NEGATIVE TRAIT THESAURUS

IMPULSIVE



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HELPFUL TIP:

Characters with this flaw will be extra sensitive to certain emotions, so think about how events in your story might specifically trigger these feelings to generate compelling tension and conflict. Another idea is to give a supporting character a positive attribute that is an opposite of this flaw, which will get under the skin of both characters and cause friction in their relationship.
DEFINITION:
Acting on desires, whims, or inclination without forethought

SIMILAR FLAWS:
Hasty, impetuous, precipitate, rash

POSSIBLE CAUSES:
Living in an environment that encourages taking risks
A desire to live in the moment and without boundaries
Growing up in a home with rigid rules and expectations
Selfishness
ADD or ADHD
Having a near-death experience that emphasizes one's mortality
Irresponsibility

ASSOCIATED BEHAVIORS AND ATTITUDES:
Acting in response to one's emotions
Acting without thought for the consequences
An inability to see more than one or two steps ahead
Being legitimately shocked at the undesirable result of one's thoughtless actions
Seeing something that one wants and immediately going after it
Spontaneity; not planning
Chafing under too many rules or restrictions
Acting first, then expressing regret or remorse in the aftermath
Excitability
Impatience
Saying the first thing that comes to mind
Being easily distracted
Transparency; not filtering one's words or acting a certain way to project a desired image
Unwittingly endangering oneself and others by not thinking things through
Inconveniencing others when impulsivity takes over
Unpredictability
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ASSOCIATED THOUGHTS:
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ASSOCIATED EMOTIONS:
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POSITIVE ASPECTS:
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NEGATIVE ASPECTS:
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EXAMPLES FROM LITERATURE:
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OVERCOMING THIS TRAIT AS A MAJOR FLAW:
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TRAITS IN SUPPORTING CHARACTERS THAT MAY CAUSE CONFLICT:
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