Lsi Paper

LSI Paper

Taking the Life Styles Inventory (LSI) survey has really made me realized and confirm many things or styles that I've already knew about myself. On the Life Styles Inventory survey, I scored very high on the "Perfectionist", "Conventional", "Power" and "Competitive" styles of life. I strongly agree with this. I've always went about things with those things in mind. I can honestly say that for every decision I made will take those "styles" into consideration. At work as well as in my social life I have a strong tendency to be all of those things. I look at it as a way to survive. I believe in Darwin's concept of survival of the fitness idea. In order for me to live up to that belief, I need to be strong in a society that requires an individual to have those aspects in life. If you are weak, not driven, makes mistakes and do not conform to the rules of the game, then I do not believe that you can succeed in whatever your goals are. You will be in competition with those that will willingly take advantage of you. Losing will hurt and some say you learn by losing, I like to learn by winning.

Power, convention and competition are very important things in my life. I always want to be my best without cheating anything one else. That is something that I've been brought up to believe in since I was a child. I hold those values to be very strong in my everyday decision making. I think I've developed all my habits and "life styles" by the environment that I grew up in. As a child I had many friends that were just like me. We were all very motivated to do our very best in everything that we did. We would have everyday competitions during recess to see who was fastest, strongest, who can throw the farthest and etc... In the classroom, academics were also used as competition. Growing in that environment, I soon developed a taste for beating the other kids at everything that they would challenge me in. I liked knowing that I can beat others in sports and if I couldn't beat another kid, I would work hard at trying to beat that kid. I had to be the best if I were to get into something. My goal for beating the other kids was my prime motivator to develop styles in "power" and "competition". This attitude of trying and trying until I win has stuck with me till this day.

As for why I developed a high score on the "perfectionist" style, I would imagine that I would have to be pretty close to being perfect at whatever that I am perusing in order to beat someone in it. Although I don't expect perfection from anything or anybody or myself for that matter, being close to perfection is an ideal place to be in. I strive for this idea of perfection knowing that it does not exist.

Working at my company has really got me to tone and use the styles that I've picked up while growing up at school with my friends. At work, there is a constant struggle of power between the different departments. We are always looking for more budgets for things, more personnel and just basic resources in general. Because of this, I've grown even more demanding in the things I need in order to achieve "power". If you don't then you can easily get stepped on at my work. Having "power" at my work can also result in faster, better promotions and pay raises. This is a heavy motivator for me.

Personally, with my friends and family, I don't find myself struggling for power over anything. I am generally a really laid back person that doesn't want to look for trouble. I rather avoid problems so I wouldn't have to solve them. I'm only power hungry in the business world.

Another thing my company really stresses is that we, as the employees are able to follow procedures correctly. With the recent rash of unethical and fraud cases in the corporate world, the ability to comply or follow the conventional ways of doing things are really enforced at work. It is because of the way my work environment functions that has gotten me to take into account all the rules and laws of everything I do. Instead of my style influencing my work style here, it is the other way around. I need to conform and follow all the rules or else I will get into trouble.

Based on the LSI self development guide, because I have high ratings in "power", "perfectionists", "convention", and "competition", I am supposed to be generally unpleasant to be around. I am supposedly very "dominating" in the varying relationships I have around others. However, I do not sense this at all from when I interactive with others. It is true that I am really hard on myself and I try to do my best all the time, but I do not ever purposely try to imply my belief system onto