Hi everyone, I'm new here, signed up last night after a couple of months lurking and using the forums for info. Part of the reason I joined up is that typing interests me a lot more now than it did when I first discovered it, another reason is to hopefully talk to other people with this interest, as I don't know anybody irl that is into it past a casual scratch-the-surface type of interest.
For the MBTI I have only tested twice, both of them a few years ago, and haven't gotten particularly in-depth with it. Both tests showed me as INTJ, though these were free tests (can't remember which), so might not be the most reliable. Also I've had a lot of down periods over the last decade, which could influence the result too.
The enneagram is what particularly took my interest, it just seemed easier to understand and remember than MBTI.
I've taken a few tests for this too, the first one I took showed me as a 7, though I wasn't sure based on it claiming 7's as hyperactive and extroverted. I've spent years feeling kinda low energy and introverted, though recently I've become a little more outgoing. Still not extroverted, though the line is certainly blurred. My primary tendency is still intro I'd say, as the extro behaviour tends to be around people I already know, at least a little, or groups where the majority are familiar faces.
Following this my tests have almost always given type 5, though again certain areas of my life don't fit here. I love deep knowledge of a subject, like a 5, though I also like a variety of topics/activities like a 7. I did all my tests over a one week period in late November, which was also a very stressed time for me too. The first test showed 7, and one more late on showed 7, others all gave 5. One ranked the top types and gave the following: 5w6, 6w5, 3w4, 5w4, 3w2 as the top ones. I also retested a few days ago on a basic, free test and got 7 again.
Basically I'm not sure whether I'm a 5 or a 7. There's also a strong feeling of connection to 8's description and traits. If anybody has any observations or questions that could point me in the right direction, I'd really appreciate it. This post already feels long, though I'm gonna try to explain why I feel this dilemma:
Type 5 fits me quite well in a lot of ways, but the core desire & fear don't seem right. Sure, I want to be good at things, and I definitely would hate being incompetent. Also I love learning, investigating, and am very observant and logical. I also sometimes withdraw from conflict, and can relate to ignoring problems in life and focusing on other things, mostly reading/learning other things as a distraction. Poor eating and sleeping habits have been a problem during bad times of my life too, I deal with depression either by sleeping all day or very little for months on end, eating can be very inconsistent depending on what I'm doing. If I'm busy, it's easy to not eat all day, just due to lack of time.
However, I don't feel as quiet or introverted as a stereotypical five. I can certainly hold my own in almost any social situation, and also sometimes don't withdraw from issues. The withdrawal tends to be when the issue is with somebody I care a lot about, and even then it's like a 50/50 chance. The rest of the time, or when it's somebody not overly close to me, I can react very, very explosively. Also I'm a very physical person and always have been, great at a variety of sports through childhood and my adult life. I also don't feel I have a '5 aura' if that makes sense? Well, personally I actually do feel I have that, I feel I'm a quiet reserved person who just tends to keep out of the way most times. Other people insist I don't come across this way at all. I actually find it shocking that most people describe me as imposing and dominant, despite my quiet demeanour.
Type 7 I also relate heavily too, and though I relate to the basic fear & desire here, again I don't feel they are my core drivers. Some of my behaviour also fits this. At parties I can often be the life of the party, centre of attention and entertaining a large group of friends. This seems very 7, and un-5 to me. Also with experiences, holidays and the like, my behaviour is quite 7ish. Holidays for example are quite exhausting, as I hardly stop from start to finish, cramming in as many sites and experiences as possible, trying to fill every moment with something. I don't want to go to sleep just because it's 5.30am, I'd rather experience a night walk and carry on with more to do once places open a couple hours later.
The urge to take on 50 new projects at once definitely exists, and has caused trouble for me in the past too lol. I love learning new skills and am the kind of guy who's always trying to push myself in at least a few areas of life. "not knowing what I want" is another feeling I relate a lot to. In the addictions area I relate to the 7 a lot as well, certainly with regards to stimulants and wearing out of the body. Rather than accept being tired and take a nap I tend to use stimulants and power through. Even as a child I'd stay up all night and end up falling asleep on my desk in lessons.
So, I feel 5 or 7 is likely to be my core type. Yet complicating it further for me...
Type 8 - I'm unsure whether I really am in the head centre for my core type. A lot of the time I'm in my head, thoughtful and planning. There are also a lot of times in life when I react on the spot or based on my instincts with literally no thought. Sometimes I've already reacted before there was even a chance to think. For core desire & fear, I relate to 8 the most. All of my life I've been about proving my self-sufficiency. I don't like help even if I'm sick or injured, and hate to ask for favours that I know would be given to me willingly. Yet I love to do favours for others.
I also love a challenge and tend to do things that are considered tough to do, partly because I enjoy the thrill and partly because I want to show I can do these things. On some level I feel superior to society. Willpower and endurance are things I have in abundance. I take a lot of pride in soldiering through whatever comes my way, and not making excuses. Absorbing physical punishment and being neglectful of my body both happen in abundance for me too, friends and family are often horrified at the things I'll endure without trying to get medical attention. To me it doesn't feel like neglect, I just feel quite solid, like there isn't anything serious wrong, so why moan about minor things?
Anyway, this post is way long already, so I'll leave it there for now. One thought I did have was that I could be an 8, who was disintegrated to 5 for a long time. The problem then is, why do I show so much 7? And why did my results have so little 8 at the top?
When using word lists, favourite jobs, fictional characters, superheroes etc I tend to pick characters based on all 3 of these types as well, so that hasn't helped either.
