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  • The Four Tendencies

  • The Indispensable Personality Profiles That Reveal How to Make Your Life Better (and Other People's Lives Better, Too)
  • By: Gretchen Rubin
  • Narrated by: Gretchen Rubin
  • Length: 6 hrs and 37 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (213 ratings)
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The Four Tendencies cover art

The Four Tendencies

By: Gretchen Rubin
Narrated by: Gretchen Rubin
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Summary

From the internationally best-selling author of The Happiness Project and Better Than Before.

How to understand yourself and everyone else, too.

In Gretchen Rubin's practical and authoritative examination, The Four Tendencies, the best-selling author of Better Than Before and The Happiness Project identifies the four personality types that motivate everything we do.

When writing about habits for her last book, Gretchen Rubin stumbled on the biggest discovery of her life - the Four Tendencies. The tendencies describe how a person responds to motivation and how that affects family dynamics, happiness, work, and organisations. Investigating the Four Tendencies quickly became the most challenging and important project Gretchen had ever embarked upon.

A pleasurable listen that also serves as an authoritative reference on a breakthrough personality framework, The Four Tendencies identifies the qualities of Upholders, Questioners, Obligers and Rebels, examining each in depth while also discussing how it interacts with the world.

For listeners this audiobook provides a self-assessment that will empower them to change their actions, overcome stubborn hurdles and improve relationships. When applied to a family, team or work setting, the framework unlocks tension so leaders can be effective and groups can be productive.

For years Gretchen Rubin has encouraged listeners to be their best selves. The Four Tendencies, infused with Gretchen's optimistic spirit and sharp observations, will help them make their lives happier, healthier, more productive and more creative.

©2017 Gretchen Rubin (P)2017 John Murray Press

What listeners say about The Four Tendencies

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Surprisingly thought-provoking

I don't usually like these kind of self-help personality-typing books (I now know that's because I fall into the Questioner tendency!), but I liked Gretchen's Happiness Project book, so I thought I'd give this a try. It's surprisingly well researched and written, with practical advice and lots of examples of how to deal with people who respond differently to internal and external expectations. It even works well as an audiobook - clearly read by the author, and a good length, too. I annoyed my husband by telling him all about it between listening sessions - that's usually a sign of a thought-provoking title!

You really need to go online to do the quiz, though - very difficult to follow in audio format.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Even, rings true

and as a bonus I can definitely see the benefits of knowing the information and applying this in my personal life. one criticism is that you seem to find exactly the same information on author's website and through her YouTube videos. I don't have time to read the website so I am still happy with the audiobook

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant and incisive observation

Gretchen Rubin has pulled together, from experience and observation, information about how we all think and operate. I have found this enlightening about my own behaviours and also about other people I know. I am about to begin my second reading to deepen my understanding. This will be an invaluable tool for anyone in any type of relationship to enable deeper understanding of those around us and how we interact with them. Thank you Gretchen

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Intriguing

Very helpful insights into one key aspect of our personalities. Can be applied to marriage, work, and the rest

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1 person found this helpful

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Gold Star for Gretchen

I am a huge fan of the 'Happier' podcast and would definitely recommend this book for excellent additional reading (it also works for if you don't listen to podcasts) I really enjoy the four tendency theory and think it's a great light-hearted listen about habits and human relationships.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Great book

Very useful ideas, well thought out book, great way of understanding internal and external expectations and how we are all motivated differently.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Useful guide to understand others

It is really interesting but a little bit repetitive. The message is clear and useful.

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Illuminating

Absolutely illuminating! I feel like I know myself and my family better. Now that I know two members of my family are rebels, I hope to feel less frustrated by them. I now understand why I can’t take a trip without extensive and exhaustive research - questioner!!

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    5 out of 5 stars

a very enjoyable audiobook

i love Gretchins narration... and the book is just so interesting to listen to....

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Excellent & Fascinating!

I love hearing Authors read their own books. Gretchen is informative, easy on the ear and presents this book in her own style. She offers thought provoking text and now I am trying to work out my children's tendency. I am an obliger married to a rebel (I think!) still trying to work it out fully. Her podcast is excellent too - Happier

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