Penelope is an ENTJ, something she mentions over and over (well, except when she says she’s an INTJ, which often happens in the same post).
Honestly? I didn’t get why until I discovered that I’m an ENFP, and now I want to say “Because I’m an ENFP!” all the time.
All the time.
Because holy hell, being an ENFP describes everything about me. The procrastination, the indecisiveness, the love of possibility and fear of limitations, the muscle tension.
Muscle tension? Yup.
What stuck with me the most was that ENFP’s are great at ideas, but never follow through. The book I was reading said something like, “Immature ENFP’s might have trouble in relationships because they haven’t learned to follow through or stick to the truth.” With big ideas and gift for gab, one can easily be a lying flake.
Oh, so true. (Here’s a better link if you don’t trust my paraphrasing. Note the use of the word “immature.”)
And while I think I’ve gotten past the lying part, I struggle to turn ideas into reality, and it’s time to grow up, so I’m focusing on learning to accomplish things rather than just dream of them – and I have a handful of tools I’ve tried so far because serendipitously, I’d already decided to focus on doing one little thing before reading the book, but now the words “haven’t learned to follow through” haunt me.
So true. So scary. Stay tuned.
If you don’t know what you are, here’s a quiz. Please take it. It’ll be fun! (And seriously, I now want to ask for personality types in interviews, because I need some other letters to balance out my team, which currently consists of just me.)
I am all about the Myers-Briggs. It has helped me understand myself, my family and my friends so much better!I'm an ISFJ, btw.
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I'm gonna go with INFJ. Perhaps you could force potential team members to be tested. I've had job interviews that included wackier stuff…
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I was just reading about this on Penelope Trunk!I've taken the test before but I cheated: I used to select the answers of who I wanted to be, not who I was. I took it again just now, honestly, and am a INFJ (which they say represent between 1 and 3% of the population?).
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I've taken it a few times for various undergrad psych classes, and I am almost always an ISFJ, which I think fits me perfectly. If you like Myers-Briggs, you have to look up the StrengthsFinder test… every incoming freshman at my alma mater takes it as part of their first semester. This book comes with the code you need to take the test: http://www.amazon.com/StrengthsFinder-2-0-Upgraded-Discover-Strengths/dp/159562015XMy strengths are Learner, Input, Intellection, Achiever, and Focus, and it is SO me. It's even more fun than Myers-Briggs because there's more than 30 strengths, and it gives you your top 5.When I worked as a student on campus, we were usually asked for our strengths and myers-briggs in interviews because we've all taken it… my husband was asked once by an outside company though, if he wouldn't mind taking it, and he told them he'd already taken it. He got that job.
I say do it for your top candidates… it's not the be all end all of hiring decisions, but it is a nice bit of extra info.
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I'm an ISFP (Introvert, Sensor, Feeler, Perceiver). I was surprised to find that almost all of the career choices recommended for my personality are careers I've considered in the past. Thanks for jump starting my "going to find that new job" drive again. I lost my job three months ago and have become increasingly depressed at the lack of opportunities. I think it's time I focused on a new direction!
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Are all of your readers introverts? I'm ISFJ, maybe sometimes INFJ. I think my schooling gives me the S leaning. I like your typelogic link, and I think Myers-Briggs is both helpful enough and common enough that it can help you in your teambuilding. What are you looking for — just anything different?
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I was an ESFJ when I took this test 10 years ago, and still am today.
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I'm an INFJ and it always surprises me since I have a very extroverted job and enjoy it. My husband's company (scientific industry) has applicants take the Myers-Briggs tests as part of their screening process. They also do team-building based on the team personality types. So I think it's possible…
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Yet another INFJ here! Is there something about your blog that attracts our type?
After reading your blog today I looked at a few Meyers Brigg job sites and saw that I should be a writer, teacher, or counselor – right on the mark, and a good reminder that I need to get in gear and move to a job that I enjoy more.Would you recommend the book you linked to?