Thanks for reading this guys, I hope to learn more about this situation soon, and would appreciate it if you can provide some information.
For the MBTI I have only tested twice, both of them a few years ago, and haven't gotten particularly in-depth with it. Both tests showed me as INTJ, though these were free tests (can't remember which), so might not be the most reliable. Also I've had a lot of down periods over the last decade, which could influence the result too.
The enneagram is what particularly took my interest, it just seemed easier to understand and remember than MBTI.
I've taken a few tests for this too, the first one I took showed me as a 7, though I wasn't sure based on it claiming 7's as hyperactive and extroverted. I've spent years feeling kinda low energy and introverted, though recently I've become a little more outgoing. Still not extroverted, though the line is certainly blurred. My primary tendency is still intro I'd say, as the extro behaviour tends to be around people I already know, at least a little, or groups where the majority are familiar faces.
Following this my tests have almost always given type 5, though again certain areas of my life don't fit here. I love deep knowledge of a subject, like a 5, though I also like a variety of topics/activities like a 7. I did all my tests over a one week period in late November, which was also a very stressed time for me too. The first test showed 7, and one more late on showed 7, others all gave 5. One ranked the top types and gave the following: 5w6, 6w5, 3w4, 5w4, 3w2 as the top ones. I also retested a few days ago on a basic, free test and got 7 again.
Basically I'm not sure whether I'm a 5 or a 7. There's also a strong feeling of connection to 8's description and traits. If anybody has any observations or questions that could point me in the right direction, I'd really appreciate it. This post already feels long, though I'm gonna try to explain why I feel this dilemma:
Type 5 fits me quite well in a lot of ways, but the core desire & fear don't seem right. Sure, I want to be good at things, and I definitely would hate being incompetent. Also I love learning, investigating, and am very observant and logical. I also sometimes withdraw from conflict, and can relate to ignoring problems in life and focusing on other things, mostly reading/learning other things as a distraction. Poor eating and sleeping habits have been a problem during bad times of my life too, I deal with depression either by sleeping all day or very little for months on end, eating can be very inconsistent depending on what I'm doing. If I'm busy, it's easy to not eat all day, just due to lack of time.
However, I don't feel as quiet or introverted as a stereotypical five. I can certainly hold my own in almost any social situation, and also sometimes don't withdraw from issues. The withdrawal tends to be when the issue is with somebody I care a lot about, and even then it's like a 50/50 chance. The rest of the time, or when it's somebody not overly close to me, I can react very, very explosively. Also I'm a very physical person and always have been, great at a variety of sports through childhood and my adult life. I also don't feel I have a '5 aura' if that makes sense? Well, personally I actually do feel I have that, I feel I'm a quiet reserved person who just tends to keep out of the way most times. Other people insist I don't come across this way at all. I actually find it shocking that most people describe me as imposing and dominant, despite my quiet demeanour.
Type 7 I also relate heavily too, and though I relate to the basic fear & desire here, again I don't feel they are my core drivers. Some of my behaviour also fits this. At parties I can often be the life of the party, centre of attention and entertaining a large group of friends. This seems very 7, and un-5 to me. Also with experiences, holidays and the like, my behaviour is quite 7ish. Holidays for example are quite exhausting, as I hardly stop from start to finish, cramming in as many sites and experiences as possible, trying to fill every moment with something. I don't want to go to sleep just because it's 5.30am, I'd rather experience a night walk and carry on with more to do once places open a couple hours later.
The urge to take on 50 new projects at once definitely exists, and has caused trouble for me in the past too lol. I love learning new skills and am the kind of guy who's always trying to push myself in at least a few areas of life. "not knowing what I want" is another feeling I relate a lot to. In the addictions area I relate to the 7 a lot as well, certainly with regards to stimulants and wearing out of the body. Rather than accept being tired and take a nap I tend to use stimulants and power through. Even as a child I'd stay up all night and end up falling asleep on my desk in lessons.
So, I feel 5 or 7 is likely to be my core type. Yet complicating it further for me...
Type 8 - I'm unsure whether I really am in the head centre for my core type. A lot of the time I'm in my head, thoughtful and planning. There are also a lot of times in life when I react on the spot or based on my instincts with literally no thought. Sometimes I've already reacted before there was even a chance to think. For core desire & fear, I relate to 8 the most. All of my life I've been about proving my self-sufficiency. I don't like help even if I'm sick or injured, and hate to ask for favours that I know would be given to me willingly. Yet I love to do favours for others.
I also love a challenge and tend to do things that are considered tough to do, partly because I enjoy the thrill and partly because I want to show I can do these things. On some level I feel superior to society. Willpower and endurance are things I have in abundance. I take a lot of pride in soldiering through whatever comes my way, and not making excuses. Absorbing physical punishment and being neglectful of my body both happen in abundance for me too, friends and family are often horrified at the things I'll endure without trying to get medical attention. To me it doesn't feel like neglect, I just feel quite solid, like there isn't anything serious wrong, so why moan about minor things?
Anyway, this post is way long already, so I'll leave it there for now. One thought I did have was that I could be an 8, who was disintegrated to 5 for a long time. The problem then is, why do I show so much 7? And why did my results have so little 8 at the top?
When using word lists, favourite jobs, fictional characters, superheroes etc I tend to pick characters based on all 3 of these types as well, so that hasn't helped either.
Thanks for reading this guys, I hope to learn more about this situation soon, and would appreciate it if you can provide some information.
