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Well informed but still clueless on MBTI type

BlackDog

New member
Joined
Sep 6, 2013
Messages
569
MBTI Type
NiTe
Enneagram
9w8
Instinctual Variant
so/sx
I have a hard time believing I could be a Se-dominant when that seems to be my weakest function. I have a few things in the ESTP description I relate to, but not the overall picture.

The most likely types at this point are:

ENTJ
INTJ (this is the one most dichotomy tests give me. I don't relate to the descriptions very much).
ENFJ (despite the low Fe, I'm not ready to dismiss this one yet... maybe I don't really understand Fe? Still, no matter how many ways I interpret the process, I always get a low score)
INFJ
ISTP
ISTJ
ESTJ

It's always hard to trust the descriptions, especially when you are reading about the types that are most and least 'part of' the MBTI system. The STJ types are near the least, and INTJ/INFJ are the most. Consequently, I find the INFJ descriptions to be 'from the inside' and based on aspirations and hopes rather than realities; they are almost totally useless for an observer. The INTJ descriptions are nearly as bad; again they are corrupted with 'inside' information. Since these are both Ni doms, they typically seem to have a lot of fantasy and ideal world stuff going on, almost to the point of psychosis in the maladjusted ones. The MBTI has no problem pointing out how SP types are stuck in the moment and SJs are tradition-bound as a part of their style; these weaknesses are glaringly obvious to a system formed without an inside view of these types. Just as few SP and SJ types escape entirely the weaknesses of their 'groups', I think it is the exception rather than the rule when an Ni dom understands the real world and learns to act in it based on facts instead of half-baked imaginary ideal scenarios.

This is a long-winded way to say that if you are an Ni dom, you are an extraordinarily well-adjusted one.

Judging by your writing style and by what you've explained about your career, your personality clearly has some 'big' elements to it. That argues for E imo. Or possibly SP as a substitute.

It's a good idea to double-check for Fe as you are doing, but I tend to think that's unlikely for you. Your writing style is shouting Te.

Good luck finding your best fit type!
 

Ida

New member
Joined
Nov 14, 2014
Messages
41
Thanks again. I see what you're saying about temperament type descriptions written for an "inside" look at the Ns and an "outside" look at the Ss.

I'm starting to zero in on entj or enfj at this point. The Ni could account for the daydreaming, future-focus, and vision without taking over the whole personality and making me either a mystic or a mastermind. I appreciate your help and I'll keep you posted on what seems to fit the best as I try these out.
 

Ida

New member
Joined
Nov 14, 2014
Messages
41
OK, on the zeroing in part: I'm leaning toward using Ni as my auxiliary function. This could account for the daydreams, the "zoning out," and would soften the J traits a bit (hence why I have noticeable P attributes. There's nothing mystical about me - no ESP or anything, and also nothing particularly mastermind-y (I suck at chess and don't relate to the "intellectual arrogance" stereotype), so I'm guessing the Ni is not a dominant function. So that leaves me with enfj or entj. I am pretty introverted though, so the E is based mainly on cognitive function stacking and process of elimination.

Case for ENFJ:

-I relate slightly more to the idealist temperament than the rationalist temperament. Slightly.

-Throughout my life, I've had the tendency to have some kind of dream for the future and then to talk it up to people I'm close to, sort of enlisting them in the mission. The "mission" would not necessarily be humanitarian or strategic. An example would be that I had lived in the city but had sort of romanticized raising a family on a farm. I had no real-world concept of farm life, just a picture in my head of how it could be. I talked it up with my husband and he bought into the same dream. We now live on a farm and are expecting our 2nd child. This is one example of many that I could list. Probably more enfj than entj, but it isn't really "humanitarian" and it isn't really about empathy...

-I enjoy bringing others around to my views/opinions. I have strong (and often quirky) views about things, and I enjoy discussing them. I feel gratified when the other person starts to come around to my way of seeing things. That said, I also enjoy discussing them with people who totally disagree and even if they never get on board, I still find the exchange of ideas stimulating.

