The Complete Book of Intelligence Tests : 500 exercises to improve, upgrade and enhance your mind strength (14 page)

17 How much confidence do you have in your own decisions?

a) Fairly confident.

b) A great deal.

c) More hopeful than confident that I have made the right

decision.

18 Are you backward at coming forward?

a) Sometimes.

b) No.

c) Frequently.

19 Do you believe in the power of positive thinking?

a) Maybe.

b) Yes.

c) It is not something I have ever thought about.

20 What are your views on selling yourself?

a) Sometimes you have to sell yourself in order to achieve your

ambitions.

b) It is very important to sell yourself well in order to succeed.

c) It is a necessary evil in today’s world that you have to sell

yourself, but it is not something I am good at doing.

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21 Does the prospect of making a speech in front of a large audience

worry you?

a) It would make me more nervous than worried.

b) I would be no more than slightly nervous.

c) Yes.

22 How often do you set yourself goals?

a) Occasionally.

b) More than occasionally.

c) Rarely or never, as I believe in taking life as it comes.

23 Which of the following most reflects your attitude to change?

a) Change is sometimes unavoidable.

b) I am not afraid of change.

c) I dislike change, as it is often change for the worst.

24 Which of the following most reflects your attitude to failure?

a) Try, try and try again.

b) Failure is a learning experience.

c) Disappointment.

25 Do you believe that in life it is necessary to conform in order to

be accepted?

a) In certain circumstances it is necessary.

b) No.

c) Yes.

Assessment

Award yourself 2 points for every (b) answer, 1 point for every (a)

and 0 points for every (c).

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40–50 points

High self-confidence factor.

Keywords: presumptuous, extrovert, sure.

25–39 points

Average self-confidence factor.

Keywords: secure, positive, sensible.

Less than 25 points

Below average self-confidence factor.

Keywords: diffident, pessimistic, modest, introverted.

Analysis

A definition of ‘self-confidence’ is assuredness and self-reliance in one’s own abilities.

In order to achieve self-confidence, it is necessary that we take a

realistic view of ourselves. As a result of this, some individuals will

have total confidence in a certain aspect of their lives, such as sporting

prowess, but other aspects in which they do not feel so confident, such

as academic achievement. Self-confidence need not, therefore, apply to

all respects of a person’s lifestyle.

Being self-confident does not, therefore, mean being able to do

everything. It does mean, however, that when sometimes their aspirations

are not fulfilled, self-confident people continue to adopt a positive

attitude, make the best of their situation and keep a sense of reality.

By adopting this attitude, self-confident people have the ability, to

a great extent, to take control of their own lives, accept themselves for

what they are and stand up for their own rights and aspirations in

today’s sometimes intimidating world, but at the same time keep these

aspirations realistic.

Self-confident people very rarely feel unsure of themselves, and

preoccupied with negative self thoughts, or put themselves down.

Because of this they are rarely sad, depressed or lonely.

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At the same time, because they do not feel the need to conform in

order to be accepted, self-confident people are not excessively dependent

on others to feel good about themselves. They are willing to risk the

disapproval of others because of the confidence they possess.

The following are some strategies that can be adopted, and worked

at, for developing a greater degree of self-confidence:

* Learn to self-evaluate and take charge of your own life. Do not

focus too much on the unrealistic aspirations or standards of others

such as parents. Instead, focus on how you feel about yourself, your

lifestyle and your own aspirations.

* Evaluate and emphasise your strengths by focusing on your

achievements and the talents you possess.

* Even if you fail, give yourself credit for trying. View any failure as

a learning experience and as a way of achieving personal growth.

Give yourself credit for everything you try to achieve.

* Do not be afraid of taking calculated risks. Regard risk taking as a

chance to grasp new opportunities.

* Never be afraid of change. It is inevitable, so welcome and

embrace it.

* There is no such thing as perfection, so accept yourself for what

you are. At the same time, balance this with the need to improve.

* Never try to please everyone at the same time. It simply is not

possible.

Test 5.5

Tough or tender

In each of the following choose from a scale of 1^5 which of these

statements you most agree with or is most applicable to yourself.

Choose just one of the numbers 1^5 in each of the 25 statements.

Choose 5 for most agree=most applicable, down to 1 for least agree=least

applicable.

1 I always seem to find myself rooting for the underdog.

5

4

3

2

1

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2 I admire people who are prepared to admit they were wrong.

5

4

3

2

1

3 I feel great sympathy for street beggars.

5

4

3

2

1

4 I believe that there is such a thing as love at first sight.

5

4

3

2

1

5 I always feel some sympathy for celebrities who are having a bad

time in the press.

