INFJ

I am a big fan of personality tests. Whether it's "What Your Fingernails Say About You" or "Which Hunger Games Character Are You Most Like", I am a sucker for self-analysis.

Obviously, I'm Peeta. He's the only one who does normal things. Also, I own that same dress.

One of the only personality tests I have actually deemed legitimate is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Maybe you have taken it, but if not, here is a novice description.

The test is based on four pairs of dichotomies which are:

Extraversion (E) - (I) Introversion
Sensing (S) - (N) Intuition
Thinking (T) - (F) Feeling
Judging (J) - (P) Perception

In each dichotomy, you will display greater characteristics of one over the other. For example, my result is INFJ (more on that later).

This test is frequently used to help determine an optimal career choice for your personality. I once took this in a career counseling office in my freshman year of college. Thank goodness I took career counseling, by the way, or I wouldn't be the thriving business-woman you read about in Forbes all the time. Plus, I got a t-shirt that said "I've got MAJOR problems" which always made people laugh/feel sorry for me because they didn't get the joke.

The most legitimate MBTI tests are taken through a counseling center, but you can also take a mini-version here, if you are interested.

Anyway, I recently retook the test to get some insight into my personality. I originally wrote about the results in my private blog (I know, I know. Two blogs. It must be a sickness), but as I was processing through it, I started to think that these are things I might actually want people to know.

For the general public, I assume the most controversial dichotomy in my results is the fact that I am an introvert. To some, this will come as no surprise because A) they either know me very well or B) they know me in an atmosphere where I am very quiet. To most, this will be a bit of a surprise. I was at a party the other night where I was talking about my introversion and a person said "eeeYEAH RIGHT".

I totally get this reaction. I think, for the most part, I have always been known as highly energetic and conversational, and these things are true. But in the true definition of being an introvert, as in whether I get my energy alone or with people, oh yeah, I'm an introvert. Get away from me.

From here on out, I am just going to copy and paste the entry from my private blog. It's kind of wordy, but you are basically reading my diary, so feel very privileged.


Apparently, INFJs are the most rare personality type in the world. Only 1-3% of the population can be classified as INFJs. Obviously, I like that. I was pissed when my blood type was O+, the most common of all blood types. I was sure I had some O neg running through my veins.

Anyway, here are some pieces of the description by Dr. David Kiersey that resonate with me. This description refers to the INFJ type as "Counselors":

• Although they are happy working at jobs (such as writing) that require solitude and close attention, Counselors do quite well with individuals or groups of people, provided that the personal interactions are not superficial, and that they find some quiet, private time every now and then to recharge their batteries. 
• This is true of me because I am a super functional introvert. I almost always get pre-exhaustion at the very thought of a large party, but I usually always have a great time talking to people. It is true that I'm not really resting unless I am by myself.

• Counselors are both kind and positive in their handling of others; they are great listeners and seem naturally interested in helping people with their personal problems. 
• While I have a great desire for people to know me, I have an even greater desire to know the people in my life. If all of my friends could tell me their MBTI results, I would want to talk for hours about how they feel about it. I sometimes listen at the expense of sharing things about myself, which is something close friends have called to my attention.

• Not usually visible leaders, Counselors prefer to work intensely with those close to them, especially on a one-to-one basis, quietly exerting their influence behind the scenes. 
• I've been called a leader before by people because I am sometimes loud and often expressive. In all reality, leadership positions mostly scare me. I have stress dreams about being elected President.

• [Counselors] can be hard to get to know, since they tend not to share their innermost thoughts or their powerful emotional reactions except with their loved ones. 
• I have big, fat emotions. Like, I've never really felt a-little-bit-something. I usually experience an emotion in the same way I would experience eating a whole onion in ten seconds. It's pretty extreme. For the most part, only Daniel and my family really understand this about me.

• They have mysterious, intricately woven personalities which sometimes puzzle even them. 
• I am so constantly confused by what I am feeling, it's stupid. I feel like I have an immediate sense for others' emotions, but I often have to take tremendous time to evaluate why I feel the way I do. 

• Blessed with vivid imaginations, Counselors are often seen as the most poetical of all the types, and in fact they use a lot of poetic imagery in their everyday language. Their great talent for language-both written and spoken-is usually directed toward communicating with people in a personalized way. 
• I am often complimented on my use of language. I am probably best understood through writing.

• Counselors are highly intuitive and can recognize another's emotions or intentions - good or evil - even before that person is aware of them. Counselors themselves can seldom tell how they came to read others' feelings so keenly. This extreme sensitivity to others could very well be the basis of the Counselor's remarkable ability to experience a whole array of psychic phenomena. 
• Feelings about another person's authenticity are almost blinding to me. I often can't function well around someone who I see as "fake" or "smarmy." It's not about being intimidated, but rather, I am so repelled by their nature that I want to show them no vulnerability. I guess it's self-preservation, but people who think I am quiet are probably people who I absolutely do not trust. 

Other descriptions that interest me:

• They are quite private and typically difficult to understand. 
• I feel like this one hurts me sometimes. There are quite a few people who feel like they know me, but I have a great tendency to retreat into myself, which puts those friends at a loss.

• They may tend to internalize conflict into their bodies, and experience health problems when under a lot of stress. 
• Yep.

• INFJs are rarely at complete peace with themselves - there's always something else they should be doing to improve themselves and the world around them. They believe in constant growth, and don't often take time to revel in their accomplishments. They have strong value systems, and need to live their lives in accordance with what they feel is right. 
• This is basically my daily battle. While I faithfully believe in God's provision for me, I often feel as though I have never accomplished anything. My heart's desire is to create something important, but I constantly fear that I never will. 

Anyway, this is easily the most sensitive information I've shared in this blog. You might question why I even wrote this, and you can rest assured that I am questioning myself in the same way.

I once heard a wise person say that the greatest thing that could ever happen to you is having your worst secret exposed for all the world to see. That way, there would be no hiding, no games. This personality profile is not my biggest secret (I'm not a fool), but it's like I'm peeking behind the corner of my hiding spot. It's at least kind of a good thing, I think.

I would love to hear anyone else's experience with this test, or with any other personality test for that matter. Do you feel like it's legit? Should we be putting that much stock in personality tests? I really don't know. Tell me.

Especially if you have a psychology degree or have taken an upper-level psychology class (entry-level, save your breath).