I love speaking to others just after they’ve taken a personality assessment based on Briggs Myers' typology. I want to hear their reactions, what they learned, and how they plan to use this new information about themselves. However, what fascinates me the most is how people with the same personality traits use them differently throughout various parts of their lives.
Are you an INFJ that finds yourself questioning why you feel so different? Maybe you’ve read the description of the INFJ personality type and that’s made it a little easier for you to understand yourself. But…something’s not quite gelling. The typical run-down of INFJ personality traits includes sensitivity, empathy, introversion, creativity, a strong values orientation and organization as some of your top strengths. But what about the other traits you observe in yourself?
Type A Personality. It looks good on a resume. It sings of straight A’s on your report card. And, like it does in the alphabet, it implies good things to come while standing at the head of any line.
As a matter of fact, if you’ve tossed the phrase “I’m a Type A personality” out as a brag at your latest job interview, the implications are clearly defined in your mind: you are a multi-tasking, hard-working, results-driven individual who will put the job first. In your eyes, there is no “second”. You are driven to succeed and win.
People with introverted personalities need time alone to recharge. People with Sensing preferences trust in things that they can see, hear, and touch. Thinking personality types make decisions based on logic and Judging personality types feel comfortable in structured situations.
Ambiverts have contemplative ideas like an Introvert and also possess the ability to sell or implement those ideas in a competitive environment like an Extravert. This ability to ‘flex’ with the situation is widely valued in society. Known as the ambivert’s advantage, even blends of extraversion and introversion are in demand in the workplace and in personal spheres. As a result, ambiverts tend to find greater opportunities in their relationships and careers than people who sit at the more extreme ends of the personality spectrum.
Enneagram Type 4s are the Individualists of the Enneagram. They are sensitive, creative and expressive people who are interested in finding and understanding their own identity. While they crave close, intimate relationships, others may find them quiet, reserved and hard to get to know.
Does your personality feel like a mischievous kid sometimes?
Just when you think you’ve got a handle on things, you feel yourself melting into a blob of complete and utter… whatever. Bored to the roots of the hair on your toes. Or you find yourself floating perfectly still and everything inside you is chaotic energy and your hands wring hot and frozen and your chest beats hollow with barely enough space for your lungs to stretch. Your head is full of pinpricks and nobody had better come near you right now.
‘Twas the night before Christmas, when feelings of holiday cheer and terrible anxiety flooded the Judger. The holiday season is the most wonderful time of the year — for the most part. But as an INFJ—one of the eight Judging types in Myers Briggs typology—my Judging component often gets tested come November and December.
I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve heard this question, and for a variety of reasons! For example, Introverts (I) may think that Extraverts (E) have more fun and they get more attention. Feeler-Perceivers (FPs) struggle in structured environments, believing that Thinker-Judgers (TJs) were the ones who unfairly created them. Sensors (S) just don’t get why Intuitives (N) often seem to be in positions of leadership when they’re just “winging it” and not looking at the data.
Creative idealist personality types INFJ, ENFP, INFP, and ENFJ are vulnerable to life’s disappointments like any other person. Highly idealistic and with strongly developed Intuitive and Feeling traits, it’s natural for us to resolve those disappointments by using our mental and emotional resources.
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