General Characteristics of a Monkey

The mischievous Monkey is a delight to be around but be wary of that wiliness behind the friendly and cheerful façade. Reputed to be the wiliest creature of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac, the Monkey is the ultimate strategist and will plan his way to achieve whatever he wants.

The hyperactive Monkey is always on the move, always seeking the next thrill to be had and the next mountain to conquer. Multifaceted and versatile, witty and always entertaining, the Monkey is an attractive and sociable animal. The Monkey is a great friend to have and you will never have a dull moment. Make him use his nimble mind for good and the sky’s the limit for what the Monkey can do.

Monkeys can also be principled, although their principles may be slightly different from those generally accepted in society. Monkeys sometimes have a peculiar way of looking at life, which no one else shares, and Monkeys simply don’t understand why other people think they are being unreasonable. When this happens, the Monkey will often use their guile to bring people round to their way of thinking.

Strengths

The Monkey is highly intelligent and knows it. His mental agility allows the Monkey to cruise through life and get away with success without much effort. The Monkey achieves easily so he is self-confident and loves to take on challenges.

On a superficial level, Monkeys are attractive, with fun, magnetic personalities and are usually popular. Extremely likeable, with a wicked sense of humour, Monkeys endear themselves to many people and find it easy to gain support for their causes.

Most Monkeys are versatile and adapt easily to changing environments, situations and people. Like chameleons, they feel as comfortable in a black-tie ball as at a casual barbeque on the beach.

Weaknesses

The Monkey’s superior intelligence may lead him to arrogance. It’s not that he wants to put you down, he really does think he is better than anyone else. In that sense, the Monkey may not be receptive to criticism or negative feedback as he is unlikely to acknowledge that you know better than him.

He is easily distracted by anything that seems more interesting than what he or she is currently working on. As a result, the Monkey often does not see a project through to the end.

The Monkey also tends to be self-indulgent, always seeking for the pleasures in life, often at the cost of anything else. Sometimes self-serving, the Monkey does not reveal this part of himself by presenting a jovial and kind exterior.

Intelligence is a double-edged sword and the Monkey can use his cleverness to be deceitful and manipulate people. The Monkey likes to look good and if that particular Monkey does not have a strong moral compass, it would not be beneath him to tell lies to achieve his goals.

Career and Working Life

Professionally, Monkeys would be good in public relations. They have a high emotional quotient so work well with people and can enroll them to work together to achieve common goals.  Monkeys also make successful lawyers, diplomats, teachers and excel in the expressive industries like performance arts and writing.

Having a sharp mind, the Monkey excels in problem solving and overcoming new challenges. He will manipulate a situation to suit him and if he is ever cornered, he will figure out a slick way to escape. Colleagues or team mates will have to be aware of his tendency to focus only on himself and not think of the consequences of his actions to others. They may have to watch their own backs if there’s a Monkey among them.

Certain Monkeys can be disorganized and find it difficult to keep to deadlines so a good personal assistant or business partner who can compensate for this would be critical. Being naturally restless, Monkeys can tend to job-hop, not staying in any particular position for long. Unless the job can hold the Monkey’s interest, he is likely to move on to the next job which looks more interesting.

Love and Relationships

If you are ever romantically pursued by the sparkling and charming Monkey, you will experience being swept off your feet completely. The clever Monkey will think of wonderfully inventive ways to woo you but while he may offer you everything under the sun, the last thing this fiercely independent fellow will offer is his heart.

It is difficult to pin down the Monkey, who is likely to have a wandering eye (and other body parts). Commitment freaks the Monkey out – anything long terms seems like a jail sentence to the happy-go-lucky Monkey. The Monkey thrives on the adrenaline rush of new relationships, and constantly seeks to recapture that thrill. Be aware though that while he is reluctant to commit, the Monkey can be prone to jealousy, not wanting others to have what he doesn’t even want himself.

Treat your passionate Monkey well. Make life exciting and interesting to keep his interest. Also, don’t forget to make him feel so good that your Monkey will love to stay around you!

If a relationship ends, you will find that the Monkey can move from one relationship to another with ease. It doesn’t mean that he is cold or did not care about the previous partner but that he is simply practical and once his attention has shifted, he will have simply moved on.

Finances

Financially speaking, the Monkey can be contradictory. While he is good at assessing risks and would think through any business proposition to ensure that it is financially sound, he is also impulsive and may take high risks to secure good gains. Fortunately, the Monkey is usually lucky with money and does not lack of it.

