There I am.  An INFP to the max.

I’ve mentioned my INFPness before, but this representation is one of the most succinct and clear descriptions I’ve ever run across.

The Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator looks at a person’s preferences.  Based on the input received it then categorizes the person into one of 16 personality types.  The instrument focuses on the following 4 continua:

1. Extroversion – Introversion This deals with where one gets energized and has their proverbial tanks filled.

2. Sensing – INtuition  Do you rely on your senses to know things or do you lean more towards your ability to pull information together from random places to know things?

3. Thinking – Feeling Which is your default for decision making?  Your head or your heart?

4. Judging – Perceiving  I hate these terms.  What they refer to is closure and organizational issues.  Are you a file-it or a pile it?  Do you like to have your schedule planned well in advance or do you like more spontaneity in you life?

Generally we slide along the scale from one side to the other.  However, some of us have strong preferences.

I might act like an extrovert at times, but I need my introvert time if I’m going to thrive.  Too much acting like an extrovert takes a toll on me. It’s not just social or psychological, it’s also physical.  Sometimes I’m weepy when I haven’t had enough down time.  Sometimes I get extra cranky.  At other times I become ill–or at least more susceptible to germs headed in my direction.

I would love to live the organized, everything has a place and everything is in it’s place J life.  It’s not in me.  I sometimes feel like a small cyclone walks into a room with me and turns everything into a small disaster area.  I can usually find what I need when I need it, but I doubt Real Simple or Better Homes and Gardens will ever want to do a photo shoot of my spaces.

Over the last decade my head and my heart have come a little closer together on the scale.  My instinct is to let my heart rule, but that’s not always the best thing to do.  While I can’t help starting with my heart, I’ve learned to check it more often with the logical side of my brain.  This causes more than a little internal conflict–especially on days when I need to be in charge and get to make some tough decisions.

I’m much more of a global thinker who pulls random pieces of information together to form a conclusion than I am a biblical Thomas who wants some empirical proof.  In fact, when faced with some strong sensory proof, my inquisitve (skeptical?) side wonders if this is irrefutable or will be people be laughing at us in a generation or two because the body of knowledge has changed so drastically.

So, that’s me.  I’m an INFP.  I think it describes me well.  I like who I’ve been created to be–even if it involves cyclonic activity that has nothing to do with a Dyson.

What about you?  Where does the MBTI place you?  How do you feel about it?

If you know your MBTI results, you can find the heads here.  The stress heads are in a tab on the same page.  If you don’t know what type you are, there are free versions of the instrument all over the interwebs that should give you a fairly accurate picture of yourself.  You may have to register, but you shouldn’t have to pay anything.  Just google it!

MBTI type and stress heads used with permission from CPP.