Another new INTj says hi

[Jack]

Hiya people!

I have been lurking here for a few days so just wanted to take the opportunity to post for the first time and say hi.

I found out about Myers Briggs and Jung quite recently and have been absolutely fascinated by the theory since then.
I did one test on the net which showed I was INTJ, tried another one the following day which also tested me as INTJ, not that there were any doubts the first time, but I just wanted to make sure.
It has really been such a relief finding out about my personality type, that I’m not weird, I just have a rather unusual personality.
All of a sudden many of the things I have been thinking and wondering about for years were explained.

Not sure what to think about my personality type though, I can’t say I’m intrigued being identified as an INTJ.
I read the description and it just sounded a bit sad being so intraverted with social and relationship problems and an inability to express feelings, and the way I behave when I’m stressed. Yes, that’s me!
Sure there are positive things as well.
I’m 24 and have already accomplished many great things such as two degrees (well, very soon), a successful military education, fluency in three languages (plus a good level of another two), and perfect pitch when playing the piano (I basically figured out the ‘grammar’ of music, so I can play anything without music notes almost instantly).
But honestly, this hasn’t led to much but jealousy and enviousness from other people…unfortunately!! So as a consequence much of the happiness faded away and I now tend to avoid talking about my positive skills/achievements to avoid these reactions.
I don’t want to go on whining, that’s not my intention, but I do have a bit of a hard time accepting I’m an INTJ and to try to figure out how to get the best out of it and get a good and rewarding life.
I’m sure there is a purpose of things, but right now I would just rather be someone else, “Being myself” is sometimes easier said than done.
Any tips from the more experienced people?

Another thing I have been thinking about is that INTJs are usually described as anti-social or shy, which I can surely agree on.
But I do wonder if the social inability is a characteristic of the INTJ personality type or just a consequence.
I was a rather social person when I was a child and had quite a lot of friends, I didn’t differ much from other children, slightly different maybe, but nothing people thought about.
The problems started when I was around 10-12 and “being different” changed to “being weird”. So from being a very open-minded and talkative person I shied away as I felt nobody understood me or because people were making fun of me when I tried to explain things.
I wouldn’t describe myself as anti-social today either, rather as “careful” and being a person who doesn’t easily open up and who needs a lot of time (years?) to trust people, which is very much a consequence of earlier experiences (typical INTJ behaviour!).
But as a matter of fact a female friend wrote this to me over the internet earlier this year: “you just get along with people really well, and you’re really intelligent”
Sweet!! And surprising... Maybe there is scope for us INTJs to improve our social skills with a bit of effort?!
Just my five cents…

Anyway, hope to be able to participate in a few fun discussions in the future, so see you around!

[Idio]

I am also new, at least as far as posting. I am an INTJ (MBTI) and also score as a Socionics INTj.

[taz]

Hiya and welcome. Great to meet you.

[MysticSonic]

You really, really don't come off as an INTj, but---maybe.

[UDP]

He might be intuitive subtype.


Jack, what do you think about the future, human progress?

[tcaudilllg]

Welcome to the board Jack. We're always glad to have another INTJ to share ideas with.

[Eidos]

Hi,

You don't come off at all as an INTJ for whatever reason. How strong are your preferences?

You sound overly enthusiastic for an INTJ. Have you considered ENTJ? You know that NT's are not especially famous for their social skills? You say you had many friends and were very social as a kid, and that after that you became shy... I think most NT's don't fit very well in society.

BTW, don't worry, you can always laugh back at those people who didn't listen to you...

[MAGNUS]

Not sure what to think about my personality type though, I can’t say I’m intrigued being identified as an INTJ.
I read the description and it just sounded a bit sad being so intraverted with social and relationship problems and an inability to express feelings, and the way I behave when I’m stressed. Yes, that’s me!

Odd... you first mention negatives of the INTj, only to enthusiastically embarrass them. It's as if you are saying you do not like the negatives, but are glad that you have them.

But honestly, this hasn’t led to much but jealousy and enviousness from other people…unfortunately!! So as a consequence much of the happiness faded away and I now tend to avoid talking about my positive skills/achievements to avoid these reactions.

I think that trying to impress people (to get them to like you) by shoving your accomplishments in their face is pathetic. I am not saying that you should not be proud of them, but they should not be the reason your friends are your friends. About happiness, the only true way to be happy is to be content with yourself and follow the path that you want to, and do the things that make you happy. “The road to success is always under construction” ... If you think about that aphorism, then any reasonably intelligent person would understand that the second you become satisfied with the status quo, is the instant that you secure your fate.

“you just get along with people really well, and you’re really intelligent”

Great, she’ll need you like she needs the repair man.


