The Truth Behind MBTI

You’re in for a treat if you’re someone who obsesses over finding out the Real You™️. Believe me, you’re not alone. It was one of those times when I  found myself to be particularly jobless, surfing through random Buzzfeed quizzes, that I stumbled upon a Personality Test link, and, as always, it piqued my curiosity.  “Take our Personality Test and get a ‘freakishly accurate’ description of who you are and why do you do things the way you do.”  Needless to say, the test results didn’t fail to have me surprised by their correctness. Constructed by Katherine Cook Briggs and her daughter Isabel Briggs Myers, the Myers – Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), as defined by Wikipedia, is an ‘introspective self – report questionnaire with the purpose of indicating differing psychological preferences in how people perceive the world around them and make decisions’. It is based on the conceptual theory proposed by Carl Jung, who had speculated that there are four principal psychological functions by which humans experience the world – Sensation, Intuition, Feeling and Thinking – and that one of these four functions is dominant for a person most of the time. According to Jung, people are either born with, or develop certain preferred ways of perceiving and deciding. The MBTI sorts some of these psychological differences into four opposite pairs, with a resulting sixteen psychological types, which I’m going to describe below.

THE ANALYSTS: • INTJ – The Architect (2.1% of the total world population) Anxious, calculated, intrinsic, analytical, straightforward, and sceptical, sort of like the dark, silent guy in your average teen movie. They are the ones that ‘no one can understand’. Possible Career Options: Mechanical or software engineers, lawyers, or freelance consultants, project managers, system engineers, marketing strategists, system analysts, and military strategists. Famous Architects: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michelle Obama, Vladimir Putin, Isaac Asimov and Lewis Carroll. • INTP – The Logician (3.3% of the total world population) Ingenious, knowledgeable, quirky, oblivious, and calculating, like your typical geek (not in a bad way, of course). They are the ‘puzzles’. Possible Career Options: Mathematicians, system analysts, career scientists, especially in more abstract fields such as physics; forensics, laboratory research and law. Famous Logicians: Bill Gates, Ellen Page, Kristen Stewart, Albert Einstein and Marie Curie. • ENTJ – The Commander (1.8% of the total world population) Efficient, determined, driven, strong, authoritative and intense, like any powerful and popular person you might know. They are the natural leaders. Possible Career Options: Corporate strategists, lawyers, university professors, entrepreneurialism. Famous Commanders: Steve Jobs, Gordon Ramsay, George Clooney, Donald Trump and Margaret Thatcher. • ENTP – The Debater (3.2% of the total world population) Innovative, charming, eccentric, spontaneous and insightful, similar to your average likeable troublemaker. They cannot resist an intellectual challenge. Possible Career Options: Entrepreneurship, engineering, acting, photography, clinical psychology, and the pure sciences. Famous Debaters: Mark Twain, Tom Hanks, Thomas Edison, Celine Dion and Leonardo da Vinci.

THE DIPLOMATS: • INFJ – The Advocate (1.5% of the total world population) Anxious, empathetic, paradoxical, patient and understanding, like the cryptic, misunderstood person you might know. They have an inborn sense of idealism and morality. Possible Career Options: Counselling, psychologists, doctors, writers, music, photography and art. Famous Advocates: Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, Nicole Kidman and Oprah Winfrey. • INFP – The Mediator (4.4% of the total world population) Intrinsic, sweet, idealistic, emotional, and loyal, like one of your shy but always supportive friends. They always look for a hint of good even in the worst of people and events. Possible Career Options: Authors, bloggers, poets, counselling, social work, and physical rehabilitation. Famous Mediators: William Shakespeare, J.R.R Tolkien, Johnny Depp, Julia Roberts and Tom Hiddleston. • ENFJ – The Protagonist (2.5% of the total world population) Empathetic, passionate, driven, charismatic, influential and naturally confident, they are like the teacher who is a favourite amongst students and other teachers, for their skills and kindness. They are firm believers in people. Possible Career Options: Social work, teaching, counselling, HR administrators, event coordinators and politicians. Famous Protagonists: Barack Obama, Ben Affleck, Sean Connery, Jennifer Lawrence and Demi Lovato. • ENFP – The Campaigner (8.1% of the total world population) Friendly, highly inspiring, thoughtful, upbeat, and different, they are the dreamers. They truly are the free spirited people. Possible Career Options: Human science, psychology, counselling, teaching, politics, diplomacy, writing, journalism and acting. Famous Campaigners: Robert Downey Jr., Will Smith, Robin Williams, Kelly Clarkson and Drew Barrymore.

