Saturday, September 13, 2008

Who I Am (according to Myers-Briggs)

Be forewarned this is gonna be a really long post with lots and LOTs of words, so stop reading while you still can :)

Personality tests; there are many out there and Myers-Briggs is just one of them. Although I do not believe each and everyone of us can be categorized into only a few groups - contrary, I believe there must be those who are "spill-overs"; a mixture of 2 or more categories - but well, no harm in trying ;)

I had since fwded the same test to my friends and one had blogged about it while another had discussed her results with me keke..so I thought I should share mine too. There're 2 detailed descriptions for each result but they are really talking about the same thing.

Introverted iNtuitive Thinking Judging (INTJ)

To outsiders, INTJs may appear to project an aura of "definiteness", of self-confidence. This self-confidence, sometimes mistaken for simple arrogance by the less decisive, is actually of a very specific rather than a general nature; its source lies in the specialized knowledge systems that most INTJs start building at an early age. When it comes to their own areas of expertise -- and INTJs can have several -- they will be able to tell you almost immediately whether or not they can help you, and if so, how. INTJs know what they know, and perhaps still more importantly, they know what they don't know.

Have very high standardsINTJs are perfectionists, with a seemingly endless capacity for improving upon anything that takes their interest. What prevents them from becoming chronically bogged down in this pursuit of perfection is the pragmatism so characteristic of the type: INTJs apply (often ruthlessly) the criterion "Does it work?" to everything from their own research efforts to the prevailing social norms. This in turn produces an unusual independence of mind, freeing the INTJ from the constraints of authority, convention, or sentiment for its own sake.

INTJs are known as the "Systems Builders" of the types, perhaps in part because they possess the unusual trait combination of imagination and reliability. Whatever system an INTJ happens to be working on is for them the equivalent of a moral cause to an INFJ; both perfectionism and disregard for authority may come into Independent & Originalplay, as INTJs can be unsparing of both themselves and the others on the project. Anyone considered to be "slacking," including superiors, will lose their respect -- and will generally be made aware of this; INTJs have also been known to take it upon themselves to implement critical decisions without consulting their supervisors or co-workers. On the other hand, they do tend to be scrupulous and even-handed about recognizing the individual contributions that have gone into a project, and have a gift for seizing opportunities which others might not even notice.

In the broadest terms, what INTJs "do" tends to be what they "know". Typical INTJ career choices are in the sciences and engineering, but they can be found wherever a combination of intellect and incisiveness are required (e.g., law, some areas of academia). INTJs can rise to management positions when they are willing to invest time in marketing their abilities as well as enhancing them, and (whether for the sake of ambition or the desire for privacy) many also find it useful to learn to simulate some degree of surface conformism in order to mask their inherent unconventionality.

Personal relationships, particularly romantic ones, can be the INTJ's Achilles heel. While they are capable of caring deeply for others (usually a select few), and are willing to spend a great deal of time and effort on a relationship, the knowledge and self-confidence that make them so successful in other areas can suddenly abandon or mislead them in interpersonal situations.

This happens in part because many INTJs do not readily grasp the social rituals; for instance, they tend to have little patience and less understanding of such things as small talk and flirtation (which most types consider half the fun of a relationship). To complicate matters, INTJs are usually extremely private people, and can often be naturally impassive as well, which makes them easy to misread and misunderstand. Perhaps the most fundamental problem, however, is that INTJs really want people to make sense. :-) This sometimes results in a peculiar naivete', paralleling that of many Fs -- only instead of expecting inexhaustible affection and empathy from a romantic relationship, the INTJ will expect inexhaustible reasonability and directness.

Probably the strongest INTJ assets in the interpersonal area are their intuitive abilities and their willingness to "work at" a relationship. Although as Ts they do not always have the kind of natural empathy that many Fs do, the Intuitive function can often act as a good substitute by synthesizing the probable meanings behind such things as tone of voice, turn of phrase, and facial expression. This ability can then be honed and directed by consistent, repeated efforts to understand and support those they care about, and those relationships which ultimately do become established with an INTJ tend to be characterized by their robustness, stability, and good communications.

