the team. They are inspired by having some competition in the mix. They don’t have time for talking or meditating about a project. They just want to go ahead and do it.
In relationships, there is lots of energy expended but it does follow a schedule. They are not particularly emotional. Socially, they are very active, and are likely to get behind various community projects. They are great organizers. They can be fun and loyal life partners, but without too much sentiment.
They like to get things done as fast as possible. They can be a highly aggressive people, either for the better or the worse. Conflict occurs between Resourceful Oranges wanting to follow their impulses and Organized Golds wanting to do things in an orderly way. This creates the strongest internal conflicts of any of the blended colours.
Authentic Blue & Organized Gold -> Homebuilder
These are the caregivers of the world, looking after children and pets, gardens and communities, and everything in the world. Their love is emotional and responsible. Love is warm and affectionate, a natural act with deep roots in the home, in meaningful relationships, and in nurturing children. Commitment is freely given and runs deep. There is an expectation that this commitment will be returned. For them this is what life is all about.
Homebuilders have a deep feeling for the practical and meaningful things of the world, of nature, of home, and of the human community. For them work is a key element in life. They are bound up in romantic love and deep personal loyalty.
Many schoolteachers from preschool to elementary level have the Homebuilder temperament. In the community they are found where service to others is needed. For them there is a time and a season for everything, including play and work. They know when each is appropriate, with not too much emphasis on play. Whenever you need assistance, they will be there to help you.
Inside the Homebuilders’ heads there is an ongoing dialogue balancing their sensitivities and sympathies with practical realities. This combination works well for the community around them. But there is a tension between duty and compassion for them that can give them periods of sadness. They sometimes wish they were another temperament, but they provide a worthwhile service to us all.
Jack Falt was high school teacher and guidance counsellor from Buckingham, Quebec who moved to and retired in Almonte, Ontario where he continued to grow his passion for all things personality. He was a prolific reader and writer who shared his passion for personality with his Appreciating Differences discussion group.