I think you idealize yourself as an INTj, but do not really appear to be. First finding about the type from a worthless internet personality test, only then to read it and gain a liking to the caricature it drew up. Embracing it as if it were some superhero ideal and thus acting more like what the profile described.

[FDG]

Uhm yeah, I would say ENT .

[Jack]

Hi again,

It's always difficult to post for the first time as you don't really know the tone of the forum and don't really know how things will come off.
As this is my first post here and the people don't know me, all judgements will be based on one single post.
I certaintly don't wish to sound insensitive or embarass others, but on the other hand this is all very private stuff, things I'm not particularly used to talk about.

I'm still quite new to all this, so hope to be able to learn more over time as I find the theory very interesting and I'm sure you can learn a lot about yourself and others from it
I'm definitely not 100% sure of my type either, so I try to stay open-minded, but all tests I have taken so far have shown INTJ, and I do identify myself quite well with the descriptions.

You don't come off at all as an INTJ for whatever reason. How strong are your preferences?

You sound overly enthusiastic for an INTJ. Have you considered ENTJ?

"Overly enthusiastic for an INTJ"? In what sense? Are INTJs not supposed to be enthusiastic?

One test I took said something like 70% intravert, not that I rely solely on internet tests, but I do identify myself more as an intravert than as an extravert.
I'm a very private person and I find it difficult to open up.
I have terrible difficulties with feelings as well, the feelings are all there, but I just can't relate to them and make use of them, and I'm always afraid I'm too insensitive with people for that reason.
I also prefer to have a few friends I know well rather than lots of acquaintances.
I can be social, but it does not really come off as natural, and I definitely need some time alone after having been around people too much.
On the other hand I realise social contacts are essential, both for your own well-being and for practical reasons, so I've made an effort to improve my social skills during the past two years and managed quite well, and it does feel a bit better to be honest.
So solitude is a bit of a dilemma, it's both something very positive and something very negative, I both need it and need to avoid it.

Odd... you first mention negatives of the INTj, only to enthusiastically embarrass them. It's as if you are saying you do not like the negatives, but are glad that you have them.

Well sorry if it came off that way. I don't wish to embarass anyone, but sure there are strengths and weaknesses of all types and the best thing to do is to try to identify your strengths and make best use of them while at the same time you try to identify your weaknesses and see if any of those can be improved. At least that's my opinion...
Or is that too "logical" and unrealistic? Perhaps that's just struggling to be someone you're not?!

I think that trying to impress people (to get them to like you) by shoving your accomplishments in their face is pathetic. I am not saying that you should not be proud of them, but they should not be the reason your friends are your friends.

I agree! True friends are the people who like you and appreciate you no matter how well or badly you do, they value your personality and not your achievements.
I definitely do not like to boast, and I really try to avoid it, but on the other hand learning/improving/achieving is a very important part of my life, that's the drive of my personality and I don't know where I would be without it, so it's hard not to talk about it.
I'm a very deep person who very much prefers to discuss meaningful things than gossip and chit-chat.

I think you idealize yourself as an INTj, but do not really appear to be.

As I said I'm not 100% sure of my type, so indeed it's best not to idealise.
But no matter which type I am I am a fairly odd person and rather confused about myself, so sure it's a strength having a more concerete theory (personality type) to relate to.

Anyway, I'll have another look at the ENTJ profile as well to see what it says.

[meatburger]

Welcome Jack

have you tried the Type assistant test?

http://www.the16types.info/typeassistant/sta.php?0:::

Its funny the way you write reminds me heaps of my mate, but i typed him as an ISFJ. But im a little too tired to actually read and think about your posts

Enjoy

[FDG]

By the way your nick is Jack, and you come from London. I hope it's just a coincidence

[Jack]

By the way your nick is Jack, and you come from London. I hope it's just a coincidence

Haha!! I can assure you you can feel completely safe, as can the Londoners...

Actually I'm not even British, I live abroad...

[olduser]

By the way your nick is Jack, and you come from London. I hope it's just a coincidence

Haha!! I can assure you you can feel completely safe, as can the Londoners...

Actually I'm not even British, I live abroad...

LONDON BREATHES A SIGH.

[Rocky]

"Jack London" is the socionic nickname for ENTJ.

[Phaedrus]

I'm definitely not 100% sure of my type either, so I try to stay open-minded, but all tests I have taken so far have shown INTJ, and I do identify myself quite well with the descriptions.