Here's the 2nd description, which relates more to career perspective:

Rational Potrait of the Mastermind

Exceptional ability to turn theories into solid plansAll Rationals are good at planning operations, but Masterminds are head and shoulders above all the rest in contingency planning. Complex operations involve many steps or stages, one following another in a necessary progression, and Masterminds are naturally able to grasp how each one leads to the next, and to prepare alternatives for difficulties that are likely to arise any step of the way. Trying to anticipate every contingency, Masterminds never set off on their current project without a Plan A firmly in mind, but they are always prepared to switch to Plan B or C or D if need be.

Masterminds are rare, comprising no more than, say, one percent of the population, and they are rarely encountered outside their office, factory, school, or laboratory. Although they are highly capable leaders, Natural leadersMasterminds are not at all eager to take command, preferring to stay in the background until others demonstrate their inability to lead. Once they take charge, however, they are thoroughgoing pragmatists. Masterminds are certain that efficiency is indispensable in a well-run organization, and if they encounter inefficiency-any waste of human and material resources-they are quick to realign operations and reassign personnel. Masterminds do not feel bound by established rules and procedures, and traditional authority does not impress them, nor do slogans or catchwords. Only ideas that make sense to them are adopted; those that don't, aren't, no matter who thought of them. Remember, their aim is always maximum efficiency.

In their careers, Masterminds usually rise to positions of responsibility, for they work long and hard and are dedicated in their pursuit of goals, sparing neither their own time and effort nor that of their colleagues and employees. Problem-solving is highly stimulating to Masterminds, who love responding to tangled systems that require careful sorting out. Ordinarily, they verbalize the positive and avoid comments of a negative nature; they are more interested in moving an organization forward than dwelling on mistakes of the past.

DeterminedMasterminds tend to be much more definite and self-confident than other Rationals, having usually developed a very strong will. Decisions come easily to them; in fact, they can hardly rest until they have things settled and decided. But before they decide anything, they must do the research. Masterminds are highly theoretical, but they insist on looking at all available data before they embrace an idea, and they are suspicious of any statement that is based on shoddy research, or that is not checked against reality.

So what do you think?. Sounds just like ME? or 50-50? or totally not me? Personally I don't think its 100% me though :P

What tickles me most is the short description about rational women when it comes to romance and relationship:

Rational women tend to be late bloomers on the dating scene. They are sometimes unaware of or don’t wish to follow cultural norms which dictate what is considered feminine. As they get older, men often appreciate their logic and general lack of emotional outbursts, along with the fact that Rational women tend to clearly state what they think and want.

[The e.g. provided for an INTJ]
Pat is a Rational Mastermind (INTJ). In high school, she watched others flirt and felt a combination of envy and disgust. In college, Pat found some dates in her upper level classes and professional organizations. Now she has a steady boyfriend. They enjoy long technical and philosophical talks and cultural experiences. They have talked of marriage, but, at this point, they’re too involved in their careers.
[~~LOL!!!]

P/S: Oh, and I found out that Bee and my personalities are total enigma, while Shuey and I are supposed to complement each other. Regardless, we clicked then, we're clicking now, and I'm sure we will remain clicked for a long time to come. Don't you think so, gals? ;)

8 tots:

Soo Huey said...

yes we will :)

tanshuyin said...

MY...what bout me n u? hahaha

Catherine said...

haha Shu-Yin, you have to tell me your results only I can compare ma..but the same applies ler, regardless ape results, all of us will still click, ya? ;)

mELbiEpiE said...

LOL~ Regardless, we'll all click forever~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! =D=D=D

MYing, I'ma a Guardian wo..

I reckon the description is about 80% of you....=D Quite truE~!!!
^_*

Catherine said...

yeah Bee, you are the "sao wu seng" ;)

80% eh..kekeke luckily not 100% :P

Soo Huey said...

what in the world is sao we seng?

Catherine said...

haha "sao wu seng" means guardian star in cantonese..:P

Soo Huey said...

oic

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