Famous INTJ

Read what Nancy's INTJ readers say about themselves and how they have learned to cope.

11.19.2007

Cindy, email seadivmcycle68@hotmail.com, age 39 speaks about being an INTJ

I love the comments about having difficulty dealing with stupid or annoying people! It is also the first time I saw someone who was also not great at math say they could solve complicated math problems and have no idea how…I did this in physics all the time, but had trouble with algebra in college…the same damn algebra I’ had in 4th grade!

I have always known I was sroong minded and strong spirited. As a child, when an older child abused me, I knew it was because he was weaker willed and spirited than I was, and I forgave him, before I forgave myself for not keeping myself out of the situation. I tricked him many times to preserve different aspects of myself, then eventually got myself out of it…HA! Bigger and physically stronger than me and tried to humiliate me to boot, didn’t work.

From some of the comments I would think that I am not an INTJ except that I’ve taken the test so many times and only when I was on meds for a serious injury did I get any different reading…ENTJ…bordering on INTJ! Too funny!

I have never married, I would love to and am a romantic at heart…but find many men to be too emotional and needy for me, I refuse to have to bullshit at home. I am perfectly happy to tell him how sexy he is, and wonderful, but I HAVE to be able to be brutally honest…it’s where most of my humor is.

I actually have nicely challenging jobs, so have stayed in many of them for extended times compared to many. I also have always felt a sort of connection to all living things, or an understanding.

The truly odd thing for me from the other comments, though I like to be alone quite often and get irritated in places like crowded shopping malls, I am extremely good at empathizing with people. I have been one of the most successful at interviewing resistant personalities and proven it repeatedly since early high school. Without being fake at all (rather enjoying myself) I can get someone who hates even the idea of me (i.e. a woman in what they think is a man’s position) to laugh and chat with me freely, even telling me some of their most hidden guilt/obssession/fear, giving me an huge amount of power. However, I hate manipulation, so the fact that I will only use what I know when and only if needed for the greater good, comes through.

Small talk is fine, and I seem to be good at it and make people laugh a lot, even when I my “;cutting tongue” as put by chinese philosophers, is in high gear! I love being INTJ and can often seem extremely outgoing because I like adventurous activities and sports as well as dancing and observing people.

I do have just a few close friends really and have historically had many more male than women friends, but as I’ve gotten older I seem to have a lot less men friends as I find that most want more from me…I am 39 but am frequently called a liar about my age, I ‘ve never had reason to lie about it, I have always been perfectly fine with the age I was at the time, just the world wasn’t always ready for me!

A few things I’ve been told by friends and observed about myself: I don’t appear drunk, when I know I am out of my head smashed (others always ask me to drive for them!) I always attributed it to really being myself so much that there was no major change when I drank, I didn’t need alcohol to “;come out of my shell.”

I also tend NOT to fall in love until I have logically evaluated that the man is someone I can look up to and respect. I am not swayed at all by swaggeringly handsome men, but also refuse to be saddled with someone that won’t take responsibility for their own wellbeing. I think any INTJ can be quite emotionally attached and empathic, and often at a deeper level because we actually have to feel more connected than some twit allowing their hormones or solely their heartstrings be pulled, we see through the bullshit and therefore can see the truth, isn’t that infinitely a more true love since it is not clouded by self deception?

11.16.2007

anon., age 21

Being an INFJ can be very frustrating sometimes. However, I defintely do not recommend trying to be more extraverted by drinking. Eventually it will become a crutch and instead of becoming a better person you can become sidetracked into the negative tendancies of INFJs. I know I have become a little too arrogant and quick to dismiss other people.

11.15.2007 Kate, age 22

When I was younger, being an infj was difficult. I stood out because I was so quiet and some teachers were worried because they thought I didn't have enough friends. Of course, I was confused because I was just fine with the 2-3 friends I had in class! When I was in high school I was in the advanced classes, but dropped them because of the intense competitiveness-it seemed so superficial to me. I also had many good acquaintances, I guess you could say, but at that point I didn't realize I was holding them at such a distance. As one of the girls who I considered to be one of my closest friends at that time put it, "You never tell anyone anything!"

At the time I was surprised she said that; now I realize that growing up I didn't open up to people because I felt like it was all already out there-I thought everyone else felt things as strongly as I did, but I now know I need to keep in mind that most people need words! It is very easy to forget that since the vibes we infjs get from people are so strong to us. It wasn't really until I read the infj description that I began to understand those things, and they have really helped me grow. At the age I am now, it is still hard sometimes being infj because of the emphasis on being social, drinking, etc., but I have a few close friends and am able to do the things I love, helping others in need and writing music. I think it will always be somewhat of a struggle as an infj just because we are the minority, but that doesn't mean we can't

11.11.2007 Being an Infj is a very perplexing state indeed... To understand without being understood, to see complexities which others are not aware of in themselves would usually make one arrogant, and yet there is this love that weighs against this arrogrance. Our greatest desire to love in the way we love others and yet so often unfullfilled...

age 23, Mike, email

I hate to think that I have to learn to "cope" because I'm an INTJ, but I read these passages and see that we all do share some common headaches: the inability to engage in small talk or politics, being an introvert in an extroverted world, and attacking problems from a totally different angle leading to being misunderstood. But I want to do more than just cope. Gotta live in this world, . I totally identified with the folks who mentioned chronic job hopping. Its amazing how much of a difference someone can make by leaving sometimes. Where are those super creative jobs out there for us? I'm happy where I'm at now though. Politics is just a part of the game you have to play with others when you have something important to say. In the end though I don't like the idea of having my potential being boxed in by an archtype. We are still a product of our own decisions. Just good for me to see that I'm not alone in the decisions I'm making. Take care!

male, age 29

Adriana, email, 29

Im a journalist I have won several national awards but i hate to write. I like the fact that i can learn new things and investigate theories and see a solution . i love learning when I was in college i graduated with almost 3 majors in 4 years. I like to be by myself and I usually seek people that are smarter than me but sometimes they are hard to find , I also dont like needy people or people that just want to get attention. I llike to create new systems all the time and I love to travel by myself because it gives me a sense of accomplishment to be in a different place and understand it .

8.09,2007

Kris L., email, webpage

age: 30's

When I tested out as an INTJ and read up on it, it was such a relief. It explained a lot of things. I always felt different, but not an any of the "different" ways that I've ever heard of. The INTJ type is so rare it can make it difficult to feel like I belong. I felt, even as a kid, that my brain worked differently than most people. It wasn't just that I was at the top of my class most of the time; is was as if I used a different reasoning process. I work with computers now, and a lot of people are at least close to the same type, which helps a lot.

I'm not good at small talk and wish I were. I love animals and have found it easiest to "chat" with someone when we're talking about our pets. It may be a crutch, but it works.

I think I may be a little nervous about getting close to people. I don't trust easily.

I get irritated sometimes when things go slowly. Sometimes it seems to take forever for people to get to the point. I don't think acting impatient helps, though.

When it comes right down to it, I do like helping people, even though sometimes I really need to be alone

7.26.2007

I’m not quite sure. I’ve not thought about this at great length as of yet.

What’s it like to be an intj? It’s isolating. I have zero tolerance for bullshit, and so I’m often frustrated after social situations; especially after dealing with family members. I’ve never “dated,” I just get to the point. I seek out people who are like minded, and attempt to spark conversations with them. I find myself alone 99 percent of the time; sans my husband. I’m amazed that he’s able to put up with me.

I cope with all of this by staying alone, or in the company of my husband. I read, make music, and watch interesting documentary programs on television. I absolutely love the science channel.

I have hope for the future, and I dream of owning private property, away from the masses. I love nature!

I’m particularly fond of these people:

H. Thoreau
Ray Bradbury
George Lucas
William F. Buckley Jr.
Star Trek character Seven Of Nine

7.24.2007

Wow... It feels good not to be alone. As i sit here and read this stuff, I get goose bumps. I’ve taken the mbti, about 5 times, only to get the same result. I tried to deny it at first, because I didn’t think that I was an INTJ, but it’s true. Were do I start. Just reading through some of the other posts made me feel sane.

First, I’ve had tons of jobs, not because I don’t like to work, it’s because I get bored. At a previous job I started a revolt against the system... literally, I made life a living hell for the whole company, because I was bored and in the process I convinced about 10 of my coworkers that they should follow me. It was the best time I’ve had ever... then of course I quit when there was nothing else to do. I changed the policy and employee manual for another company. I changed the terriotory set-up for two different companies. I recreated the security schematics for another company. I’ve had about 5 jobs in the last 6 years... because I really get bored... it’s the weirdest thing. I’m as open minded as they come, and I love to play devil’s advocate.

Unlike some of the posts on this page, I love to read and write poetry, because it has no meaning to some, but it could have all the meaning in the world to someone else. The feeling of figuring out the meaning to poetry is very gratifying... even more so than figuring out a science problem, because chances are with science you’ll have an answer, but poetry has so many possible answers.

The weirdest thing is that I was never good in math class, however to this day I can solve almost any math problem using unorthodoxed methods that just “come to me” as I’m trying to figure out the answer, but I don’t use or remember the correct way to arrive at an answer... I always found that to be pretty cool, but really weird.

