Core Belief Profile 7
The Epicurean Elephant
Role Description
Considered a ‘glass half full’ type of person since they can reframe almost any situation in a positive way. They are highly optimistic, imaginative, ever hopeful and oriented towards pleasure.
They focus on future plans as a way to escape boredom and pain, and will come up with many alternatives in case the initial plan becomes difficult or uninteresting.
Being focused on enjoying and experiencing life to its fullest, sees the Epicure move quickly from one thing to another. They only sample each thing rather than experiencing it in depth, especially if it holds any emotional pain.
By avoiding pain they never learn from their mistakes. Ultimately, they create painful situations for themselves as they never develop insights to break the pattern.
Their tendency for excitement and avoidance of problems can lead the Epicure to act in a manner with questionable ethics.
They are fascinated by others, themselves and the natural world.
They are chemically wired for gluttony and excesses in all enjoyable experiences. A sense of absolute freedom without responsibility or commitment is the objective of this gluttony.
They are an assertive profile and feel that anything meaningful that happens in relation to them is going to happen because of them. They are convinced of their own excellence and they seek environments and people who will support their wealth of excellence.
The Epicure’s weight changes according to the gluttony of the moment. Their size can increase or decrease very rapidly, so can be very thin or very fat. When an Epicure is in this space it is very obvious to others that their weight is not right.
Focus of attention:
• Interesting, pleasurable and fascinating ideas, plans, options and projects.
• Interconnections and interrelationships among diverse areas of information and knowledge.
• What they want.
Focus of energy:
• Enjoying and experiencing life to its fullest.
• Keeping options open and life upbeat.
• An active imagination.
• Being liked (charming and disarming).
• Maintaining a privileged position.
Focus of Avoidance
• Frustrations, constraints and limitations.
• Painful situations or feelings.
• Boredom.
Preferred communication style
• Want to be intellectually inspired and excited; low tolerance for boredom or slow pace.
• Attention goes to multiple options or shifts from one plan to the next very quickly.
• Capable of synthesising large amounts of data and including divergent points of view.
• Like a combination of learning modes; fast-paced thinking, processing and experiencing.
• Prefer a quick overview and then to jump right into new material; not dependent on approval or establishing safety.
• Most comfortable with a synergistic and divergent approach.
Dos and Don'ts for this Core Belief Profile
Do
• Do prepare for rapid give and take on issues. The Epicure will talk fast and think fast. Keep in mind that this is just possibly talk, not actual commitment. If you want commitment then ensure that you get it in writing. A handshake and a smile is not sufficient.
• Do align with their dream. Let them share their vision and enthusiasm with you. They will feel supported when another acknowledges their individuality, experimentation and creativity.
• Do ask lots of questions. They love to hypothesise and answer questions.
• If you have a problem with the Epicure, do share it with them rather than internalise it or judge them. Epicures like to be part of the process; what you see as a problem they may see as an interesting opportunity.
• Do expect that they will ridicule or discount you or the situation when they are challenged or made to feel inferior.
• Do anticipate anger or disconnection if you attempt to control the movement of an Epicure. They want to move with the flow and not be contained to any particular activity or event.
Don't
• Don’t focus on small picky details.
• Don’t give them too many options.
• Don’t let them explain away failure or ethical violations.
• Don’t let them wriggle out of commitments.
• Don’t expect them to like negative sentiment.
• Don’t take them at their word – it can change very quickly and often.
Suggestions for Professional Development
• Under-promise. It gives you pleasure to over-promise because you don’t want to disappoint in the moment.
• Take small practical steps to bring your dreams into fruition. Then act on them.
• Learn to endure the consequences of your choices rather than simply changing the paths midstream.
• Don’t say everything that pops into your head.
• Curb your tendency to make fun of people, to treat them carelessly, and to tell them to get over their problems and lighten up.
• Think about closure and completion in advance.
• Take responsibility, rather than explain away failures.
• Commit.
• Listen carefully rather than thinking of something clever to say.
• Get your work done rather than thinking what else you could be doing.
• Slow down. Don’t become drunk on ideas.
Danger
• Gluttony.
• Anticipating (the next pleasurable thing, at the expense of the present).
You could also be:
The Perfectionist Elephant
The Artistic Elephant
