How To Use Character Classes Properly

Call to action: Be more self-aware & open yourself to possibilities.

Humans are fascinated with classifying themselves. Thinkers, keepers of wisdom and knowers of things seem to enjoy putting us into neat little boxes. We have social classes and the caste system, we have personality archetypes like zodiac signs and the MBTI typology, we have behavior quadrants like Bartle's players, Kiyosaki's Cashflow Quadrants, and we even have hierarchies of hats.

Creating models of our reality is a good way of understanding our selves. But, difficulties arise when they are used rigidly. We become attached to being one particular type, that they cannot do this and they must do this because they are only ENTJ or strictly Virgo. Or, we consciously limit our perception of reality. Most people I meet who studied Maslow think that self-actualization is the end goal and the epitome of existence.

Using character classes in The Game, we can identify our journey from our early childhood personality to growing up and building character to maturation and evolution and adaptation. Some individuals specialize in one class, some are clearly dual-classed, and some, like myself, willfully go from one class to the other in search of generalized mastery of the self.

Here are the steps of using your character class properly:

1. Try the Game Starter classification.
2. Take note of secondary traits that you think describe you as well (example, you are assertive but also responsible)
3. Read your character class description.
4. Read the description of the other character classes.
5. Think of the different times in your life when you acted in ways that are characteristic of the other classes.
6. Observe your motivations for your actions from now on.
7. Enjoy being yourself, enjoy becoming more of yourself.
8. In The Game, the choice is always yours. You can be who you want to be.

All classes have good sides and bad sides. All classes have logical dual-class complements. All classes can be better or worse than other classes depending on how you use your skills and powers just like in Real Games.

Sheena Iyengar on different perspectives of choice.



Barry Schwartz on Choice & Misery.