7.23.2007

reading this page was a breath of fresh air. finally, people who think the same way i do! the only other INTJ i know is my older brother. we’re not very close in the conventional, emotional sense, but we do understand each other fairly well, and we have deep conversations, which i think is better anyways.

i have learned how to mask some of my more intense INTJ qualities (like the fact that i often find people stupid and annoying) for the sake of ambition. i am constantly looking for ways to improve myself mentally, socially, physically, and basically in any way possible. why shouldn’t one strive for perfection? the qualities i never hide or apologize for are my desire for efficiency and my extreme intuition.

i enjoy the company of my few close friends and my family very much, but i am also content to be alone for days at a time, reading, researching, daydreaming. people constantly tell me that i think too much. i am very private and secretive. i hate when other people know my business.

i don’t hate small talk as much as everyone else seems to, although i can’t say i enjoy it. i mostly just hate having conversations when the other person is not being concise. i often become disinterested in peoples’ stories because they mention too many useless details instead of sticking to the point. i also absolutely hate it when people can’t make decisions as fast as i can.

i love to multi-task, and i sometimes feel that my brain is working on a few different levels at once - if i am studying, i have to have music playing or else i get distracted. usually when i watch TV, i read a book or do some small project at the same time.

i am not reckless but i do enjoy a little bit of danger every now and then.

i best express myself through writing. i have kept a diary since the age of 7 and enjoying re-reading them in order to rethink and gain different perspectives on my experiences.

romance is difficult because i don’t trust many people and i am always suspicious that guys just want to get me into bed. i get bored with the ones who are genuinely interested in me because they either become emotionally needy or they are simply not on my level and therefore cannot keep up with me. i like to stay single mostly because boyfriends usually want to talk on the phone just for the sake of talking, and i find it a waste of time.

i have only had two serious relationships (both approximately a year and a half) and i wish i hadn’t had even had those, because they were annoying and a waste of time. i like to date extraverts because they bring me out of my shell and make social situations easier for me, but too many of them let their emotions run their lives for them, and seem to find me cruel and detached when i make my decisions objectively, and when i do what i think is best for myself without really caring much what they think.

i want to be an investment banker. you start out working 100 hours a week for 2 years and then it becomes less demanding (so i’ve been told). people find it incomprehensible that i am perfectly okay with that arrangement, especially since i am a woman willing to put aside or delay romantic relationships for the sake of my career.

i get along with men better than with other women. men are generally less emotional, more decisive and more confident. also, so many women put men first, which disgusts me. men tend to look out for themselves first, which is what i do, and which is what i think everyone else should do too.

sometimes it can get hard and lonely, and i used to be in denial about my INTJ personality, but now that i have reached maturity, i wouldn’t want to be any other way!

~beth, age 20

7.20.2007

Hmmm. It’s a bit odd writing here, because I’m not entirely sure I am an INTJ. I tested as one in my late teens and right out of college, but then I went through a few relationships, and got ‘more in touch’ with my emotions. I’ve always wanted to continue growing as a person and have never wanted to just stagnate, so I felt the emotional side needed work, and I needed to be more compassionate and open to others and other personality types. Basically...I believe I’m right and more evolved and more balanced and more in touch with things than almost everyone else is...BUT I figure everyone else probably feels the same way about their perceptions, so who’s to say who’s more valid? ;-) Needless to say, there has been a switch, and for the past 3-4 years I have tested basically as INFJ. But...I now wonder if that was more wishful thinking, in that I didn’t *want* to be my true self, because then I wouldn’t have many friends.

So. I think I’m a chameleon right now. I can do the smalltalk thing, I can find compassion within me, I can empathize....all up to a point. However, it’s not endless. And, a part of me hates my ability to be fake like that. But, I believe my true self would not be acceptable to most people. Obviously til now my true self hasn’t been entirely acceptable to myself!!

Without going into the details (because there are too many of them), I am here today because a friendship suddenly blew up yesterday, and my friend told me I was cold and robotic in my responses, and my responses make her feel like she’s in a counseling session with her therapist. Perhaps that’s a compliment?? - have I missed my calling? haha. Again, too much of a story behind how we got to this point, but I got to that point for a reason - I was tired of her drama and constant need for someone who listens and NEVER responds back (which is what she wanted). The ironic thing is I chose to be cold/’robotic’ in my responses, because I knew it would be pointless to tell her my true feelings (not to mention, mean, and I decided I was going to take the high road and not rip on her like she was to me).

With all of that said, the ‘robot’ comment is why I’m here today. I figure as unappealing as it is to hear something like that (because, as I said, there are reasons for everything I do, which extends to behaviors I choose to exhibit), there are kernals of truth in most hings. And, there’s a kernal of truth in what she spat at me: I’m analytical in everything...perhaps analyzing my feelings and reactions and *myself* the most.

I’m at an impasse. Relationships - friendships as well as romantic - have always been perplexing for me. Don’t get me wrong, I have some good friends. But far too few, and that bothers me. I simply can’t relate to most people. I can’t relate on a deep level. And that’s what I most crave, is some sort of spiritual connection, to get above the trivial things in life. I take most everything very seriously, and notice atterns in behavior. I categorize people, even though I hate that I do that.

And I think above all I want other people to grow, and I’m starting to realize most people don’t want to grow, and don’t want to hear anyone elses’ opinion. Must I always be the quiet observer? :-)

~Anonymous, age 29 (female)

6.12.2007 I took a personality test after I got divorced at 30 and found out I was an INTJ . I studied industrial engineering and went to work for a large utility and was promoted quickly because I’m always looking for a better way and am very results oriented. I left after 9 years due to boredom, politics and stagnation.

Most people thought I was crazy. I struggled with my own business before accepting a job at Arthur Andersen. I was offered a job by my first client and was promoted to Director of Operations after 6yrs and VP after 11yrs. I just resigned again for the same reasons I left the utility.

Everyone thinks I’m crazy again because I was making $200k, but the monotony, politics and endless discussions about sports were making me depressed. I’m going to try consulting for a few months and look for something more in the R&D area if it doesn’t work out. Best of luck to all and hope this helps.

Art: aperez@digatconsulting.com

5.25.2007 i'm naturally too much of an intj to identify with almost anyone. i hate being compared to people in any way: told i am just like them or told i am their opposite. at risk of self-parody, i'm even suspicious of the 1% statistic. i also, as an intj, distrust the hell out of the mbti but am always trying to place myself within the mbti system as i try to critique the same system. i identify most with descartes from keirsey, because he was very, relentlessly skeptical and shifting and yet very coherent overall.

i echo a lot of what's been written about social interactions, being perceived as cold, the oddness of being an intj woman, careers and decisions. socially, i'm very much able to make small talk, even intoxicating small talk, because my mind is so associative, but it will, at some point, stop being small talk to me, even if i'm talking about something my companions find simply trivial and amusing, because i start to see some broader, general logic in the most mundane thing and then generally get very quiet because i don't want to trouble people with it. i am perceived as cold for this reason to acquaintances, but even more troublingly for me, for a different reason to close friends. my close friends (and i tend to be attracted to the more overtly visionary artists and idealists on the nf side of things) tend to find me cold because i approach other people, i am told, "as a problem." i think of it more in terms of a riddle, though: a riddle that, if i care about them, i really want to solve. and it disappoints me when i can't, particularly with rapidly shifting nf's, find their internal coherence or help them achieve it (when often it's the last thing they might care about or want-- understandably to me to some degree; if i could stop demanding it of myself so much, i might actually want to). being an intj woman is hard. i am perceived as a cold bitch. i was the only female in my area in college and went to heavily male grad programs. i don't mind being around male intj's, but they tend to think of me as an alien. perhaps the most tragic thing for me in relating to men is that most intx men desire an esfp-esque mate who will tell them it's been two days, to stop thinking and at least brush their teeth. as much as i say i need a nanny, i much prefer intellectual communion to finding an imagined complement in some one else. so, the men i am attracted to are generally more attracted to women i perceive to be flighty, tedious, illogical, etc. (yes, i am a snob and have horrible guilt about it.) careers are difficult for me. i find i'm good at very technical things, but that they do not satisfy me. yet when i try to enmesh myself in the idealistic work i think i want, i don't do as well dealing with raw human emotion, either. i dislike it when people put labels on what i do, tending to feel it's all part of the same project (which i couldn't describe well, but would certainly try for hours for some one i thought was really listening). so, of course, you know, i program and write poetry. i'm right now reading a bio of baudelaire and feynman's letters and it doesn't seem at all weird to me. the academic world suits me and i hope to find myself there soon, as soon as i figure out which field will Help Solve Everything Someday. i too am perceived as making rash decisions, because i don't think aloud, and tend to let the most important things percolate (often for too long) before i act. i will change horses midstream, but always very decisively, and sometimes even abandon the horse and swim to the other bank myself. also, yeah, like everyone else here, i was a precocious, perceived-to-be-disturbed child, think iq is faulty at best but am secretly proud of mine and don't think in language but try excessively to express myself through it. also, i'm editing this a lot, considering the comment-box, but it still doesn't feel well-structured enough to me, but i'm submitting it anyway.

