March 2025 SOLC–Day 24
A huge thank you to Two Writing Teachers for all that they do to create an amazing community of writers and a safe, welcoming space to write, learn, share and grow.
http://www.twowritingteachers.org
Earlier this month humbleswede mentioned something about his Myers-Briggs type. Hey, I’ve got one of those, too, I thought. I dimly remembered a long ago session of completing the survey, and discussing the results. I had absolutely no recall for what they were though.
Motivated to unravel the secrets of my personality (since apparently I didn’t pay enough attention the first time around), I got up and started digging. First, I looked in a likely spot (the file box) and within minutes (Wonder of wonders! Miracle of miracles!), there was a drab looking manila folder, neatly labeled Myers-Briggs, in my hand.
I opened it up and pulled out a pile of papers. The top one, slightly yellowed and crisp, read: “Your results from the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.(MBTI)” My eyes skimmed quickly down the page, looking for the big reveal. Ah….there it was! “YOUR TYPE CAME OUT INTJ.”
Clearly, I didn’t pay much attention when this was revealed to me back in (I take a quick peek) 2004, because I really can’t remember what any of that means, except I’m pretty sure the “I” means introvert. And that tracks.
So I start to look a little deeper. There’s a handy summary on the back, titled, “Brief Descriptions of the 16 Types.” INTJ reads:
“Logical, critical, decisive INNOVATOR of ideas; serious, intent, highly independent, concerned with organization, determined and often stubborn.”
I sit with that for a minute. It doesn’t feel quite right. I’m not so sure about that “innovator of ideas” thing or the “highly independent.” Also, anyone who ventures into my classroom, might legitimately question the organization part of this. I will agree with stubborn –as will my husband. And my fourth grade teacher. (Maybe I should write a slice about how that teacher commented that I could be as stubborn as a mule…on my report card! In his defense, he’d first written about how he’d had a really good dream of having a class full of students just like me, and how wonderful that would be… It now occurs to me that my recently composed report card comments were a little bland.)
I flip back over to the front page. It states that the MBTI it reports a “person’s preferred ways of attending to the world and making decisions.” There are four scales with pairs of opposite preferences: Extraversion and Introversion, Sensing and Intuition, Thinking and Feeling, and Judgment and Perception. Each has a quick explanation, and the examiner had marked where my preference lay. For example, on the Extraversion-Introversion scale, I had a clear preference for Introversion. Like I said, that tracks.
But as I continued examining this page, here’s the most interesting thing I noticed. Next to each completed scale, the “examiner” had noted how many questions I’d omitted answering. Overall, I’d chosen not to answer 16 questions. What!?? How many questions were there? How accurate could these results be? Also, isn’t that very fact perhaps the most telling personality characteristic of all? Ironically, I’d omitted the most questions on the scale that ended up marking me as showing a clear preference for Judgment, which in part is defined by “acting by organizing, planning, deciding”.
Well, I guess I’m going to have to look to other sources for the definitive insights into my personality. Can I get a redo of the MBTI? Or maybe I’ll try Enneagram? Any other ideas out there?
Nix the comfort zone 
Okay, so that tracks with my assessment. It makes more sense that you are INTP. The P is supposed to stand for possibilties, I think. The fact that you omitted so many responses…and the fact that you wrote a 6-line passage inside parentheses, would lead me to believe that your J is a bit questionable. I’m always looking for more INTP teachers. We’re pretty rare, I think, though I believe the Myers Briggs description was “Absent Minded Professor.” My wife sometimes says that the P is for Procrastination. She and I have very different decision making styles!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love that you are using my writing to support your theory about my personality. lol I’m going to have to dig into the other papers in that folder when I have some time.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I wanna know what questions were NOT answered.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’d like to know, too!
LikeLike
Here’s my idea: just be yourself.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I suspected you were a radical! lol
LikeLike
INTJ here as well, although my results are over 20 years old. I want a retake to see if the results hold true after all those years!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s what I was wondering as well. Do the results change over time? I surely think I have, even though, no doubt, some of the tendencies/preferences remain the same.
LikeLike
MTBI is a huge deal in Korea. Most people know what theirs is and ask others what their MTBI is when meeting someone new. While it can be fun to take it and see what it says, I’m not really sure how much stock I put in the MTBI though; it’s been widely discredited over the years.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s so interesting! I definitely think my results are suspect since I skipped answering so many questions! lol
LikeLike
My oldest daughter swears by the Enneagram. It’s really improved our communication. She’s an 8 (hard-headed, determined, expresses herself without regard to other’s feelings) which is a hard number to parent. Now that we see each other more clearly, we can talk about things. The Enneagram has helped our whole family communicate. I’d suggest if you are interested, check out some podcasts by Suzanne Stabile. She knows what she’s talking about.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I listened to one of the podcasts but it was just too much information for me at that time–a bit overwhelming! How great that it’s been helpful for your family’s communicating. That’s definitely a powerful endorsement!
LikeLike
I wonder how much our answers change as we get older. I want to do the Enneagram too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I was wondering the same thing!
LikeLike
ENFP here. I can picture my Manila folder of Myers Briggs info. Might have to go on a hunt as you and Peter have gone this month! It’s fun to examine one’s self based on the inventory…ultimately you get to decide what you are..,I think your Molly from
Maine who teaches, photographs and writes…MMTPW!
LikeLiked by 1 person
lol I can just make up my own personal system!
LikeLiked by 1 person
This post made me laugh so much! I love all your parenthetical asides, as well as your beginning–“I’ve got one too!” Not sure if you meant that you have a “personality type” (rather than a Myers-Briggs designation), but that’s how I read it, and it set the tone for a delightful piece! I have a good friend who is a coach and she swears by the Enneagram.
LikeLike
Just when I was following along you threw in the unanswered 16 questions! I have no idea about my personality type–but not answering questions sounds right up my alley! Love all the pondering. I think being you is just right.
Kim
LikeLike