
Be yourself. Everyone else is taken.
-Oscar Wilde
I’ve always loved personality tests, and one of my kids found a great one during our COVID-19 quarantine at www.16personalities.com. It’s similar to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator if you’ve ever taken that one, but this one gives you a specific profile for your personality type based on four different categories, which is kind of fun if you ask me! These were spot on for all of us in my family as well, which was definitely an added bonus for the family taking the personality test in the first place.
There are four categories, so let’s jump in and start with the first one. Are you an introvert (you get your energy from being alone or in small groups), an extrovert (you get your energy from being around people) or an ambivert (a combination of the two)? I’m an introvert, and seem to be getting more introverted the older I get, as this test also shows where you fall on an introvert/extrovert scale. That being said, this may also be the result of the COVID-19 pandemic and all the time I’ve been spending at home recently.
Part two is sensing (your observations of the external world) versus intuitive (checking in with yourself internally) or a combination of the two (which is where I fall on this one). As a clinician, it’s actually quite helpful for me to be observant and intuitive, as I’m usually able to see the whole picture (or the relational system in therapist speak), while also being able to follow my intuition as to what will (hopefully) be a good next step in session.
The next part is thinking versus feeling. Are your thoughts and being right more important to you than feelings, or do you put your feelings and the feelings of others on the forefront (or maybe it’s a combination of the two?). My highest score was on this part, as feelings come first both personally as well as professionally for me. Another trait that’s definitely helpful as a therapist!
The last section is if you’re a planner, more spontaneous or a combination of both. This was interesting to look at as a family because three out of the four of us are planners, so it was eye opening to see how difficult things can be for the extremely spontaneous one. This was also an interesting section to think about during COVID-19 times because although I am definitely a planner, I realized early on in this pandemic that there was also going to be a need for more flexibility both personally and professionally. Therefore, I tried to create more of a flex schedule where I could in my work and home life.
So, this is a very simplified version of the 16 personalities information. But, if you have time, this personality test may be something fun for you and your family members to do together.
If you’re wondering about me, I’m an ISFJ or “The Defender” and it’s a profile high in helping professions like therapy. Pretty accurate if you ask me!