Self

The Animal You See First In This Visual Test Reveals Your True Personality

personality test true self animals

There is a reason we all love taking a personality test. It isn't because we are self-centered or self-obsessed, or painfully desperate for other people to know the real us, either. It's because who we are as people is constantly evolving.

There are things about us that are concrete, but there are things about us that are absolutely dynamic. Our personalities change and shift as we age. While some things about us may always be true, there are certain aspects of who we are that will always be in flux.

We love taking personality tests and quizzes because it's reassuring to have an outside force tell us something definitive about ourselves and our personality traits.

When we are given a mantle to carry, a definition of who we are supposed to be, it doesn't just take the pressure off our shoulders to figure ourselves out, but it also frees us of our preconceived notions of ourselves and invites us to be the best possible version of ourselves, whatever that means to each of us.

RELATED: People Who Can Find The 'T' In This Brain Puzzle Test Within 10 Seconds Are Gifted

Many of the personality traits you consider integral to who you really are were formed unconsciously over the course of your life up until now. Sure, there are things you have actively worked on about yourself. Perhaps you want to be more patient. Perhaps you struggle with speaking your mind.

However, the conscious ways we shape our personalities pale in comparison with how the unconscious patterns we perceive in the world have already shaped us. Whether we are aware of it or not, seemingly "invisible" factors can account for huge portions of our personality type and our identity.

Now, find out what your brain's subconscious selection means about your true personality and hidden self by taking this simple test.

To show you a bit of what this all means, take a look at the image below and carefully note the first animal (and only the first) that you see clearly in the picture. Then, scroll down to see what the animal you chose says about your true self.

1. If you saw the cat

If you saw the cat first, it means that you live a life that is all about balance.

You savor your time to yourself, but you also know and value the importance of spending time with the group.

You are a huge proponent of exploring the unknown and jumping into action, but you know that you must consider things carefully before you make that uncertain leap.

Your life is about shining a light on the things that usually reside only in the darkness.

RELATED: How You Make A Fist Reveals Very Specific Things About Your Personality

2. If you saw the beaver

If you saw the beaver first, you are a person who completely trusts the creativity of their own spirit.

You don't let other people's ideas about your creativity impact what you put out into the world. Your confidence makes you a great asset on any type of team you might join, because you know that anything can be accomplished with cooperation.

You are a person who is not only self-motivated, but who finds motivating others to be a meaningfully driving force in your life.

RELATED: The World’s Shortest IQ Test Shows If You’re Smarter Than 80% Of The Population In Just 3 Questions

3. If you saw the horse

If you saw the horse first, it means you are the type of person whose soul guides them through life with power and ease.

You may sometimes underestimate just how much you are capable of, but you shouldn't! You've got drive, grit, and determination and you've got them physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

You must remember to trust your intuition. Listen to that powerful voice inside of you and you will never be led astray as you leap over the many hurdles life throws your way.

RELATED: People With Higher Than Average IQs Can See The Hidden Image In These Zig-Zag Lines

4. If you saw the dog

If you saw the dog first, you have been gifted with a keen sense of awareness, not just of yourself and your own surroundings, but of others as well.

You are exceptionally devoted to the people you love, and when you give your heart, you give it unconditionally.

Seeing the dog first might mean that you have a fierce protective spirit, but it also means that you know the importance of cooling your jets and remembering to find time to play when you need to recharge.

Yours is a life of love, energy, and excitement.

RELATED: What You See First In This Visual Test Reveals Your Deepest Personal Strengths

5. If you saw the octopus

If the first thing you saw when you looked at this picture was an octopus, you are among a very lucky few!

The octopus seeks out those whose lives are driven by fluidity, creativity, and intelligence. You are a person whose life will force you to maneuver through many difficult spaces.

Thankfully, since you've seen the octopus, you don't only know how to make it through to the other side, but how you can do it with style, ease and grace of heart. You thrive when you are given a challenge, and even when you're in the dark, you know how to turn inward to seek the light.

RELATED: Only People Who See This Horse Going Backward Are In Their Right Minds

6. If you saw the butterfly

If you saw the butterfly when you looked at the picture, chances are your life is rapidly changing, and you're changing with it.

The butterfly does not emerge until its metamorphosis is complete. You are a person who thrives on mystery and fully accepts the fact that change, even as extreme a change as death, is necessary in order to achieve fullness of self.

You are sparkly and you are kind. People are drawn to you, thinking it's your fragile beauty that appeals to them, when the truth is that you're just much more in tune with the past than anyone else around you could ever be.

RELATED: The Tree You're Drawn To Reveals Your Dominant Personality Traits — And How They Help And Hurt You

Rebecca Jane Stokes is a freelance writer, editor, former Senior Editor of Pop Culture at Newsweek, and former Senior Staff Writer for YourTango. She has a passion for lifestyle, geek news, and true crime topics. Her bylines have appeared on Fatherly, Bustle, SheKnows, Jezebel, and many others.