Another kind of person to understand is the perfectionist melancholy. You know them. They’re emotional and romantic. They have a really high standard for everything, maybe even OCD. Their desk may be a mess of stacks, but they know where everything is and don’t want you to move a thing! They are extremely organized and keep that organization the same. And they rarely make a mistake. They work in stages and never get the whole job done. You do not want to go Christmas shopping with a perfectionist! They can’t make a decision without all the facts and they can never get enough facts. They find the perfect deal at WalMart but are afraid they might get a better deal somewhere else.

They tend to be moody because they raise the bar really high for themselves, and then get bummed out when even they can’t measure up. They can find fault with their own best work. And…they raise that bar just as high for everyone else, so they can become very critical of others.

Perfectionists are great because they usually do things right the first time. But, that’s also their greatest weakness, because no one is perfect. We’re all sinners in a fallen world. If you’re married to a perfectionist, it can be difficult. Like the powerful choleric, the perfect melancholy is more concerned with getting the job done right than in maintaining the relationship. The best way to deal with a perfectionist? Leave them to their own system. To point out a perfectionist’s flaw is to attack their very soul. Because they see themselves as perfect (at least the very best he/she can be). Make suggestions to a melancholy but let them work at their own snail’s pace. Anybody married to one?