Discovering my Myers Briggs Personality Type (I'm an INFP-A!)
Deciphering Who I Am and How I’m Made
I was inspired this week to find out what my Myers Briggs MBTI personality type is.
I love doing these kinds of personality quizzes because they help me to understand myself: how I am different, what my strengths and weaknesses and what I can do to care for myself. Above all, they help me to appreciate me for who I am and how I am created, and not to get sucked into wishing I was someone else in someone else’s life.
I love thinking about the fact that we are all one-of-a-kind. A time-use-only prototype. And I firmly believe that we are all created and spaced in our specific spheres of influence for a particular purpose that only we can play. Influence can happen in the obvious ways - like when we are influencing our peers at work - but it can also happen in subtle ways - in the moments when we pause to be kind.
Last year I read a book on the Enneagram and that gave me powerful insights, so I was looking forward to my results from the Myer’s Briggs test.
I did a quick test for free online. It is based off the Myers Briggs MBTI personality test. If you have a few minutes, try it out! It’s linked at the bottom of this article.
I did the test twice, just to check my results and both times I got the “Mediator,” or INFP-A.
The site describes my type as:
“Mediator personalities are true idealists, always looking for the hint of good in even the worst of people and events, searching for ways to make things better. While they may be perceived as calm, reserved, or even shy, Mediators have an inner flame and passion that can truly shine.”
These are the traits the test identified:
Individual traits: Introverted – 74%, Intuitive – 83%, Feeling – 74%, Prospecting – 51%, Assertive – 57%
Role: Diplomat
Strategy: Confident Individualism
I feel that my soul and my heart want to digest this more, so lets break down the results:
Introverted – 74%
"Introverted individuals prefer solitary activities and get exhausted by social interaction. They tend to be quite sensitive to external stimulation (e.g. sound, sight or smell) in general."
I always knew that I’m mostly an introvert with extravert abilities I can flex when I want. It’s fun to be able to identify that I’m 74% Introvert! Previously I only had the word “ambivert” to describe that I can be both an introvert and extrovert.
I think that I enjoy filmmaking because it’s like capturing an introvert’s world: what I see, feel and hear. I process environments differently than the way an extravert might. It creates a filter of beauty so that the stimulation of world doesn’t overwhelm me and instead, becomes a work of art.
Intuitive – 83%
"Intuitive individuals are very imaginative, open-minded and curious. They prefer novelty over stability and focus on hidden meanings and future possibilities."
This is fun to read because I’ve been pondering the key words I wanted to use to guide my Youtube channel and I settled on “adventure, creativity and possibly.” Only two or three weeks ago I made a new Youtube banner with these words!
I already prided myself in being someone who follows my intuition more than logic, but quizzes like this help me to recognize that people who prefer stability and think through all the details are needed in this world too.
Feeling – 74%
“Feeling individuals are sensitive and emotionally expressive. They are more empathic and less competitive than Thinking types, and focus on social harmony and cooperation.”
Ever since I was little girl, I was told I was sensitive. I would cry easily and be overcome by emotion. I’ve never really embraced my sensitive side until the last few years as I become my own person.
I think that when we’re in school, we become so focused on completing assignments and getting through the courses that we never get to really thrive in our own identity. We are like 100 unique individuals being pushed with the same systems and in order to get through the system, we have to turn down the dial on our uniqueness. It is only now as an adult that I feel like I’m getting the chance to explore what it means and what it looks like for me to thrive.
Especially, living in the city right now, I am quite sensitive to all the noise, traffic and people, but I don’t feel like I have anywhere to emotionally express my feelings. (I have a few deep friendships, but I see them every 1-4 months, and it feels like I need to express my emotions everyday!) This must be of the reasons why I’m compelled to create more, now that I live in the city. It is a way to decompress all of the feelings I feel and absorb.
Prospecting – 51%
“Prospecting individuals are very good at improvising and spotting opportunities. They tend to be flexible, relaxed nonconformists who prefer keeping their options open.”
