Myers-Briggs personality types

[write]

Here's some info on Myers-Briggs mentioned below.


http://www.personalitypage.com/home.html

http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp ( free online test )

[clj_writes]

write,
Thanks for the links.  I LOVE this stuff!  

Question to the group:
Have any of you had your MBTI change over time?

I evaluated as an INTP twice and was extreme on I, N, and T.  However, I suspect I am actually an "F" but masked it (even to myself) because of my parents.

If you have a story about how your type evolved over time, I'd love to hear it!

[Anonymous]

So Christy you're a rational, I'm a guardian, ESTJ.

Years ago when I first got into this stuff I read a lot of Tim La Haye and he only did the 4 temperament thing. He didn't got into 12 or 16 with dominant and subordinate strengths.

Back then I was what he called sanguine, or penguin as friends used to joke. I was so sanguine, with strong  choleric undertones. After many depressing times I've changed, now using the M-B tests I'm happily ESTJ. Still as extrovert as ever, but the thinking has definitely taken front seat and all those sub-categories of judging as well.

Where does that knowledge take me. No-where really, I'm me, ever-changing, ever-learning- ever-growing. I don't accept static-ability thinking. But where I find the temperaments are INVALUABLE is in understanding reasons for conflict and conflict resolution. Such an essential tool here.

Thanks for the post, it made me think of some of my old buddies and how we used to analyse each other mercilessly, each believing our particular personality mix was superior. We had such fun wasting hours pulling each others temperaments apart. I still have contact with a few. Your prompted me to catch up with them. Thanks again.

Guest

[rosencrantz]

I was a borderline T/F and definitely a J when I was at work but I think it was the influence of school/Uni/legal training which created the T and maybe the J in me.

I was definitely an ENFJ at the time of taking the test as immediately prior to that I produced a PR package for my area of work which referred to the company as being 'responsive and responsible' - it was the tagline.  Guess what the shortform description of an ENFJ is!  You guessed it!  'Responsive and responsible'    Scary just how much of myself I put into that work.  No boundaries as usual - I was 'it'; 'it' was me.  It was hard when I left.

Motherhood created another massive change.  The image I have in my mind is of a sponge that had been tightly buckled with belts.  Motherhood meant that I was 'unbound'!! Boing! It took some getting used to.  In fact, I felt quite ashamed to be this P person (it means that you don't finish things and are messy!!) for quite some time.  I'm still trying to get my head round how you can be a P AND organised.

But I'm sure part of the 'being bound' (J) was to do with my ACON background.  I learnt to be methodical, really methodical about everything.  Start at the beginning and watch every step of the way so as not to get anything 'wrong'.  Silly girl - nothing was ever perfect enough anyway.  Waste of time.  But it was my means of survival.  Hence the J.

But now I'm a happy ENFP - back where I started in life!!  The only problem with E/NF is needing to be 'with' people and also being overwhelmed by them.  One of the 'Super-sensitives'.  I'm working on that.  
R
ENFP - Enthusiastic, insightful, innovative, and tireless in pursuit of new possibilities!

[seeker]

Hi Everybody!

Well, this is fun!  Next we'll be doing sun signs  I'm an INFP, definitely an idealist, which means I feel like throwing up whenever I'm hit over the head with brutal reality.  So I spit up or withdraw or both.  Sometimes I get confused if I am the way I am because of my M-B profile, or being ACON.  Perhaps one just magnifies the other.  

I tried to morph into an E, can be very outgoing and friendly, but have to withdraw when overwhelmed.  

OK, going to withdraw now!   Cheers, Seeker

[Anonymous]

So Christy you're a rational, I'm a guardian, ESTJ.

Years ago when I first got into this stuff I read a lot of Tim La Haye and he only did the 4 temperament thing. He didn't got into 12 or 16 with dominant and subordinate strengths.

Back then I was what he called sanguine, or penguin as friends used to joke. I was so sanguine, with strong  choleric undertones. After many depressing times I've changed, now using the M-B tests I'm happily ESTJ. Still as extrovert as ever, but the thinking has definitely taken front seat and all those sub-categories of judging as well.

Where does that knowledge take me. No-where really, I'm me, ever-changing, ever-learning- ever-growing. I don't accept static-ability thinking. But where I find the temperaments are INVALUABLE is in understanding reasons for conflict and conflict resolution. Such an essential tool here.

Thanks for the post, it made me think of some of my old buddies and how we used to analyse each other mercilessly, each believing our particular personality mix was superior. We had such fun wasting hours pulling each others temperaments apart. I still have contact with a few. Your prompted me to catch up with them. Thanks again.

Guest

Hey Seeker, you cracked me up with your intro, so I had to go back to my post and add.

Me - Guardian ESTJ
Element - earth
E Zodiac - year of the dog
W - Zodiac - Virgo
Tendencies - Pursuing knowledge truth and loyalty and being and all round pain in the arse most of the time.

