I took the MBTI personality test a couple of times. While it obviously does not encompass the ideas, thought processes and complexities of people’s lives, I think it is a helpful resource for me at least.
I think it’s really interesting to learn about my own personality (INFJ) and my friends’ personalities to understand and appreciate how we all think and process things differently. There are ways in which I connect to some people more deeply than others. We seem to just be on the same wavelength at times, and it feels good to be understood and seen in those moments.
Through the 16 Personalities test, my answers resulted in the INFJ (or “Advocate”) personality type. This means that I am slightly more introverted than I am extroverted. I also am intuitive and seek deeper meanings in what I see. I am also both a feeler and a judger. I hold fast to my convictions and I am sensitive.
The test not only reveals what your personality type means, but also your strengths, weaknesses, career paths, friendships, career paths, and more. I think it can be valuable for each personality type to be able to see what their strengths and weaknesses are. We all can grow in some areas more than others, but knowing our strengths can also help us become attentive to enhance them.
For example, as an INFJ, some of my strengths are creativity and passion while my weaknesses are perfectionism and sensitivity to criticism. There are areas that I can enhance and pour into while others I could definitely work at to improve. I think something that I am discovering is that everyone has something that they can work at deepening and developing. I personally sometimes focus on what I am bad at. I’m not always the best communicator or a social butterfly even though I enjoy being around people. I am ambitious but taking on roles and being decisive is not always my strong suit. I often feel like I have to be more extroverted and charismatic to be heard, valued, and seen as a competent student or employee.
Even if I can’t fulfill certain positions, I am learning that there is space and value for what I do have to offer to others.
I hope that if you are interested in taking the MBTI Personality Test (such as the 16 Personalities test I took), you also can find value in your strengths and further develop them. We all have things we can work on, but even if you don’t see what you have to offer to the world yet, take heart. Your skills and abilities are needed. We each can complement one another in the perspectives and ideas we bring to the table. If we were all one personality type, the world would be worse off than if there were this amazing, messy quilt of various personalities.