While making coffee, I browsed my Facebook news feed and found some interesting stories about politics, events near me, violence, parenting, and some stuff which shouldn't have been in that space. The last one kept me interested long enough: why would someone swap faces with the dead? Why do some couples post cheesy messages instead of privately sharing these thoughts to each other? Why do they have to do certain things? Why do we do what we do?
Ah, the human psyche.
This led me to assess myself and the things I did, I do, and plan in doing. Why? Why am I doing this instead of something else? Then I told myself, "Because you are you, and that makes you unique. That is your personality and you can never change that. You can only accept other people's personalities and live harmoniously with them as much as possible."
I have known long enough that I am an INTP type of person - Introverted iNtuitive Thinking Perceiving type based on a personality test I took years ago.
I am a fan of taking personality tests since I was in college and I liked to see how other people's results turned out as much as I am excited about mine. I remembered how many different personality tests I took back then, and how I would compare each one and note those that did apply to me and discarded those that didn't. It was like validating and understanding how I perceive myself, while learning more about my personality, knowing why I am the way I am.
So how is it like being an INTP?
I am an INTP over and over again. This is the result I keep on getting since 2008. It's pretty consistent so I try to anchor myself to understanding how INTP types think, behave, and do things. But of course I do not limit myself to the things only INTP types enjoy. I am a diverse person, but my core and dominant traits are of an INTP.
They say that INTPs are Introverted thinking with extraverted intuition.
As an INTP, the primary mode of living is focused internally, where we deal with things rationally and logically. The secondary mode is external, where we take things in primarily via your intuition.
INTPs are the Thinkers. They are the logicians and they live in a world full of theoretical possibilities. That is true for me. I sometimes piss myself off when I am confronted with one thing, say getting a haircut which is particularly simple. But then my mind gives me x number of possibilities how my haircut would look e.g. short, shorter by an inch, longer by three inches, shorter purple dyed hair, and the list would go on and on until I realize I haven't decided yet because there are tons of possible outcomes! I do that in my head, oftentimes with almost anything I encounter. I know at times I cause myself stress and I over think, but that is just one part of my personality! Exciting isn't it?
They may appear to drift about in an unending daydream, but INTPs' thought process is unceasing, and their minds buzz with ideas from the moment they wake up. This constant thinking can have the effect of making them look pensive and detached, as they are often conducting full-fledged debates in their own heads, but really INTPs are quite relaxed and friendly when they are with people they know, or who share their interests. However, this can be replaced by overwhelming shyness when INTP personalities are among unfamiliar faces, and friendly banter can quickly become combative if they believe their logical conclusions or theories are being criticized.
YEAH, THAT'S ME!
Think of Walter Mitty - I usually zone out, lost in my thoughts, into the deep recesses of my mind. I used to do that a lot during my younger college years, I don't think I've had that time to zone out lately with all the responsibility I am facing. Randomly though, my mind drifts. On unexpected places and times like when riding a jeepney. Staring at a passenger's wrinkles, wandering off to the years they have had smiled or frowned that lined their face. Thinking of what made Kuya Driver smile upon seeing that kid on the street. He might be amused or he might have a kid that age at home. Or he is reminded of someone. As random as that and thoughts go far, far away. Then sometimes there is this battle in my head on how I'd say "para po" - should it be the maton or the pabebe way? I probably have to have that tough tone on my voice. No, you shouldn't, it doesn't fit your aura today. Should I go off here? Let's wait a little longer. Never ending dialogue with myself, inside my head.
When INTPs are particularly excited, the conversation can border on incoherence as they try to explain the daisy-chain of logical conclusions that led to the formation of their latest idea. Oftentimes, INTPs will opt to simply move on from a topic before it's ever understood what they were trying to say, rather than try to lay things out in plain terms. The reverse can also be true when people explain their thought processes to INTPs in terms of subjectivity and feeling. Imagine an immensely complicated clockwork, taking in every fact and idea possible, processing them with a heavy dose of creative reasoning and returning the most logically sound results available – this is how the INTP mind works, and this type has little tolerance for an emotional monkey-wrench jamming their machines.
Overcoming this self-doubt stands as the greatest challenge INTPs are likely to face, but the intellectual gifts – big and small – bestowed on the world when they do makes it worth the fight.16 Personalities let's you assess your personality by answering 40+ questions which you have to answer honestly and gives you results in just minutes. As I mentioned, I have had tons of personality tests taken, from paper and pencil personality tests administered by schools to online tests, I have taken all of it. Knowing one's personality type isn't just helpful in understanding oneself, it can also be a tool for one to better understand the people around them and to know how to deal with each personality type.
To learn more about the INTP and other personality types, go here.
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| Spaces like this gives me the freedom to just BE. To think incessantly about anything and doodle. I also like to people watch and analyze each one, giving them stories each on my notebook. |
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