h/t to The Family-Centered Life
Hmm…very interesting. I’d never taken one of these before. I don’t think I would’ve labeled myself a “strategist”, but reading the description of the INTJ personality type, I have to admit it’s pretty accurate. But it sounds…very…boring. Couldn’t I be the “witty, creative, slightly-sarcastic, artist” type? Is that a choice? Check out the description on the INTJ:
INTJs are introspective, analytical, determined persons with natural leadership ability. Being reserved, they prefer to stay in the background while leading. Strategic, knowledgable and adaptable, INTJs are talented in bringing ideas from conception to reality. They expect perfection from themselves as well as others and are comfortable with the leadership of another so long as they are competent. INTJs can also be described as decisive, open-minded, self-confident, attentive, theoretical and pragmatic.
About the INTJ
Expert Quotes & Links
“…approach reality as they would a giant chess board, always seeking strategies that have a high payoff, and always devising contingency plans in case of error or adversity.”
- The Portrait of the Mastermind Rational (iNTj) (Keirsey)
“…observer, values solitude, perfectionist, detached, private… does not talk about feelings, hard to impress, analytical, likes esoteric things…”
- Jung Type Descriptions (INTJ) (similarminds.com)
“To outsiders, INTJs may appear to project an aura of “definiteness”, of self-confidence. This self-confidence, sometimes mistaken for simple arrogance by the less decisive, is actually of a very specific rather than a general nature; its source lies in the specialized knowledge systems that most INTJs start building at an early age. When it comes to their own areas of expertise — and INTJs can have several — they will be able to tell you almost immediately whether or not they can help you, and if so, how.”
- INTJ Profile (TypeLogic)
“At work, INTJs use their conceptual strengths to analyze situations and then develop models to understand and anticipate through relentlessly to reach their goals. They will continue on with their plans, even in the face of adversity and data that might suggest to other more practical types that their goals are no longer feasible. By nature, INTJs are independent individualists.
INTJ - The Free-Thinker (Lifexplore)
“INTJs are natural leaders, although they usually choose to remain in the background until they see a real need to take over the lead. When they are in leadership roles, they are quite effective, because they are able to objectively see the reality of a situation, and are adaptable enough to change things which aren’t working well. They are the supreme strategists - always scanning available ideas and concepts and weighing them against their current strategy, to plan for every conceivable contingency. “
- Portrait of an INTJ (The Personality Page)
I am a traditional Catholic homeschooling mother of 9 children, married for 27 years to the most patient and sainted man. As converts to Catholicism in 1991, our family has only recently discovered the beauty and full expression of our beliefs in the timeless liturgy of antiquity, the Extraordinary Form also commonly referred to as the Traditional Latin Mass. An avid knitter, I also enjoy gardening, reading and immersing myself in the everyday graces of my vocation.
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I don’t buy it for a second. I’ll eat my hat if you’re an introvert. And based on your self-described differences with one of our LNO friends with regard to organization, I’d say you’re probably a P, not a J.
It’s very difficult for N’s to take the Myers Brigg and come out with an accurate profile. We tend to anticipate where the questions are going and answer in the ideal. This personality type sounds a lot more like your dh.
I would put you down as an ENTP if I had to guess.
I insist that I’m an INFJ, my dh laughs and says “definitely not.” He says I’m undoubtably a P — maybe I only see myself in comparison to him.
Suzanne:
The interesting thing about the MB is, just like the 4 Marks test, you’re supposed to answer according to your first inclination, but not necessarily what you are doing right now. I’ve been able to suppress a lot of my primary inclinations (the ones I find rather distasteful, anyway.) Like the the compulsive-neurotic tendency I used to possess in regards to organization, cleaning etc. I was one sick puppy. I would vacuum the carpet in a pattern and DARE anyone to walk on it! I kept a file on EVERYTHING! My first tendency when stressed? Organize something, anything…create order where there are disordered feelings!
Weird…yeah, that was me. As to the seeming extrovert…it has taken me 20 years to be able to walk into a new store alone. Or approach someone and engage in conversation. Left to myself, I’d never go out. Or I’d go out alone. I force myself to do it. Heck…Roger used to have to make all my doctor’s appointments for me. Eventually, I got tired of being paralyzed and pushed past my more introverted tendencies…
I remain a work in progress…I’m sure glad God loves me!
hi Kimberly!
I just stopped by to let you know that we are conducting another ‘tag’ and you have been selected to take part next…come visit my Blog to see how!
Thanks!
Hello from ISFJ…I know exactly what you mean about being considered an extrovert when you have the heart/inclination of an introvert.
You may know this already, but this test doesn’t define intro-/extrovert the way most of us do. They evaluate it based on how you feel energized.
E.g., if you feel more energized after spending time in a group or alone. A friend of mine described it this way:
“Turns out I’m an out-going introvert and (SIL) is a reserved extrovert.”
And everything’s on a continuum anyway:
E——*–X—–I Really isn’t that much of an introvert, but it falls on that side. It’s not an all or nothing thing.
And it’s actually not a “telling” test. The answer is *only* correct when you corroborate it. e.g. my first couple tests (b/c I wasn’t sure how to answer some questions I took it more than once) pegged me first as an ISTP (Key words: Adventurous, great mechanical and technical skills; these are things I’ve developed. They are not natural or “me.”)
I narrowed it down to something between INTJ and INTP (Yup, I’m like you, I guess. Unless you didn’t feel this description was right for you).
I can’t quite clarify the difference between the two, and identify with key elements of both descriptions.
“out-going introvert…”
That’s really funny! The way I describe myself to my friends?
“The loudest-essentially-shy person you’ll ever meet and most of the time I’d rather be in a corner observing the rest of you!” I’ve had to work really hard to overcome that. To not be seen as arrogant, snobbish or anti-social. The result? I have all the appearance of a social butterfly. As a good friend said, I’m a darn good actress! As far as feeling the most energized: I live in a house with 8 other people…solitude! Solitude!
The INTJ description: I’d have to say it is fairly accurate, at least as far as my primary inclinations are concerned. I’m not sure how these particular categories serve any real purpose. Like you I took the test a couple times, but received the same result each time. I was hoping for a result that was a little less rigid:)