Ten Reasons
Ten Key Points Behind the Writing of the Story- Character Champions Conquering the Extremes: Coaching and Mentoring Tools for Developing Psychological Wealth
1. Most temperament and personality theories are not supported by evidence-based statistical analysis They are not derived from a statistical analysis to test the validity of the categories they propose to describe individual differences. Rather, the categories are often based on clinical judgment without the statistical evidence to support clinical theories about individual differences.
2. There is a strong need to take a research-based, scientific approach to the identification of individual differences rather than just relying on theoretical assumptions. Does the data support the theory?
3. There is an urgent need to create a paradigm shift with the general public when talking about mental health issues. Mental health needs to be promoted in the general public with the same urgency and importance as physical health.
4. The general public needs a categorical working definition of mental health fitness, i.e., mental health wealth, in the same way physical and nutritional wellness are promoted to the general public. The general public is not sure what mental health wellness/fitness really is. The public needs standards, just as in nutrition we teach about the basic five food groups and in fitness we talk about exercise, cholesterol, blood pressure levels, stress reduction, regular check ups, etc.
5. We have spent years working clinically in schools to define mental health wellness/fitness based on identifying four natural temperament differences found in the normal general public in all cultures. We use these four natural preferences as a starting point for identifying natural mental health strengths and then use character development through the process of Character Champions® coaching strategies and tools to increase the other three areas of mental health strength.
6. We start from the premise that we are all Character Champions®, but our beliefs, attitudes, thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are not always in line with Character Champions® mental health standards.
7. As we increase our Character Champions® beliefs, attitudes, thoughts, feelings, and behaviors we grow stronger in mental health, thus we learn to invest in our own character development in order to enhance our mental health development.
8. The on-going research-based development of the Ketterman Temperament Preference Survey provides a necessary jumping-off point to identify natural strengths and weaknesses that can be used for creating a Character Coaching Mental Health-Wealth Plan so that we invest our time and resources in productive ways that will increase our mental health fitness/wellness and our psychological wealth resources.
9. Models of mental health development must incorporate the latest findings on how the brain learns and develops so that learning is accelerated and maintained for lifespan development that is continuous and is positively supported by the latest research on neurological and educational research.
10. Mental health development must be taught in a way that is truly developmental and in which the major responsibility for its development lies within the family and the individual. Schools and community support would be made available through partnerships with the Character Champions Foundation Inc. The non-profit Character Champions Foundation Inc. is responsible for providing Character Champion Coaching resources that are scientifically tested and evidence- based in their effectiveness and usefulness for increasing and strengthening individual and family mental health-wealth assets. It is critical to the development of mental health wealth that the pertinent information and knowledge be easy to understand and the strategies and tools for building a powerful family mental health-wealth portfolio be practical and user-friendly. Schools, community health and public service organizations, and governments need to synergize their efforts so that the general public becomes convinced that investing in family mental health development is equal in importance to taking care of the family’s physical, educational, and financial needs. A family rich in psychological wealth is a Character Champions®, family that is equipped to deal with psychological demands so that they can adapt successfully to the challenges of living in a global, twenty-first-century society. It is through our synergistic efforts that we can take the best from the many effective research-based programs that have already been developed and weave them together in a way that is beneficial for all.
An Extensive Annotated Bibliography and Reference Sources to Support the Empirical Evidence of the Character Champions® Code for Psychological Wealth® Òare available for viewing at www. characterchampions.org.
(Important Disclaimer: The following resources are listed for educational information only. The authors cannot guarantee the effectiveness of the services described below. Please consult a licensed professional before following the recommendations provided by any of the following websites, books, and organizations to ensure safety and reliability.)
Covey, S. 1998. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens. New York: Fireside Books.
This book explains the seven habits or characteristics of happy and successful teens around
the world. These seven habits are: 1) Be proactive (take responsibility for your life, color-coded
“gold”); 2) Begin with the end in mind (define your mission and goals in life, color-coded
“green”); 3) Put first things first (prioritize, and do the most important things first, color-coded
“gold”); 4) Think win-win (have an “everyone-can-win” attitude, color-coded “blue”); 5) Seek
first to understand and then to be understood (listen to people sincerely, color-coded “blue”);
6) Synergize (work together to achieve more, color-coded “rainbow”);
7) Sharpen the saw (renew yourself regularly, color coded “orange”). (P. 5)
Goleman, D. 1995. Emotional Intelligence. New York: Bantam Books.
The author presents scientific support that our view of human intelligence is far too narrow,
ignoring a crucial range of abilities that matter immensely in terms of how well we do in life.
Drawing on groundbreaking brain and behavioral research, Goleman shows the factors at work
when people of high IQ are limited in success, while those with average IQ experience high levels
of success. This difference is explained as differences in emotional intelligence. Lack of
emotional intelligence can hinder success and ruin relationships. Fortunately, emotional
intelligence can be nurtured and strengthened in all of us. The emotional lessons of a childhood
actually sculpt the brain’s circuitry, and parents and schools can best use this window of
opportunity in childhood. Full of practical insights for parents and teachers, this book offers
innovative strategies for raising emotional intelligence in people of any age.
Kalil, Carolyn. 1998. Follow Your True Colors to the Work You Love. Riverside, CA: True Colors
Publishing. http://www.truecolorscareer.com/
This textbook is at the heart of the Follow Your True Colors to the Work You Love series. Kalil takes the mystery and misery out of the reader’s search for satisfying work and helps
discover his/her natural strengths and talents with the help of the True Colors® Method. This book
will create a more positive self-image, overcome fears that block success, maximize
unique strengths and more. Individuals will find this a helpful book when trying to decide on a
career choice that is a good personality fit.
Keirsey, D. 1998. Please Understand Me II: Temperament, Character, Intelligence.
Del Mar, CA: Prometheus Nemesis Book Company. http://www.keirsey.com/
From 1977through 1979, Dr. Ketterman had the opportunity to study under Dr. David Keirsey at
California State Fullerton College when he was the president of the School of Counseling and
School Psychology. Dr. Keirsey’s study on temperaments coupled with Don Lowry’s colorization
of the four temperament styles formed the basis of the Character Champions® Framework and
code. This book is a fascinating read as the reader learns more about the four temperament styles:
NT Rationalist (Green), NF Idealist (Blue), SP Artisan (Orange), and the SJ Guardian (Gold).
This book works in simplifying The Myers Briggs Type Indicators®, 16 types into four clusters, so
that it is easier to understand and apply temperament knowledge in our daily lives. Dr. Keirsey’s
work is outstanding and a must read for all who want to understand the some of the theoretical
background and research behind the Character Champions® system.
Lowry, Don. 2001. Keys to Personal Success. Riverside, CA: True Colors Publishing
www.truecolors.org
This twenty-five page booklet introduces readers to Don Lowry’s True Colors® vocabulary and communication system based on the colorization of Dr. David Keirsey’s four temperament types described in his book Please Understand Me. By playing the True Colors® Card Sort Game, individuals can quickly discover their True Colors®, i.e., the colors that best describe and communicate the expression of their dominant temperament. Thanks to the support and encouragement of Don Lowry, we have incorporated the same color metaphors into the Character Champions® Classification System for enriching character development and psychological wealth.