What’s My Fatal Flaw?

Take this quiz to find out!

Like a tragic hero, we all have one quality that’ll be our downfall. Maybe you’re an overthinker. Maybe you’re impulsive. Maybe you care too much. Aren’t you curious to know?

Give your honest answers to these simple questions, and we’ll reveal your fatal flaw.

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Questions Overview

1. How do you handle grief, sadness, and heartbreak?
  1. I rarely feel those things, because I’m a pretty happy person. I guess I would probably ignore the feelings until they were gone.
  2. I stay busy and focus on helping people around me. I won’t accept help if people offer it.
  3. I keep thinking, and thinking, and thinking about it. I hope that if I think hard enough, I can find a way to fix things.
  4. I cling on to the happy memories for as long as I can. Everything I eventually let go of has claw marks left on it.
2. What's the worst question someone could ask you right now?
  1. "Can you do me a favor?"
  2. "Why are you single?"
  3. "What's your goal in life?"
3. How do you handle pressure?
  1. I thrive under pressure. It motivates me.
  2. I crumble under pressure. It's too much to handle.
  3. I can handle pressure, but it's not comfortable for me.
  4. I need pressure to get anything done, honestly.
4. What do you think is the point of life?
  1. There isn't one, or I don't know.
  2. Helping other people and making their lives easier.
  3. Becoming your best self.
  4. Just to enjoy it. Life is short, and you gotta cherish it.
5. What makes someone a good person?
  1. They're always trying their hardest.
  2. They put other people before themself.
  3. They stick to their morals and values.
  4. They learn from their mistakes.
6. Someone offers you $1 million to do one of these things. Which would you choose?
  1. Ghost my best friend.
  2. Walk through an active minefield.
  3. Not leave my house for 5 years.
  4. None of these. It's not worth it.
7. What's the key to success?
  1. Luck.
  2. Working together.
  3. Doing things my way.
  4. Being open-minded and experimental.
8. What's your biggest pet peeve, out of these?
  1. When people take advantage of me.
  2. When people try to make me do things I don't want to.
  3. When people half-ass important things.
  4. When people make bad, impulse decisions.
9. Which of these achievements or abilities is most impressive to you?
  1. Being mega-rich with a big important job.
  2. Chasing your dream and taking risks, even if you don't succeed.
  3. Surviving a life-threatening illness or injury.
10. Do you ever say things you regret?
  1. Always. I wish I put a little more thought into my words.
  2. Sometimes, but so does everyone, right?
  3. Rarely. I put a lot of thought into what I say.
  4. Never. Life's too short for regrets.
11. What kind of music do you listen to when you need to unwind?
  1. Classical, instrumental, jazz, easy listening. I want to relax.
  2. Rock, hip hop, pop. I want to have a fun time!
  3. Hardcore, metal, punk, etc. I need to rock it out.
  4. Something else.
12. Choose how you want to be buried once your fatal flaw gets the best of you:
  1. Bury me on a serene hill overlooking a nice view.
  2. I want my ashes scattered to an ocean wind.
  3. Plant me under a tree so I can give back to nature.

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All About Fatal Flaws

What is a fatal flaw?
A fatal flaw (a.k.a. “hamartia” in Greek) is a personality or character trait that tends to lead to someone’s downfall. It’s a common concept in fiction and mythology. Usually, heroes have positive fatal flaws, where too much of a good trait, like honor or loyalty, can lead them astray. Often, though, fatal flaws are classic vices, like pride, greed, or lust.

Where did fatal flaws come from?
The idea of a fatal flaw dates back to Aristotle, who used the term to describe certain parts of literature. Namely, fatal flaws are a huge part of Greek tragedies, where the heroes often meet their demise because of a fatal character flaw.

Common fatal flaws in real life

  • Pride: Caring too much about your own self-image or dignity.
  • Greed: Wanting too much, and not wanting the right things.
  • Lust: Someone giving in to their physical desires at the expense of their other needs.
  • Procrastination: Putting things off until it’s too late to do them at all.
  • Rule-following: Doing it by the book that they’re not done in the best way.
  • Jealousy: Wanting what others have, even if it’s not what you need.
  • Arrogance: Looking down on other people, which often leads to underestimating them.

How do you overcome your fatal flaw?
The first step is to identify it. What quality or trait do you have that often causes you problems? Once you’ve identified it, you can tackle it. But it’s hard to beat on your own. Ask someone who knows you very well what they think and for their perspective, and ask them to help you snap out of it when they see you giving in to that flaw. Once you know what to look out for, you can identify the behavior when it’s happening, then work to do the right thing, instead. For example, if you’re often angry or irritable, the first step is recognizing that anger, then understanding how it can hurt you and others, then working to calm yourself down.

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