The Monkey is generous and if he has the means, he would not hesitate to help others who need some cash. The Monkey loves the indulgences in life and is not attached to money so he will happily spend on whatever takes his fancy. Owning material goods is also one way of showing that he is successful, which is important for the socially-conscious Monkey.

Social Life

Monkeys love the limelight and are social creatures, always happy to go from one party to the next. Attractive, cheeky, cheerful, friendly and warm, they are popular and have many friends who revel in his company.

The Monkey is also impulsive and impudent, which ensures that life is never dull around the Monkey. The Monkey will have stories to tell and gossip to share though he is never malicious. He simply loves to entertain. This can manifest in his initiating completely crazy, grandiose schemes – just to show you how smart and inventive he is.

The Monkey loves to tread on the edge of danger just for the heck of it, and he enjoys company while he does it. The more outrageous or spontaneous the better, so do be prepared for the unexpected whenever you’re hanging out with the Monkey.

The clever Monkey is often sought for advice and solutions to people’s problems. His natural joie de vivre also brings abundant positive energy which renergises whoever he is advising or interacting with.

Life Lessons

The Monkey must learn to persevere with whatever he has committed to and see them through. The Monkey can get disheartened and want to give up if too many obstacles come in his way, so the Monkey should develop more great patience and tenacity. If the Monkey can also develop a stronger sense of responsibility over his own selfish wishes, the Monkey would be a valuable member of any team.

The Monkey should also work on being more direct and honest in his interactions. The Monkey tends to keep his cards close to his chest while maintaining a jovial facade. If the Monkey learns how to communicate his needs, it will allow others to help him be more contented.

If the Monkey wants to have better relationships, he must learn to be more mature and less self-indulgent. While he is endearing, his occasional petulance and childishness will turn people off. He must realise life’s not just about having a party.

COMPATIBILITY

Who will the Monkey share his peanuts with?

The Monkey gets on famously with the Rat and the Dragon, with the Rat/Monkey combination being the best. Their active and competitive energies are perfectly in sync. The more stable, confident Monkey will support the Rat, who is prone to be insecure.

The brave and flamboyant Dragon and the bright and outrageous Monkey combination is particularly dynamic. These two would be equally compatible at work or in love.

The Monkey also is a great friend of the Ox despite being so different in character. The solidity of the Ox is perfect to ground the hyperactive Monkey and they work together well as equals.

Who will the Monkey fight over bananas with?

The Monkey’s nemesis is the Tiger. The Monkey can be sneaky while the righteous Tiger is always championing forthrightness so they have very different approaches to work and living that will often result in conflict.

The Monkey and the Rooster also often clash because the Monkey will find the Rooster’s perfectionist attitude irritating while the Rooster does not understand why the Monkey can be so irresponsible and flighty.

The Monkey and Dog relationship is also a trying one as the Monkey wonders why the Dog is so righteous while the Dog wonders why the Monkey is not!

How to work with a Monkey

To work best with the Monkey is to make sure that you understand where he is coming from. Make the most of his creativity, intellect and strategic planning but don’t expect him to do the donkeywork because he will be bored stiff and before you know it, he will be gone.

Make life interesting for the Monkey, give him acknowledgement of his abilities and the Monkey will be impressed by how perceptive you are. Keep him intrigued so he will be inspired to hang around.

5 Positive and Negative Traits

Famous Monkeys

Eleanor Roosevelt, Mick Jagger, Joan Crawford, Lyndon B. Johnson, Leonardo da Vinci, Celine Dion, Halle Berry, Lee Seung-yeon, Will Smith, Monica Bellucci, Hugh Jackman, Lucy Liu, Pope John Paul II, Bette Davis, Owen Wilson, Margaret Cho, Helena Christensen, Toni Braxton, Jerry Yang, Marc Anthony, Mika Hakkinen, Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Aniston, David Copperfield, Alicia Keys, George Lucas, Taylor Lautner, Kylie Minogue, Julius Caesar, Tom Hanks, Diana Ross, Elizabeth Taylor, Venus Williams, Yao Ming, Ziana Zain

Other Lunar Animal Signs

1. I am the Rat

2. I am the Ox

3. I am the Tiger

4. I am the Rabbit

5. I am the Dragon

6. I am the Snake

7. I am the Horse

8. I am the Sheep

9. I am the Rooster

10. I am the Dog

11. I am the Pig

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