The flip side to prospecting is judging. People who have a high judging trait are the ones that must of a plan and stick to that plan. I am a mix of both. I think a few years ago, I would be been 70-80% prospecting, but I’ve learned to appreciate having a plan and sticking to it. Still, my nature is to improvise, be flexible and spontaneous and I like this about myself. (I also like having a plan, when I feel like having a plan 😉)
Assertive – 57%
'“Assertive individuals are self-assured, even-tempered and resistant to stress. They refuse to worry too much and do not push themselves too hard when it comes to achieving goals.”
When I did this quiz a second time, I got a higher assertive score. This is one trait I am very glad to have. It is the reason that (usually) stress doesn’t derail me. I am aware when I’m not at my best (my intuitive and feeling self kick in here), and I do what I need to to return to that part of myself that refuses to worry. When it comes to achieving goals, I am selective about what I put my energy into.
Strategy: Confident Individualism
The test gives me a strategy which is how I approach everyday situations and achieve my goals.
Growing up, I noticed that I had a knack for sussing out what “felt right” to me and confidently moving in that direction. The test says that I use the strategy of “confident individualism” to navigate life and this is 100% accurate.
"Confident Individualists typically trust in themselves, and they often embrace solitude to pursue their own interests rather than seeking out social activity. Fascinated by personal projects, people following this Strategy often have an impressive range of skills and interesting ideas.”
This may explain why when I have conversations with friends, I tend to lean into my “confident individualism” - I trust myself and my decisions. Some people like to discuss their emotions and life situations before, and I’m learning to appreciate that too.
Overall Thoughts
Of course, there are some statements in the profile results that are not accurate, but there are others that are spot on.
There is something therapeutic and healing about reading the test results and feeling understood.
It feels like talking to a friend or counsellor who already knows your highest strengths and your blind spots. There is no judgement. She understands my struggles, yet she can appreciate all of the goodness I bring to the world as Mediator/INFP-A.
I’m going to take time to learn about the other personality types too, because it helps me to appreciate and understand others. It gives me more empathy for the way other people may choose to live or make their life decisions. Although I may love the van life or being at the helm of projects, I know there is goodness and beauty in someone who feels the need to be settled by being married, having a steady job and raising children.
I sense that learning how to understand humans is part of maturing and growing up. I don’t want to be delusional about my own gifts or others’ gifts. I want to shine my light, and I want others to shine too.
Personality quizzes like this help me to lean into my own calling and the things I’m created for, in spite of what the culture surrounding me may call “success”.
Curiously, this what was the career section of my test results:
"First and foremost is seemingly every Mediators’ dream growing up – to become an author. While a novel is a classic choice, it is rarely an accessible one, and there are many viable options for freedom-loving Mediators. The internet brings to the world the opportunities of blogging and freelance work – as organizations expand their reach beyond their native tongues, they will come to depend on Mediator personality types, with their gift for language and written expression, to take their rougher translations and stale pitches and inject them with a sense of beauty and poetry.”
Guess what I’m doing right now? Blogging. 🙂
Looks like I’m on the right track.
Since I already spend a lot of time on my own reflecting on my path and my decisions, I am aware of most of the things in my test results, but it is reassuring to read it from “an expert.”
I highly recommend this simple and free quiz: https://www.16personalities.com (not an affiliate link). Do it on a rainy day, or especially on a day when you’re feeling down about yourself. Please feel free to share your results before! I’d love to hear how your test results affect you.
Imagine what the world would be like if we were all confident about our gifting, our weaknesses, our blindspots and our uniqueness. (There’s that intuitive/possibility part of me talking again!) There would be no jostling, no doubting, no fear about jobs. We could work together in harmony to come up with holistic solutions for society. This is the kind of world I want to live in!
“When I open my eyes, hope I see you shine.” - Macklemore.
Infinite Love,
Anita
__________
Thank you so much for reading! 💛 Your presence here means a lot to me. Thank you for sharing in this journey with me.
DISCOVER & EXPLORE MORE:
Subscribe to receive my monthly emails with personal updates and details I only share via email: http://bit.ly/AnitasUpdates
JOIN IN THE ADVENTURES:
♡ Youtube: http://youtube.com/anitawinglee
♡ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anitawinglee/
♡ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anitawinglee
♡ Periscope: http://periscope.tv/anitawinglee
