by Anne Bogel
For months in advance, I browsed travel sites. I quizzed family members and Facebook friends. I pored over houses for rent on the internet. And finally, three days before we left home, I decided which little town we would visit and rented a house for our stay.
When I told a friend that I’d finally nailed down our plans, she said, “If we ever go on vacation together, I’m making the plans. I can’t handle spontaneous people being in charge!”
I must have looked at her like she was crazy, because she quickly explained: “Don’t get me wrong—I love my spontaneous friends! It’s just that I freak out when things are left open-ended until the last minute. I can’t believe it doesn’t bother you.”
Was she calling me spontaneous? Until that moment, I had always thought of myself as a planner. When I was in high school, I read every page of every college pamphlet I received—from at least two hundred schools. When I was in college, I loved sitting down with the course catalogs and mapping out my future. I put together course plans—for my freshman year straight through graduation—mapping out exactly what potential paths might look like, how many classes I’d be able to sample, and how many majors I’d be able to squeeze in.
Did you catch the key word in that last sentence? It’s potential.
I love dreaming up future possibilities, examining situations and plans from every conceivable angle, and test-driving potential life paths in my head. I thought that meant I was a natural planner. And by “natural,” I mean I thought I was someone who was good at and enjoyed planning. However, my friend’s comment made me realize I was getting myself wrong—again. I’m much better at possibilities than plans.
With that friend’s small remark, a few things clicked into place for me. Before that day, I had still been debating whether I was a J (for decisive Judging types) or a P (for open-ended Perceiving types) for my Myers-Briggs type (P, definitely P). I realized why I had had such a difficult time managing my calendar and why it had been that way for years. I also realized my spontaneous ways, while fine in and of themselves, were quite possibly stressing out my more methodical friends.
This was all so obvious I couldn’t believe I hadn’t seen it before. Yet there it was.
Once I knew I was definitely a P, I could start accounting for this preference in everything I did, from the way I planned my meetings to how I arranged my kids’ playdates to how I booked my vacations. But not until then.
What You Need to Know about the MBTI
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is a personality inventory originally developed by Katharine C. Briggs and her daughter, Isabel Briggs Myers, nearly one hundred years ago. The two women greatly admired the work and psychological theories of Carl Jung but found them inaccessible to the general public and not particularly useful for everyday life. So they created an assessment tool. This was during World War II, and their goal was to help women who were entering the workforce for the first time because of the war effort identify the jobs for which they’d be best suited and the roles in which they’d be most effective.1 Interestingly, that’s how it’s often still used today.
You’ll recognize some of the letters in the MBTI from Keirsey’s temperaments. While Keirsey’s temperaments each combine two traits, the sixteen MBTI types signify four pairs of preferences, allowing for a more detailed understanding of each personality type.
The title Briggs and Myers gave one of their books, Gifts Differing: Understanding Personality Type, explains their mindset. The title comes from Romans 12:6 in the King James Version of the Bible, which says that we all have “gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us.” And as you might expect, a fundamental belief of the MBTI system is that while certain types naturally have certain proclivities, there are no “good” types or “bad” types. All types are equal, and each type brings something important and necessary to the metaphorical table.
Like Keirsey’s temperaments, the MBTI assessment shows how people’s behaviors differ largely because they see the world through different lenses, although, with its sixteen types, the MBTI is able to do this on a more granular level. Every individual has been given different gifts and has a different viewpoint. Many conflicts are rooted in these differing worldviews, and the assessment helps people understand those differences.
The most common reaction people have to seeing their MBTI type is, “Oh, that explains so much!” Understanding your MBTI type can help you understand how to care for yourself and how to better relate to the people around you. It’s similar to being given the owner’s manual for a certain model of car—your preferred model.
What All Those Letters Really Mean
The MBTI is based on eight psychological preferences, which are broken down into four opposing pairs we’ll call dichotomies. These four dichotomies generate sixteen possible combinations.
The four dichotomies are as follows:
Introversion/Extraversion
Intuition2/Sensing
Thinking/Feeling
Judging/Perceiving
As always, when determining personality type, it’s critical to remember that we’re all a little bit of everything. Each of us has all eight qualities in our mental tool belt. We are all introverted and extroverted, intuitive and sensing, and so forth. The dichotomies simply capture the mental process in every pair that each of us is more inclined toward.
Let’s examine the four dichotomies in more detail. To understand the MBTI inventory, it’s essential that you understand the vocabulary of the indicator’s framework.
Introversion/Extraversion (I/E)
The first set of preferences is Introversion and Extraversion. This preference explains the way one prefers to engage with the world. Do they prefer to turn their attention toward the external world or introspectively toward the world within them?
For Introverts, the inner world—the world of ideas—is what they think of as the real world. It’s where the real action is and where they naturally prefer to spend their time. Interacting with ideas in their own heads is natural and effortless.
For Extroverts, the real world is external. The real action happens outside themselves, with other people and input. It’s where they naturally prefer to spend their time and where they feel most at home.
Some describe this preference as being about energy management—whether a person is an Introvert or an Extrovert depends on where they focus their attention and how they get their energy. Do they feel energized after spending time alone or after spending time with others?