Haven you taken a look at the type descriptions of INTPs and INTps (in MBTI and Socionics)? It is not uncommon to test as an INTJ/INTj if you are an INTP/INTp. It took me about two months to realize that I am not an INTJ but an INTP and even longer to realize that I am not an INTj but an INTp. If you compare type descriptions from both models, don't get confused about the functions. MBTI has got the ordering of the functions wrong, but their INTP descriptions fit most INTps.

The J/P distinction can be tricky, but once you understand it properly you will probably be able to decide if you are a J or a P type, even though it is easy to fool oneself in this respect, especially if you are an INTP/INTp.

[Rocky]

I love how we all know so much about this guy after one post.

[Creepy-]

I love how we all know so much about this guy after one post.

That's always how I thought about things like this

[Jack]

"Jack London" is the socionic nickname for ENTJ.

Yeah, I actually saw that afterwards.
Most Brits would probably have other associations about London and Jack though...

I love how we all know so much about this guy after one post.

Haha No worries...
Always interesting to hear some comments/reflections, even if they are only based on one post.

Haven you taken a look at the type descriptions of INTPs and INTps (in MBTI and Socionics)? It is not uncommon to test as an INTJ/INTj if you are an INTP/INTp.

I looked at various descriptions of INTp, but it didn't really seem right.
There isn't much of a doubt about me being J anyway. I'm very structured, determined and committed, I like things planned, and I always want to complete things I've started.

The problem is more about INTj versus ENTj, I can see the point some of you are making about ENTj attributes (even if only based on one post...).
Indeed I'm perhaps a bit too motivated, driven and enthusiastic to be an INTj (no offense to anyone though).
But on the other hand I'm a bit too shy, reserved and private to be an ENTj. I've read most threads about INTjs here at 16types and I can identify myself quite well with these people and their concerns and problems.

I visited London's largest bookshop this afternoon and had a look at various personality books in their psychology department.
I found one book which very thoroughly descriped the Myers Briggs theory, but it also had one section I found really interesting.
The chapter described a group of people still very unexplored to the researchers, they call one group "shy extraverts" and the other one "socially skilled intraverts".
"Shy extraverts" are typically people who were born as normal extraverts, but due to various problems in the social environment during their childhood they developed shyness. This could be because of family problems (the parents frequently arguing, a painful divorce etc) or other similar (severe) social problems at home or in school.
There is very little knowledge about the other group, "socially skilled intraverts" and its causes, according to the book. Almost no research has been done in the area.

Actually I could see myself belonging to one of those two groups.
Being a "shy extravert" would actually make sense since I had a difficult childhood and don't remember myself being overly reserved and anti-social as a child.
I guess it's also possible that a "shy extravert" could experience similar social problems as an intravert, which I do.
It's a bit harder to consider being a "socially skilled intravert" since I don't know what makes an intravert develop these skills, and consequently I can't relate the theory to my own life, but I guess it's still an option as well.

Hmmm, this personality stuff is really getting too interesting... :wink:

[Kristiina]

Jack, there is something very warm about how you write. I don't even know if I'm sensing similarity or if it's just the fact that your British! (We Estonians love you! British humour is highly appreciated and people from London are usually very likable.)

... so anyway ... If you are INTj, you might be experiencing difficulty in putting your foot down, hesitation before you argue for your rights, etc. It's the - "painful" function. And if you are ENTj, you probably have problems noticing your surroundings and noticing surroundings (or as an alternative - problems with feeling comfortable.) That would be . Either one of those two should be your weakest function. It might be extreme to either side (uncontrollably strong or too weak).

PS! I've never heard of uncontrollably power-hungry INTjs. :wink:

From Wikipedia:
"the power sensing" - is responsible for perception of space, appearance and the form of subjects, an estimation of an alignment of forces, strong-willed and power methods of achievement of the purpose.

"the sensing of sensations " - is responsible for perception of physical sensations, questions of comfort and a cosiness, pleasure.

[Rocky]

Personally I'd say you sound more Extraverted.

[Rocky]

I'd like to add that isn't always about "comfort", but rather deriving stimuli from objects as well being "efficient". realizes that it often times has to jeapardize it's current state in order to readjust itself in order for a better outcome (at least for -), which is why - can be associated with absorbing negative sensations .

[tcaudilllg]

I can see where Jack is coming from, and I've spoken to other intuitive subtype INTJs who have felt similarly what Jack has described about himself.

I think that 70% on the test seals the lid. This guy is an intuitive subtype INTJ, Ti to the core.

In particular, I can notice similarities between what my writing style used to be and what Jack's is today.

I expect criticism from my critics: it's who they are. I'm not afraid to boast, though, about winning a big conceptual victory for my own side of the friendship line.

(I've noticed he has that intuitive subtype characteristic of social clumsiness, too)