ENTHUSIASTIC DEFINITION:frequently feeling or exhibiting much excitement CATEGORIES:identity, interactive SIMILAR ATTRIBUTES:ardent, ebullient, excitable, exuberant, hyper POSSIBLE CAUSES: ADHD/ADD Being highly creative and passionate Being free-spirited Being excessively energetic Curiosity Immaturity Having an optimistic outlook Needing action or adventure; being an extrovert The desire to perform or prove oneself to others Medication or diet Being a highly intelligent person who is consistently under-stimulated ASSOCIATED BEHAVIORS: Preferring to be part of a group Infectious laughter Speaking rapidly Touching for effect Impatient movements Acting without thought Agreeing without always thinking things through Organizing fun events and gatherings Being energized by music and people Volunteering to help with whatever needs doing Giving one’s all to a project that one is excited about Generating lots of ideas and voicing them Showing pride in one’s town, sport teams, country, etc. Impatience if other people are slow to move or act Talking incessantly about the object of one’s enthusiasm Bouncing back quickly from negative experiences Getting involved with projects in one’s community Attempting to win people over and join in one’s enthusiasm Focusing on the future more than the past Enjoying the moment Asking questions Smiling often Engaging in wrestling and horseplay Wanting to see and experience new things Making others feel valued through enthusiastic greetings Forming fast friendships Using lots of hand gestures Not always knowing where personal boundaries are Movements that exude energy (bouncing a foot, tapping the tabletop, etc.) Speaking in a loud, boisterous voice Rushing through responsibilities that don’t generate excitement ASSOCIATED THOUGHTS: Our float is going to be the best one in the parade! The boating trip will be awesome. I wish the weekend would hurry up and get here! What an incredible organization. I can’t wait to see how I can help. Look at that offensive line. Our team’s gonna win! ASSOCIATED EMOTIONS:confidence, desire, excitement, happiness, hopefulness POSITIVE ASPECTS:Enthusiastic characters are passionate. Whatever idea or organization they espouse, they are loyal and dedicated to it, often taking on undesirable roles or background positions that others may reject. Their zeal is infectious and their exuberance can be the catalyst to spurring fence-sitters into action. NEGATIVE ASPECTS:Enthusiastic characters may be passionate, but they don’t always think things through. Their excitement for an organization or upcoming event may give them an unrealistically rosy view and render them blind to faults and red flags. Others might view these characters as childish and simple and may not take them seriously. Enthusiastic characters may become so excitable that they take projects over, creating friction with other team members. EXAMPLE FROM FILM:It’s Buddy the elf’s (Elf) nature to face each day with enthusiasm. Although momentarily dismayed upon discovering that he’s not an actual elf, he recovers quickly, throwing himself into the adventure of finding his real dad in the strange and wonderful world of New York City.Other Examples from TV and Film:Barney Fife (The Andy Griffith Show), Rod Tidwell (Jerry Maguire) TRAITS IN SUPPORTING CHARACTERS THAT MAY CAUSE CONFLICT:abrasive, cocky, grumpy, irresponsible, patient, pessimistic, temperamental CHALLENGING SCENARIOS FOR THE ENTHUSIASTIC CHARACTER: PLOTLINE: Participating in activities where emotional displays are a detriment (poker, etc.) PLOTLINE: Learning that the object of one’s enthusiasm is not what it appeared to be PLOTLINE: Being the only enthusiast in a crowd of naysayers and wet blankets PLOTLINE: Enthusiastically supporting an organization that most people believe to be a sham