THE SENTINELS: • ISTJ – The Logistician (11.6% of the total world population) Practical, extremely reliable, traditional, logical, and reserved, like the quiet, but smart kid in your class. They are the careful planners. Possible Career Options: Military officers, lawyers, judges, police officers, accountants, auditors, data analysts, financial managers, and business administrators. Famous Logisticians: Angela Merkel, George Washington, George Bush, Natalie Portman and Misha Collins. • ISFJ – The Defender (13.8% of the total world population) Empathetic, grounded, kind, obsessive, and dedicated, like an advice – giving parent figure in a book or movie. They are the true altruists, and make for great listeners. Possible Career Options: Medicine, academics, charitable social work, and interior designing. Famous Defenders: Halle Berry, Beyonce, Kate Middleton, Anne Hathaway and Selena Gomez. • ESTJ – The Executive (8.7% of the total world population) Efficient, determined, responsible, hard – working, and very goal – oriented, they are like that one guy who always ends up excelling at almost everything. They are the classic images of the model citizen. Possible Career Options: Law enforcement, military service, paramedics, law, managerial positions, auditors, financial officers, and business administrators. Famous Executives: John D. Rockefeller, Frank Sinatra, Judge Judy, Martha Stewart and Emma Watson. • ESFJ – The Consul (12.3% of the total world population) Caring, dedicated, respectful, friendly, and social, the overprotective mother in any book or movie. They tend to be traditionalists. Possible Career Options: Personal accountants, medical care, social work, teaching, and counselling. Famous Consuls: Bill Clinton, Jennifer Garner, Jennifer Lopez, Taylor Swift and Steve Harvey.

THE EXPLORERS: • ISTP – The Virtuoso (5.4% of the total world population) Bold, practical, witty, independent, and honest, like any typical witty best friend in a movie or book. They are natural Makers, moving from project to project. Possible Career Options: Mechanics, engineers, graphic designers, forensic scientists, pilots, and paramedics. Famous Virtuosos: Clint Eastwood, Olivia Wilde, Tom Cruise, Michael Jordan and Daniel Craig. • ISFP – The Adventurer (8.8% of the total world population) Flexible, artsy, considerate, tasteful, and self – pitying, they are the true artists. They use aesthetics, design and even their choices and actions to push the limits of social convention. Possible Career Options: Artists, musicians, photographers, designers, and event organizers. Famous Adventurers: Avril Lavigne, Michael Jackson, Britney Spears, Lana Del Ray and Jessica Alba. • ESTP – The Entrepreneur (4.3% of the total world population) Smart, energetic, perceptive, spontaneous and charming, they radiate confidence. They always have an impact on their immediate surroundings. Possible Career Options: Marketing, acting, paramedics, sports, and freelancers. Famous Entrepreneurs: Ernest Hemingway, Madonna, Bruce Willis, Michael J Fox and Samuel L Jackson. • ESFP – The Entertainer (8.5% of the total world population) Spontaneous, energetic, lively, enthusiastic, and reckless, they get caught up in the excitement of the moment so easily. They are the best at encouraging others. Possible Career Options: Event planners, sales representatives, trip planners, tour guides, social workers, paramedics, nurses, music, fashion, photography, and interior design. Famous Entertainers: Adele, Marilyn Monroe, Adam Levine, Miley Cyrus and Jamie Oliver.

Try the test out yourselves and get to know yourself better: https://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test