Hmmh can't think of anything else?  

Just having a bit of fun.

Guest.

[phoenix]

bye

[Wildflower]

Wow.  Going through the online test was like taking a personal inventory on how much has changed!  Very exciting stuff for me.  When I first took one of these tests back in high school, I was whatever an extremely geeky introvert would be.  Emphasis on extreme.  Hmm.  Or maybe emphasis on geek.     Now I'm  and ENFJ?  Okay, a "slightly expressed E", but wow.  Never thought I'd get this far.  

One of the questions really struck me as I answered it, too.

You like giving instructions

You know what's weird?  I just realized in answering this that don't actually like giving instructions   - but I think a recent as a year ago I was always panicked at the idea of NOT giving instructions if I thought I had a handle on things while others were strugging.  This year has been great, though, because not only is my boss helping me find better ways of delegating, but the project I'm on has somewhat lax deadlines, which has given me the luxury of watching people learn things in their own time - without the world coming to an end (what made me think it would?).

Thanks for this thread, Write.

Scorpio Wildflower

[Karin]

I took this test years ago and did it again just now. Surprise, surprise I'm exactly the same. An INFJ, same as you Jac!
I wondered whether it would come out the same because I feel like a different person but, no, it's the same old me.

[write]

I found learning about being INFJ a wonderful spring-board, I got to understand why I so often pile into situations like I'm on a crusade and why I continue with things long after they are right or healthy for me, out of duty.
There is a rigidity in me which I never recognised before reading the INFJ stuff.
I'm learning to tone that down now, and be gentler with myself and other people.

I don't believe in astrology, but if it gives insights into personal growth I'll try anything!

[seeker]

Hey, this is getting exciting!

How weird that three (four if you count me) of us have significant Scorpio leanings (we're secretive, or at least, very private a/k/a voiceless?)    I didn't believe in astrology either until I finally figured out what my rising sign was (the Scorpio part), because I act nothing like my sun sign.  (And I credit the N in INFP for pushing me to figure this out!   ) Turns out this is exactly right on the mark.  So to find out your rising sign (which sign is on the horizon when you are born) you have to know what time you were born, as well as the date.  Go to astro.com for more fun. (It's free).  If it holds up for Jung, count me in!  God made the stars and planets, too, so why not?  

The personality types pages are really helpful.  I hung out there a lot when figuring out and accepting my reticence.  Ugly duckling describes my childhood to a "tee".  Anyway, any reference like this is great in creating more self-awareness.  The astrology stuff helped me to be more objective about "blind spots" I have (things I don't want to admit to).  

May the force be with you!  Seeker

[kelly8893]

I took the myers-briggs test many years ago and I was an INFJ and it has helped me to realize that I am not weird, I just have a different personality then other people. The feeling of other peoples pain and suffering always gets to me and is ususally my down fall. I have found in the the past year or so that being around my Ex-N for 8 years changed me some how, I am not sure if it was for the better or that I am just bitter but I still love to help people and I enjoy being the person everyone comes to for a listening ear. I like the world around us even if there are awful people in it and I like my world too, the one I go to when I need to recharge and get away from people, ususally the awful ones I like to get away from. This was fun! Have a great night!
 Kelly

[Portia]

Hello all. I’m feeling a little confused today and a tad ..er.. unintelligent? There are some clever, perceptive people here and I feel – not up to scratch! Well, there you are, that’s me today.

Sorry write for flying at you about that quotation. I thought you were saying ‘stop’ to Rosencrantz. Then I realised today I was saying stop too (‘realised’ gives me too much credit, R told me, thanks R).

Anyway, given my answers today (and of course I don’t trust my answers) apparently I’m an INFJ too with Jacmac, Karin, Write and kelly8893.

INFJ
Introverted Intuitive   Feeling   Judging
Strength of the preferences %
89   56   11   1

I kid you not, as a child and teenager, I always thought I was an ‘extrovert’. I may have been told this, I was certainly encouraged to be one. 89% I? I think that’s just how I feel today isn’t it?

But I have trouble with these tests. I don’t understand some of the questions! Correction: I have a lot of trouble with these tests. Here are some of my reactions to questions. Anyone think/feel the same or similar?

You think that almost everything can be analyzed (well yes! Everything can be studied in some way or other can’t it? But what does ‘analysed’ mean here? Does it mean studied and then some conclusion come to? In which case no, you can study but without any result. Odd question?)

You consider the scientific approach to be the best (compared to what? Intuition? Magic? Faith? And ‘approach’ to what exactly? Approach to life? Approach to how to boil a kettle? So I said no, because science is just tool and it’s lacking, always will be, but I don’t know what a better alternative is.)

