Unlock the potential of your fourth colour energy...
In the realm of self-awareness, understanding your primary colour energy is merely scratching the surface. It serves as a compass guiding our actions and interactions in the professional world.
But what about the less visible, yet equally significant, fourth colour energy?
Imagine it as the untapped reservoir within you, waiting to be acknowledged and explored. In the language of Insights Discovery, it's known simply as your fourth colour energy, a necessary tool to unlocking hidden potential and achieving personal growth.
Why is this colour energy so often ignored or forgotten? What are the benefits of embracing this colour energy?
Click here to learn more about your colour energies
Embracing your complete self
As Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung famously remarked, "Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves."
This holds true when embracing our fourth colour energy as it interferes with how we view ourselves and who we identify as.
However, it's precisely this journey of self-acceptance that leads to profound self-discovery and fulfilment.
Acceptance of your fourth colour energy is the first step towards awareness. Embracing it entirely is the best step towards progression and a brighter future at work.
The Insights Discovery colour wheels below serve as a foundational model that illustrates how you might turn up i.e. how other may perceive you or you may perceive yourself, on a good day and a bad day. (It's important to understand these colour wheels don't explain how people 'are', rather how they may be perceived by others based on the traits listed.)
Most people will lean towards one way of behaving or another. At Insights, we refer to these preferences as colour energy preferences. Based on the wheel below, you may, for example, feel that you lead with Fiery Red colour energy or perhaps a mix of two colour energies. These are likely your comfort zones, but it's important to know that everyone has all four energies within them to varying degrees.
The fourth colour energy will be the one you use the least, based on the Insights Discovery colour wheels (good day to the left and bad day to the right):
Learning your fourth colour energy and getting out of your comfort zone is crucial to development at work.
Understanding your inner dynamics
Looking at the colour wheel above, you resonate deeply with one dominant colour energy, embodying its traits and principles in your daily life.
Yet, there's another dimension to your personality, a fourth colour energy that occasionally emerges, bringing forth unique strengths and challenges. This will be the colour you resonate with the least.
While it may seem contradictory or unfamiliar, this fourth colour energy is still an important part of you, and acknowledging and understanding it is essential for personal development.
It’s important to ask yourself:
- What are the positive traits of my fourth colour energy?
- How can I leverage these traits to be more effective in my career?
You shouldn’t apologise for dialling up your fourth colour energy, but instead, recognise situations where it can be practical. This is the key to true self-development.
Drawing on your fourth colour energy when you need it
The one thing to always remember about the four colour energies is that - again - every one of us has all four colour energies within us. Every one of us can draw on any of the four colour energies at any time. The difference between someone who is high in Earth Green energy vs someone who’s low is the amount of time and effort each person spends working with that specific energy.
An example of how someone may embrace their fourth colour energy at work:
Steve is giving a team talk and focusing on using his 90% fiery red. He’s being consciously ‘Powerful and Assertive’ in his presentation style. In this moment, the team may see him as either:
- 90% Fiery Red or
- 10% Earth Green i.e. not very ‘Sensitive and Diplomatic’
An hour later, Steve (being the hardworking manager he is), is coaching a team member and focusing on conscious use of his 45% Earth Green. Steve is making an effort to be ‘Concerned and Sensitive’. In this moment, he may be seen as either:
- 45% Earth Green or
- 55% Fiery Red and ‘In charge and Firm’
Although nobody can say for sure how it feels for Steve in the moments when he must rely on that Earth Green energy, chances are, it takes more effort for him, although with practise, it probably feels easier to switch back and forth.
If Steve’s role requires that he coach a lot, it might make sense for him to include tasks in his development plan that help him to further develop his Earth Green energy traits, so that the two (in this case opposing) colour energies may balance out in practise.
How can stress effect your colour energies?
It’s important to understand how colour energies may fluctuate throughout your day-to-day work environment.
For example, behaviour traits may change when we experience stress at work. Practitioner Learning & Experience Manager with Insights, Kristin Lensigne, explained it well when speaking to a community of Insights Licensed Practitioners:
“Flip Out behaviour is when stress becomes so great that we actually have what Jung might call an “explosion of our inferior function”, and we may exhibit behaviours that appear like Bad Day expressions of our LEAST PREFERRED ENERGY in our Less Conscious persona.
For example, Kristin goes on to explain, this graph reflects someone who clearly leads with Sunshine Yellow colour energy with a large degree of Fiery Red and Earth Green...
In good stress, you will tend to see strong extraverted energies propel this individual's performance. This person is typically quite positive, forward-looking and driven to achieve.
As stress hits the strain level…you may begin to see Bad Day expressions of both their Sunshine Yellow & Fiery Red energies emerge. They can become overly emotional, need to talk things out over and over again…and yes, can become argumentative and yell…rather loudly…
However, under extreme stress, their least preferred Cool Blue energy may “explode” and suddenly the individual withdraws -- becoming cold and uncharacteristically pessimistic. This is truly when they are “not themselves” and certainly not in balance…”
These explosions of your inferior function can take people by surprise (including you), but once you understand the role of that fourth colour energy, it’s not as surprising after all.
Navigating the path of self-exploration
As much as we all love to embrace and discuss our leading colour energies, the more awareness we have of our fourth colour energy, the more we can acknowledge it, appreciate it, and eventually, leverage it in the workplace.
The journey begins with a few key steps...
Embrace inner harmony: Begin by fostering inner peace and acceptance. Recognise that each colour energy within you contributes to your unique identity and strengths. Embrace discomfort as a sign of growth and transformation.
Seek knowledge and insight: Delve deeper into your fourth colour energy. Explore its nuances and characteristics, both positive and negative. Understand how it interacts with your dominant energy, shaping your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours.
Cultivate self-awareness: Embracing your fourth colour energy requires a deep sense of self-awareness. Acknowledge your blind spots and areas for personal development. Seek inspiration from individuals who embody traits associated with your fourth colour energy as this can lead to heightened self-development.
Foster interpersonal harmony: Strive for harmony not only within yourself but also in your interactions with others. Recognise the impact of your colour energies on communication. Embrace feedback as a tool for mutual understanding and growth.
Tap into hidden potential: Embrace the potential of your fourth colour energy. Allow it to guide you towards new opportunities and perspectives. Embrace the journey of self-discovery with courage and openness, knowing that within you lies a wealth of untapped potential.
Understanding self-discovery and embracing your fourth colour energy requires courage and introspection. However, by delving into the depths of yourself, you'll uncover hidden strengths, insights, and opportunities for growth.
If you’re ever feeling overwhelmed or out of your depth, it’s important to look towards your fourth colour energy for guidance. Although it may take more effort, with practice, it’ll become much easier to switch back and forth between colour energies, allowing you to take control of all situations at work.