-I generally want to fit in and be liked. When I'm in a group setting, I'm much more comfortable joking around to make people feel comfortable, and frankly, to make people like me. Much less comfortable dealing with strong emotions that require an emotional response from me. I'm not much of a hugger - literally or figuratively.

-I soft-pedal criticism when I'm not comfortable in a situation. If I meet someone and don't like them, I will generally still be nice and encouraging, but then I will likely tell someone I'm close to later what I didn't like about the person. I used to make hiring decisions at work and was often told that the nicer I was in an interview the less likely it was for me to hire the person. If I was more comfortable and liked the person, I didn't feel the same drive to "act like" I liked them. I could be myself a bit more.

-I don't have the same follow-through or organizational skills that Te should provide.

-I am religious (although, this really could be used as an argument for either or just seen as irrelevant). I'm in the process of converting to Catholicism. No one in my family is Catholic, but I appreciate the emphasis on practice and discipline in Catholicism. Had a hard time relating to the more experiential faith of Protestantism. I've never had what I would consider a personal religious experience.

-Have gravitated toward Feeler subjects in school and career choices. Mostly politics and public relations and communications. Also have nerdy interest in demography and statistics. I have really enjoyed putting together video projects and editing in past jobs. Especially collaboratively.

-I come to decisions about people very quickly and easily.

-I'm not really good with money.

Case for ENTJ:

-Very much of an independent thinker. I am very hard to influence.

-High critical thinking skills

-I feel like I can "be myself" when I can express my opinions freely.

-I almost always score T on tests, and on the cognitive functions test, my Fe is very low. Te is very high.

-I don't mean this in a dark or even a deep way, but I tend not to see the best in people. I'm very skeptical and quite critical. I find that I have very high standards and few people meet them (enneagram 1). I'm the same way with events or movies or anything else.

-I don't usually take on the burdens of others as my own. I don't mind helping someone solve a problem; it can be a nice challenge and its good to help. But with the exception of maybe 1 or 2 people I'm very close to, I won't feel emotionally burdened by their problems.

-This is more of a doubt for enfj than a plus for entj, but I HATE networking with a passion and I don't like phony people. I'm lousy at most (formal) social graces (I already mentioned thank-you notes and correspondences.) I will often dodge phone calls or not call someone back. I much prefer organic connections to social niceties.

-I am decisive and kind of closed-minded - at least externally (guess this could be Te or Fe).

So, enfj or entj seem more likely?
 

Alomoes

New member
Joined
Nov 28, 2014
Messages
144
MBTI Type
INFJ
Enneagram
9w1
Yeah, ENTJ sounds better. I didn't like ENFJ on you.
 

Ida

New member
Joined
Nov 14, 2014
Messages
41
Yeah? Who knows... I don't think I'm outwardly tough enough or organized enough to be an entj. I really wish I understood Fe better.
 

Alomoes

New member
Joined
Nov 28, 2014
Messages
144
MBTI Type
INFJ
Enneagram
9w1
You know what, I should read instead of being on my Ne LSD all the time. You are ENFJ. Easily.
 

Ida

New member
Joined
Nov 14, 2014
Messages
41
I've kinda been leaning toward enfp for a while now... Figured it was time to just update this old thread so if/when I post in the forum as an enfp, there is some record of how I got there.
 

Ida

New member
Joined
Nov 14, 2014
Messages
41
Not to dig up this old thread, but every now and then I still find myself running through it, wishing I had a type that fit just a bit better. Wondering about entp and enfp:

ENTP:

argumentative, competitive, sarcastic, impatient

ENFP:

not really confrontational, know what I want in life, impractical, silly

Cognitive functions are of limited use here: I score high on Ne, low to average on Ni; High on Ti, average on Te; High on Fi, average on Fe; average on Si, very low on Se. So, Ne-Ji-Je-Si seems likely, but Fi-Te or Ti-Fe?
 
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