I love personality tests-I just do. I love taking them and I love hearing about other people taking them. I find the way people work to be absolutely fascinating, and I am always looking to find out more about myself and others. I think that's why it makes sense that my Jung/Meyers-Briggs test always comes out INFJ [that is, Introverted iNtuitive Feeling Judging].
An introvert who has a blog where they go on and on about their personal life? Well, sure. I think if I wasn't introverted I'd probably have more real life friends. Still, just because I'm introverted doesn't mean that I don't care about people. I'll defer to the explanation of INFJs given by personalitypage.com:
Quietly forceful, original, and sensitive. Tend to stick to things until they are done. Extremely intuitive about people, and concerned for their feelings. Well-developed value systems which they strictly adhere to. Well-respected for their perseverance in doing the right thing. Likely to be individualistic, rather than leading or following.
That's just one description of course, but I have to say I have yet read a description of INFJs that doesn't sound like me. Stubborn as all get out? Check. Sensitive? Checkity-check. Intense about the whole integrity thing? Triple-check. Prefers to relate to people as an individual influence rather than a traditional leader or a follower? Most definitely. I am at once analytical and accepting, calculating and compassionate, exacting and encouraging...basically I'm a big ball of contradictions. That, I suspect, is what makes me kind of difficult for most people to understand as a whole person. People will like one part of my personality, but not understand (or not like) how another part fits in. Luckily, despite the fact that only an estimated 1% of the population is INFJ, I happened to marry one so he understands me perfectly and we are happy together as starkly individual yet philosophically and morally near-identical people.
Unfortunately, not everyone seems to appreciate me the way he does. Some people I talk politics with don't understand how I can be fulfilled and happy as a stay at home mother and, in the same way, some people I talk babies with don't understand how I can be driven towards a law career. That's why I tend to compartmentalize (I don't talk politics here on my blog, and I don't talk family life in my political groups). Still, for those that lie in the middle or on both sides, I can assure you that it is all apart of who I am. My drive to help my community and administer justice, my drive to be the most available and compassionate parent I can be, and my drive to do both of those things at the same time make sense when you see it all through the INFJ window.
That's why I love personality tests. I really think that they can help us reach a deeper understanding of the many different gifts that God has given us in the individual make up of each person.
Plus they're fun, right?
So go over to HumanMetrics and find out what personality type you are...then come right back and tell me, of course! An INFJ is dying to know.
1 comment:
Oooo!! Me too! Well, I am an a I, massive N, F (just left of T-- which means my INTP hubby and my brother and I all understand other perfectly, most of the time), P (just left of J-- I can live with a mess until I am irritable and then it better be clean and fast and I tend to be rather stubborn and sure I am right.)
My biggest struggle is the same as yours, fitting in only partially wherever I am. Also, a side note-- unschoolers seem to be almost completely comprised on NF's and NT's. SJ's almost NEVER unschool-- surprise, surprise.
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