~ anonymous, late twenties

5.19.2007 I’ve felt misunderstood for a long time. When I was younger my parents thought it was strange that I would sit in my room and read books all day, then talk about the characters like they were real people. I’ve always prefered books to people, mostly because I like to look into the minds of the characters. When I go to social gatherings I always feel like people are putting up a front or they are drunk and I don’t get to know who they really are. I like to watch people when they are in their element; preforming or engaging in a task they excell at. I don’t like to say much because the responses I give to questions usually get strange reactions (in college when my professer asked me what I would consider a great accomplishment I said “unionize Walmart” and everyone stared at me like I was an alien or in high school when we were reading Milton’s Paradise Lost and I agreed with Lucifer because I felt his rebellion could be compared to America’s War of Independence (a few kids promised to pray for me?) thats when I said to myself- Dana you don’t fit in. (I also knew I was right about the Lucifer thing). So there you have it, a true INTJ, someone who will stick up for the devil himself (if they think he has a rational argument). I’m glad that I discovered this site. When ever I am surrounded by people I feel hopelessly alone, and whenever I am alone with great thinkers (thank you Ann Rand, Naomi Wolf, David Orr, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin, Robert Frost, I’d be a lost soul without you.)I feel surrounded by old friends.

Dana, age 22, soxnut11@aol.com

5.14.1007 Think of your entire life leading up to when you find your answers as build up for a greater release. A greater release and satisfaction in comparison with the average persons achievement. On that note do not become dispassionate, and do not abandon your inner quest. On the contrary, aggressively seek inner clarity, but do not keep trying to do it the same old way and expect new results. I would recommend, first, you read Wittgenstein, so you can have a universal language. That is really the quest of the disconnected INTJ- to develop a universal language. A way of explaining everything. Wittgenstein is a start. Do not neglect to pursue this to its end, because the sooner you reach this completion the sooner you can become reconnected with reality, and overcome your ghoulish existance which has been plaguing you for so long.

ian, age 21, email

2.11.2006 I have just found out that I am INTJ, and all of a sudden my whole life to date has been explained. I always was the odd one out and now I know why. It has been good to read other peoples stories. Now I must go away and think this through. Typical I suppose.

-- Robin Biles, age 47, email

2.10.2006 Since I was 3 years old I was interested in science. I used to disassemble all my toys and TV sets.

I daydream a lot.

I have few friends.

I did not that much of successful relationship, first was with an ENFP a journalist type. Second was ISFJ, more compatible. I was told I am too demanding, high standards. I am not reallt looking for Mrs Perfect, but someone who would be perfect for me.

I try to create theories, conceptualize. I have a broad range of interests , from religion to arts to mathematics.

My mathematics and engineering studies were very easy and I never had to put much effort in grasping complex theorems.

I always plan well in advance and plan for all the possibilities.

I feel of the times superior to others, and I thrive on competition.

Besides my engineering degree, I have two graduate degrees (PhD, MBA), and always feel the urge to learn something new...

In the Myers briggs components, the Thinking side is the predominant. I rarely falls in love, and usually starts noticing imperfections from the 2nd date.

I am currently trying to shift careers from pure science to more management or policy making where I can be more useful to society in a more efficient way.

-- Ross, age 30, email

2.05.2006 I first took the MBTI when I worked for a prestiguous law firm. I have always known myself to be a deep-thinker, sarcastic, highly developed and evolved, and most of all, a master of conceptual/analytical thinking. Yes, I prefer music and books to the company of people. Yes, I am quiet and reserved, and yes, I am usually always right. I know that I am an elitist and have an ever advancing imagination and perception of life as most people view it. I have highly evolved spiritual practices and beliefs and I know that I am "different" from the rest. It's funny, the criticism I receive at work is to "pep it up". I am and will never be warm and fuzzy. I believe those people are frivolous. I have a small circle of friends, but the "un-intelligents" I cannot endure. I am sure you understand - they are beneath me and I have other avenues of exhausting my time and energy. I am an avid reader, writer, and enjoy technology. Best wishes to all. To all INTJs, please do not doubt your judgement. You are spot-on in your thinking and suspicions. I wish someone would have given me that advice earlier on. - M

It is strange to be a INTJ. I am very reserved, highly evolved mentally and spiritually, I read Nietzche, Socrates, Plato, and I am fascinated by Eleanor Roosevelt and Amelia Earhart. I haven't really learned to cope, per se. I have more or less accepted that I am different and I expect others to find me strange or eccentric. I have a few friends who are intellects but really want to fit into a societal mold. I don't care to fit into anyone's mold. I am my own person with my own agenda. I don't follow trends - I am my own trend

-- Marquise, age 28, email

2.01.2006 It's tiresome.

-- Anonymous, age 23

12.17.2005 I am an extreme INTJ. I do what I want but follow the rules as long as they fit into my master plan.

I am obsessed with learning and don't really care what other people think about me because as long as I think I am acting rationally then I am right and they are obviously misguided.

Sometimes people think I am shy, but of course I am not. I just don't want to talk on the phone and or make small talk. I just don't like to talk. To me, small talk is stupid and pointless - I would rather just get my work done. However, like many here, I make small talk when I have to.

Yes of course we may seem a bit arrogant, but all we do is think about stuff all the time so we know what we believe and why we believe it. We don't just believe things for the sake of it - we believe them because they are logical. If I see a flaw in my thinking, I as a true intj, will of course change my opinion. But I usually think things through so completely it is hard for others to find holes in my logic. If others think that is arrogant then too bad for them. I'm too independent to care what they think anyway and too efficient to waste my time with them.

-- Sue

12.16.2005 Oh god. I kept wondering why I was so strange compared to everybody I knew. I was always the odd one out. NOBODY 'got me' except for a select few.

I thought I was nuts!

Last week, (I work in HR), a psychologist came up to me and challenged me to find my MBTI type, and I did. Im an INTJ - and how its clear why Im so 'odd'.

I think everybody else is stupid, I do not have time for small talk, Im intensely private, I can grasp abstract and reorganize complex situations fast and Im terrible at making first impressions.

Now I know.

I wish I was normal though. Like an ESFP or something.

Oh well.

-- Lena Lin, age 24, email

11.16.2005 I have tested on-line as an INTJ and Rational although I am not totally convinced. I identify with INTP,s as well. Finding this site has been a life-changing experience for me as I have lived my life feeling like an alien on my own planet.

I have never liked parties. I have always wanted to get away on my own and was called selfish for it. I suspect my family are S types. I have never had a relationship because I could not imagine anyone being on the same wavelength as me.

I could only admit that on this page. I would never be able to stand up and say I was introverted and an HSP because it so goes against the northern English culture where you are supposed to just "get on with it" and any kind of soul-searching would be regarded as "weird" and "soft". I am only just learning why that what is regarded as a "good steady job" for most people is totally wrong for me. I would like to know from the over 35's if they have managed to successfully change their careers to something more in keeping with their personalities.

-- cs, age 45 DID NOT LEAVE EMAIL ADDRESS!!!

12.07.2005 For years, as long as I can remember, I have known that I do not think and process information like everyone else. I learned to read at 3 - mostly by teaching myself. It wasn't phoenetics, I just figured it out.

Although I knew something before, I got real tangible evidence iIn 1st grade.   I listened to kids sounding out words and struggling and I thought the teacher was an idiot for teaching that method and I just couldn't understand how the kids didn't just get it. It was so painfully slow and boring that I read all the teacher prefaces in the books to amuse myself.

Most of the time in school was like that. I learned things sometimes despite what the teacher says. Often I do best with those that other students find disorganized as I find easy order in the randomness. My least favorite test questions are ;list 5 traits of an extroverted person - I actually find that a little difficult and am amazed that people can memorize such lists and spout them off. I much prefer the analysis type questions where I have to synthesize information and come up with a new idea. Or simply - if you were going to hire someone to do cold calling sales, what attributes would you look for and why?

What I have since figured out (and fairly recently at that) is that I do not process things in English. Most of my mental processing and even conscious thinking isn't in a spoken language. To switch to a verbalized language entails switching to a much slower gear - I think much faster than words. Fortunately I have learned to type really fast and can sometimes get stuff out that way.

I think what most people call intuitition is just really fast non verbal thinking. Best way I can describe it is that I think in bytes that are processing in the windows behind the one that is on the screen. I suppose that is how the guy came up with the concept of the Windows operating system. I can consciously (verbally) give a certain idea or topic over for processing and then do something completely different. Then suddenly the answer appears. What people can't understand is that for me, this type of processing is going on all the time - and I mean all the time! - on multiple levels without me being able to consciously verbalize it.

I don't really understand social niceties and etiquette - what purpose do these things really serve? However I have learned that they are important to people and will go through the motions simply because it usually makes things more smooth and efficient in the end. It is a learned skill that I have been coached on. In fact, in public you would think I am very cordial and polite - I always say please, thank you and pardon me (probably to excess) - because I know it is something that makes people happy.

The write up said my type is found in about 1% of the population. No freaking wonder that I have been feeling like an alien and that people don't get me. It's because they don't. Most people simply don't think like me. This information was so reassuring.


Growing up my mother used to say ";why do you keep to yourself ? Why don't you go spend time with the other kids? No one likes you because you are different."   I can be very personable and friendly and seem very outgoing and fun and silly - but then I have to have down time where I am not around people because I get emotional overload.

Most of my big life problems have come when I deny who I am.

I deny my intuitition - I try to conform to the norm and consciously slow my thoughts down, trying to deny the other levels

I deny my introverted nature - I try to be more outgoing, other centered. I look for external validation because that is how I am supposed to be -- because most people are that way.

