Why Knowing Your Personality Type Can Create a Fulfilling Life, Part 1

If you never look within and learn about yourself, you'll always be stuck trying to conform to something you're not.

~Tricia Daye

Have you ever found yourself clashing with a boss' management style? Do you ever ask yourself, "how did my child come from me," as you disagree on something for the umpteenth time? Maybe you've heard the whispers in your head wondering, 'what's wrong with me' after the tenth failed attempt at a goal? 

We've all been there, shaking our heads in disbelief after a not-so-pleasant encounter. Yet, many of us don't recognize the missed opportunity for success when faced with these types of encounters - communication success, career success, or personal success. 

So, what does each one of our encounters have in common? The answer is you - the individual unique human that you are. Having a grasp on who you are on a fundamental level - aka, your personality - changes the trajectory of these encounters. By studying yourself, you'll learn:

• What situations, careers, and engagements best suit your style so you can shift into a joyful life. 
• How to recognize the 'why' behind your and others' reactions so you can foster productive engagements.
• How to not absorb the energies of an opposing personality so you can rise above timidness, fear, shame, judgment, and guilt.
• What goal methodologies are best suited for your type so you can improve your odds of success. 
• ...And more. 

Part 2 covers how to move within your and others’ personality nuances when trying to achieve a fulfilling life full of personal success. Part 3 dives into best practices for habit formation through goal setting for each personality type. But first, let's understand what personalities are and how each is defined. 

What are Personalities? 

Labels like mom, architect, or student are not personalities. 

Reactions like sadness or anger are not personalities.

Descriptors like vibrant or bright are not personalities.

What are they, then?

Personalities are the underbelly of our essence. They dictate who we are. They reinforce how we see ourselves and the world and how we engage with or react to others around us. 

Often, these personal attributes operate behind the scenes on autopilot without our awareness...because we're so used to 'ourselves.' That is unless we intentionally become cognizant of our intrinsic personality cues. 

Harnessing this personality prowess unlocks our ability to effectively navigate everyday challenges and opens numerous doors to success. We become aware of how different personalities perceive one another, how best to approach a situation or other people, and how best to circumvent a problem. 

Best of all, we move away from conforming to something that doesn't fit into what authentically feeds our soul. Happiness, anyone? 

One of the top tools for accurately assessing your personality (and those close to you) is the free personality test by 16Personalities. Their site covers general highlights and in-depth content on romantic, familial, and companion relationships, careers, and habits. 

After reading this article, go to their site and discover your 5-letters. Then come back and read Part 2. 

The 5 Letters and What They Mean

The five letters reflect a shared commonality of characteristics among broad swathes and are used to represent your personality. Like, ENFP(-A). 

To get to the five letters, you first have to determine where you fall within the ten personality traits - the letters. Paired letters which are the opposing sides to one coin, like introvert and extrovert, are scaled (23% introvert; 77% extrovert) based on your specific world and self-views. 

We each have a combination of all ten traits, but one trait among the paired will almost always have a dominant presence in how we interact within our everyday lives.  

According to 16Personalities, the relationship looks like this: 

Introvert (I) and Extrovert (E) dictate how we interact with our surroundings.

• Introvert = Adept at picking up on cues, attentive listening, and deep reflective insights. An introvert can deal with societal stressors but gets exhausted due to their sensitivity to external stimuli and needs the solitude of their private space to recuperate.

• Extrovert = Brings energy to and gains energy from social interactions, and due to the value they place on engaging with those around them, they find it difficult and dull to be alone. An extrovert tends to be enthusiastic, push limits, and lean into taking initiative.

Intuitive (N) and Observant (S) determine how we see the world and process information.

• Intuitive = Uses their imaginative open mind on theories around "the bigger picture" and "what if?", giving way to new possibilities and perspectives. Appearing out of touch to the Observant, they're often caught with a wandering mind during conversations and tend to focus on hidden meanings. 

• Observant = Focuses on what's in front of them - real things in real-time - in a practical, pragmatic manner with a tendency to lean towards apparent solutions. A distaste for "pondering possibilities" can lead the way to a too-narrow perspective but reinforces their tenacity to get things done. 

Thinker (T) and Feeler (F) determine how we make decisions and cope with emotions.

• Thinker = Focuses on impartiality and critical thinking, prioritizing logic over emotions because emotions aren't rational. A thinker believes efficiency and fairness are more important than cooperation and will relentlessly evaluate all angles of something. They revel in a brilliant plan, so they may make important decisions without consulting others.

• Feeler = Focuses on social harmony and cooperation over competitiveness, facts, and objectivity. They are sensitive empaths that protect people in need and those they care about. Feelers have a drive for selflessness that can be self-defeating and may burn out themselves or others when too involved. 

