Myers Briggs

I have recently been reading Please Understand Me II by David Keirsey. The book goes into great detail about the 16 different personality types that the Myers Briggs test has defined. I am fascinated by peoples personality's -- by learning more about them, I feel like I have a secret tool that helps me to better relate, understand, and work with other people.

I found out about this book because I was once complaining to my counselor that I always feel misunderstood. Throughout my life, people have always given me that look of, "I think I get what you are trying to say, but I am not exactly sure." One of the reasons I love Kyle so much is that he really does translate Emilyese into everyday English for other people.

My counselor explained that the population is made up of four different Myers Briggs letter combinations. These are the percentages of the population that are each group:
40% SJ
40% SP
10% NT
10% NF

I am an ENFP and am only 10% of the population. The NTs are also only 10% but they don't really care that they are different from everyone else (they are interested in Sciences, Technology and Systems -- think of the stereotypical Georgia Tech grad with a pen protector).

I am very intuitive so not only do I notice the small facial expressions that people give when they don't understand what I am talking about, but the fact that I am different really bothers me too.

As I was reading more about my personality, I felt like the author must be living in my brain.

Some aspects that are verbatim from the book and felt like they were written just for me:
--I hate disagreements and disputes set me on edge

--I am concerned with others feelings of self worth

--I am a keen and penetrating observer of the people around me

--"While they are apt to be passionate in pursuit of their beliefs, they can also appear to be intellectual and emotional butterflies, flitting from idea to idea, from person to person, or from cause to cause, dilettantes in their pursuit of meaning and authenticity." p. 134

--"They, more than any other type, go through life feeling misunderstood, unknown, mistaken for the roles they are forced to play by social reality." p. 145

--I wander. In fact, the saying I have adopted for my life is, "Not all who wander are lost." I laugh whenever I hear about people making a plan for the trajectory of their life. I am sure it works well for them but I would not do well with something like that. I never would have put Live in Brussels or Move Back to Atlanta on my trajectory but they sure have turned out to be wonderful experiences that fell into my lap. I am a firm believer that God has a wonderful plan for me life. I just need to float along and keep doing what I am doing and He will open the doors and gently nudge me where I need to go.

And the point that has helped me the most is, "NFs cannot not be personal." It is impossible for me to have a conversation about business or politics. (This is especially ironic considering my husband's job). No matter what a discussion is about, I will eventually bring it back to a personal exchange, an interpersonal relationship or something that has to do with people.

But my absolute favorite thing that I have learned about myself is that I am, "largely disinterested in such things as domestic maintenance, savings accounts, life insurance and even read cash." Now I don't have to feel bad for having such a dirty house -- it is just part of my personality!