The Myers Briggs Type Indicator was created by Isabel Briggs Meyers and Katherine Briggs to make Carl Jung’s theory on psychological types more practical and accessible. I took the 16 Personalities test to find out my own. The website was easy to use, didn’t take much time and gave me valuable insight that has helped me better understand myself and certain tendencies I have. Although this test is not the end all be all, and should in no way be used as the ultimate guide for your life, I still think it’s a useful tool, providing at least a starting point to better understanding oneself and others.
After you complete the questionnaire, the website takes you to a page that breaks down different aspects of your personality type. The description provides insight into the ways in which your personality type operates in relationships, in the workplace and other settings. Reflecting on my overall experience, there are a few reasons why I think this test, along with the summary information provided, may be worth looking into.
1. The test helped me to see that some of my “flaws” are actually strengths
I’ve always been a pretty shy, reserved person and others have often told me that I’m an introvert. Although I always knew that to be true, I absolutely hated being the shy person (and quite frankly, I still do sometimes). I have tried many times to change that aspect of myself, because it’s no secret that society generally values extraversion much more than introversion. Over the years, people have tried to encourage me to be more outgoing, making me feel like there was something wrong with the way I am. But, after taking this personality test and reading the description of my personality type (I’m and INFJ, by the way, which is apparently the most rare personality type out there), I realized that there’s really nothing wrong with being an introvert. I realized that I spend so much time focusing on the challenges that come with being more reserved and shy that I frequently overlook many of the strengths that come with it, like being in tune with how others feel, caring for others and valuing deep, personal connections over superficial ones. Having that all outlined for me was refreshing, eye-opening and helped me see myself in a more positive light.
2. It was (almost scarily) spot on
In the past, I’ve found it difficult for people to truly understand me, and equally as difficult to explain myself to others. Rarely do people beyond my close circle get the chance to, or rather, make the effort to understand me beyond their assumptions. With that said, the personality type description gave me, for probably the first time, the perfect words to articulate what I often try to explain to others, or at least what wish that they knew about me. This doesn’t mean I’ll be reading the INFJ description to everyone I meet in the future, but it was just nice to feel completely understood for once.
3. It provides suggestions for a career path that best suits you
I originally found this test reading another Her Campus article about selecting your college major based on your personality type. Mine was again, spot on, suggesting psychology as the best career path for me. I learned that having a passion for doing what’s right, supporting people and making connections with other people makes individuals with this personality type perfect for the field of psychology. This insight is useful at any age or stage of life, but I think it is especially helpful for college students trying to figure out what their interests are and what career path they should pursue. Perhaps there is something out there that would be perfect for you that you haven’t considered yet, and this test could be the first step to discovering it.