Judge (J) and Prospector (P) reflect our approach to work, planning, and decision-making.

• Judge = Believes the key to success are rules, laws, and standards, which guide their strong work ethic. However, they may become too reliant on their need for clarity, predictability, and closure and be perceived as rigid. They prefer structure and multiple backup plans to 'going with the flow' as surprises frustrate and stress them. 

• Prospector = Master opportunists who tend to not control the environment around them; instead, they see all of life's potential opportunities and can readily move from one to the next as they deem fit. Seen as unfocused, they frequently make impulsive decisions or have difficulty committing altogether due to uncertainty or being inundated with viable options. A prospector's ever-streaming focus makes them powerful at brainstorming solutions. 

Assertive (A) and Turbulent (T) show how confident we are in our abilities and decisions.

• Assertive = Learns from personal lessons but lets the past be in the past without continuously cycling through regrets, promoting an outlook of positivity and high satisfaction with life. Assertive types face their day confidently and don't let nervousness dictate their path toward a goal. They are self-assured, even-tempered, and refuse to worry too much.

• Turbulent = Focuses on what might go wrong (criticisms, slights, or regrets) and counterbalances this self-doubt with the need to do more, to have more, and to be more. These success-driven perfectionists are more apt to talk about regrets and are sensitive to stress. However, they use stress as a motivator and efficiently tackle minor problems before they grow.

Why Knowing the Traits Matter

It's pretty easy to imagine a clash between a Feeling employee and a Thinking boss. Suppose the employee isn't fully aware of their kumbaya disposition and how it impacts their decisions or emotions in the workplace. In this case, they'll likely be frustrated with their boss and disenchanted at work. On the other hand, their boss is probably mutually discouraged by the lack of objective efficiency.

Now imagine how the above example could be a doorway to success simply by having this new knowledge. 

As an aspect of social intelligence, mastering how to navigate opposing personalities is highlighted as a rare skill and invaluable in the workplace and beyond. 

The 16 Personality Combinations

As described above, the primary four-letter combination represents distinctive, innate characteristics. The fifth letter, spanning all types, reinforces the attributes of the previous four letters and indicates one's confidence level in themselves. In total, there are 16 assigned types. Hence, the 16 in 16Personalities. 

The explanations below, along with the U.S.A. demographic percentages (according to Myers Briggs'), provide insight into all the fascinating personalities we interact with on any given day. Which one are you?

ENFJ (-A/-T) - 2.5%

Magnetic straightforward leaders who bring strong ideas to their greater purpose while mesmerizing their listeners.

ENFP (-A/-T) - 8.1%

Vibrant sociable free spirits who embrace big ideas around goodwill for others and long for deep connections.

ENTJ (-A/-T) - 1.8% 

Decisive, strong-willed leaders who envision accomplishments and make way to achieve them. 

ENTP (-A/-T) - 3.2%

Bright and curious thinkers who skillfully reconstruct ideas and love an intellectual challenge.

ESFJ (-A/-T) - 12% 

Extraordinarily caring, social, and admired people with achievements based on unwavering values.

ESFP (-A/-T) - 8.5% 

Spontaneous, lively, and irresistible people with a love for life's activities who are quick to encourage others to join them. 

ESTJ (-A/-T) - 8.7% 

Excellent administrators with sensible judgment, unequaled at management and stabilizing adversity.

ESTP (-A/-T) - 4.3% 

Deft, energetic, and perceptive people who love life's opportunities and tend to leap without looking.

INFJ (-A/-T) - 1.5% 

Thoughtful and quiet, yet profoundly inspired by personal values and humanism. 

INFP (-A/-T) - 4.4% 

Open-minded, kind, and generous people, always approaching what they do with a caring approach. 

INTJ (-A/-T) - 2.1% 

Blends private and complex with creativity and rational-thought and has a plan for perfecting everything.

INTP (-A/-T) - 3.3% 

Inventors with a willingness for unconventionality and experimentation coalesced with an unquenchable thirst for knowledge.

ISFJ (-A/-T) - 13.8% 

Warm, unassuming protectors, always attending to their day's practical details with efficiency.

ISFP (-A/-T) - 8.8% 

Open-minded and endearing creatives who live in the moment yet are ready to experience new possibilities.

ISTJ (-A/-T) - 11.6% 

Methodical and fact-minded individuals whose integrity and reliability are a source of pride. 

ISTP (-A/-T) - 5.4% 

Natural inquisitive experimenters who use their touch and sight to build things or pull things apart, learning as they go. 

To learn about tips on how your type can amplify your personal fulfillment, head over to Part 2. Happy reading.