Life Styles Inventory (LSI) is designed to provide individuals with timely feedback concerning ways that their personal and professional lives can be changed for the better. Using a series of "styles" to measure various aspects of life, the LSI can provide some startling accurate results when respondents are honest and forthright in their responses. This paper provides a summary and analysis of the results of the administration of the LSI to the author, followed by a summary of the research and important findings in the conclusion. Self-Actualizing Style

A score in the medium range that is close to the high range means that people with this score are "generally confident" concerning their ability to effect change and improvement in themselves and others. Individuals with this score are pragmatic with a wide range of interests and are able to excel at those things that are deemed rewarding. An interesting finding for a medium score for this style was that a positive outlook for the future is not typically matched by substantive steps to achieving professional development.

Achievement Style

People who score in the high range on this style tend to feel positively challenged by the tasks that confront them. High scores on the achievement style reflect a belief that even intractable things can be changed for the better and that it is worth taking calculated risks to do so. People with this score tend to approach problems in a methodical manner that maximizes their chances for success.

Perfectionistic Style

The high score received in this style underscores a significant constraint to personal ad professional development. A high perfectionistic style score means that people tend to have trouble doing their best, even when something positively challenges them. People with a high score on this style tend to expect too much from themselves and others and even outstanding work is judged inadequate according to the high standards of the perfectionistic...

People who score high on this style also try to make some parts of their lives flawless in order to attract attention and others tend to view them as overly demanding and inflexible, thereby adversely affected "people skills."
Competitive Style

A high score received in the competitive style means that people tend to place a higher priority on winning than on "how they play the game." There is a corresponding tendency for people who score high in this area to overestimate their abilities. Moreover, a high score in the competitive style means that people are also competitive for attention from others, and there is a tendency to try to appear superior in some fashion in order to receive additional attention from others.

Power-Oriented Style

The high score received on this style reflects a desire to always be in charge of situations. A wide range of negative emotions are experienced when people with high scores in this style are not in charge, but they are usually not aware of the cause of these negative reactions. People with high scores in this style tend to have trouble accepting even legitimate and constructive criticism and others tend to be guarded in their interactions with them as a result. An even more troubling outcome that is associated with high scores in this style is the tendency for people to manipulate and exploit others in an effort to achieve their own goals, irrespective of what effect this may have on others. These harmful behaviors can be changed by recognizing these tendencies and working to change the approach.

Oppositional Style

The high score received in this style reflects a sense of superiority towards others wherein they are viewed with rigid skepticism. This sense of superiority is the result of an innate belief that one's views are better than anyone else's, and that people would benefit if they would just listen and follow. An unfortunate concomitant of a high score in this area is…