Do What You Are: The Myers-Briggs Scale

If you're anything like me, you have spent countless hours, days, weeks, months, years even - trying to figure yourself out. It's important to know at this point in your life. You've in college, just graduated, or long gone and are interested in what the hell you should do with your life. If only there was some kind of formula...or quiz you could take...to help you put the pieces together.

While I'm familiar with Facebook's many personality quizzes, I have to admit I'm not a huge fan. I'm not really interested in which U.S. state I would be if I were one, which celebrity I would date, or what vampire I am in Twilight. I like substantial stuff. Applicable stuff. But it's really not exactly easy to find in the brimming pool of online quizzes there are out there.

So I tried something new. I picked up a book. (Yes, with actual, physical pages.)

There is something called the Myers-Briggs Personality Type scale, which I've found to be incredibly accurate. It's also used by big businesses and has made quite a name for itself over the years. Don't believe me? Google it. Anyway, my roommate here just got her MBA and told me this is one of the first things her program made her do. The name of the book, "Do What You Are," piqued my interest more than anything else because like I mentioned, I'm not a fan of personality quizzes. Ever since I took this for myself, though, I've felt enlightened with a stronger sense of who I am. More importantly, I've wanted to be useful in helping others figure out who they are. (This also stems from my personal curiosity of what my friends' results are.) So I re-posted the test here.

DIRECTIONS: There are 4 parts to this test. In each, you will choose which result BEST fits you. Answer as honestly as you can. At the end of it, you will have acquired four letters that will be incorporated into your personal vocabulary word bank of self-discovery. Remember these letters well!

Part One

Extravert (E)
(yes, with an "a" instead of an "o")

• energized by being with other people,
• like being the center of attention,
  
• act then think,
• tend to think out loud,
  
• easier to "read" and know
• share personal info freely,
• talk more than listen,
  
• communicate with enthusiasm,
• respond quickly, enjoy fast pace,
  
• prefer breadth to depth

Introvert (I)

• energized by spending time alone,
  
• avoid being the center of attention,
  
• think then act,
  
• think things through inside their heads,
  
• more private/prefer to share personal info with only a select few,
  
• listen more than talk,
  
• keep enthusiasm to selves,
  
• respond after taking time to think things through,
  
• prefer depth to breadth

Part Two

Sensor (S)

• you trust what is certain and concrete;
  
• like ideas most if they have practical applications;
• value realism and common sense;
• like to use an hone established skills;
  
• tend to be specific and literal;
  
• give detailed descriptions;
  
• present info in a step-by-step manner;
• are oriented to the present

Intuitive (N)

• trust inspiration and inference,
  
• like new ideas and concepts for their own sake;
  
• value imagination and innovation;
  
• like to learn new skills and get bored easily after mastering skills;
• tend to be general and figurative, use metaphors and analogies;
  
• present info through leaps, in a roundabout manner;
  
• are oriented toward the future

Part Three

Thinker (T)

• step back, apply impersonal analysis to problems;
• value logic, justice, and fairness;
  
• naturally see flaws and tend to be critical;
  
• may be seen as heartless, insensitive, and uncaring;
  
• consider it more important to be truthful than tactful, one standard for all

Feeler (F)

• step forward; consider effect of actions on others;
  
• value empathy and harmony;
  
• see the exception to the rule;
  
• naturally like to please others;
• show appreciation easily;
  
• may be seen as overemotional, illogical, weak;
  
• consider it important to be tactful as well as truthful

Part Four

Judger (J)

• happiest after decisions have been made;
  
• have a "work ethic" of work first, play later;
  
• set goals and work toward achieving them on time;
  
• prefer knowig what they are getting into;
  
• are product oriented (emphasis is on completing the task);
  
• derive satisfaction from finishing projects;
  
• see time as a finite resource and take deadlines seriously

Perceiver (P)

• are happiest leaving their options open;
  
• have a "play ethic" of enjoy now, finish the job later;
  
• change goals as new info becomes available;
  
• like adapting to new situations;
  
• are process oriented (emphasis is on how the task is completed);
  
• derive satisfaction from starting projects;
  
• see time as a renewable resource and see deadlines as elastic

Now that you've gotten through all these parts, remember your four letters _ _ _ _.

Results:

1. ISTJ - http://www.personalitypage.com/ISTJ.html
2. ISFJ - http://www.personalitypage.com/ISFJ.html
3. INFJ - http://www.personalitypage.com/INFJ.html
4. INTJ - http://www.personalitypage.com/INTJ.html
5. ISTP - http://www.personalitypage.com/ISTP.html
6. ISFP - http://www.personalitypage.com/ISFP.html
7. INFP - http://www.personalitypage.com/INFP.html
8. INTP - http://www.personalitypage.com/INTP.html
9. ESTP - http://www.personalitypage.com/ESTP.html
10. ESFP - http://www.personalitypage.com/ESFP.html
11. ENFP - http://www.personalitypage.com/ENFP.html
12. ENTP - http://www.personalitypage.com/ENTP.html
13. ESTJ - http://www.personalitypage.com/ESTJ.html
14. ESFJ - http://www.personalitypage.com/ESFJ.html
15. ENFJ - http://www.personalitypage.com/ENFJ.html
16. ENTJ - http://www.personalitypage.com/ENTJ.html
    

There is plenty more literature online about these results on Google and Wikipedia. I encourage you to read up on your personality type. Chances are you won't agree with everything, but with greater knowledge of yourself, you can better relate to your own actions and reactions as well as those of others. You can stand more firmly in your ground and make choices affecting your life according to the knowledge you have of yourself. It's incredibly self-empowering information.

Let me know what you guys get! I'm keeping track. :) If you really want to know mine, I'll tell you, but I avoided posting it here so as to avoid bias.