Effects of Type Consciousness

[s0532]

What kinds of effects have learning about MBTI and identifying with a type had on you?

I've been thinking lately that I believe I behave more INTP now than I did when I was younger. Could be due to many reasons, lots of transitions in the past few years, but I would say the simplest explanation is probably type awareness.

Seems like a good idea to take stock, every now and then, of how type consciousness might impact one's behavior.

[MacGuffin]

I act more INTP now, because I feel more secure in embracing it. Before I'd suppress it to do the "right" or "practical" thing. When often such things were neither right or practical... at least for me.

The problem is if you embrace type as an excuse. This is often seen in immature INTPs: "I am INTP. I am a robot. I need not human emotion."

[digesthisickness]

What kinds of effects have learning about MBTI and identifying with a type had on you?

pure fucking embarrassment. to this day, i've only come across one self-proclaimed ENTP that doesn't rub me wrong.

i've decided the rest of them just typed themselves wrong.

[nottaprettygal]

What kinds of effects have learning about MBTI and identifying with a type had on you?

My type identification has actually had less of an affect on me recently. I don't feel the need to conform to the descriptions of my type. Also, I don't feel very similar to a lot of other INTJs. I think I'm becoming more well-rounded.

And if I use my type as an excuse, I'm well aware of it and probably can't think of an actual reason to excuse my actions.

[nottaprettygal]

pure fucking embarrassment. to this day, i've only come across one self-proclaimed ENTP that doesn't rub me wrong.

i've decided the rest of them just typed themselves wrong.

Maybe you're rubbing all of them wrong too.

Hrmmm.

[digesthisickness]

Maybe you're rubbing all of them wrong too.

Hrmmm.

i love that you always see the glass as half full.

[Totenkindly]

My type identification has actually had less of an effect on me recently. I don't feel the need to conform to the descriptions of my type. Also, I don't feel very similar to a lot of other INTJs. I think I'm becoming more well-rounded.

Good for you. That's a good place to be. You don't seem as stiff as some I've met, to be honest -- you're a little more accessible. I think it's good, and as for me, I like it.

I think I've been embracing my Ti more (usually I had focused on Ne in the past) and I have found myself in conflicts I did not plan on, and even rather indifferent sometimes to the strife whereas the other person was a little more upset about things. (I remember thinking recently during one such event, "Hmm, they seem really pissed right now. Oh well, this has to get said." And inwardly, I was, like, shrugging.) That's *very* different for me.

However, I do note a tendency to "rethink" something I will say or do just because it's not "INTP" enough. Sometimes it's good, if I was going to shy away from doing something just because it might have caused conflict. However, sometimes it is bad if I don't allow myself the flexibility to respond in a more personal or emotional way, just because I "need to be neutral and objective" as an INTP. I need to somehow use knowledge of myself without letting it confine/limit me.

There's no real roadmap here. So it's "figure it out as you go."

[Powehi]

My type identification has actually had less of an affect on me recently. I don't feel the need to conform to the descriptions of my type. Also, I don't feel very similar to a lot of other INTJs. I think I'm becoming more well-rounded.

This is close to how I think about it. I don't find it particularly liberating, but more casually interesting. It's more like seeing a stick drawing of myself. Trying to be more like the sketch would require I lose something of myself. I don't see a reason to accept the descriptions verbatim.

[rivercrow]

In the last few months I've had some epiphanies regarding type. For expample, I realized overly extraverting my thinking is stressful. However, I've been in project management/incident response team lead positions for so long, when I get near a computer situation I start Te-ing like crazy. I don't care for it and I drive everyone nuts too. Computer environments are a trigger. Bundle that with an emphasis on sensing skills of details, details, details--bleh.

Another thing I realized was that as an Enneagram 5w4 sx, I have a very strong paranoid streak. It's a useful thing for someone in information security--but it's also got a standing wave effect.

Last year, I realized I was making a living from my weaker preferences and I'd blinded myself to my innate strengths. Type awareness has made my marriage enjoyable, helped me learn to communicate with my spouse, and made me understand that my core values are just as valuable as my principles.

All that culminated in me choosing to radically alter my career goals. I'm losing weight, my skin's cleared up, my hair isn't falling out, and I'm noticeably happier and more relaxed.

Heh. Too bad I can't bottle this.

[PuddleRiver]

I was actually more INTP (or INTJ) as a kid. It was about survival in my house. I had to shut off the emotions (although always had to deal with them later, never a pleasant thing) think things through logically, sans emotion, and always had to try to stay one step ahead. I couldn't afford to think emotionally. Making decisions that way would be used against me. It made me very careful, but was not who I really am.

The moral of the story being that finding out my type didn't change anything at all. I just found out that I have a type, and that it fitted me to a tee.