I bet you think I'm extroverted. That's a pretty reasonable assumption to make based on the fact that I've taken you along with me to my mammogram. An introvert probably wouldn't do that.
Only I did. And I am. Honestly.
I'm not shy, I'm not socially awkward or maladjusted, I'm just a loner. Some people thrive on crowds and parties and wearing lampshades on their heads. I thrive on solitude and often need a day of recuperating after an especially social outing like buying gum.
Admittedly I'm just a borderline introvert which is why I I'm not uncomfortable in social situations or afraid of them ... I just find them tiring.
How do I know this about myself? Well I'm pretty astute. Plus I took the famed Myers Briggs personality test a few weeks ago and it indeed confirmed everything I already knew about myself.
The Myers Briggs test is a personality test that was developed by a woman in the 1940s based on research done by Carl Jung in the 1920's. It breaks everyone down into 1 of 16 different personality types based on whether they are Extroverted or Introverted, Sensory or INtuitive, Thinking or Feeling, and Judging or Perceiving.
It's the most popular personality test in the world and it's also one of the most criticized. Not unlike the Seinfeld finale.
I turned out to be an "INTJ". Which means I'm an Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking and Judging kind of person. Which makes perfect sense because when I first heard about this test my first instinct was to judge it. I'm not a huge fan of this kind of nutshelling. But then it was accurate and I didn't know what to do. I mean I'd already judged the way a judgey judger would. I'll Intuitively Think about what to do with this information while being Introverted one night.
No personality type is deemed any better than any other type in the test. They're just different. "INTJs" (me) for example tend to be interested, innovative, single-minded in concentration, unimpressed with authority and naturally high achievers. On the other hand an "ENFP" is charming and enthusiastic, people oriented, knows everyone and everything that's going on and will b able to do almost anything that he or she wants. See? Not better. Just different.
Only obviously anyone who is an INTJ is better.
Wanna know what you are? This sample Myers Briggs test only takes a few minutes to do. Go do it then in the comment section tell us what you are and if you think it's true!
I really did find mine to be a fairly accurate representation of me.
Curious about famous people? Of course you are because we're all interested in what famous people are really like for some bizarre reason. Actually it isn't bizarre at all, I know exactly why. It's because we either want to know that they're exactly like us or nothing at all like us, depending on what famous person we're talking about.
This site has a great long list of all the different personality types and famous people they attribute them to. I'm linking to the INTJ page, but just look in the left hand column for your type and click on that.
Since we know I'm an INTJ, here are a few others in this world who were as well.
Sir Isaac Newton
Physicist
Mark Zuckerberg
CEO of Facebook
Stephen Hawking
Physicist
Ted Kaczynski
The Unibomber
Jay Z
General all around mogul
I was pretty excited about my list of INTJ celebrities until I couldn't find David Letterman on it. Turns out he was on the ENTJ list. Which no way in hell is true. David Letterman is not an extrovert, he's a classic introvert so now I'm back to questioning the validity of this test.
Not that I'm one to judge. But I am.
Did you take the test? Do you know what you are?
Lay it on me.
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Michelle Holmes
ISFJ fits me to a T. Pretty interesting stuff.
Tracy
INTJ-T, but some of the questions I would mentally agree with wholeheartedly, but not sure if I would actually follow through in the same way when the rubber hit the road. Also, some of the statements have 2 parts, where I agree with one part totally & the 2nd not at all. For instance, my dreams are very vivid, but based off real life (in a twisted way.) One thing I know for sure is I plan my work, but I utterly fail to work my plan. Does that follow the INTJ?
Holly
INTJ too!
Sandra
INTP - yup, I'm in a very small group, and not sure if this is what came up when I took the test at work years ago, but it sounds like it. In other tests, sometimes I was the only one in the "group". Oh, well.
Katie
I'm way late to this party, but it cracks me up because I am an INTJ as well. College me was always INFJ, and I recently took a quick version of this test that labeled me as ISTJ, but I think that was potentially related to me filling it out quickly at work because a friend was pestering me about it.
Someone up top said you must be an INTJ-magnet, Karen, and I think they're right! Must be another reason why I love your site so much. :3
Karen
I'm actually writing a whole other post on this on Friday because it is sooo unusual to have so many INTJs in one place. Realllyyy unusual. ~ karen!
