For years, many have been curious about why I require my private clients to complete specific assessments before we ever dive into their calendars or project management software. It is a fair question. On the surface, productivity coaching seems like it should be about planners, habits, and discipline. While I certainly cover those elements, I never start there.
The reason is simple: when most people feel overwhelmed, they reach for more effort. They try to force more willpower, more discipline, and more “pushing through”. They hunt for new apps or systems instead of exploring why the old ones aren’t working. But if the way you are trying to be productive isn’t aligned with who you are, no amount of force will make it sustainable.
If you are an introvert forcing yourself into high-stimulation environments, or if you require external accountability but keep trying to “self-motivate,” you are fighting an uphill battle against your own biology. As I have said since the very first episode of the Positively Living® Podcast, self-awareness is your number one productivity tool.
The Power of Self-Discovery
Self-discovery isn’t just about “finding yourself”; it’s about gathering technical data on how your brain works. When you understand your wiring, you gain:
- Language to describe how you naturally think and feel.
- Permission to stop forcing strategies that clearly do not fit your personality.
- Clarity regarding what actually supports your energy and focus.
- Compassion for why certain tasks feel like a struggle while others feel easy.
Inside the Positively Productive Toolkit, I provide an Assessments Workbook that highlights four core tools to help you build this awareness. I call these my “starter set” because they provide the most impactful insights into your productivity and motivation.
1. The Big Five: Your Trait Blueprint
The Big Five is a research-based personality model that looks at five broad traits: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism. Unlike other systems that put you in a box, the Big Five measures you on a spectrum. This nuance is critical.
For example, your score in conscientiousness determines your relationship with structure. If you score high, you likely thrive with detailed checklists and long-term plans. If you score lower, you may find that flexible routines and simpler systems actually make you more effective. Similarly, your level of openness tells you if you need creative variety or if you feel safest with consistent, familiar routines. Understanding these percentages helps you ask the life-changing question: “If this is how I’m wired, what would make life easier for me?”
2. The Four Tendencies: Mastering Motivation
Developed by Gretchen Rubin, the Four Tendencies framework looks at how you respond to expectations—both inner and outer. This is perhaps the most useful tool for habit development.
The four types are:
- Upholders: Respond to both inner and outer expectations.
- Questioners: Respond only if they are convinced of the “why”.
- Obligers: Thrive on external accountability.
- Rebels: Resist all expectations, choosing instead based on values or identity.
If you are an Obliger, traditional self-motivation won’t work; you need a coach or a check-in partner. If you are a Questioner, you cannot just start a task because someone told you to; you need to go deep into the reasoning first. Knowing your tendency allows you to stop judging yourself for “failing” at habits and start choosing systems that actually trigger your natural motivation.
3. VIA Strengths: Focusing on What’s Right
Most assessments focus on performance or talents, which often highlight what we lack. VIA Strengths is different; it focuses exclusively on character strengths like kindness, creativity, or perseverance. These are your “values in action”.
Positive psychology suggests that when we lean into our strengths instead of trying to fix our weaknesses, we naturally cultivate more confidence and purpose. This triggers the broaden-and-build effect: positive emotions expand your awareness and increase your problem-solving abilities. When you use your strengths, you aren’t just getting things done; you are supporting your mental and emotional health.
4. 16 Personalities: Your Environmental Style
Finally, 16 Personalities (a modern take on the Myers-Briggs framework) helps you understand your style of interacting with the world. It covers how you process information, make decisions, and—most importantly—how you recharge your energy.
Do you need more solitude than your current schedule allows? Do you think best out loud through conversation? Understanding these preferences allows you to design your environment to match your needs. When you see these patterns without judgment, you can stop assuming you “should” thrive in environments that are actually draining you.
How to Begin Your Journey
As you explore these tools, remember that they are tools, not verdicts. They are meant to spark reflection, not to be a label you are stuck with forever. Here is how I recommend you approach them:
- Take your time: You don’t need to do all four at once.
- Answer honestly: Respond based on who you are today, not who you think you should be.
- Look for themes: Notice what keeps showing up across different assessments.
- Make small adjustments: Ask, “If this is true, what is one gentle change I can try?”.
You are not broken, you are not behind, and you are not failing. You have simply been trying to operate in systems that were not designed with your wiring in mind. Self-discovery gives you the map to design a life and a productivity system meant just for you.
Next Step: Download the free Positively Productive Toolkit and start with the Assessments Workbook. Take one assessment, see what resonates, and let’s start building a system that fits you.