All this time I thought there was something wrong with me because I thought I was different.

Now I know I am different and there is nothing wrong - in fact I was very pleased with the list of people who share my personality trait.

-- Lee, age 43, email

12.05.2005 I am definitely an INTJ. I exhibit all the tell tale traits. I sacrifice everything in the spirit of building more efficient systems and ways of doing things. I have degrees in finance and electrical engineering, but think academia is a huge farce when compared to following your own intuition and self education. I am an entrepreneur.

I am continuosly searching for new perspectives and systems/approaches that dictate the structure of other systems. Sort of like the difference between a design engineer and a business development professional. Of course, this is insight into two layers of something much broader and more multidimensional. I enjoy learning how bias due to "lack of awareness" of the next layer up of systems influences people. I discard relationships and form new ones as my own understanding evolves. I can step back and appreciate this as the ultimate learning process.

Everything I do is dictated by my existing paradigm, making it difficult (sadly I suppose) to truly experience things like love. I do attend church and feel that fellowship, community, and service are fundamental elements of acheiving this happiness. I encourage everyone to read Ben Franklin's biography, The First American.

INTJ's don't have to be introverts if connecting to other human beings fits their views -- I believe the development of human relations and comunications is the number one inhibitor to INTJ's'. Folks we are the visionaries of our time. However, without communication and influence our talents are wasted.

-- Anonymous, 30 year old male

12.05.2005 i agree with isaac newton and thomas jefferson. like newton, i do think a lot abt the wonders of the universe and like jefferson "i cannot live without books". but the ones who gave me my biggest impetus as an INTJ happens 2 b george lucas, who made star wars(although he's not on the list)

my friends never understood what makes me tick, that i'm not a clubber or a pubber, and that i prefer not 2 b told what 2 do.
i'm also very independent and as i read in depth abt the MBTI i realized i wasnt 2 blame for who i am. its just that i'm very open minded and always searchin 4 the "Infinite possibilities".

-- Calvin, age 26, email

10.26.2005 I've done this test three times in the last six months, each time getting the same, so it's definite that I'm INTJ. I was something like 83% introvert, so I'm very withdrawn, and people say I'm always off in my own little world, and that I'm a bit odd. I go into the library every afternoon and read for about an hour in the same corner. I find it a chore talking to people, and express myself much easier in writing. I really enjoy science, but I do find some things a bit restricting. I like maths and art also. I'm not very popular in school, I think they see me as a tad strange, but it's just not important to me. People just bug me most of the time - Ignorance isn't bliss for me. I can find myself obsessing and being a perfectionist. I'm quite messy sometimes, though.

I don't so much like going to school in the morning as other INTJ's do. I think it would be the social side that frustrates me. Being a thinker makes me seem a bit cold, kind of true, but I also have my head in the clouds. I've read that INTJ's can be arrogant and self confident, true also, but I'm a tad too introverted to let it show. I often find myself, in maths problems etc., creating my own ways to get the answers that work just as well, but getting told instead to do it the way I was told. People misunderstand me because I am extremely private, I don't really like making friends - too much emotional responsibility (probably also a fear of commitment).

Larnii, age 13, email

10.26.2005 It is a little different being an INTJ. Even when I was young concepts and understanding popped into my awareness without thought. It was only when I was a little older I realized other persons did not readily do this.

My intuition has served me very well & I trust it completely, and especially so in judging who to like & not like.

College was easy for me and I completed the first four years in 2 years and 9 months. My IQ is 125, and I have spent my career as a manager and analyst. I had a very successful career leading people. I am a pure INTJ.

I have had the MMPI a couple of times given by Industrial Pysychs. prior to promotions. They told me I have no mask at all, and that that is something I should be aware of. I am fairly introverted, but have learned to force myself to small talk & chat with my co-workers. I don't like to be a misanthrope & recognize I could be, so I strive now to try to small talk & be friendly at work.

When I think about people my mind flashes a very quick images of the person (usually it is of people) or thing I am thinking about. It is probably about 1/100 of a second. I was chatting with a woman at work a while back & I mentioned to her something like "my mind sends me pictures' when I am thinking", and she looked at me fairly quizzically, so I will not share that with people in the future..

I would make a good criminal if I wanted to, as I am a mastermind type person. Fortunately, I am content to be good citizen. I am a Manager in a large org.

-- Don, age 54

9.21.2005 I think I can identify with Isaac Newton the most. My views on everything are scientifical, and many people say I tend to "over-think" or "over-analyze" on many things. That, and the fact that I am going to be a psychiatrist one day. Science, medicine, and analysis rolled into one.

One of my best friends is an ISFJ. She and I happen to get along very well, except she happens to be a lot more feeling outwardly than I. Usually, I'd keep my emotions within myself until I have a chance to rant, or analyze /why/ I'm so upset over the event.

I think I'm a bright girl. Not the very smartest, but I know I'm smart enough to want to learn about things that will actually help me in my career one day.

For example, geometry. I think long-term, and I know for a fact that I am not going to use a protractor to measure some angle I happen to see.

If what I am learning will not help me achieve or help my career in many ways, I don't see the benefits of it at all. Therefore, my grade slips until I get my act together, and just go on with it, trying to get the best grade I can in that certain class.

It's refreshing to read the other INTJ comments. My parents think I'm arrogant too - But I take it as a complement, because I know I'm smart, and I don't necessarily hide that fact ashamedly.

I don't care if other people think I'm weird - they're just not thinking the way I do. =)

-- Re, age 15, email

9.21.2005 I identify with Ayn Rand! Yes she could be quite ruthless in her way but she had a mind like a steel trap. The first time I read her essay comparing The Apollo Space flight to Woodstock I was blown away by her spectacular logic.

About seven years ago I took the Kiersey Temperment Sorter test and learned I was INTJ. I took it again last week and I am still INTJ.

I think the test is correct because I do feel drained when I am around people for more than about 3 hours. I hate loud noises, clutter, bright lights and I am very sensitive to odors. I dread talking on the phone and I don't like small talk. I would rather write than talk because I can revise and refine my thoughts when I write.

I admire Ann Rand's pithiness and was delighted when I found out that she was an INTJ too. For me it is of the utmost importance that things make sense. I place a high value on logic.

Unlike Ms. Rand, I do believe in God and I am a Catholic Christian. I am a Catholic because to me it is the most logical approach to Christianity.

I was never a part of the in crowd at school. I always just had one or two girlfriends. I was only an average student although my IQ is around 117. I hated and dreaded elementary school but that might have more to do with being in a dysfunctional family than being INTJ.

When I am interested in a subject I pursue it with intensity and in depth. My interests and hobbies and the thoughts and plans about them inside my head seem to take hold of me to the point that I cannot concentrate on certain kinds of mundane tasks especially clerical work. I did clerical work for 20 years and I hated it because I never could concentrate on it and I was always losing track of what I was doing and going back to check my work and then losing track and having to start over. I wanted so much to be at home where it is quiet and cozy and my mind was my own and not rented out to some stupid business. I actually hate the business world with all the networking and pressure. I would rather focus on concepts and ideas. I have to do things my own way. When I am left alone to work out my own way of getting things done I almost always succeed. When somebody is making me do things and monitoring me I can barely tolerate it. I start to retreat inside my mind and I lose my concentration.

I work very hard toward my goals. I am organised and I am very industrious. However I am not very ambitious and I think it is because I don't want to be part of the rat race.

My only friend right now is my husband. I had some women friends in the past but I drifted away from them because I got very involved in one of my hobbies. And I always felt different from them...too serious and opinionated to really fit in.

-- MB, age 56

9.15.2005 Haha it's so comforting to find like-minded people! Just found out I'm an INTJ when prepping for a department reorganization that I'm pushing for. Isn't that typical INTJ? Nothing in the system was working. My boss is ISTJ. He wants to preserve the system, I want to tear it down and redo. Gosh I understand my frustrations so much better now

It always puzzled me as to how I was elected class rep in school when I was never among the in crowd, in fact I was far from fitting in. Now I know, I could do the job better than anyone else! :)

I love to read and learn, it's one of my biggest expenditures and the area where I'm most subject to impulse buys. You can't catch me without a book.

I do believe in God, and I was raised in a Christian family. I remember way back in my teens once thinking about the whole system of God rationally, and I came to realize that when I examined it from God's viewpoint, the whole thing actually made sense. You have to get a good grasp of His whole system and person first of course. That was, I think, a defining INTJ moment. Haha, understanding God.

I'm a couple of years out of college, and just trying to fit the world into place, understanding all the different components, and fitting it into my understanding. Last thing I want to do is settle for second-best and mediocrity or normality or whatever the other 99% do. Whatever it is, I'll stay true to myself and i'm definitely going take take the path less travelled. :)

~ Sharon age 23, , email

9.13.2005 Well, I identify with more recent people: Ensign Ro Laren Star Trek), but mostly General Jack O'Neil (Stargate SG-1).

When I learned I was INTJ a few years ago, life made more sense. I am highly creative and scientific.

I learned to cope by using my own life experiences to bridge the experiences of others. When I seal the gap, the comprehension helps me identify with people who I normally do not understand.

For the most part, I am alone. Some people say I am feared and respected, and not given the time of day. Other people say I intimidate others. None of which I intend, I am straight forward and honest.

