Kiran Athar
Are you confident, determined, and able to speak your mind? Do you enjoy being the leader of the pack?
If so, these are just a few of the traits that may indicate you have a strong personality!
But, being strong-willed and self-assured doesn’t always come without its challenges. Some people may find your confidence intimidating.
In this article, we’ll explore 13 signs that you have a strong personality, and why these traits can be seen as intimidating to some people.
1. You’re confident in your abilities and decisions
If you’re the type of person who makes quick decisions and is confident about them, there’s no doubt you’ve got a strong personality…
But why does this intimidate others?
The truth is, those who struggle to have self-belief and confidence in their abilities may find it unnerving to be in the presence of someone so self-assured!
But that’s not all, they could also resent the fact that you’re not easily swayed. If someone has a knack for manipulation, you’re definitely not someone they would target!
2. You think critically and independently
If you combine this point with the previous, it shouldn’t be a surprise that some people might feel uncomfortable around you…
You see, if you can think critically and independently, you’re not easily fooled by others. You can analyze information, come up with your own conclusions, and in layman’s terms?
You can see through people’s bullsh*t!
The very fact that you don’t fall victim to every rumor or embellished story that comes your way is a sign you’ve got a strong personality, and you’re more than capable of thinking for yourself!
3. You’re determined and persistent in achieving goals
Another sign that you have a strong personality that may intimidate some is that you’ve got high levels of determination and persistence.
Put simply:
When you put your mind to something, you’ll stop at nothing to achieve it!
This can be really intimidating, especially when it comes to the workplace.
Think about it this way – if a colleague was up against you for a promotion, there’s a good chance they’d feel nervous. They know how much you’ll fight for your goals!
This leads me to my next point:
4. You like to take charge and lead others
Do you enjoy making decisions and leading others?
Whether it’s at work or at home with family and friends, if you’re the one who takes charge and gets everyone organized, rest assured you’ve got a strong personality!
It takes someone with boldness and courage to lead the pack, so some people might find this intimidating as it may highlight their own inability to take charge.
If they’re insecure or shy, your assertiveness could come across as judgemental, or even borderline rude, especially if people aren’t used to this type of leadership style.
But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be your natural, confident self…instead, learn how to approach people in different ways. This could reduce how intimidated some people feel around you.
5. You communicate with assertiveness
If you’re a natural-born leader, there’s a good chance that you communicate with assertiveness.
This is another surefire sign of having a strong personality, but as I mentioned in the previous point, some people can find this quite intimidating.
Here’s the thing you need to remember:
If someone isn’t confident enough to voice their opinions, your assertiveness might make them feel like you’re dominating the conversation or pushing their ideas to one side.
Although this is a reflection of them more than you, taking a minute to allow everyone to have their opinion heard could make others feel more comfortable around you!
6. You speak your mind and express your opinions
Quite similarly, if you speak your mind and have no issue expressing your opinions, this could feel threatening to others…
You see, someone who doesn’t have much self-confidence may find it difficult to speak up around you.
In some ways, you can use your strong personality to encourage others; ask for their opinion, give them positive feedback and inspire them to have a bit more self-belief!
But regardless of how others feel around you, your assertiveness most definitely comes in handy when…
7. You stand up for yourself and others
Are you the one who sticks up for the little guy?
If so, it’s another sign you have a strong personality. And guess who will find this intimidating?
Bullies!
That’s right, someone who takes advantage of others, or is mean or manipulative, will find you an absolute nightmare to be around.
You have no problem standing up for yourself and others, asserting boundaries, and following up on the consequences when these limits are crossed.
To someone who has no respect or consideration for others, this can be extremely challenging.
In fact, if you’re a woman and you stand up for yourself and others, then you’ll probably relate to our below video on 10 signs you’re a badass woman that other people can’t help but admire.
8. You don’t mind being the center of attention
Next up on our list of signs you’ve got a strong personality that might intimidate people is your knack for ending up being the center of attention.
At parties, you’re the one that people gravitate towards…you know how to keep a crowd entertained and you enjoy being a social butterfly!
There’s nothing wrong with that at all – we need people like you!
But to those who are more introverted or insecure (the two are not mutually exclusive, I may add), this bravery and confidence might be a bit overwhelming.
It may highlight their lack of confidence or simply make them feel unseen since all eyes are on you.
But don’t feel bad about this, instead, do the kind thing and make sure everyone is involved. If anyone has the power to do so, it’s you!
9. You handle stress and pressure well
Talking about the pressure of being the center of attention, if you’re able to manage stress and testing situations, it’s a good indicator you’ve got a strong personality.
You love a challenge, and whilst stress might make some people underperform, it’s the opposite for you – it gives you a boost to get things done!
This is because you’re strong mentally. You know that no matter how tough the going gets, you can rise to the challenge.
For those who struggle to do so, this could be intimidating for several reasons:
- It may remind them that they buckle under pressure quite easily
- They might worry that they’ll be compared to you
- They could feel like they’ll be held to the same standard as you
Of course, as with any point on this list, it’s very much dependent on the other person’s personality.
But in this case, your ability to handle stress well is something you should never compromise to accommodate someone else.
Yes, you can encourage them, but ultimately we all have different ways of managing stress and pressure!
10. You’re a risk taker
If you’re one to take risks and push the limits of what you can achieve, it’s no wonder some might find you a bit much to handle!
You’re a strong person who has confidence in your abilities.
Whilst this probably opens a lot of opportunities for you, to others it can bring to the surface their own insecurities.
Especially if they never venture out of their comfort zone! They might feel they can’t relate to you very well, or that your outlook on life makes them feel unsatisfied with their own choices.
11. You think outside the box and come up with unique solutions
Are you the type that gets creative and thinks up crazy solutions that no one else would have even considered?
If so, congratulations, you’ve not only got a strong personality but you’re great to have around when facing a dilemma!
So, it might seem strange that some people would find this intimidating…
But here’s the thing – in a work meeting, for example, your quick thinking could make your colleagues feel at a disadvantage.
In a competitive space, it’s clear who will succeed, so whilst some may find it overwhelming, others may look at you in awe!
12. You’re self-motivated and driven
This next point is quite personal to me – I used to find freelancers who were self-motivated and driven to be intimidating, especially when I first started writing.
Here’s the thing, if you’re like this, it might come to you naturally. But others (like me) have to work really hard at it!
So, when we’re in the company of someone who has a strong personality and doesn’t struggle to get themselves going in the morning?
It most certainly is intimidating! It used to make me feel like I was doing something wrong, but with time I came to realize that I simply had to work a little bit harder to keep up! This was partly because I felt admiration and aspired to be like those motivated, driven freelancers…
13. You inspire and motivate others
And finally, if you’ve seen qualities of yourself in this list, plus you inspire and motivate others, there’s no doubt in my mind you’ve got a strong personality!
People look up to those who have strong personalities; by being so confident and self-assured, you have a significant impact on others.
So much so, you may even inspire them to work on themselves and become more resilient.
But I’m going to be real with you – other people finding you intimidating is not your fault.
The vast majority of the time, people are dealing with their own insecurities. When they find you overwhelming, it’s usually more of a reflection of them than you.
So listen and listen carefully; never dim your spirit to make others feel comfortable!
You’ve been blessed with a strong personality, whether you were born with it or had to work hard at it, you deserve it.
The most you can do is work to understand the people around you, approach them in a non-confrontational manner, and do your best to encourage those around you to see their own potential and worth!