Anywhere from 30–50 percent of the population is introverted; the remainder of the population is extroverted.
Intuition/Sensing (N/S)
The second set of preferences is Intuition and Sensing. (Because Introversion is represented by an I, Intuition is represented by an N.) This doesn’t reference whether a person is thoughtful, or sensual; instead, it identifies how a person prefers to take in information from the world around them. Do they pay more attention to information taken in through their five senses, or do they focus instead on the underlying meaning of what they observe—the patterns and potentials of that information?
Intuitives naturally focus on the big picture, read between the lines, make connections from seemingly disconnected ideas, and see potentials and possibilities. They’re drawn to what’s going on beneath the surface and focus their attention on what could be. Sensors focus on observable facts: what they see, hear, smell, touch, and taste. They focus their attention on what is.
Sensors greatly outnumber Intuitives: 70–75 percent of the population identify as Sensing types, with females slightly outnumbering males.3
Thinking/Feeling (T/F)
The third set of preferences is Thinking and Feeling. These don’t have anything to do with being thoughtful, intelligent, or emotional, whether a person’s heart is cold or warm. Instead, they describe a person’s natural decision-making process. Thinkers and Feelers naturally use different kinds of information when making decisions.
When m
aking decisions, Thinkers are analytical, logical, and consistent; they rely on their reason as they search for fundamental truths and underlying principles. Because they are task-oriented and impartial, they are easily perceived as uncaring.
Feelers, however, are always evaluating how a decision will affect the people involved. They make decisions with their hearts and are often perceived as warm, caring, and compassionate. They are tactful and likely to consider others’ points of view, and they strive to maintain harmony with their decisions.
While Feelers slightly outnumber Thinkers in the general population (at about 55–60 percent), 65–75 percent of women are Feelers.4
Judging/Perceiving (J/P)
The final set of preferences is Judging and Perceiving. This dichotomy has been called the lifestyle preference or the preference that describes structure. This is the dichotomy most likely to be misunderstood. It describes whether a person brings a judging or a perceiving preference to their outer, external (extroverted) world and therefore is the one most obviously on display for the outer world to see.
In this framework, Judging does not mean judgmental, nor does Perceiving mean perceptive (as in insightful about people and events). In preference-speak, Judging means this type prefers to have decisions (aka judgments) behind them (settled). They feel more comfortable once the decision, whatever it is, is made. In preference-speak, Perceiving means “preferring to take in information.” Perceivers prefer to postpone decisions in order to stay open to new information as long as possible.
Judging types are in danger of missing new information because they’re too focused on closure, on achieving the goal. These types plan ahead so they don’t have to rush before deadlines. They are systematic, methodical, and scheduled.
Perceiving types are ever on the lookout for new information, often without even realizing they’re doing it because it’s second nature. To others, they appear flexible and spontaneous, and they don’t like to have a lot of plans on the calendar. Perceivers are in danger of staying open to new information for so long that they miss the opportunity to make a decision at all.
This preference is pretty evenly distributed in the general population, with a possible slight preference for Judging.5
The Sixteen MBTI Types in a Nutshell
Now that we’ve outlined the four dichotomies, we can start to see how those with various types are different not only in their behaviors but also in their values and points of view.
Let’s take a quick look at the sixteen MBTI types. I’ve written one-paragraph summaries here, but you can find a ton of good information in books and online to dive deeper into the types.6
NT types (Keirsey’s Rationals)
INTJ: The INTJ is a strategic thinker whose mind not only understands concepts but also is able to apply those concepts in useful ways. I can see author and apologist C. S. Lewis as an INTJ. Both highly creative and intensely logical, Lewis was able to build deeply symbolic fantasy worlds from scratch, imbue ancient myths with even more significance in his adult fiction, and stake his claim as the Christian apologist of the mid-twentieth century with his clear, systematic defense of his faith.
INTP: The INTP is a curiosity-driven analyst who lives in the world of possibility, inventing theories for everything. I enjoy imagining that Jane Austen was an INTP, because she was a keen observer of life who relished exposing inconsistencies in her characters’ behaviors. From her letters, historians gather this isn’t a skill she confined to the page.
ENTP: The ENTP is a visionary who is constantly seeing possibilities in the world around them. The most interesting ENTP I’ve come across in a book lately is Mark Watney, the astronaut accidentally abandoned on Mars in Andy Weir’s novel The Martian. ENTPs are great at improvising on the spot, finding creative solutions to problems new and old, and spotting logical fallacies in plans and systems—all qualities that kept Watney alive during his extended stay on the Red Planet.
ENTJ: The ENTJ is a natural-born leader whose forceful, decisive nature makes it easy for them to take charge. I see ENTJ qualities in Edward Rochester, the hero of Charlotte Brontë’s novel Jane Eyre (if we can call someone who locks his wife in the attic a “hero”). He’s confident and commanding; he makes his plan and deliberately carries it out; he uses his experiences to develop his own set of laws to live by.