Katie
I look forward to reading it! I never knew where to find so many people like me before now; turns out I should have just been reading the comments here all along. :D
Bernice Wittwer
I'm an ESFJ. I've taken this test in my early 20's and I know I was an E and an F but one of the other two was different, I think I was a P. I have noticed that over the years I have moved on the E/I spectrum and am now much closer to the middle. My Mom is a Thinker and I'm a Feeler. When I was a teenager and into my 20's I thought her pronouncements where so harsh. She thought I was too emotional and took things too personally. Imagine that. LOL Reading the analysis of this type it was extremely on the money in most areas.
Leslie
Not a huge surprise to me that graceful and charming you are an introvert. You seem to be really good at entertaining yourself at home, learning new stuff, getting stuff done. I think it is funny that people who are so awkward they draw an entire convention-sized roomful of strangers' attention to themselves often claim to be "shy."
Kari
I'm ENFJ and it's pretty accurate. But I DO have good ideas...lol and I'm not as much of a sheeple as it seems to say. I am very empathetic so that's definitely true but I have some spice going on too.
Jen
INTJ - no wonder I have problems in positions where I don't believe the hype.
Theresa
ENFJs unite! I love love love analysing myself and others. There are 2 more tests out there that have completely changed how I see myself and my relationships with others. Truly life-changing, lemme tell ya.
The Five Love Languages: http://www.5lovelanguages.com/profile/
And your Work Personality: http://www.peterursbender.com/quiz/swtable.html
Lara
A fellow INTJ here! Thanks for a great read!
Courtney
I'm a total INTJ too!! I'm not a shy introvert, I can navigate just fine in an extroverted world, I just have a tendency to NOT seek out other people if I don't *have* to. I find social functions exhausting. I can do them, and I can interact just fine... but I need a huge recharge after the fact..... If I didn't have a job and a family, i think I'd be a hermit, and be just fine.
Have you heard of the DISC personality assessment tool?? I'd be curious what your opinion on that one is too.
Andrea
People are often confused about the meaning of extrovert and introvert. It has nothing to do with whether you like to be with people or share, it has to do with how you get your energy. Extroverts get energy being with other people, introverts recharge during alone time.
Bonnie
It is amazing how many of your readers have the same profile as you do! I am a borderline I/E NFP. So, I guess I am a bit of an outlier.
Shauna
I got INFJ, but I think that Feeling thing is a bit off - while I'm caring and whatnot, I think I'm more of a Thinker than a Feeler:) But, the description does fit well. Although I definitely get into the nitty gritty of plan making.
INFJ
INFJs are caring folks and good listeners to boot. Kind and affirming, they make others feel safe around them and tend to have a good many insights into people.
Since INFJs also happen to be an artsy lot, their insights emerge creatively in the form of literature, poetry, illustration, blog posts, etc.
Always on the hunt for meaning and symbolism, INFJs readily express themselves in metaphor and symbols. They seek to display warmth and authenticity in their creativity and day-to-day interactions.
INFJs tend not to care much about the little details of a project; they prefer to map out the broad strokes and let the “who what when where why how” work itself out.
As judgers, they do make plans and set times and goals, but they avoid getting down to the real nitty-gritty, as the guardians would.
C.J.
Jeeze, it makes me out to be an INTP. I took it years ago, and think (don't know for sure, of course) I was pegged as you were, INTJ. Weird. I thin the ADD is catching up with me, but I didn't expect it to hit the J/P aspect...
Julia at Home on 129 Acres
I did it years ago at work, and I still remember I'm an ISTJ. I always find these personality tests neat. Obviously others do too.
Shannon
INTJ...no wonder I love your blog so much!!!
Elizabeth
ENFJ, although I had a problem with some of the questions that I think aren't so yes or no.
All in all pretty accurate although I am a creative ideas person ( I'm an artist for goodness sake) and I'm all about the details, which is not to type.
I do need the energy of people around me and have worked a lot alone because of my art so :( yeah, an interesting conundrum.
Maggie
Karen! I keep a list of all the Meyers Briggs types with a short summary, my friends that are that type and a smattering of celebrities. I'm adding you to the list!
A bit nutty? Well I'm just one letter off of yours as an INTP. Which makes me less judgey, but really judgey just means decisive. So while we both are logical and thinky, you would be better at moving to the stage of actually DOING STUFF (makes sense!) and I would tend to want more facts, more thinking first. And be a bit less rigidly planned / straight line from point A to B (think absent minded professor type). Not coming to quick decisions can be great in certain circumstances though; it worked out well for Einstein and Darwin! Unfortunately my brain power only takes me to indecisive places such as, should I reclad the barn in cedar shakes or shou sugi ban? Oh, maybe if I think about it long enough, Karen will post a comparison and how-to on both ;)