In my early twenties, an online Myers-Briggs assessment revealed my new four-letter identity—a rare personality type nicknamed the INTJ. I felt flattered as I read about who I supposedly was. Yes, I was a strategic, big-picture thinker, smart as a whip, and different from others, thank you. Being an INTJ made me feel special, even important. Yet in some small corner of me, something didn’t feel right. Wasn’t I usually the counselor in my friend group, the one people came to for emotional support? Didn’t I struggle at times with being a people-pleaser? How very un-INTJ of me. Years later, I took another personality test and got the result of INFJ. Reading about this type, I was shocked at how much it sounded like me. Finally! All those years I had been wrong—I actually was an INFJ. (Want to know your personality type? We recommend this free, quick test from our partner Personality Hacker.) Why did I mistype as an INTJ? Probably for a few reasons. First, growing up, I highly respected my “thinker” dad and uncles, and I wanted to be like them. Second, for a time, I attended a church that rejected emotional thinking, instead favoring the cold, hard facts of doctrine and the Bible. Finally, I was young and just didn’t know myself well yet. Later I learned that it’s not uncommon for people to mistype as either an INTJ or an INFJ, because both personalities are introverts who lead with big-picture thinking, are results-oriented, and “see behind the curtain,” so to speak. However, there are some key differences between these types. Keep in mind that typology describes general personality characteristics. You may have some characteristics of an INFJ and some of an INTJ, because people don’t fit perfectly into boxes. Your experiences, upbringing, and circumstances make you an individual. Yet we tend to lean more toward one type than another. Here are 10 signs you might be an INFJ, not an INTJ:
What’s your personality type? We recommend this free, quick test from our partner Personality Hacker. |