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Another INFJ! Considering we're 2% of the populations, it seems like INFJ is popular here! Maybe INFJs are particularly drawn to blogging..
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I, too, am an INFJ. Isn't that interesting? Most of the artists in my life have no problem playing a role but hate being on as themselves. I know that's true for me! Mayhaps your subject matter and writing style (just here on this blog?) attracts our type? I admire your perseverance, desire to always grow forward with grace and your promise to yourself to always try to make thoughtful, healthy choices Those things fit in to the INFJ profile, dontcha think?
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I'm an INFJ too, really surprised how many have commented! When I took a test a few months back I was shocked how accurately it reflected me too. Think a long detailed test is better to find out for sure. When I did it I wanted to go around testing everyone. It was interesting to find out my husband was too and we looked at the compatibility of that, came out positively which is always nice!
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Should say *what* my husband was, he's not INFJ
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Wow, that's amazing that there are so many of the same type on here. I'm an INTJ, so pretty close! (Although I'm a super strong T compared to F, so I guess not that close after all.) I was talking with the person who administered my MB test, and she told me she usually does it for couples. And (this is the cool part) the majority of successful couples are 1 E, 1 I. She said it's pretty rare, although there are cases here an there, where two Es or two Is are able to make it work over the long haul. Granted, this is just her experience, so it's hard to say whether that holds true more generally, but she seemed to think that that was the one letter that was important in couple compatibility. Marisa, has your husband taken the Myers Briggs? Just curious…
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I didn't have a chance to comment yesterday, but I am an ENFJ. I had to do this for a class I took last semester, and this is what I found about myself… The description states that an ENFJ who hasn’t developed their feeling side may have difficulty making good decisions and may heavily rely on other people in decision making processes. I was not surprised by this because I really identify with this part of the description. This is an area I continue to improve on because I always worry about making the right decision, particularly at work. I want people to be able to trust me and count on me to make a good decision, so I take a lot of time to carefully think through the decisions I have to make and the options that are available to me. I also tend to ask for feedback and advice from more than one person so I can evaluate all their responses too, before making my decision, even though many times I know what decision I want to make. I am just looking for some validation that I am making a good choice. I know most of the uncertainty I feel comes from a lack of experience and ad I have the opportunity to learn from more choices I have to make, I’ll grow in this area.
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wow that is so funny how many commenters have similar types! Mine is INFP – so the introverted version of your type, I guess. I also have issues with procrastination and follow-through. Though I will say that being in a science field for so long has helped me to hone my sensing and thinking skills to the point where it can be hard to distinguish the N/S and F/T questions. I've always been interested in these personality profiles because like you, I really like reading descriptions that make so much sense for me
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I'm an ENFJ. I'm not sure what my boyfriend is, though I'm going to make him do the quiz tonight! My last boss was on the complete opposite of the spectrum and it was a nightmare. Instead of balancing each other out, we butted heads constantly. Hence, the new job! (though she was fired the day after I resigned…and that's another story)
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ESFJ. I love personality profiles, especially Meyers-Briggs, but then, that's probably because I require verbal or written affirmation ;o) But really, I think they help us understand ourselves and those around us better. But that's probably just the J in me talking…
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How random that you post this after I had just taken the test, sis. I'm a straight-up INTP: Also less than 1% of the population, and I have yet to talk to anyone else who shares my type. Interestingly enough, my girlfriend is an ESFP, so almost the polar opposite of myself. She has tons of friends, is fearless when it comes to social situations, and does her best to simplify and get rid of the fluff, whereas I get bogged down in the analytical side of nearly everything I'm trying to do. I understand complexity better than she does, but she doesn't agonize over minutiae the same way I do. I think we work out pretty darn spiffily.Oh, and your mother is an ESFJ. Spot on, no?
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Fellow ENFP here. Like you ,it describes me to a T. I'm working my way through the book now. Thanks so much for the recommendation, Marisa!
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