Nothing I say or do is directed at anyone else (unless specified). I am more interested in repairing or building systems that assist with efficient use of time, human and technological resources. I pride myself as being a resource to others and the breadth of my vast knowledge is well appreciated by a select few who are not afraid of eccentric individuals.

Still what occurs is a lack of concern for my feelings from others. Since I am reserved and cool under pressure, it seems that others go out of their way to injure my feelings. When my ideas are given freely (I refrain from this activity now), credit and awards befall others. My hard work widely ignored.

I am confident and smart as well as gifted in intellect and grace, however often set aside for more emotionally manipulative individuals.

These days, I find myself asserting myself more. I am an artist, writer and presenter. I have come to the realization that I would like a legacy to leave my friends and family.

If anyone would like to view my talents, please visit me online. http://www.dlmullan.com

If you would like to assert yourself more, please do not hesitate to email me for advice.

Thank you,

DL Mullan, age 33, email

9.01.2005 I identify with most of them, but I will write mainly about Augustus Caesar, since he's the one I know best and, in fact, it was when I read that he was an INTJ that I was persuaded that I was one, too.

It always puzzled me that, in the confrontation between Octavian (later Augustus) and Mark Antony, as portrayed in films, books, plays, etc, most people seemed to identify and sympathize with Antony rather than Octavian; Octavian being regarded as cold and calculating, and Antony as spontaneous, warm, open, and putting his relationship with Cleopatra above everything else.

I, on the other hand, always identified with Augustus - sure, he did cruel things, but so did Antony. I could very easily imagine myself in Augustus's position, acting as he did. I could never see myself acting as Antony - but it seems that most people do, which indicated to me that I was different from most people.

Like Augustus, I have very few close friends that I tend to keep constant over decades. I haven't been able to find a soulmate but would really like to, while I have no need, indeed, little patience for casual relationships. I also tend to make plans for my life and career in the long term, and put reason above emotions when taking decisions about that. I am constantly trying to see trends and connect the dots in order to design my strategies - in life as in my job. Sometimes my strategies fail, but then I start again.As a consequence of that, I have a need to understand what is going on.

Romantic relationships are not very easy for me, and few things hurt me more than break-ups when I don't understand the reason - as in, she just says it's over and refuses to say why. The lack of understanding, in this cases, is for me as big a source of distress as the break-up itself. This, I have noticed, is something almost nobody seems to understand.

For me, being an INTJ means precisely this: being misunderstood as an Augustus in a world of Antonys. I have been recently told by an ESFP female friend, in an outburst, "why can't you be like everyone else, why can't you be normal?" For some time, this was a source of distress for me - not because I felt there was something really wrong with me, but because I realized that, apparently, most people thought there was.

I have learned to cope with being an INTJ by accepting that most people - especially extraverts - will never understand my way of thinking, and to compromise, in work environments at least, by acting a bit more "normal" as they put it. Among friends, I am myself; to be able to be myself is actually my definition of whether or not someone is a true friend of not (sadly, I don't think that's the case with the ESFP I mentioned).

The awareness of being a misunderstood minority is not pleasant. Yet, I'd still rather identify with Augustus than with Antony.

-- Peter, age 40

8.12.1005 It's been really interesting to find out that only 1 of 100 people are truly like me, and it makes sense. I'm not incredibly smart and I don't try very hard (it's all about efficiency), but I do think I have a deeper understanding of many things, even compared to the very smart people around me. I have no true friends but a lot of "aquaintances" too. I've never had or tried to get a girlfriend. I'm cynical, deist and agnostic despite being raised Christian, fascinated by ideas of the future, and very quiet. Some people think that I'm arrogant and overconfident as well, but I don't try to be. I hope that when I go to college (hopefully University of Michigan) that I will meet more people like myself.

Nick, age 18

8.10.2005 Psychology is fascinating stuff..if only there were less people involved. As im stil a teenager the 'thinking im right' isnt so weird but the antisocial tendancies scare my mother, and the emotional insecurities of most of my friends are a complete pain in the arse. The funny thing is i didnt even realise there were other ways to look at the world, cause i thought the INTJ is the only way, so i thought everyone i knew were idiots because they couldnt understand me. It does make logical sense though that they cant, after reading the profiles of other types im supprised they actually put up with me...well INTJS of the world, one day we'll cure cancer, now surely thats better then talking about Madonna's new kids book

VW, age 17, email

8.2.2005 Wow...after doing this Myers Brigg Test and finding my results, I've just been shocked. It's almost like someone has written a biography about me. I wouldn't say I overflow with confidence, I'm often quite hard on myself...I'm pretty pessimistic. But anyway, like other INTJ's, I'm always taking in new information and analyzing things from all different perspectives. My ex-gf used to always so I over-analyzed and didn't feel enough. Very true....everything's logical to me.

I've really had to work to develop my social abilities. I wouldn't say I'm a recluse or anything, but I'm very introverted. I can be nice, but I feel quite uncomfortable with a group of people, especially if they're not close friends. In high school and while growing up, I always wanted to be accepted by the "cool kids" but couldn't ever find anything to talk about with them. They'd chat about things, but I couldn't enjoy it...there was nothing meaninful to their conversations. I love stimulating discussions and thinking into the deeper meanings of things.

I can also be very sarcastic. I love sarcasm, but I've had lots of people think I'm being hateful when I'm sarcastic, though I'm really not. It's just my form of humor. Anyway, overall I'd say I'm an INTP and I enjoy the perks of intelligence (or what everyone says is intelligence), but I hate having to force myself to be social. Sometimes it seems life would be easier if I were less intelligent and more social. I know, I know, that may sound foolish, but the grass is always greener on the otherside.

Anyway, other INTJ's, send me an e-mail if you'd like, I'd love to talk with someone whom I know is just like me...who understands and perceives things like I do. Take it easy, everyone.

-- Jon, age 19, email

7.29.2005 Chaucer or Jung, but only vaguely. I think every INFJ tries to be uniquely different from every other INFJ even though our characteristics are all pretty much the same.

It's amazing that out of the our world population of billions, there are only 16 categories for us all to fit into. After reading through these INFJ accounts, I'm not much different from everyone else here. I majored in foreign languages and writing, and I'm pursuing my master's in Biblical counseling. How much more of an INFJ can you get? But while I used to loathe my personality, I have come to appreciate and enjoy it now. I am content with that fact that I am a closet drama queen and that I will probably always alternate between extremes. I don't know about everyone else, although I'm fairly sure it's not much different, I know that I have three distinct modes of behavior. I can be in a very friendly, helpful mode; a very contemplative, spaced-out mode; or a very ambitious, serious mode. And I switch among the three without warning. I want to be kind to everyone although I'm sure sometimes I come accross as just the opposite. I appreciate people who think on their own, but I can't stand people who try to think for me. Most people desire to distract themselves with activity, which just wears me out; I would prefer to stay alone and think about something that intrigues me. I lived my whole life just looking for one person who would just love me despite that the fact that I go ballistic or overreact or withdraw, but that is human need that all people have; no one's the exception to that. I have come to a point now where I understand man's nature from birth and throughout life to the realization of the source of evil, and why it exists, and the source of goodness. And I am satisfied as to where it is all headed in the future.

-- Chrisman,age 27

7.26.2005 I am a 33 year old hog farmer from Nebraska. I'm an INTJ with an IQ of 143. My wife is an ESFP. It's really as good of fit as I could hope for. She is an excellent mom, and more than makes up for my intentional disinterest in small details like making sure the kids get fed and bathed regularly. I am happy to belay her interest in such things as the E! Entertainment channel, celebrity gossip, and laugh track sit coms, all of which I really cant stand, as long as she doesnt insist on my shaving daily. - (I do shower and change my underwear daily:))

I'm non-religious, despite a religious upbringing. I'm generally a tightwad, though if it's important to me (few things are)I'll spend alot to get quality. Dating was a real pain in the butt for me. I always felt inept in the art of small talk, and social skills generally. This was amplified by at least a magnitude when placed in a social situation with ESF type female strangers.

Academia was not a good fit for me. Yeah I secured a college degree, but a good deal of courses, really, I just didn't care about the subject matter enough to expend the energy. I probably had a 4.0 in theoretical & applied sciences type stuff, and a 2.0 in math and more liberal arts stuff. Calculus was my bane! My learning style is more suited to self study. The internet is surely the best thing in the world!

Politically I'm a fiscial conservative and a social liberal.

Them teen years sucked, until I figured out that I need not bow to peer pressure. What a liberation when I stopped fighting my introversion.

Career choice is of major importance to the INTP I suspect. I've found one that allows maximum freedom to be the"system builder". Another life changing liberation.

My latest research involves "Peak Oil" and "cellulosic ethanol". Google peak oil, now theres a problem for a serious INTJ.

Famous INTJ's not listed here include: Donald Rumsfeld, Colin Powell, and I suspect David Gergen and James Woolsey.

-- Kevin, age 33

7.20.2005 The people who write: "I am an INTJ and I always thought I am crazy" are not true INTJs.

Real INTJ knows he is the best. By7 the way INTJs tend to certain professions, so it ispossible to have less then 100 people inteh room and several INTJs. You will not see a lot of INTJ's in a bar, wasting time - maybe one in a thousand. But in a lab, building something new and super, there could be several of them. They all independent and do not give much shit about others opinion, but they respect each other and in general people who do, not talk.