You are easily affected by strong emotions (well yes, if I feel a strong emotion, I am affected. Isn’t everyone? Does the question mean: you often feel strong emotions? I don’t know, compared to other people! And what are ‘strong’ emotions? Envy? Pride? Or love and hate? Is it the strength of any emotion, or the type of emotion?)

You feel involved when watching TV soaps (I don’t watch them so I said no. But I cry at films. But I do take questions very literally. Presumably there’s a reason why they ask soaps instead of films?)

You feel that the world is founded on compassion (whoah! I don’t get this one at all. I don’t understand. Is it asking if we manage not to blow ourselves off the earth because we have compassion? Or that there is some external compassionate force that keeps us here? I guess it’s the ‘founded on’ that I don’t understand. Like there’s a reason behind ‘the world’ and I strongly feel that there is no reason. Big emotional response to this question! I don’t feel the world is founded on anything at all and the question implies it might be?! Except maybe the world comes from – is founded on - chaos and chance – the Dice Man isn’t silly but I thought folk would think so R…..)

You think that everything in the world is relative (I was worn down by this time. So I said yes. Otherwise it’s absolute. But it probably is absolute! And just what does ‘everything in the world’ mean anyway? Rocks and stones? They are both relative and absolute!)

Strict observance of the established rules is likely to prevent attaining a good outcome (but this was easy and I wondered what everyone else thought of this question. My answer is yes, of course, isn’t it self-evident? Man makes rules, man is fallible therefore rules should be broken. However, if gravity decides to fail one day, there won’t be a good outcome for us will there? Isn’t this a black and white question? I felt like I was being laughed at by this question!) I’ve just read this question again and it’s driving me nuts. Take “Thou shalt not kill each other”. If we observed that, wouldn’t that be a good outcome? It’s another ‘it depends’ answer.

So – am I a nutcase or simply don’t know/understand enough? I wish I knew what I’m really like. I don’t even trust the notion of personality – not really, when I perceive my simple hormones turning me into an axe-wielding maniac from time to time. Or when I know that I do certain things precisely because of my past. I guess personality is who I am now? Thanks for reading and thanks write for the thread. P

[rosencrantz]

You make me smile as always, Portia.  And no - you realised, totally, you, yourself.  I think I know what you are referring to but I was struggling in a totally different direction.  I'd have liked to have kept the kudos ('making a difference'  ) but fair's fair!

Just a partial answer for you about the Myers Briggs - there are lots of mini-tests available on the internet but Myers and Briggs would turn in their respective graves if they knew.  It takes quite a bit of time and energy to train to administer these tests.  I wouldn't get anywhere if I tried to 'do' it on myself.  Plus you're advised to answer the questions very quickly ie don't think too much.  It does work that way best, answering the multiple choice questions they give you - it's about preferences between alternatives rather than outright value judgements.

The bit I found most helpful was the Introvert/Extravert distinction.  Dorothy Rowe presents the theory that in every marriage there is always one of  each (tho could be anywhere on the scale) never ever two the same.  Yet, we have such different and opposing views of 'Life' that we often end up in misunderstandings and conflict.

My H is off the scale for I; I'm off the scale for E.  (Great for knowing who I am; discerning by contrast).  He knows I need his company; I know he needs his quiet alone space.  So I don't worry about him being 'isolated' AND I don't think he needs what I need - the company of people. It means I don't expect him to want to go socialising. Rats!

Just to really confuse things tho - he's a sociable introvert and I'm a shy extravert.  Another reason for getting it done professionally if you want to use it as a serious tool for self-discovery or understanding others in relation to yourself.  

We both read the Dorothy Rowe books not long after we got married - made a difference in terms of tolerance, recognition and understanding!!

When I want to explain it in a nutshell, I use her 'desert island' analogy  (or Steve McQueen with his baseball in The Great Escape).  Who, out of the two of you would be happy on a desert island?  My H would be happy as Larry.  Put me in isolation and I 'die'.  That's the difference.

Fascinating stuff!!!  Thanks for letting me share!!!

R

PS Re the concept of personality - the Community Psychiatric Nurse left me with my mouth hanging open (pre-NPD-awareness) when she said about my mother - you won't change someone's personality...(we were talking about my mother's negative way of reacting to the world and I was talking in NLP mode - change your mind, change your life).    I still haven't quite moved forward from that point.  It's what we come into the world with and what makes us 'who we are' - and the main reason why the same mother has kids who react in different ways to the same behaviour.  Nurture has an impact but nature came first.  

PPS It really hurts not to know those intimate details of your life that really matter.  Acknowledged and validated. R

[Portia]

Brilliant! Thanks R, I'm a sociable introvert - that's itIntrovert! This is going to take some getting used to. Even though it's obviously true, somehow I feel wildly happy to find a new label that fits me. Ain't that silly?

Thanks write for the thread and for getting me here!   P