Please help me figure out my type

[HyperLock]

Hey all,

I'm new here, and I need help figuring out my type. I’ve been trying for a long time but I can’t seem to nail it. I’ve mistyped as the following before: INFJ, INTJ, ISTJ, ISTP, ENTJ, even ISFP at one point.

I prefer if you all ask me questions and then I can answer, in the mean time I’ll mention what’s most accurate about me to give you ideas (please don't give "read up on the cognitive functions" & "you're more than your type" answers):

- I’m an enneagram 6w5 sx subtype (predominantly counterphobic)

- I am unstructured and have difficult time with following through on things except with sheer force of will (despite my enjoyment of designing plans and desire to get organized)

- My mind is constantly active and thinking non-stop

- I’m at my best in crisis or high pressure situations. While others will be panicking and breaking down, I’ll initially be anxious but then become very focused and reckless in handling the situation. My usual caution is thrown out the window

- I constantly alternate between being a high energy extravert and a reclusive introvert

- I’m seen by others as: highly adaptable, principled, eccentric, serious yet wild at times, blunt, detached, stubborn, tough-minded, intellectual, and a procrastinator

- I’m well known for semantic and linguistic pedantry; however I’m crappy in keeping up with a lot of practical details unless it interests me

- When I was younger, I used to be more trusting and had an innocent view on life, but after bad experiences with people and circumstances I've become cynical and misanthropic

Thanks!

 

[Generalist]

Hi, I don't know how much help I will be and take everything I write with a grain of salt. You seem to be everything from the action hero to the quiet intellectual puttering around in his study. That kind of reminds me of what I read about type six, all these contradictions existing in one person. One thing you could try is take a look at the correlations between enneagram types and mbti types. That could narrow things down for you if you are confident you are a six. Also I noticed you wrote about being blunt, tough minded, detached, nothing you wrote said anything about being touchy feely or something that might indicate a feeler besides principled, so perhaps it would be safe to say you are a thinker, so take all the feelers off the table. Also you said you are at your best in a crisis, throwing caution to the wind, sounds like an extraverted sensing thing, but then you think all the time, which I believe Se users are really in tune with their environments and are part of them. Maybe se is a tertiary function that you are starting to develop at this point in your life? When you said you are always thinking, what are you thinking about? Actual things? Ideas? Worst case scenarios? I think with these things, it could be easier to see what you aren't, look at your weaknesses and characteristics you don't have, then through this process you can see which types you aren't, maybe this process of elimination can help if you haven't already done it, but I have a feeling you have already. Another thing to consider, since you seem to possess so many qualities it could be helpful to think about what is your most natural way of going about things. It is like writing (I am stealing this example from do what you are), if you are right handed and right with your right hand, it is easy, you can write well with it, it is natural, but if you write with your left hand, it will be difficult and even with practice, you will never be able to write as well with your left hand as you would with your right. Or as another idea, try this, stop trying to type yourself. Take a break from it, go eat some pie and do something fun. Maybe if you stop chasing it, it will finally come to you. I think sometimes in life we try so hard for answers we sabotage ourselves, perhaps by not looking you will find it. Try observing instead of searching and be honest with yourself about your preferences. Also when you say you are at your best in a crisis, what kind of crisis, is it a crisis that requires physical action, real world engagement like a se user would excel in possibly or does it fit into some other category? Here is what I think, again take it with a huge grain of salt, I think you might be an NT of some type, since you talk about being highly adaptable, not wanting to get tied down with details and having trouble making firm plans, I might venture to say you are an NTP of some type. I say N because you don't necessarily care for details, you like making plans, I assume coming up with ideas, but you don't want to actually be the one to carry out the details of those plans or the work, you are always thinking. I wonder if you are a true introvert, maybe you go from raging extrovert to a hermit is because you put yourself in situations or your work requires a lot of interaction with people and you need that to recharge. but I could be wrong, but if you want to really know who you are, putting typing systems aside, listen to your instincts, observe yourself. I think people already know who they are and what they want, that isn't the challenge, the first challenge is listening to yourself and the second, most difficult challenge is accepting what your instincts tell you what you really are. Maybe you are having trouble typing yourself is because deep down you are having issues accepting your true nature for whatever reason(s). I know that has been my problem for years, acceptance. good luck.

 

[HyperLock]

Hey thanks for replying, I thought nobody would, thanks for taking the time to write such a comprehensive post!