7.19.2005 I've always been the shy and quiet one. It annoys me that people still make a big deal out of my silence. I have always been viewed as bright and people tend to come to me for answers. I dislike this because I don't feel that I am too smart even though I get good grades. But I do like explaining things and being right. What INTJ doesn't? I constantly find myself daydreaming. (The reason why I still don't know my way around the city I have lived in all my life.)
In school I talk to few people and dislike small talk. It sometimes hurts people's feelings when I tell them they aren't my friend, only an acquaintance. They think that I don't like them. I find the kids that are immature and waste time to be annoying. It is also annoying when someone wastes my time.

I have heard that some people think I am arrogant...I know that I'm not. ( I can't stand arrogance!)Also, I don't like working in teams because I want things done my way and I feel that if left to others, the results would not be as good.

I don't like public speaking or being the center of any drama. I used to just refrain from talking to other people, thinking I was weird. But now I try to engage in small talk here and there and once in a while make a social appearance. I do it because I dislike all the fuss made over someone that has no social life...I do it to shut people up and make my life easier :D That's a little mean but...idiocy and mediocrity annoys me.

I believe that I have a unique way of thinking and pity others that lack it.

I am competitive and find my self striving to be the best. I like feeling accomplished and it annoys me when I feel lazy. Too bad I am lazy lol.

I'm not sure if I have any INTJ friends but I wish I did because the others' lack of understanding me really bug me. Plus, I am not interested in the same things.
It's nice to see that I am not alone!

-- Laura,, age 15, email

7.08.2005 The site you are linked to is not the original INTJ description. INTJs do NOT tell other people what to do. They are individualists. They work on their own. They are creators, inventors - not bosses or leaders. They very seldom take leadership positions and will only take leadership positions when no one else will. Also, your understanding of introversion is faulty. It's not about 'leaving me alone'. Introversion means the ability to make decisions based on an inner value system, whereas extraversion has to do with making decisions based on what other people believe. Ergo, introverts are the true leaders. Extroverts aren't leaders - they're politicians.

Oh, yes, and if there are a hundred people in the room, there will not be another person in the room that's an INTJ. There will only be you. For there to be two INTJs in a room, there needs to be 200 people in the room... Most INTJs are gifted by the way.

-- TE

7.06.2005 I have a pretty interesting story and set of circumstances. My father, mother, and brother, encompass my distant imidiate family. My mom debutes as an est-pushy, adjacent my father hailing from ist-put things where the land land. My brother resides somewhere on planet esf-pot head. I am the proud owner of a rapid-cycling bipolar disoder, which I've so eagerly inherented a generational hand me down, complements of my grandmothers schizophrenia. I thought maybe this condition has something to do with the profile itself. I wonder if anyone has done studies comparing the likehood of mental illness occuring in a given profile. I am somewhat an oxymoron, or ox like moron. I have always been althletic and jockish at first glance. I weigh a solid 230 and was quite good at football. However true to my type I quite after my freshmen year. I hated the hierarchal nature in which you were expeced to conform.

-- Garrett, age 20

7.06.2005 I Think I identify with most everyone on here....

I've taken the test so many times and I'm a INTJ... I always thought I was just crazy, for being so different than everyone else I know. It's very nice to know I'm not a total freak and there are others like me. Even if it's only about 1% of the population :)

-- Elle

7.05.2005 Discovering that I'm an INTJ has been a suprisingly helpful experince for me, just knowing there isn't something faulty with my personality. As an INTJ I've felt I've often been the target of other people's envy and jealosy. I really can't help it if I'm able to do most tasks at a highly competent level. That may sound arrogrant and many non-INTJ's would agree, but I honestly don't believe I am arrogant or smug. I actually really despise that trait in others - I'm a believer that no one has all the answers. Cockiness really gives me the s**ts too.

But to tell the truth, I'm sick of having to feel ashamed at my abilities. I have felt this for a long time, throughout school especially. From my point of view, if the other person can't deal with it, its their problem. I was reading Don Quixote recently and a quote from it says, "The more eminently virtue shines, the more it is exposed to the persecutions of envy". Often you know these things already but its good to be reminded of them every now and then. I try to give constant praise to those around me as I find it can take the edge off my alledged "superiority". If I express my dislike for something the usual response is "not good enough for you, huh?". That can be annoying at times.

I can find it difficult to generate small talk at times but I find when I do make the effort it seems to have a positive effect on the impressions others have of me. I have also been accused on being ungenerous as I rarely initiate large social gatherings. Often I just prefer the company of a few close friends who I can talk to about concrete things rather than inane chatter. Like David, I have a few close friends but many acquaintances. I prefer to work on developing these close relationships rather than having loose frienships with people I really don't have much in common with.

Romantic relationships are difficult for me also. The pressure to find a girl can be intense at times. I can sense people wonder why I don't have a girlfriend, but for me its diffcult finding someone you have a meaningful connection with and can understand my idiocyncracies. I do find I am more attracted to outgoing affectionate girls rather than opinionated intellectuals.

I set high expectations for myself with my study and am always motivated to do well. I want to live life to the full.

-- Sam, age 23

7.04.2005 [I identify with] All of them.

I took the MB test a few years ago and came out an extreme INTJ. Just like the rest of you, it explained why I'd always felt like a little bit of a misfit (but also kinda liked it).

Being an INTJ female is a particularly tricky thing. You have to be careful your decisiveness doesn't come across as bossiness because if you don't, you'll be misread a lot. I think because our emotions run deep, we tend to come across cold a lot too, which we're really not. There are dogs out here who could take loyalty lessons from most of us.

The most peculiar thing to me about being an INTJ is even though other people seem to think we're smart and are even constantly telling us how smart we are, most of us don't feel smart and don't really think we're that smart either. I know I don't.

Now that I'm getting older, my main advice to any really young INTJs out here is to become very serious about your career choices early on and pursue your goals because like it or not, our work is a very big part of our happiness. Our type desperately seems to need a feeling of achievement in meaningful work or something inside feels wasted after awhile. Also, don't ever forget that every other type out here hates unsolicited advice (yeah, like I just gave above), because we think it's discussion but they think it's critcism. Finally, smile more. None of our type smiles enough. Even Bill Gates smiles a lot now. We can do this!

-- Judy, 40s, email

7.05.2005 I identify very much with Ayn Rand. Loved the Fountainhead. It made so much sense. She is perhaps a bit extreme, a trifle callous, but I understand, because I am that way, too. I have a very low tolerance for human foibles, and am often impatient with the structures and beliefs that people take comfort from.

I don't remember exactly when I first took an MBTI test, but I have known for probably 7 years that I am an INTJ. It made perfect sense. I am a profound INTJ, and even when I was very young I understood that I had an unusual and difficult personality type, and that while it caused problems, it was no flaw. Thank goodness for that INTJ clearheadedness. It is a gift.

My life as an INTJ has been complicated somewhat by my abusive childhood. My family consists of coarse, aggressive people whose first instinct when threatened is to resort to bullying behavior. Besides the preexisting dysfunction there was the inevitable conflict and misunderstanding between the sensitive, bookish kid (me) and the obnoxious jock types (all of them). Their attitude towards me has been, by turns, bullying, mocking, or pitying, depending on how powerful they were feeling at the time, but there has never been any degree of understanding or respect. Because I was INTJ I was able to understand and dismiss them, but with the result that I grew into a distrustful and contemptuous adult, which, added to all the usual INTJ traits...well, let's just say I'm no social butterfly. But like so many others here I find it less taxing to let poorly suited friendships die than to put up with people who are always wondering what's wrong with me.

One particular problem I have had...because I was hurt so much as a child, I have a horror of hurting other people's feelings, and I tend to hide my dislike of other people with a mask of friendliness which is a little too convincing; I tend to attract people I don't like. I then have to go through a painful process of disengaging. People are often surprised and hurt by my willingness to abruptly end relationships, relationships they were having but I was only pretending to have. I have learned as I get older that that is much less fair and less kind than simply being honestly unfriendly at the start. So for those of you that have had problems because you can't force the small talk...you're doing fine. Trust me, there's no payoff. The cost of pretending is much greater than the cost of being who you are. Let it be.

I've also experienced some minor annoyances because I am black and African, and my personality places me outside of what people consider to be a cultural norm; white and black people alike are thrown off-balance by my tastes in books and music, my love of science, my hatred of hip-hop, my cold objectivism. They all irritate me with their lack of imagination. There is so much preconditioned thinking to be overcome.

I find it sad that INTJs are so uncommon, and we can expect to be mistrusted and misunderstood our whole lives. That said, I wouldn't want to be any different. It's a lonely type, but the intellectual clarity seems to me such a powerful and priceless gift. It has seen me through so much, and it certainly rescued me (to a degree) from my childhood. It also offers me access to my unfulfilled potential, because I have stayed free of the conditioned expecations that hamstring so many of my peers by the time they're in their mid-thirties. I think that INTJs are best served by the company of others like them, not exclusively, but enough to prevent the social alienation that can easily occur when everybody around you is an irritant. I am in the process of making some life changes that I expect will make my social life easier. The future looks good; do not allow yourself to be boxed in by others' perceptions. Chances are, yours are closer to the truth.

