A few years ago, when I came up with the concept of the Type P Personality, I identified 5 P’s – or sets of behavior, all beginning with the letter P – that I had found to be associated with emotional health. Based on my experience in working with people over the years, I found that as people progressed in the direction of emotional fitness they became increasing Personal goal-driven, Proactive, Positive, Persistent, and Playful.
As time has passed, and I’ve had more time to observe the characteristics of individuals who become increasingly mentally fit, it has become apparent that a sixth P: Passion is an important part of the positive mental health picture.
In fact, it is not an overstatement to say that Passion may well be the driver of mental health. Just as is the case with each of the other P’s, Passion is insufficient by itself as an index of mental health, but it is difficult to think of being, for example, positive or personal goal-driven or persistent without being passionate about life and the course you are charting.
Self-doubt is the enemy of the the 6 P’s, including Passion. Conversely, it is virtually impossible to let self-doubt creep in when you are really passionate about you commitment to self-improvement.
Also, keep in mind that when all of the 6 P’s are working in concert to produce improved emotional health, another P occurs as an overarching aspect of the personality – PRIDE.