People With Very Neat Handwriting Almost Always Have These 11 Rare Personality Traits
Drazen Zigic | Shutterstock You might not think twice about how you jot something down on paper, but experts say handwriting can reveal more about you than you think. Psychotherapist and graphologist Annette Poizner explains that, much like body language, handwriting has long been analyzed as a way to better understand a person's behavior, motivations, and personality traits.
While graphology isn't considered a hard science, many people believe certain patterns show up over and over again. And when it comes to very neat handwriting, there are rare personality traits that tend to appear. Of course, these traits aren't universal or guaranteed, but people with neat handwriting share similar tendencies in how they think and relate to the world around them.
People with very neat handwriting almost always have these 11 rare personality traits:
1. They're highly organized
Kostikova Natalia | Shutterstock
There’s a good chance that someone who has neat handwriting is going to be pretty organized. Even the words on the page have to look orderly to them, and they take that attitude into every area of their lives. These are the kind of people who love routines and a strong sense of structure.
It’s not surprising that staying organized comes with major mental health benefits. Experts agree that being surrounded by clutter can stress you out and make it difficult to concentrate. Meanwhile, staying organized actually creates a sense of comfort. Having neat handwriting may seem like a small thing, but the benefits it brings can be wide-reaching.
2. They're conscientious
fizkes | Shutterstock
Being a conscientious person comes with a host of advantages, such as better health, greater satisfaction with your life, and even greater success. If someone is conscientious, they are also typically known as a trustworthy person that others can rely on, which is something that everyone wants to experience.
Having neat handwriting demonstrates that a person is very disciplined and does everything with a lot of care. That’s exactly what makes someone conscientious. This means those with neater handwriting can typically depend on living lives that are not just healthy, but happy as well.
3. They're perfectionists
Lenar Nigmatullin | Shutterstock
It’s easy to understand why someone who has neat handwriting could be considered a perfectionist. The fact that their handwriting is neat implies that they are writing carefully, and are aware of each stroke their pen makes. This indicates that they have a strong desire to keep things orderly, and are very much “keep everything in its place” kinds of people.
Perfectionism is, of course, not the trait with the best reputation, and many people find themselves trying to unlearn those tendencies at some point. However, a study published in Europe’s Journal of Psychology concluded that certain forms of perfectionism can actually improve a person’s well-being, which may just include the kind that causes someone to write neatly.
4. They're patient
PeopleImages | Shutterstock
The act of writing takes patience in and of itself. That’s no doubt why so many people prefer typing on their computer or phone. Writing something out by hand takes extra time, and writing it neatly takes even more. But people with neat handwriting have mastered the art of patience, and they believe it’s worth it to take a few extra seconds.
Patience isn’t just something that helps someone get along with others and keep a level head. It can actually play a major role in helping people find their purpose in life as well. Because one’s purpose can change over time depending on the stage of life they’re in, it takes patience to discover exactly who they’re meant to be. People with neat handwriting have the advantage in this case.
5. They're detail-oriented
fizkes | Shutterstock
Unless someone was just born with naturally neat handwriting, it takes a meticulous sense of attention to detail to be able to form letters with such care and clarity. It would be pretty rare for that kind of attention to detail to only show up in a person’s handwriting. They would likely be detail-oriented and able to pick up on the little things in every aspect of life.
While being detail-oriented can cause unnecessary stress at times, it can also make someone a better worker and better with personal relationships. There’s nothing wrong with paying attention to detail, but it is important not to get so caught up in it that it reduces your productivity. Neat handwriting is a good thing as long as you don’t become too consumed by it.
6. They tend to follow rules
Monkey Business Images | Shutterstock
There’s obviously no rule that says people have to have neat handwriting, or any specific kind of handwriting, for that matter. But keeping handwriting neat and tidy does signal that someone is more likely to do everything in their life carefully, and probably pays attention to the rules, whether they are explicit or implied.
In a study published in the Journal of Economic Psychology, researchers discovered that rule following is largely a conditional behavior. In other words, they found “that individuals are more likely to follow an arbitrary rule the more others in their reference group do so as well.” Maybe this explains why kids are more likely to try to make their handwriting appear neat when they’re in school and can easily compare it to other students’.
7. They care about presentation
Arthur Bargan | Shutterstock
People with neat handwriting probably put stock in appearances, but not in a shallow way. They aren’t vain, and they aren’t more likely to spend hours getting ready. Instead, they just care about the way things look. They’re the kind of people who are concerned about the aesthetic value of things as small as a piece of paper.
Research has shown that people don’t just care about how things look in obvious ways. How attractive something is can affect people’s level of efficiency. Something as small as the appearance of a math equation can influence whether or not people want to solve it. If aesthetics play such a big role in life, then it makes sense that some people would want their writing to look a certain way.
8. They have strong self-control
MAYA LAB | Shutterstock
Similarly, the idea of someone being controlling is often interpreted in a bad way, but that’s not the kind of controlling that applies to people with neat handwriting. Rather than trying to control others, they have a strong sense of control over themselves and their own actions. They would have to if they were going to write neatly.
Psychologist Roy F. Baumeister, PhD, has studied self-control extensively, and he said that it is one of the only things that “[produces] an immensely broad range of benefits” that one can actually practice and work to strengthen. His findings indicate that we all have some power over our self-control, so someone with messy handwriting may simply have a lower threshold for control.
9. They're a bit reserved
Irene Miller | Shutterstock
It’s possible that some people who have neat handwriting are actually a bit on the reserved side. The way that they write so carefully and thoughtfully shows that they have a propensity for keeping things pretty simple and quiet. They aren’t flamboyant or trying to show off in some way.
Some people think of being reserved as a negative trait, but it’s not at all. People who are reserved are often more focused, analytical, and loyal, and they know when it’s the proper time to offer their input. Someone who’s more reserved often knows how to use that trait as a superpower that benefits them.
10. They're aware of how they're perceived
Prostock-studio | Shutterstock
It’s possible that people who have neat handwriting are also very conscious of what other people think. Maybe they work in a job that requires a lot of people to read what they’ve written, so they feel like it’s important to keep it neat so they aren’t judged harshly. It’s also possible that they’re just self-conscious in all areas of life, and that naturally includes their handwriting.
Humans are meant to find community and connect, so it actually makes sense to a certain extent that they care about what other people think. This can become harmful when people try to avoid rejection at all costs, but just caring what others think in general isn’t a bad thing. And no one likely writes a certain way out of a fear of rejection.
11. They prefer clean, tidy environments
Ground Picture | Shutterstock
It’s only logical that someone with neat handwriting would be neat in other aspects of life as well. They may not be neat-freaks, but there’s a good chance that they like to keep everything around them clean and tidy. They’re very aware of their space, and they want to ensure it’s helping and not hurting them.
A clean space can have both emotional and physical benefits. Cleaning can actually remove germs and allergens from your environment, as well as reduce fall risks. It can also improve your mood, sleep, and concentration. Not everyone thrives in super neat spaces, but there are definitely benefits for those who do.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
