Your Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Doesn't Define You

It's still a fun test to take, and I suggest you do it. Here's a link to the free version I've taken. An important thing to remember is to answer the questions as how you are, not how you want to be. I thought for the longest time that I was an INTJ. All of my friends were INTJs. I enjoyed math and science, so I was obviously an INTJ. Then, I took the test again, but instead of putting the answers I thought I should, I put the ones that were truly me. I ended up getting ENFP. After reading the descriptions, I do believe this one to be the most accurate.

First, what is the MBTI?

The MBTI is based off of psychologist Carl Jung's theory of psychological types. Essentially, people can be defined as either or in four distinct categories-More on those later. Years later, Katherine Briggs and her daughter Isabel Myers came up with the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. It was used to help women, who were entering the workforce during World War 2, find the best fitting job for them based of their personalities.

Okay. How does the MBTI work?

There are plenty of tests you can take online. If you chose to take my version, it will take you 12 minutes to answer a series of Likert Scale statements. For example, one statement says You find it difficult to introduce yourself to other people.

Now you choose if you completely agree/ disagree, agree/disagree mostly, agree/disagree a little, or are neutral. The questions you answer are going to determine whether you are an E or an I; a N or a S; a F or a T; and a P or a J.

If you don't know your MBTI, stop reading this post and go take it. It's 12 minutes. Here's the link.

Welcome back! Did you get your results? Great. Okay, let's talk about what it means and doesn't mean.

What are these letters?

After you take the MBTI, you will get 4 letters. There are 16 different combinations. Your

first letter will be either an I or an E. I stands for introvert and E stands for extrovert.

Being an introvert does not mean that you are....

*shy

*unfriendly

*quiet

Likewise, being an extrovert does not mean that you are...

*chatty

*outgoing

*loud

Instead these letters depict from where you get your energy. Introverts are energized internally. Extroverts are energized externally. Nobody is completely extroverted or completely introverted. It's a sliding scale. You may have a twenty percent preference towards introversion, but that doesn't mean you don't enjoy group activities some of the time. The reverse is true for extroverts.

iNtuitive vs. Sensing

Being intuitive doesn't mean that you are...

*intelligent

*artistic

* defined by the classic meaning of intuition

Being Sensing doesn't mean that you are...

*unintelligent

*boring

*unaware

Intuitive types perceive information internally or via your imagination. They prefer to get the big picture before delving into details. Sensing types perceive information from the external world. Sensing types prefer to start with the details, and build up to the big picture.

Feeling vs. Thinking

F or T? Feeling or Thinking? Emotional or heartless? Ok. That last one was a joke. If any portion of the MBTI were to be misrepresented, I believe it would be this one. Let's start with feeling.

Feeling does not mean that you are...

*emotional

*unintelligent

*nurturing

Thinking does not mean that you are...

*smart

*cold

*calculating

Feeling types make decisions on what they feel they should do morally and what will keep the peace. Thinkers primarily use logic to make their decisions. They use facts to make their decisions. It's of course, important to remember that the MBTI is a scale. No one is a complete feeler and no one is a complete thinker. This is good because we need a balance of the two.

Judging vs. Perceiving

We are to the final letters. J for judging. or P for Perceiving. These letters are used to determine what you do with the information you acquire.

Judging does not mean that you are...

*boring

*a planner

*timely

Perceiving does not mean that you are...

*messy

*scattered

*spontaneous

Judgers tend to stick with their plans. They enjoy structure and understand the purpose for rules. They can still be fun-loving. Perceivers improvise. They enjoy keeping their options open, and aren't the biggest fans of rules. Perceivers can learn how to be organized.

Okay, so I think I understand the MBTI now, but why doesn't it define me?

Imagine being someone who loves art. Who loves being creative and making new friends. One day, you decide to take the MBTI. You're an INTJ? But wait. Aren't those the engineers or mathematicians. You hate math. But you're an INTJ. You begin to wonder if you are in the wrong major. You are an ESTJ, but no one believes that you could be an extrovert because you are so quiet. Are you sure you want to go into public relations? They ask. You think to yourself, "I must not be as creative as I thought. Here's the deal. The Myers-Briggs personality test is incapable of defining you. It can lead you down the right path. It can aid you in understanding yourself and why you do what you do. It can't tell you your interests, though. It can't tell you who to date, or what job to get. It can't tell you if you are smart or friendly. You decide that. You want to be perceived as friendly? Smile more. Do you want to seem more put together? Try to schedule your time. Do you want to be smarter? Ask for advice and study. Don't let your MBTI put you in a box. That's not what it's there for. It's purpose is to help you understand yourself. Oh and also for finding out which Harry Potter character you are.