Type 6 — The Loyal Skeptic
« Go to the introduction to this series
A Loyal Skeptic is concerned with finding certainty or security. Their sense of being safe is challenged by a world that appears to be dangerous. This may take them in one of two directions — to fear the world, or to deny there is anything to fear. They may then believe you must avoid and escape perceived danger. Or they may believe you must face and fight it.
A Loyal Skeptic will tend to be vigilant. They also tend to have many doubts, and can be highly ambivalent. They can easily misread or mistrust others. There can be difficulties with authority figures — either in the form of excess loyalty and obedience, or rebellion and opposition.
Danger can be seen everywhere. This can result in anxiety and fear — and increased vigilance. The Loyal Skeptic may focus excessively on negative future outcomes, the downside and what could go wrong. Trying to protect themselves from imagined disasters, they will end up acting in ways that create self-fulfilling prophecies.
Others may feel a sense of being scrutinized, pursued or accused — often erroneously. People can be pushed away by the excessive vigilance and attempt to control them. Others resent that the Loyal Skeptic is projecting negative things onto them, and they yearn for a more relaxed state.
Personal growth for a Loyal Skeptic is to learn to embrace uncertainty. Begin to focus on the positive aspects of life, the positive qualities in other people. The ability to trust will be helped by internally asking the question “What if what I think I see here is not real?” — and then doing calm, respectful reality-testing with others.
Read the next personality type now »
See all types in ‘Personality and Love’ category »
Ouch! This hits a painful nerve, I think. Could you give an example of “reality testing’”?
Interesting reading. Thanks!
Reality testing is taking a thought in your head that distresses you and checking out whether it is actually true. Be careful how you check it out, though. It has to be respectful, not accusatory. For instance, say an insecure idea in your head comes up that “your feelings don’t matter to your partner.” This thought upsets you, makes you feel insecure or even angry. Most people, when upset by their own thoughts, blurt out their idea as an accusation, like, “You only think about yourself!” This communication form upsets their partner, and they get into a big fight. Reality-testing would own it as your own idea which makes you feel insecure, and you might say something like, “I get afraid at times my feelings don’t matter to you. You are so important to me. So I hope you can reassure me that they do, that my fear is unfounded.”