• You are currently viewing our forum as a guest, which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community, you will have access to additional post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), view blogs, respond to polls, upload content, and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free, so please join our community today! Just click here to register. You should turn your Ad Blocker off for this site or certain features may not work properly. If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us by clicking here.

I Thought I was INTJ . . .

coconut

New member
Joined
Jul 11, 2010
Messages
136
MBTI Type
INTJ
I stopped taking your post seriously when I read that nonsense.

What's nonsense to one person is sensible to someone else. My MBTI friend (the one who did this for a living) says, "Stop trying to figure this out from the functions. Figure out the core type first, and go from there." The newly certified online friend says something similar. And on MBTI forums, people are dismissive of the core types and say that you can't figure out your type without understanding the cognitive functions.

On an INTP forum, they keep repeating that self-confidence is an INTJ distinctive, and, in fact, if you aren't self-confident, you can't be INTJ. Elsewhere, people say to avoid stereotypes.

Some people say the DaveSuperPowers YouTube videos are great to help sort through types, and some people say he has no idea what he's talking about. :shrug:

It would be more conducive to learning about MBTI theory if people would present the facts (why it's better to learn cognitive functions, or not use them, or appeal to stereotypes, or to ignore stereotypes) than to simply label something as "nonsense."
 

yeghor

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 21, 2013
Messages
4,276
What do you yearn for? Around what kind of themes do your daydreams and fantasies revolve around? I am talking of fantasies that give you a high blissful feeling...
 

Jaguar

Active member
Joined
May 5, 2007
Messages
20,647
It would be more conducive to learning about MBTI theory if people would present the facts

What kind of music someone listens to or any of the numerous value judgments you posted are not type related.
Just keep INTJ in your profile. It will make you feel better, which is what you're after anyway.
 

coconut

New member
Joined
Jul 11, 2010
Messages
136
MBTI Type
INTJ
What do you yearn for? Around what kind of themes do your daydreams and fantasies revolve around? I am talking of fantasies that give you a high blissful feeling...

I'm not sure about yearning and daydreaming, but I feel the most alive with I can connect with others on a mental level - when people are talking about exciting things (ideas usually, not specific technical details) and I feel like we're understanding each other and exploring concepts. That doesn't happen very often. Usually when I'm in groups, people are talking about who said what, and recipes, and walking down Memory Lane. I don't mind a little of that, especially when I get information from it that I can use. But it mostly leaves me wishing we could talk about something more. Actually, I don't really care to hear people sharing their personal memories. That's their own pleasurable experience, and it feels like a waste of time, unless their experience can be applied to something that answers a bigger question. I don't care to hear all the personal details about your child's vaccinations, but I do add it to what I know generally about vaccinations and try to find consensus. Once I've fitted someone's personal account into my database of what I already know, I lose patience and wish the person would stop talking. I know that sounds mean, but it is the truth.

I feel like my life is wasted if I don't make the world better in some way. I would probably enjoy helping to provide clean water to a third world country if I didn't have to interact with the people much.
 

coconut

New member
Joined
Jul 11, 2010
Messages
136
MBTI Type
INTJ
Just keep INTJ in your profile. It will make you feel better, which is what you're after anyway.

I would feel better if the Type I had in my profile was accurate. Or, at any rate, if I knew my correct Type. I'm happy to leave my type off my profile.

I removed it so there's no prior bias about what type I might be.
 

coconut

New member
Joined
Jul 11, 2010
Messages
136
MBTI Type
INTJ
I'm looking at this page here at the forum: http://www.typologycentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=24627

Between these two:
Directing communications have a time and task orientation with an implication of urgency to get the task done. "Have your report to me by close of business today."
Informing communications are designed to enroll the other in the process by providing motivation with relevant information. "Your report is an essential part of our project."

I am internally more like the Directing, task-oriented with a tendency to overlook individuals in my eagerness to complete a project. But in communicating, I am closer to Informing because I'm not confident enough to say what I want to. I've learned to approach cautiously and moderate my responses. Which do I choose? Who I am, or how I communicate?

So if I go with what I feel like I am internally, I'm Chart-the-Course (Directing and Responding). Typically knowing the plan and what needs to be done to reach the goal, they focus on keeping the team on track. (ISTJ, INTJ, INFJ, ISTP). People I work closely on projects tend to say I do this.