-- Mara, age 34, email

7.05.2005 I identify most with Jefferson because of his classical liberal views.

First of all I should say that my personality tests are split pretty evenly between intj/intp. I'm disorganized like an intp but I definitely have the confidence of an intj. I also identify more with famous intjs than intps. Unlike other introverts I am very good at making friends and I love giving presentations to a large and sometimes hostile audience, I just prefer to be alone and away from the vast majority of sheeple.

-- Horatio, age 21, email

6.16.2005 [I identify with] All of them.

I recently took the test and haven't stopped thinking about it. I've asked a lot of people to take it as well and the results are very amusing.

I'm the only INTJ that I work with, however both of my closest friends are INTJ's. We spend lots of time, in doors, just discussing things, ideas, why's, how's...it's amazing to read the descriptions of an INTJ. They're so accurate to who I am.

Currently my job is implementing a new system for a huge project. I've been told by my boss that I have a "problem with authority" and that they have a system and I should just "fit into it" but I see all these holes and wastes of time and energy and it's killing me to just keep my mouth shut.

I just wish I could pass around the INTJ profile to everyone and say "Here, this is why I should be putting together the workflow!"

I don't think that would work, in fact, I think INTJ's probably find the test and it's results more interesting than the other personality types because it again gives us another system to analyze and discuss. The other "A-Ha" moment I've had (as Oprah would say) is that people always tell me "You're over analyzing that" or "You're thinking too much about it". Now I know, No...they're not analyzing it enough. They're not thinking about it.

It's fascinating...now I need to stop reading about INTJ's and start making sense of the other people in the world!

-- Paul. age 28

6.16.2005 Hey INTJ'ers. I've done a couple of tests now & i'm pretty definate that i'm an INTJ. One thing i'd find interesting though is how other INTJ's construct their belief system. Being an INTJ there is a tendancy to rebel against beliefs that are not logical. And most INTJ's would probably rebel against their parents beliefs if they don't stand up to scrutiny. One thing I find interesting however it that Christianity can stand up to what I throw at it, this is coming from a Christian family. No INTJ has to throw away logic with religion. For example C.S. Lewis was also an INTJ if any other INTJ's are interested. I don't mind what you say, cos i'm to independant ;)

-- Peter, age 19

6.15.2005 I have so much trouble sometimes. I become heavily absorbed in my hobbies/ideas. It seems like since childhood people have treated me like I don't know what I'm talking about because they don't like what I'm saying. This angers me more than anything. Somehow people always percieved me as being mean when I was younger. Even though I never meant to be. I have very few friends. I usually just hang out with a couple friends from early childhood and thats it. I'm not going to college so it's hard to find smart people to hang out with. Even when I do, I hang out with them a few times and then move on to someone else. I don't stick with the same group of friends for long.

It drives me crazy when people don't act, and fail to make a decision quickly. I don't understand how I can come to decisions fast and others can't. I become very absorbed in my thoughts. I find small talk not too dificult since I'm trying to figure people out. I just ask questions and let them do the talking. It use to be very difficult for me. I still don't understand people. I find most of my assumptions of them are wrong. I have yet to find a person that wants to really get to know me. Or maybe I'm oblivious to them. Could be either or. I'm constantly trying to figure myself out. Who am I and what am I capable of. Thats one recurring question out of thousands. I'm either silent or very talkative. It seems like there's no in between no matter what I am doing.

Sometimes my thoughts are too fast even for myself. I don't know why I'm percieved so differently. I just keep going and like to have fun. Abstract thoughts excite me. I love to work on my golf swing. And I love math and science. Some day I want to teach myself math, but right now its all about my golf swing.

I try not to be arrogant yet I feel like people see me as so.

I am a manager at a local car wash. Although I don't like to tell people what to do, I find it very satisfying. I like to be in control. I guess because that means nobody is in control of me. I feel like I have to succeed not because I want to, but because I have a deep fear of losing control. I hear this voice inside me saying "you're not going to control me". I've never really thought about it until now. But I have a deep fear of not being in control. I think it's a mix of nature/nurture. I'm not going to go into details about my childhood, but I can see things a little clearer about myself now. Things are still a little blurry but they're clearing up. I just like to talk about ideas. I think I'm going to go and buy a few Ayn Rand books tomorrow.

-- Jason, age 20, email

6.06.2005 I identify with the other INTJ's in practicing smalltalk to meet people and blend in. Social networking is important, and even if the emotional needs aren't met by the conversation itself, other things can be accomplished. I also have had a hard time with girls, particularly the ones who don't take the time to get to know me first. I also appreciate nature and quietude.

Yeah, we're about 1% of the population. After reading all I could about INTJ's and their tendancies, I couldn't imagine a closer fit for me. Im also a recovering alcoholic, 130 IQ, estranged from most all family, etc. I can't help but judge and criticize the emotionally needy, loud mouthed, talkative people. Get away, you hoosier!

We are system builders who look for a greater understanding, a bigger picture. Buddhism and eastern philosophy, along with the I-Ching, have helped immensely. Karma, reincarnation, 99.99% of the population in a confused state of self-induced suffering? It makes sense to me, and regular meditation takes me"out of my head" and into a more natural state. Im my calm and aware state after meditation, I'm probably even LESS likely to talk to people, but when I do my words carry more weight and meaning. Meditation also helps me think and notice things that would have been otherwise overlooked.

Relationships are a hard thing for me. As I said earlier, girls who really got to know me and my loving side, were interested or (in the case of them being a girlfriend) attatched. The dozens of girls who only saw me on a superficial level, wrote me off as someone
not worth their time.

We shouldn't judge people so much, in extreme cases try to see others as a sick relative. People can be ignorant and stupid, as any history book will remind you. Just remeber, they have a lot of suffering and rebirths to endure before reaching "maturity".

-- James, age 20, email

6.5.2005 I have a very good suggestion about what you should
add. Try to get more extroverts talking about thier experiences with introverts so we have a better idea of how the outside world views us. I think that would be helpful.

I am an INTJ.

I loved school and learning especially math and science. I did not like poetry classes where i had to anyalize poems in front of other students. I often would walk alone in the field in elementary school,
cause I did not really fit in with the other students who played football or pogs or whatever. I remember in first grade I was thinking by a tree during recess and lost track of time and did not notice that me
class had left. I went back to class only to discover they were not there. The whole school had an assembly and I had to walk into what seemed a huge cafteria with hundreds of staring eyes.

As a kindergardner I remember being frustrated with the useless crap we were learning about cutting and pasting and coloring. When I was five I wanted to learn about how lasers worked. Also at that age I wanted to win the Nobel prize.

I also remember one day in the playground being sad that I would not be able to learn everything in my lifetime!

In highschool I went to a charter school in Arizona based on a catholic private school in Indiana. It had a liberal arts perspective and their favored choice of learing is the Socratic Method. Many of the classes had 30% or more of your grade based on in class
discussion. This was a nightmare for me since I preffer lectures and listening to a discussion rather than putting my input in since I prefer to say something intelligent. It was very frustrating going to this school because I often felt stupid when I knew that I was not. I would even do my best to participate, but it still was not good enough for these teachers. It has been three years since this high school and I still feel a lot of resentment for this school and particular teachers. Since learning about my peronality type, I have come to grips with the fact that to the outside world I am differnt. So things are good.

I think that being an introvert, people tend to underestimate our abilities, especially when we seem reserved and quiet cause "there just be something wrong with quiet people". but my opinion is that results always speak for themselves.

-- Michael E.

?.2005 I should have known I was an INTJ when, after taking the Myers Briggs test prior to one of these corporate training courses, I walked in late. The teacher said I had to be either "Person A" or "Person B". I replied "yes". The instructor laughed and said she immediately knew who I was, as "noone else would answer that specifically".

They said I tested as THE most analytical person in THE most analytical organization their firm had ever tested. Wowser. And I'm a female--plus I was TOTALLY oblivious of this aspect of my personality. Such benign emotional ignorance is probably typical INTJ.

Here is my own quiz to determine if you are indeed an INTJ:

1. Are airport security lines your most teeth gnashing scene of frustration, due to the mindless incompetence and inefficiency?

2. Do you find strangers coming up to you in train stations and other public places to help them solve their bollixed up predicaments?

3. Is your laughter delayed about 1-2 seconds from the crowd, while the joke meanders through an additional 10 miles of neurons?

4. When on vacation do you find yourself pondering various contingency plans, such as ways to "split the passports and wallets in multiple hiding places", in the event of remote yet possible muggings? Do you think the GPS navigational devices to be THE greatest invention ever?

5. Do your closest friends sometimes look at you like you've seen them naked, just because you have voiced some insight into their minds and motivations? Have you learned to keep these observations to yourself so you don't scare people off?

If you answered "Yes!" then you too are an INTJ.

Take hope, I have been highly successful, particularly in work (investment banker).

But I would advise that you do need to get enough education and to find an analytical field where you are appreciated. Otherwise you could be characterized as a "loose canon" or "voice in the wilderness".

Also, do take the time to convince yourself of the importance of good grooming and social skills. An INTJ can do anything once convinced of its expediency--and there is good reason to "play the game": You get to make sure things are done the "right" way! What INTJ joy!

I have also been lucky enough to have several very great long lasting friendships, much deeper than most people. (I will always value a single deep friendship to broad popularity.)

