As described in the book, each Persona is associated with particular thought patterns which result in certain emotional triggers. Understanding these underpinning triggers will greatly influence the control one can have over the demolition of the Persona mechanism. Avoiding the association of unwanted patterns with negative emotions is a crucial step to the dis-confirmation of the Persona mechanism.

The following table will outline what is the most common thought-to-emotion association for each Persona. If such an association sounds familiar to you, then be aware that each time such a thought enters the mind is almost immediately followed by the corresponding emotive reaction (around 100 msec), so that a stronger confirmation of the thought mechanism has taken place.

Persona Thought Pattern

Negative Emotion
Sanguine I can’t have it all Dissatisfaction
Lymphatic I have failed Discouragement
Nervous I’m better than that Pride
Melancholic What about me? Envy
Bilious They’re in my way Anger
Phlegmatic It’s pointless Apathetic

Imagine the Persona as an addict; its drug of choice is an emotive reaction caused by a thought pattern. The currency the Persona uses to obtain its drug is specific recursive problems and therefore, as an addict, its mission is to find problems in order to have the emotive reaction it seeks and continue the repetitive pattern as long as it exists.

How do you stop an addict? You stop the availability of drugs? You force a different behavior?

In the case of the Persona, the only way to eliminate the problems it causes is to stop providing the emotional feedback.

In other words, stop confirming the negative thoughts with emotive reactions.