5

4

3

2

1

6 I am turned off completely by vulgar jokes and sexual innuendo.

5

4

3

2

1

7 After a serious argument with my partner all I want to do is make

up as quickly as possible

5

4

3

2

1

8 If someone does me a bad turn I don’t waste time thinking of

revenge.

5

4

3

2

1

9 My heart rules my head more than my head rules my heart.

5

4

3

2

1

10 I would put in a good word for a work colleague who I thought

deserved my support.

5

4

3

2

1

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11 I detest watching movies that contain excessive violence.

5

4

3

2

1

12 I feel very sorry for people who always seem to be the butt of

other people’s jokes.

5

4

3

2

1

13 I would encourage anyone to talk over their troubles with me.

5

4

3

2

1

14 I have always ensured that I put aside some quality time to spend

with my partner.

5

4

3

2

1

15 I always buy my partner a card or present on St.Valentine’s Day.

5

4

3

2

1

16 On occasions my eyes have filled up with tears when watching a

movie, be it happy or sad.

5

4

3

2

1

17 I get very upset and emotional when watching news coverage of

real-life tragedies on television.

5

4

3

2

1

18 I would always go out of my way to help someone who is going

through an emotional trauma.

5

4

3

2

1

19 I would find it extremely difficult to tell anyone some real home

truths.

5

4

3

2

1

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20 I have never found it difficult to forgive and forget.

5

4

3

2

1

21 I like stroking cats and=or dogs.

5

4

3

2

1

22 I find it difficult to say ‘No’ when asked for a favour.

5

4

3

2

1

23 I am as supportive of others as I am ambitious for my own

aspirations.

5

4

3

2

1

24 I often feel happy for other people.

5

4

3

2

1

25 People should be much more concerned about other people.

5

4

3

2

1

Assessment

Total score 90–125

Your score indicates that you are a very caring person who is deeply

touched by the feelings of others and often affected and saddened by

news bulletins or personal experiences about the plight of others who

are suffering misfortunes and tragedy.

It may also mean that you are extremely tactful and diplomatic,

always making sure you go to great lengths not to hurt other people’s

feelings. As such you are a kind-hearted and caring person who will

go out of their way to help others. This does mean that you are liked

and respected by those who know you.

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It does, however, also mean that you may possibly lack the inner

toughness and drive that is sometimes necessary to achieve a high

degree of success.

It may also mean that occasionally you could be taken advantage

of, especially if you find it very difficult, and sometimes impossible, to

say no.

Keywords: caring, sharing, soft-hearted, idealistic, romantic.

Total score 65–89

You appear to be a generally tender-hearted person who would never

wish to hurt other people’s feelings deliberately.

It may be, however, that there is the need to peel off one or two

layers before this soft centre is revealed.

The advantage of this is that you are still tough enough to pursue

your ambitions and goals while retaining the loving and caring side of

your personality.

In your dealings with other people you can be tactful, but

occasionally are unable to stop yourself from speaking a few home

truths or saying things you might regret later.

You are, however, in the fortunate position of usually knowing

when, and when not, things are better left unsaid, and usually your

good judgement in this respect will prove beneficial to the person to

whom you are directing your remarks.

Keywords: empathetic, concerned, considerate.

Total score less than 65

While your score does indicate a high degree of toughness, it may be

that deep beneath this apparent hard exterior there lies something of a

soft centre. With some people their apparently hard exterior is, in fact,

something of an act as they do not wish to be perceived as being soft

or displaying weakness.

Also, although you do not come over as a romantic or

sentimentalist, this does not stop you from having a long and lasting

relationship and secure family life, and it does not mean that people

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who are able to accept you for what you are will not respect you and

admire your honesty.

It is, however, not just for yourself, but for those around you,

important to always keep in mind the feelings of others and to try to

empathise with them.

If you are able to empathise with others and maintain their respect,

you appear to have the qualities of inner toughness which is sometimes

necessary to achieve a great deal of success in your chosen career or

business venture.

Keywords: pragmatic, resilient, resolute.

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6 Memory

Memory (the ‘ninth intelligence’) is the process of storing and

retrieving information in the brain. It is this process of memory that is

central to our learning and thinking.

Human beings are continually learning throughout their lifetime.

Only some of this massive volume information is selected and stored

in the brain, and is available for recall later when required. Learning is

the acquisition of new knowledge and memory is the retention of this

knowledge. The combination of learning and memory, therefore, is

the basis of all our knowledge and abilities. It is what enables us to

consider the past, exist in the present and plan for the future. Its

importance and power should not be underestimated.

Every part of our life relies to some extent on memory and is what