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P/J personality crisis?

MeVexatPede

New member
Joined
Feb 27, 2010
Messages
2
MBTI Type
INTJ
I’m having a bit of a personality crisis.

I believe that I am an INTJ. That’s the result I got when I first took the test in the Keirsey book years ago, and that’s what I’ve considered myself since then.
But I’ve been having second thoughts about the J recently. My dad thinks he’s also and INTJ, but we’ve been trying to convince him that he’s a P. Comparing him to myself has made me start to realize that I’m at least not as judging as I thought.

•I’ve always loved (needed!) to have things decided. Always. I used to feel really uncomfortable going somewhere just to “hang out,” and it was hard for me to agree to do social things, even with my best friends, if they were impromptu. I need to know where I’m going to be and at what time. I’ve forced myself to become more flexible, but changes in plans still make me uncomfortable.
•I love schedules, which is similar to the above. I like having things planned and in order.
•I like time. I always need to know what time it is and I hate to be late.
•One source says that P’s “enjoy rushing just before deadlines.” Does anyone really? I hate that.

BUT
•I put off making decisions. I do like to wait until I think I have the information to make a good decision. I like to get the opinions of others too.
•I get irritated when people try to over-schedule or over-organize something simple. Like when my mother asks “Where are you going? Who will be there? Will you be in the same place the entire time? How will you get there? When will you be done?” “Holy cow, Mamma, the teenager world is a very P world, and no matter how nervous it makes me sometimes, I have no way of knowing for sure where I will be the entire night.”
•I’m pretty disorganized, and a procrastinator.

BUT
•Maybe all of that is not natural. Maybe I’ve done such a good job of developing a P that it shows up just as strongly as my natural J.
•Maybe living in a house full of P’s has gotten to me.

BUT
•My whole family is full of P’s. (Well, I think my father’s a P, but then again I’m not a very good judge apparently...) Maybe I’m just less P than they are?
•Maybe the need for organization in social situations is because of my I.
•Maybe I’ve been kidding myself :(

CONSIDER ALSO
•INTJ fits me so well. I haven’t really looked at INTP, I should, but when I first read Keirsey’s description I was like OH MY GOSH.
•There’s no question about the other letters.
•I like the idea of being a J. Does that count for something?
•My INTJ bf is so J. Compared to him, I seem pretty P.

Help? I know there are people out there who have so much more experience and knowledge than I do. It may also be easier to see from a distance... Thank you so much :)

P.S. Sorry, the formating got all nasty when i pasted...
 

JocktheMotie

Habitual Fi LineStepper
Joined
Nov 20, 2008
Messages
8,491
This can be a tough one, especially if you're coming from Keirsey who doesn't really deal with functions. I would suggest reading the INTP description of his and comparing it with the INTJ one.

In MBTI, there is quite a theoretical, functional difference between the two types that actually makes them very, very different.
 

Kra

Black Magic Buzzard
Joined
Jun 24, 2009
Messages
912
MBTI Type
INTJ
Enneagram
4w5
I used to think there was a possibility that I was becoming an INTP, until I started reading more about the functional difference.

Fi can be a pretty useful indicator. If you have rigid convictions and a tendency to be judgmental, bingo. :D
 

tigerlily113

New member
Joined
Nov 23, 2009
Messages
24
MBTI Type
INFP
Enneagram
4w3?
dude i think you're a J
you just get some wonderful P-like characteristics from your family.
and i'm pretty sure that your father is a P
remember in Paris he was always like P P P P P! (you know? like when he just wanted to go do things instead of make plans first.)

haha if ur a P then i'm a J.

actually that wouldn't make sense, but i'm pretty J for a P

we share our minds
 

goodgrief

New member
Joined
Apr 3, 2010
Messages
480
MBTI Type
INTJ
I'm an INTJ and I must say I have all your listed P traits to some extent. The taking a while to make decisions could be a form of anxiety, which I have. Anyway, try taking the test again. You may just be a slightly expressed J, like me. I only got like 15/100 or something like that for J, but I am J nonetheless, as I believe you are. And I don't think genetics is a strong factor in personality traits. Intelligence perhaps, but I think personality is more random. I swear I'm the only strong T in my family. The others are so emotional.
 

tinkerbell

New member
Joined
Aug 31, 2008
Messages
3,487
MBTI Type
ENTP
MBTI is about personal preference, we all have all of it, its just that the balance of preference is skewed towards one side of the dicotomy.

When I am in a learnign situation I'm more J like than when I have mastered skills (so there is an element of situational issues going on too).

It sounds like you are just figuring out you have both sides in you - enjoy them both and stop sweating about some loose defintion.
 

hilo

New member
Joined
Mar 8, 2010
Messages
186
MBTI Type
INTP
Enneagram
9 sx
I used to think there was a possibility that I was becoming an INTP, until I started reading more about the functional difference.

Fi can be a pretty useful indicator. If you have rigid convictions and a tendency to be judgmental, bingo. :D

I agree with this. I always score right on the line between P/J, but I identify MUCH more with INTP than INTJ. Just read the descriptions carefully.

I also think the P/J is one letter where each wants to develop traits of the other (usually). Most J's I know are conscious of the fact that they'd like to loosen up a bit, and most P's I know would kill to be able to make a to-do list and stick to it once in a while.

So for me, the middle score indicates all the time I have spent "coping" for my P (aka ADD tendencies) which has led to the development of some J-type abilities. The score also reflects my preferences - I LIKE to make lists (I just can't follow them), etc.
 

Fluffywolf

Nips away your dignity
Joined
Mar 31, 2009
Messages
9,581
MBTI Type
INTP
Enneagram
9
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
Although you're either P or J and that will not change. A P can take on the characteristics of a J and a J can take on the characteristics of a P to great extent in order to fit in socially.

For example, I'm very P, but I can force myself to be just like a J on the work floor in order to get things done. It can be exhausting at times, and it definatly always feels like a waste of time to me. But as long as I have a few hours of Pness after my J period, I can 'recharge' really quickly.

It's just mimicking though, I may appear J, but I'm still P below the surface. When I am in J mode, I often feel like a robot. It's like I disable parts of my conscious. So I don't become J, I just act the surface of a J. :p

To get to the point, I agree with some posters that you are most likely J, that just act like you're a P, whilest it's nothing more than learned behaviour or a means as to not appear too differently than those in your surroundings.
 
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