What INTJs want people to know about them
In my MBA, I had a course called ‘Behaviour in Organisations’, in which we were introduced to the concept of Myers-Briggs personality test (MBTI). It is a personality profiling test which classifies people into a total of 16 personality types, based on a 10 minute questionnaire. Each personality type has a characteristic behaviour, and the objective of the profiling is to appreciate the similarities and differences among them.
Being one of the rarest and least understood personality type, the INTJ, discovering my personality type was extremely insightful for me. Most of us feel lonely and misunderstood, and just knowing that there are a lot of people like us is itself a relief.
What we want, is for people to understand us- our motives, feelings, emotions and temperaments.
1. INTJs struggle in group works, group projects, group discussions, group meetings, group gossips, group tea, and basically everything that should be done in groups. We like doing things on our own.
“Shut up everybody, shut up! Don’t move, don’t speak, don’t breathe, I’m trying to think. Anderson, face the other way, you’re putting me off”- Sherlock, Sherlock BBC (INTJ)
2. We are intensely passionate for everything that matters to us: Work, family, hobbies or relationships. We give all our attention and focus to the activity at hand, and strive for more than expected of us. As ambitious as Lady Macbeth.
“The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.” - Ayn Rand (INTJ)
3. Behind the emotionless facade that we usually carry, many of us are overly sentimental and sometimes vulnerable also. And we are terrible at managing those emotions!
“After all this time?” “Always.”- Severus Snape, Harry Potter series (INTJ)
4. We don’t like to socialise with people simply because we do not see a point in it. We feel that majority of people do not talk about topics that we take interest in, and gossips do not engage our attention.
“Do I get bonus points if I act like I care.”- House, House MD (INTJ)
5. INTJs are inquisitive and curious people, who visualise the bigger picture first and then delve down for details. We are life-long learners and the quintessential bookworms. And we take pride in being called a nerd!
“but for my own part, if a book is well written, I always find it too short.”- Jane Austen (INTJ)
6. We are cynical and critical, and we like being so. We seek perfection, and are our biggest critic. But many a times our obsession to perfection drives people away, because we expect them to meet our expectations which are generally too harsh.
“Constantly seek criticism. A well thought out critique of whatever you’re doing is as valuable as gold.”- Elon Musk (INTJ)
7. Our minds feel like a complicated machine that has several trains of thoughts running at once. And it never stays quiet, is always restless, seeking a new task. Analysing. Reanalysing. Over-analysing. Repeat.
“(My mind)’s like an engine, racing out of control; a rocket tearing itself to pieces, trapped on the launchpad… I need a case!”- Sherlock, Sherlock BBC (INTJ)
8. We have concrete views about most of the things that matter to us, and we look at thinks from a myriad of perspectives before forming an opinion. When debating about theories, we might come off as rude and argumentative, but this is because as we have formulated our views after a lot of thinking and analysing, we defend them to the very end.
“I have noticed even people who claim everything is predestined, and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road.”- Stephen Hawking (INTJ)
9. Social conventions and rituals, especially those without any logical basis, are absolutely irritating for INTJs. Also, we do not respect anyone for their position/social authority, but only those who have done something worth to gain our respect. Logic governs our life. Period.
“...the highest form of human excellence is to question oneself and others”- Socrates (INTJ)
10. We are solitary creatures, with very few people in our lives. But even though few, these people in our lives are very important to us. We can go to the end of the world to help and protect them.
“Listen, what I said before John, I meant it. I don’t have friends; I’ve just got one.”- Sherlock, Sherlock BBC (INTJ)
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I hope that people will understand INTJs better after reading this post, and will try to ignore their seemingly narcissistic or cynical behaviour to see their true nature in the depths.
To find your own personality type, visit here.
To read about other personality types, please follow! :)
Image source: www.16personalities.com
