As I type this, I sit in my home alone.
I spent the morning thinking of how I would approach this article. I researched opinions on the validity of the Myers-Briggs test and information on the INTJ personality type.
I haven’t spoken to anyone since my wife left for work early this morning, and I probably won’t speak to anyone until she arrives home four hours from now.
Well, I hope so, anyway.
As I begin typing this introduction, I feel completely at home and at ease.
But this is nothing new for me; every day is similar.
Sound appealing?
If so, it might be because, like me, you are an INTJ, the most introverted of all 16 MBTI personality types.
Today, we cover four signs that this is the case.
And before you jump to criticizing the MBTI test, know that it really has helped me to know myself better. In many ways, it is probably responsible for the day-to-day I just described, which, in case it wasn’t obvious, really suits me.
Fun fact: helping people to identify suitable work was one of the initial aims of the test.
Still don’t think the MBTI holds any weight?
Check out this post by personality researcher Aqualus M Gordon, Ph.D., which details the test’s history and validity. He notes that it is:
“No less valid or reliable than other personality tests.”
With that out of the way, let’s dive into the signs.
1) You get bored in jobs easily
When I escaped high school, I went on to study a bachelor’s degree in business with a focus on finance and economics.
Guess what? I really liked it.
I had access to the resources and the freedom I needed to learn as I pleased.
And I did.
I’d find myself engaged in some area of economics or finance until I was asked to leave the library at midnight.
With my degree freshly in hand, I plunged into the finance sector, ready to crunch numbers and make a tangible impact.
On starting, I was excited, but the thrill of newness wore off quickly. The tasks, once puzzles to solve, became mundane and repetitive.
This happened in several positions; the same thing over and over again.
Can you relate to this?
If so, it may be because you, too, are an INTJ.
Jobs, especially at lower levels, require us to repeat the same thing over and over again…but faster. This is almost unbearable for INTJs.
So what did I do?
I made a career pivot that some might call drastic.
I turned to teaching. As a teacher, I could learn every day from my students and craft novel ways to communicate ideas.
I enjoyed it, but with a lot of human interaction, it was tiring, leading me to another avenue: writing. Writing allows me to explore vast landscapes of thought, propose theories, and share knowledge—an intellectual freedom I didn’t know I had been seeking all along.
This was a long road for me, and the truth is I am fortunate to have such a job; they are rare.
Have you, like me, struggled to find a job that keeps your interest?
Do you desire work that pushes you to think in new and exciting ways and doesn’t make you watch the clock until the end of the day?
If so, it’s a strong sign you might also be an INTJ.
2) You prefer depth over breadth in relationships
Hate the idea of mingling or networking events?
Yeah, they make me cringe, too.
If you are an INTJ, it’s not that you despise people—far from it. But you do crave meaningful interaction and discussions that go beyond the superficial and into ideas and deep personal insight.
We’re the type to have a handful of people in our inner circle, but those relationships are fortified with the kind of mutual understanding and respect that can last a lifetime.
Networking isn’t our forte, not because we can’t do it, but because we find it lacks authenticity.
If you’re someone who feels energized by a night spent dissecting the intricacies of a favorite book or theory with a close friend rather than a party with fifty people, you just might be an INTJ.
3) You’d prefer to do it alone
Do you often feel like a bit of an island—self-contained and self-sustaining?
Ever find yourself deep in a project, lost in the joy of learning, doing, and problem-solving?
If so, it’s a clear sign that you might well be an INTJ.
When faced with a problem, we don’t immediately look outward for guidance. Instead, we turn inward, relying on analytical skills to find a solution.
There’s a unique kind of thrill that comes with this process—the eureka moment when all the pieces fall into place, achieved through our own efforts.
This isn’t about shunning others’ help out of arrogance; it’s that the challenge of solving problems solo is genuinely fulfilling. The thought of diving headfirst into a new project, with all its intricate challenges and learning curves, is not daunting to us—it’s exhilarating.
For INTJs, there’s truth in the saying, “If you want something done right, do it yourself.” This isn’t born from a lack of trust in others’ abilities but from the deep satisfaction we find in using our own.
4) Your logic-first approach can ruffle feathers
For an INTJ, logic isn’t just a thought process; it’s the lens through which we view the world.
This logical preference is great for problem-solving, but it can also land us in hot water, particularly in emotionally charged situations where feelings are at the forefront.
Trust me, I’ve learned this the hard way. If you are an INTJ, you probably have, too.
Facts and an analytical perspective might sound great to us, but not everyone appreciates this approach, especially when emotions are at play.
People can perceive us as cold or detached, not understanding that our intention is to contribute to a solution in the most effective way we know.
For me, in the realm of finance, this logic-over-everything approach was often a benefit, reinforcing my decisions with data and clear reasoning. However, in the classroom, I had to recalibrate.
If you’ve ever been told you’re “too logical,” you might just be a fellow INTJ.
Our challenge is to recognize that sometimes, the best solution isn’t the most logical one—it’s the one that takes into account the complexity of human feelings.
The bottom line
Did you relate to all the signs?
Understanding and accepting that I’m an INTJ has helped me find my own path—away from the buzz of a typical office to a thoughtful space where I can truly think.
It can help you to do the same.
It’s about knowing what makes us tick and shaping our lives to fit that rhythm, even if the choices we make to do this are less than conventional.
Trust yourself.
As always, I hope you found this post enjoyable to read and that it has given you some food for thought.
Until next time.
