I Might be a INFJ
We are all unique people. Wouldn’t it be horrible if we were all exactly alike in personality and temperament? Everyone cranky at the same time over the same things. Everyone hyper at the same time. I’m starting to cringe thinking about it. Our uniqueness is what makes us so special.
For some reason, I am very fascinated about people’s personalities and what makes them tick. It helps me understand them and interact with them. This leads me to looking deeper into myself to discover what makes me the way I am. This led me to a personality test. I discovered that I’m an INFJ. What the heck is that?
Personality Tests
There are a few personality tests out there to help you get to know yourself. Each of them tries to define the core traits of your personality. Psychology Today lists the most popular personality tests out there:
Big Five Inventory-2 (BFI-2) is the latest version of a tool for assessing the Big Five personality traits, which it labels as Extroversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Negative Emotionality, and Open-Mindedness, as well as facets of each. It is employed in psychological research and can be used for personal assessment.
The HEXACO Personality Inventory-Revised (HEXACO-PI-R) is used to measure six dimensions of personality….
Psychopathic Personality Inventory-Revised (PPI-R)…is designed to assess a person’s levels of psychopathic traits, but it was developed for use with non-criminals and its results are based on responses to questionnaire items.
The Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI)…intended for predicting work performance, including in job candidates. Its scales are organized based on work-relevant characteristics such as ambition, sociability, and interpersonal sensitivity.
The Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) assigns individuals a psychological “type” summarized in four of eight possible letters: Extroversion (E) or Introversion (I); Sensing (S) or Intuiting (N); Thinking (T) or Feeling (F); and Judging (J) or Perceiving (P).
I took the Myers Briggs Personality test to be told that I was a INFJ. I’ve been called a lot of things, but this is something new. According to Verywellmind.com, this makes me a very rare person. In fact, INFJ is “he rarest MBTI personality type, making up only 1% to 3% of the U.S. population.” The site says that I’m an idealist who feels misunderstood most of the time. That makes sense since anyone who is an INFJ are “talking contradictions… easy-going perfectionists…(and) both logical and emotional, creative and analytical.” Unique and abnormal. That sounds like me.
Let’s get deeper into this and see what it really says about me.
The I — Introversion
If you know me, you know that I’m an introvert. Yes, I might have a few people fooled, but I can’t argue this trait. The “I” pegs me perfectly. Psychology Today describes this characteristic as having a “preference for the inner life of the mind over the outer world of other people” while enjoying “subdued and solitary experiences.” That’s me. I would rather be alone with a good book than be in a crowd. Any excuse I can give to avoid crowds is useful. Crowds are too chaotic and fill me with anxiety even if it is a family gathering. I prefer one-on-one interactions so I can focus on the other person. A calming environment is where I thrive.
The N — Intuiting
Cambridge Dictionary defines intuiting as “to know or understand something because of a feeling that you have rather than because of facts or what someone has told you”. I cannot tell you how many times this has happened with me. So often that my husband listens when I say not to go out today because of a feeling I have. When he has ignored it, disaster of some form usually strikes. I’ve also had people accuse me of being negative or pessimistic when I note that I’m leary of a particular person. I have a gut feeling that they can’t be trusted. In the end, those who condemned me wished they had listened. I just feel it.
The F — Feeling
Psychology Junkie describes this personality as someone who applies “personal values and empathize in order to make a decision. They want what is best for the group or humanity as a whole.” I can see that in me. When I’m making a decision, I try to think of the other people involved and how it might impact them. I want everyone to come out a winner no matter what the situation is. I don’t want to hurt anyone, but I also refuse to compromise my personal values.
The J — Judging
This doesn’t refer to judging people. Judging here is more about conclusion and control. I don’t like to leave things with no conclusoin. Situations need to be settled or they plague me for weeks, months, and even years. The desire to have structure that ensures that nothing is left hanging. In this instance, I have to agree. I don’t like to leave things unresolved if they are always in front of me with the reminder that I didn’t finish it. I need to close the case and move on.
Overall Characteristics
How do you sum all this up? Very Well Mind does a good job so I’ll just share that.
Compassionate: With their strong sense of intuition and emotional understanding, INFJs can be soft-spoken and empathetic. This does not mean that they are pushovers, however. INFJs have deeply held beliefs and the ability to act decisively to get what they want.
Helper: While they are introverted by nature, people with an INFJ personality type can form strong, meaningful connections with other people. They enjoy helping others, but they also need time and space to recharge.
Idealist: What sets the INFJ apart is their ability to translate their idealism into action. They don’t just dream about changing the world — they make it happen.
Organized: People with an INFJ personality type like to exert control by planning, organizing, and making decisions as early as possible.
Both emotional and logical: When making decisions, INFJs place a greater emphasis on their emotions than objective facts. But this doesn’t mean they see the world through rose-colored glasses. INFJs understand the world, both the good and the bad, and hope to be able to make it better.
Is This Really Me?
I think I really am a INFJ. I read these descriptions, and I can see myself in them. Though the pushover part is not quite true. The first thirty years or so of my life was being a pushover. It has only been recently that I have started to push back while trying not to lose the ability to be open with others.
I do enjoy helping others, but I don’t like to always be in the action of helping. If too many are involved, I get overwhelmed and pull away. I’ll help from a distance then because others begin to smoother me and try to control how I help.
I do want to change the world. I just don’t know how. Maybe I’ll figure it out.
Planning and organizing. Yep, I try to do that with my daily life so I can feel like I’m in control. Or at least convince myself that I am.
What To Do With It
First off, it feels good to see myself described so well. I’m at a point in my life of deep inner-reflection. Who am I? Why am I this way? Do I need to change? Some people have described me like this, but it was usually in a negative light. It was good to see it in a positive and uplifting manner.
But it can’t stop here. Knowing is good, but what am I to do with it? Well, I need to use this knowledge. Understanding who I am will help me understand my feelings and my actions. When I feel the urge to control a situation, I now know why. Taking that information, I can adjust my reaction to either pull back or push on, depending on the situation.
Knowledge is power. I need to be able to take this new knowledge and apply it to my everyday life. I might find the days are a little easier.