It shocks me to reach middle age and find that I am recognized as a leader, respected, and a role model for younger women. Also I have also managed to achieve a fair bit of popularity (at least for me) but no Homecoming Queen by any means. But mostly through being steadfast, honest and having a good sense of humor.

So my point is: INTJ's aren't oddballs. In love, well, in love I am truly humbled. I am in some ways a complete incompetent in love. And the emotional incompetence is particularly shocking compared to my intellectual competence I think. I do have great love, loyalty and insight--but I simply canNOT understand flirting, the "chase", love power struggles, etc. Its a foreign language for me, I am at sea. I find myself studying movies to observe flirting behavior--as if I was an alien species watching a documentary!!! But, in spite of this handicap, my loves are great, deep and very intense. Sort of esoteric too--but remember what the sexiest organ of the body is...

My divorce nearly killed me, and virtually no one had the insight to even recognize it. My ex- husband realized my complete vulnerability in the area of emotions and took cruel pleasure in annihilating me there. I was totally defenseless. Even my parents have never grasped this....they mistook my silence for strength.

-- FB, age 45

6.28.2005 gosh, reading this is sort of like a personal epiphany. i always thought i was something of a pariah, not in the bad or egotistic sense but simply as someone who was 'detached' and slightly skewed from the plane of reality. i read up on a few intj descriptions and i think i now know why.

Not that I want to revel in it; on the contrary it's just good to see so many 'similar' people discussing their experiences, so similar to mine too. And it sort of helps me come to grips with why I had so much trouble in the boring classes, why I frequently got into trouble with undedicated if easy teachers, why I excelled only in the hard and challenging classes.

Not to mention why I'm so steadfast and resolute in my beliefs despite my parents' urgings. I never thought of myself as stubborn, though I suppose I am 100% stubborn. And there I go again using 'I' so much: typical of INTJ. Good reading this and it's given me something (else) to think about before nodding off.

P.S. Is it just me or are you/we all unusually articulate :)

okay.computer@gmail.com

5.26.2005 I can identify with a lot of Ayn Rand's ideas as well as Ike's vision and planning abilities.

I always felt I was different, but in a good way. I've never really felt that I completely fit in, but I sort of like it that way. Everytime I think about why it is that I don't exactly fit into some group, I come back to the idea that there are some aspects of the way other people do things that I don't (and won't) agree with. As I've gotten older though, I've learned to see the good in everything and see both sides of a story, even if I don't agree with one (or both) of them. I've always thought of myself as smart and I'm always getting told that I'm smart. To be honest, I like being smart BUT I don't think I'm really smarter than anyone else necessarily. My thoughts are just more organized and I spend more time thinking about things from many different angles, points of view, and in light of many different potential outcomes. I am really good at making connections between seemingly unconnected things and events. This is sort of a hobby for me in a way.

-- Dave, age 37

5.26.2005 Well I took the humourous quiz "What evil villian are you" ; and came up with Hannibal Lecter. The thing is I didn't know I was an INTJ at the time. The irony now is that he has a INTJ profile, talk about a strange way to confirm my personality type!

5.16.2005 As an INTJ I often felt odd in high school. I have never had more than a few good friends at one time. Granted, I may know many more people, but I don't consider most my friends... usually aquaintences. This made me feel bad at times. If I had only considered my point of view i was perfectly fine. However, I didn't want other people to think I was a nerd.

Most of the friendships I have last MANY years. I am still good friends with my first friend from elementary school. We have known eachother for 16 years now. The friends I had I really enjoyed being around. But I now realize many of my friends from high school and below greatly contrasted my personality. That is okay though.

I have identified with many people on this form. Andy, I especially IDed with you. As we are both males in our early twenties (presumably in college), there is lots of pressure to find that girl. I have only had 1 official girl friend - that was in 11th grade. At the time I had thought I loved her, but in the end she just wasn't my type. I was then sure that there prolly weren't any girls out there for me.

Later in college I found one of the cooles people I have met (a girl too) - an ENTP. We hit it off really well. I had learned so many things from her. It is a major turn on for someone to send my mind reeling on some crazy idea. At any rate, I don't think she saw this. Well, she did but at a different time then i did. But at the same time she found it necessary to date 4 other guys at the same time. However, I discarded this . Things were always strange though be cause she loved to go out an socialize, while I could be happy sitting in my room staring at the wall.

To cut this long story down, here is the end. She sends me a letter say ing how much she misses me (she was counceling at a camp far away). She tells me how she admires some of my favorit characteristics about myself. I am in awe.

Next, I send her a letter trying to display my own affections for her. I dropped the I love you bomb. I never hear from her again. I had tried calling her but no answer. We had passed eachother at school, but we have to ignore eachother now, and I do'nt know why.

So bohoo, whats my point right? Well, I had to tell the story to explain this part of my personality. I had a really hard time letting go of that "relationship". In fact I still ocassionally write about it in my journal. I would have preffered her to just call me and cus me out and she's afraid of relationships. Is that so hard to ask? AT least I would know what was up. However, the way she ended it i have no knowledge of what the hell I did wrong. I could not stop analyzing the possibilities of what I did wrong.

For me, knowing something is/was wrong and NOT knowing the how to solve it causes much anguish (on anything, not just relationships). I have lost much sleep because I could not stop persuing some sort of information.

Sometimes I have rather strange ideas that I feel obligated to carry out.

Someone mentioned enjoying activities that could be dangerous - mosh pits I believe was the specific example. I have at times wondered how I can go so crazy at concerts when I can be so reserved on normal occasions. I have crowd surfed and moshed before. I also enjoy rock climbing (which really isn't dangerous, but it sounds like it is).

Like everyone else here, I HATE small talk with a passion. However, I do participate in this for several reasons. 1) People wont think I'm wierd. 2) They will be more likely to listen to my ideas later. 3) networking with people can be beneficial

Contrary to what some people have said I can enjoy being around extroverts. My best friend is an ENFP. AS I am usually a man of few words, he is able to fill in what might otherwise be awkward moments. I do'nt see the point of hanging out with someone if there is lots of silence. He is one of the few people that actually does understand me. We fead off eachothers creative energy. He has made me a more rounded person. He has helped me learn to watch people, and interpret their emotions.

It seems like I have typed a lot. Maybe this box is just very small. I would say sorry for the long post, but I read this entire page without thinking twice. If y'all are the same way then the length prolly won't matter.

The closing note. I have become obsessed with MBTI types. It has been my saving grace for realizing why people "act so irrationally" sometimes. I have sort of accepted that some people just talk meaningless drivel whether I like it or not. MBTI has helped clarify who I am, but I try not to let the MBTI define who I am (subconciously).

I have really enjoyed reading of everyone's though processes. I have always wanted to read the inside of another INTJs mind. I believe writing allows one to externalize ones internal thoughts - that is the thoughts we would not speak. That is why I keep a journal - to read my own thought process on a specific date.

I have a need for extrordinary adventrure to actually taste life.

-- David, age 21 email

5.6.2005 I've only done a few personality tests recently from different websites, and all of their results concur I'm an INTJ.

Reading descriptions of this type from different sources, I'm even more convinced I'm an INTJ. It helps me understand why often I seem to be able at being in charge or undertaking any task better than some people (and this seemingly arrogant statement is just so typical of an INTJ, no?) It's not like I look down on other people, nor do I like assuming authority (although I'm a very responsible and reliable person). But so often I seem to be able to remember little details others tend to discard so easily, hungry for knowledge in topics others see dull or too meaty, and be able to process my thoughts and ideas into concrete actions with as much rationality and as little emotional interference as possible. I'm also a very nitpicky person, my office desk is always organized (in my own way), and if someone messes with the order of things I put on my desk I can get very upset, though it doesn't show and I'd just put them back where they belong earlier.

When I was in school, I also strived to excel in the subjects I liked and always set high standard for myself that whenever I told my friends the test score I got was not good enough even if it was near perfect they'd just thought I tried to show off even though I simply meant I could have done better.

However, I think my INTJ personality is only a recent phenomenon. I could easily see my childhood self as some other types that were more emotionally needy and insecure. However as I grew up, I've learned from different experiences that being emotional is irritating and it interferes with the future "me" I wanted to become, so I observed other people and learned about their mistakes so that I would never repeat them, and in the process become less in touch with my emotional side as I believe it is the impediment to seeing things clearly and objectively.

Hence I'm very detached when giving any opinions concerning concepts that I should have related myself to including gender equality and such (I'm a self-promoted feminist, but I regard feminist movements poorly because doing so would just reiterate their inferiority complex by asking for their rights from the men).

I think my "I don't give a s*** attitude" about other people is the result from my family upbringing as well as I'm the eldest daughter, and ever since my little sister was born when I was 5 everyone in my family just seemed to act as if I should know how to take care of myself, so I did and become more internally focused about myself and the goings-on around me.

Gradually other people's comments or advice seem to mean little to nil as long as I can pursue my goals and feel exhilarated of my own accomplishments. Meaning, I'll use whatever means needed to archieve my goals even if it means using people. It doesn't mean I don't appreciate their contributions but since I'm not good at expressing my feelings, they may feel underappreciated or that I haven't thanked them enough.

This is also why the emotionally needy people would annoy me to no end because I can't sufficiently resp