[Carpe Via]

I had never heard of MBTI until three days ago.

I found a test, completed it and was shown a description of myself that was highly accurate. Further reading showed me things about my personality that were clearly very true, but that I was either unaware of or was unable to express.

I've spent all my spare time over the last three days (and to be honest a lot of time that wasn't spare) reading, basically about myself!.

You see after all these years it turns out that I'm brilliant!

I think I knew this a long time ago, but have learned to cover things up and to maintain a facade of conformity in order to get along in life.

Having done so much reading in such a short space of time, I must admit that I feel quite liberated with my new knowledge.

I'm gratified to find that there are so many people who interact in similar was to myself.


I'm interested to hear how finding your personality type has affected you, negative or positive.

I'd expect it would be mostly positive, but I must admit that finding out that procrastination is a personality type trait has made me feel a bit better about tactically avoiding work commitments (well it's not MY fault is it?)

 

[yesiknowbut]

I've found it really helpful. Got tested around 6 years ago as a management exercise for work. Didn't believe the outcome (wanted to be an ENTJ, why?!) but was put right on it by my brother after he read the description.

It has allowed me to forgive myself for not achieving things within my capability, for being untidy etc. I can rationalise that those might be my weaknesses, but they don't half come with some interesting strengths.

In general understanding MB types has also helped me function better at work (I'm more careful around the feeler types and introverts) and at home (accepting that spouse issues are to an extent type mismatch and neither of us is right or wrong, just different, and also working out how to get the best out of/for my kids).

Mostly though, it's just great finding that i'm the coolest type of the 16...

 

[RainbowFish]

Incredibly liberating.

I did the same. The obsessive reading should wear off in a few weeks. I actually left this forum for a while because I got distracted and forgot about it, and I was no longer obsessing over MBTI.

I've been in this constant struggle to figure out who I am, where I'm going, what I'm interested in (major picking, anyone?). Granted, I'm only 20, so I'm allowed this soul searching period. However, I will say that discovering my type (even though it took me months to accept) has really helped me in further solidifying who I am and where I stand. Love it.

Also, I agree with Alfreda as far as being more cognizant of other personality types goes. Being so social, knowing how to pull on different aspects of myself depending on who I'm interacting with really has helped me to not inadvertently hurt feelings or force someone into their shell.

 

[st0831]

The best thing to find out was that not everyone gets along with each other and that it is not a problem so be "exclusive" to only certain types of people. I have not recognized (or met) another self-identified ENTP in real life and always wondered why I was the way I was. I knew I always got along with brainy or idealistic types (NTs and NFs) but without an explanation. There were days where I would be depressed thinking about why I never got along with other people, unknowingly SJs and SPs (NTs: ~10%, NFs:~16%). Having discovered the MBTI (from an INTP friend), I learned its "not weird" to be part of the N minority. I wouldn't say that my "enlightenment" is solely based on the MBTI because many things hit at me all at once within a short time frame of 2 years. Now, I would never give my N for a S type function while there are advantages and disadvantages to both.

 

[Ray Mabry]

It has changed my way of thinking forever. It has given me insight into other people's perspectives and I am grateful for that. It is also nice to know why I am the way I am. I always thought I was different and now I know why I feel that way. I have learned and confirmed alot about myself through learning about this and it's nice to know that my abilities aren't just some random thing that'll fade away one day. The more I learn about it the more I understand why this world is the way it is and why people are the way they are.
I spend large amounts of time now analyzing others as well as trying to tap into unused functions to try to see things alternatively. This has given my brain many new things to focus on when i'm walking down the street.

 

[Quin Sabe]

It definitely set up shop in my life. I got into it right after my parents did a intervention therapy session thing for non-existent issues (really it was all in their head, they thought I was going to get strung out on sex and drugs if they didn't take action.) It help me realize I'm not F'ed in the head, at least not clinically, that it is just the way I am and my parents are just going to have to accept me. (SJ's)

I made my friends find their type and it now offers more insight into people.

 

[ENTrePenuer]

I realized that my anger and hatred is justified.

 

[Jazzlee]

It was extremely liberating for me. I've always thought myself to be different, but didn't know how to define myself. My family and friends always make me feel as though they've 'molded' me - especially my ESFP sister - and I recently entered an identity crisis after cutting off bonds with the two people who were of the greatest influence to me during early puberty, my sister and my ex-best friend.

I felt sort of lost and wasn't quite sure about who I was or where I was headed - I guess this is all a part of being a teen, but this time around I had come to realize that after some life-altering events two years prior, I had changed greatly and was unsure of who I was now - and this helped me a lot. I came to realize that, no matter how much my sister or my best friend have influenced me, or the events that have happened, I'm still myself to the core, and that throughout my entire life, I've been an ENTP and always will be, regardless of what kind of BS people try to feed me. My values and some of my habits have changed and probably will keep changing, but my core personality will always remain strictly ENTP.

At the same time, it was creepy to find that there were so many others out there with certain traits or quirks in combination with personalities like mine - and simultaneously, wicked awesome. ENTPs ftw! =D