This blog post is part of our Fundamentals of the Enneagram series, which takes a deeper dive into all the Enneagram elements - wings, arrows, subtypes, centers of intelligence, growth pathways and more. For an overview of the series, start with our introductory post, then check out our story on defenses here.
While anyone could write off personality tests as just a form you have to fill for work, or a silly pastime from high school days, these reports can also be a powerful self-growth tool. After all, it’s always fun and validating to realize more people see the world in a similar way to you.
Each of the 16 personality types has its strengths, struggles, and unique qualities. However, like with any other label, it has become common for certain stereotypes to come up when discussing different types within the 16-type system. Although these stereotypes may stem from surface-level facts, they can be harmful, limiting, and untrue.
You’d think that the Marie Kondo-esque Judging personalities would thrive under pressure. After all, Judgers are known for being hardworking, focused, and organized to a T. The reality? Most Judgers only prosper in a structured environment. When there’s no structure, stress can take over, and turn our lives upside down.
Are you searching for more meaning and purpose in your career? You’re not alone. A recent survey revealed that more than half of 18 to 25 year-olds are considering quitting their job and an overwhelming 41% of the global workforce is thinking about resigning. The reasons? Burnout, disengagement and feeling unsupported by employers, to name just a few.
I am the first-born child of two introverted Thinker-Judgers. Our summer vacations were planned in detail months in advance, right down to what time we’d leave the house. And I was right there in the thick of it, making packing lists and choosing activities that I’d write down in a spiral-bound notebook.
My younger brother likes to think he’s more spontaneous, but he’s as much of an ISTJ as my parents and I are. Typology definitely runs in our family. The question is whether it’s nature, nurture, or coincidence.
Imagine you are walking down hotel row in a large city. On the right side is a Marriott hosting a convention of 1,000 members of the American Psychological Association. Directly across the street at the Hilton, 1,000 plumbers have gathered for the annual meeting of the American Plumbing Association. We know from decades of research – as well as from direct personal experience – that psychologists and plumbers tend to be different kinds of people. This is not to say all plumbers are one type and all psychologists another.
Judging personality types have so many strengths, but one of our greatest is the ability to thrive in a structured routine. Judgers are amazing helpers when you need someone to line up all of the details. We’re great at laying down a game plan for a vacation, organizing someone’s space, and serving as personal financial advisors. So what happens when a detail-oriented, structured being like yourself finds there is no structure?
A first-of-its-kind original, scientific study showed that Personality Type is strongly correlated with certain health-risk factors and may predict susceptibility to specific chronic illnesses. These findings may help patients with innate predispositions to avoid developing serious medical conditions.
Over the past year, we’ve all had our unique experiences of adapting to life in a time of pandemic. With lockdowns and work from home mandates, many of us were forced to endure months of near-solitude, and saw our daily routines disrupted. While some saw these restrictions as an opportunity for slowing down, others struggled with the lack of social interaction imposed.
THE FINE PRINT:
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