NF Types (Keirsey’s Idealists)
INFJ: The INFJ is a tireless idealist who is guided by a strong inner sense of right and wrong. Picture Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird. Atticus is that rare combination (truly, because INFJs make up less than 1 percent of the population) of idealism and action. Though soft-spoken, he will fight to the death for what he believes in and strives to see the world made right on both a large and a small scale.
INFP: The INFP is a creative dreamer whose inner imagination guides their values, beliefs, and actions. Anne Shirley from Anne of Green Gables is a textbook INFP—an idealistic kindred spirit who lives more in her dream world than in the real world. She’s a hopeless romantic who’s committed to her ideals and guided by pure intentions, even if reality isn’t always sunshine and rainbows.
ENFP: The ENFP is a warm, inspiring enthusiast whose passion for projects and ideas is contagious. Picture Bridget Jones of Bridget Jones’s Diary. Bridget is a free spirit. She’s fond of witty banter and enthusiastic about everything. She may seem flighty, but she’s always searching for the deeper meaning behind everything.
ENFJ: The ENFJ is a charismatic persuader whose excellent people skills can be used to influence, inspire, and motivate. Emma Woodhouse of Jane Austen’s Emma just might be my favorite ENFJ. Handsome, clever, and rich (though only one of the three is an ENFJ trait), Emma relishes the spotlight, tells a great story, loves to exert her influence to “improve” others, and enjoys making connections between ideas and—more significantly—people.
SJ Types (Keirsey’s Guardians)
ISTJ: The ISTJ is a quiet pillar of society with a deep regard for duty, tradition, and stability. It’s clear to me that Marilla Cuthbert in Anne of Green Gables is absolutely an ISTJ. I can also see Colonel Brandon of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility as this type. He is dependable, objective, and realistic and has great respect for the past—all qualities that lead Willoughby to call him a bore but help him win over Marianne in the end.
ISFJ: The ISFJ is a kind-hearted nurturer who unites strong powers of observation with a deep-seated desire to do good. Mother Teresa seems like a good fit for this type, with her practical solutions and heavy reliance on what has worked in the past. This quote makes her sound like an ISFJ: “Don’t look for big things; just do small things with great love.”7
ESTJ: The ESTJ is an excellent administrator whose clear standards and values make this type a decisive, confident leader. Minerva McGonagall in J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter novels screams ESTJ to me. Her outer persona is confident, structured, and firm. She’s quick with the wry comeback. In the words of David B. Goldstein and Otto Kroeger, “ESTJs are ingenious in solving real-world problems in practical, elegant, no-nonsense ways.”8 That’s McGonagall all over.
ESFJ: The ESFJ is a people person who is genuinely interested in bringing out the best in others. Picture Margaret Hale in Elizabeth Gaskell’s novel North and South. Margaret is resistant to change and sentimental about the loss of her old, idyllic life. She has zero qualms about calling out injustice when she sees it, and she doesn’t hesitate to share her righteous opinions with others.
SP Types (Keirsey’s Artisans)
ISTP: The ISTP is a hands-on master craftsman who is compelled to figure out how things work and is comfortable with tools of any kind. It’s no coincidence that many action-hero types on the big screen, such as James Bond, present as ISTPs. Bond stays detached, keeps his cool, thinks on his feet, doesn’t care about the rules, and is always ready to spring into action.
ISFP: The ISFP is an artist who is firmly grounded in reality and always up for experiencing something new. I see cartooni
st Charles Schulz and his best-known character, Charlie Brown, as ISFPs. ISFPs, who rely on feeling and sensing, are very perceptive about the people around them; Schulz channeled his insights about human nature into his cartoons. Schulz himself was quiet, kind, and humble—all ISFP traits.
ESTP: The ESTP is an outgoing risk-taker who lives in the here and now and prefers to learn by doing. If anyone enjoys living on the edge, it’s the ESTP. Imagine Scarlett O’Hara, the belle of the ball in Gone with the Wind, who delights in being the center of attention. Scarlett can turn on the charm or be intensely practical (or both at once, if you consider her marriages or the famous green dress she made out of Tara’s curtains to seduce Rhett Butler).
ESFP: The ESFP is an entertainer at heart whose enthusiasm and energy often make them the center of attention. I can see Truman Capote, author of Breakfast at Tiffany’s and In Cold Blood, as an ESFP, because of the way he approached both his work and his personal life. Capote felt he couldn’t write In Cold Blood, which was based on a real event that happened in Kansas, until he visited the town and got to know the people involved.9 In his social life, he basked in the attention of the elite New York society women he called his “swans.”
You Are One, and Only One, Type
You may see yourself as fitting into one of three or four different types. But according to the MBTI, you are one type, not a hybrid. So banish that talk of being an INFP/J. Your MBTI type isn’t just four mix-and-match letters; it describes a whole pattern of behavior and mindset. While no MBTI type description will perfectly capture everything about you, one will be closer than all the others.
Changing just one letter doesn’t feel like a big deal, but that one letter can make a huge difference. Two types just one letter apart might not share any cognitive functions! (I’ve tried hard not to use that phrase until now. If what I just said makes zero sense to you, hang tight—we’re getting there.)