If I go with what I portray to the world, I'm Behind-the-Scenes (Informing and Responding). With patience and a calm, quiet style, they focus on understanding and accommodation to lead the team to the best possible result. (ISFJ, INTP, INFP, ISFP). People who haven't had to do any projects with me would say I'm so shy that I must be this.
 

coconut

New member
Joined
Jul 11, 2010
Messages
136
MBTI Type
INTJ
Reading through this older post:
http://www.typologycentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=64978

I'd have to say, I lean more J. I re-took the Sloan Big 5 test, trying to be as unbiased and open-minded as I could, and got this result:
RCOEI
Extroversion 14 percent (E/I)
Orderliness 62 (J/P)
Emotional Stability 54
Accommodation 32 (T/F)
Inquisitiveness 56 (S/N)

Although I come across as a P/Informing Type to some people because I'm quiet and open-minded, my test results and reading descriptions just don't seem to agree.

I'm not sure why I keep doubting my Type.

I re-took the Cognitive Functions test, too. As usual, I got very high Fi. I know myself very well, I know what I believe, and I stick to my principles. But I'm not INFP. The description doesn't fit me much at all.

Cognitive Functions:
Fi 46.5 excellent use
Te 42.5 excellent use
Ti 35.3 good use
Ne 34.5 good use
Ni 25.1 average use
Si 26.4 average use
Fe 17 limited use
Se 12.3 unused
 

skylights

i love
Joined
Jul 6, 2010
Messages
7,756
MBTI Type
INFP
Enneagram
6w7
Instinctual Variant
so/sx
As in, does my thought process tend to get obsessed with one topic and exclude irrelevant data? In reading an INTP forum, it seems that INTPs tend to go off on random rabbit trails. Perhaps it's because I've learned self-discipline, but I don't really do that. When I'm on a subject, I'm pretty focused and generally ignore rabbit trails.

Yes, the rabbit trails are characteristic of Ne/NP processing. In the NP mind, they all connect, so there is usually little loss and a fair amount of potential gain in following one (ie, they seem abundantly relevant to us).

Further from average in what?

Average professed traits of those who identify as INTJ.

At this point, I think my main doubt that I can't get past is that I'm mousy and timid and very unassuming. My understanding is that an INTJ's defining characteristic is confidence, at least in what they know.

So I'm either an INTJ with low self-esteem or an INTP with unusual focus. :D

Interesting. Yes, INTJs do tend to be confident in what they know. The one I knew who was most timid and unassuming was a 6w5, but then I know of another INTJ 6w5 who is anything but timid and unassuming. Another, more reflective and pondering, was a 9w1.

If you are into function theory, these are some more "holistic" descriptions that I like because they identify key themes of the types:

cognitiveprocesses.com said:
INTJ Conceptualizer Director

The INTJ theme is strategizing, envisioning, and masterminding. Talents lie in defining goals, creating detailed plans, and outlining contingencies. Devise strategy, give structure, establish complex plans to reach distant goals dictated by a strong vision of what is needed in the long run. Thrive on putting theories to work and are open to any and all ideas that can be integrated into the complex systems they seek to understand. Drive themselves hard to master what is needed to make progress toward goals.

Leading Introverted iNtuiting Foreseeing implications, transformations, and likely effects
Supporting Extraverted Thinking Segmenting, organizing for efficiency, and systematizing

INTP Designer Theorizer

The theme for INTPs is designing and configuring. Talents lie in grasping the underlying principles of something and defining its essential qualities. Seek to define precisely and bring coherence to systems based on the pattern of organization that is naturally there. Easily notice inconsistencies. Enjoy elegant theories and models for their own sake and for use in solving technical and human problems. Interested in theorizing, analyzing, and learning. Thrive on exploring, understanding, and explaining how the world works.

Leading Introverted Thinking Analyzing, categorizing, and evaluating according to principles
Supporting Extraverted iNtuiting Interpreting situations and relationships and pickup meanings and interconnections to other contexts

I thought my dad was an INTJ at first because he seemed to fit the letters: introverted, abstract, logical, and more uptight than not. These sorts of descriptions peg him immediately as the INTP that he far more accurately is.
 

Qre:us

New member
Joined
Nov 21, 2008
Messages
4,890
I thought I was INTJ...

For three years I've been INTJ. At first I balked because I've confirmed INTJ so many times.

It's okay, it happens to the worst within us. Then, we wake up and realize that it's just a nightmare. :hug:
 

coconut

New member
Joined
Jul 11, 2010
Messages
136
MBTI Type
INTJ
It's okay, it happens to the worst within us. Then, we wake up and realize that it's just a nightmare. :hug:

LOL!

I've reconsidered it from a few different angles, and every one of them winds up back at INTJ. So I'm back where I started.
 
Top