Hi, I don't know how much help I will be and take everything I write with a grain of salt. You seem to be everything from the action hero to the quiet intellectual puttering around in his study. That kind of reminds me of what I read about type six, all these contradictions existing in one person. One thing you could try is take a look at the correlations between enneagram types and mbti types. That could narrow things down for you if you are confident you are a six.

Yes I've attempted that but I noticed a lot of six descriptions are very SJ-like and I know I'm not one.

Also I noticed you wrote about being blunt, tough minded, detached, nothing you wrote said anything about being touchy feely or something that might indicate a feeler besides principled, so perhaps it would be safe to say you are a thinker, so take all the feelers off the table. Also you said you are at your best in a crisis, throwing caution to the wind, sounds like an extraverted sensing thing, but then you think all the time, which I believe Se users are really in tune with their environments and are part of them. Maybe se is a tertiary function that you are starting to develop at this point in your life? When you said you are always thinking, what are you thinking about? Actual things? Ideas? Worst case scenarios?

I'm usually thinking about big ideas, the universe, human nature, philosophy, etc... When I'm stressed, I start pondering worst case scenarios as a way to manage risk through weighing pros and cons. I don't think I am an extraverted sensor because I'm too cautious when approaching physical reality, and even though I'm aware of my environment I miss a lot of concrete details (one of the reasons why I'm bad at finding lost objects and remembering directions). I always thought of myself as an intellectual adventurer, going into conceptual terrains most people would be terrified to go to as it would undermine their sense of stability.

I think with these things, it could be easier to see what you aren't, look at your weaknesses and characteristics you don't have, then through this process you can see which types you aren't, maybe this process of elimination can help if you haven't already done it, but I have a feeling you have already. Another thing to consider, since you seem to possess so many qualities it could be helpful to think about what is your most natural way of going about things. It is like writing (I am stealing this example from do what you are), if you are right handed and right with your right hand, it is easy, you can write well with it, it is natural, but if you write with your left hand, it will be difficult and even with practice, you will never be able to write as well with your left hand as you would with your right. Or as another idea, try this, stop trying to type yourself. Take a break from it, go eat some pie and do something fun. Maybe if you stop chasing it, it will finally come to you. I think sometimes in life we try so hard for answers we sabotage ourselves, perhaps by not looking you will find it. Try observing instead of searching and be honest with yourself about your preferences. Also when you say you are at your best in a crisis, what kind of crisis, is it a crisis that requires physical action, real world engagement like a se user would excel in possibly or does it fit into some other category? Here is what I think, again take it with a huge grain of salt, I think you might be an NT of some type, since you talk about being highly adaptable, not wanting to get tied down with details and having trouble making firm plans, I might venture to say you are an NTP of some type. I say N because you don't necessarily care for details, you like making plans, I assume coming up with ideas, but you don't want to actually be the one to carry out the details of those plans or the work, you are always thinking. I wonder if you are a true introvert, maybe you go from raging extrovert to a hermit is because you put yourself in situations or your work requires a lot of interaction with people and you need that to recharge. but I could be wrong, but if you want to really know who you are, putting typing systems aside, listen to your instincts, observe yourself. I think people already know who they are and what they want, that isn't the challenge, the first challenge is listening to yourself and the second, most difficult challenge is accepting what your instincts tell you what you really are. Maybe you are having trouble typing yourself is because deep down you are having issues accepting your true nature for whatever reason(s). I know that has been my problem for years, acceptance. good luck.

I've done most of what you've mentioned, the problem is I can be proficient at anything I try, so it posed a lot of problems when determining what was natural to me. As for the crisis thing, it can be physical ones but it's more often of a complex conceptual problem that threatens to destroy a certain system or impacts me directly (ex. A big complicated problem that cropped up at work that could undermine the entire project).

What you wrote in bold was quite insightful, for a time I tried denying my true nature to the point that it caused all this confusion because I sort of forgot how I was. But after thinking about it again and reading your post, I'm probably an ENTP 6w5. This would also explain the differences that I see between myself and other ENTPs (mainly type 7s).

Thanks again

 

[Generalist]

What you wrote in bold was quite insightful, for a time I tried denying my true nature to the point that it caused all this confusion because I sort of forgot how I was. But after thinking about it again and reading your post, I'm probably an ENTP 6w5. This would also explain the differences that I see between myself and other ENTPs (mainly type 7s).

I had a feeling this could be the problem since you seem like a pretty smart person, not a problem with the mind, but with that part of us that operates outside the mind and at times competes against it. Unfortunately the mind can yell a lot louder, haha, like a naughty child who gets the most attention for all the trouble it creates. I am so happy you found some value in what I wrote. Best of luck with everything, take care.