Myers-Briggs: What’s Your Type?
Hey there! Have you wondered about how you interact with other people in the workplace? Or, are you wondering about the way that you work or handle situations? Something else you may be asked is, “what’s your personality type?” and most of the time, they’re talking about your Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. So, we’re going to talk about that today.
[line]
Myers-Briggs: What’s Your Type?
So, I know what you’re thinking, “what is a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and how do I find out mine?”. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is used to help every day people understand the psychological types and how they play a role in everyday life. There are 16 type indicators based on the preferences of four dichotomies. The four dichotomies are Favorite World, Information, Decisions, and Structure.
The Four Dichotomies
Favorite World
Do you prefer the outside world or your own inner world? Meaning do you recharge through external communications and stimulation or do you recharge being alone. This is called either Extraversion (E) or Introversion (I) and is the first letter of the personality types
Information
This section has to with whether you like to take in basic information, or do you like to interpret it and add meaning to it. This is called either Sensing (S) or Intuition (N) and is the second letter of the personality types.
Decisions
In this section, you’re asked questions about whether you first look at logic and consistency or if you look at people and special circumstances. This is either Thinking (T) or Feeling (F) and is the third letter.
Structure
This last section talks about how you deal with the outside world. Do you prefer to get things decided and stick with it, or do you prefer to stay open to new information and have options? This is either Judging (J) or Perceiving (P) and is the last letter of the type.
The Types
When you put these together, you get the 16 personality types. You have:
[left]
- ESTJ
- ESTP
- ISTJ
- ISTP
- ESFJ
- ESFP
- ISFJ
- ISFP
[/left]
[right]
- ENFJ
- ENFP
- INFJ
- INFP
- ENTJ
- ENTP
- INTJ
- INTP
[/right]
Now, one thing to remember is that these types are all equal. One is not better than the other. Some are more common than others, but that doesn’t mean that they are better than the others, or visa versa.
Take the free test and find out your Myers-Briggs Type Indicator here: https://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test
[line]
Why You Should Know Your MBTI
Now that you know what your MBTI is, you’re probably wondering what it means or what you can do with that information. The reason behind the testing and the philosophy is to better help understand yourself and how you work. You can also use this to help you improve in areas you may not be comfortable with and help you identify your strengths and weaknesses, especially when it comes to your career.
For example, I’m an INFJ and the opposite would be ESTP. As an INFJ, I’m Introverted-Intuitive-Feeling-Judging. The opposite would be Extroverted-Sensing-Thinking-Perceiving. Now, each option is binary (Extroverted or Introverted) but we know that some people aren’t always on one side versus the other, some are a combination of both. Taking this test and learning this about me has helped me understand things about myself and how I work. Here are some of the things that knowing your MBTI can help.
Reaching Self-Acceptance
We all have certain qualities that we beat ourselves up about that we can’t seem to change. We wonder why we are the way we are in certain situations. Knowing your MBTI helps you understand why you are the way you are. I hated thinking that I was “awkward” or “shy”. But knowing that I’m an introvert makes me feel free. There’s nothing wrong with it.
Understanding Your Relationships
When you understand your personality and tendencies, you come from a more informed position. You understand the varying personalities and because of that, you can learn from them and they can learn from you. My husband and I have opposite traits, he’s more logical and I’m more sensitive. Because we know this about each other, we are able to help each other improve in the areas we’re lacking and help us see from a different perspective.
Building Your Career Path
Knowing your MBTI can also help you understand the career path you might want and help you understand why the one you’re on might not be the best fit for you. You can’t go against your core traits, it will lead you to burn out and wasting the perspective that you have to bring to the world. Each personality has a fit, the INFJ is “The Advocate” and has career paths that fit those personality traits. Knowing that I’m an INFJ also helped me realize that I may not be the type to jump up the corporate ladder.
Final Thoughts
I think it’s really important to know your MBTI, and sooner rather than later. If you’re still in college, I highly suggest taking the quiz so you can start your career path on the right foot. If you’ve already graduated, it’s okay! It will probably help you see if you’re on the right path or not.
Looking for some resources? Check these out:
Do you know your type? Let me know in the comments!
