October 21, 2009
Today, I was reminded about my personality type. I took The Sixteen Types personality test this summer with my room and Candice’s room at Beach Project. I remember getting my results and being baffled by how accurate the description of my personality type sounded. I was an INFP (Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Perceiving) and more specifically, fell under the category of Healer. I think what amazed me the most was that I felt like a piece of paper out of a book was telling me more about myself than I was able to realize after 21 years of living it. Unfortunately, the whole analysis can’t be found online, but part of it can. I kind of wanted to walk around with this information in my pocket like a User’s Manual: A Guide to Working Your Brand New Sarah Kirsten Rose Bateman.
INFP: (Healer)
This personality type has a high capacity for caring and a high sense of honor derived from internal values. Healer Idealists are abstract in thought and speech, cooperative in striving for their ends, and informative and introverted in their interpersonal relations. Healers present a seemingly tranquil, and noticeably pleasant face to the world, and though to all appearances they might seem reserved, and even shy, on the inside they are anything but reserved, having a capacity for caring not always found in other types. They care deeply-indeed, passionately-about a few special persons or a favorite cause, and their fervent aim is to bring peace and integrity to their loved ones and the world.
INFPs generally have the following traits:
•strong value systems
•warmly interested in people
•service-oriented, usually putting the needs of others above their own
•Loyal and devoted to people and causes
•Future-oriented
•Growth-oriented; always want to be growing in a positive direction
•Creative and inspirational
•Flexible and laid-back, unless a ruling principle is violated
•Sensitive and complex
•Dislike dealing with details and routine work
•Original and individualistic—“out of the mainstream”
•Excellent written communication skills
•Prefer to work alone and may have problems working on teams
•Value deep and authentic relationships
•Want to be seen and appreciated for who they are
Healers have a profound sense of idealism derived from a strong personal morality, and they conceive of the world as an ethical, honorable place. Indeed, to understand Healers, we must understand their idealism as almost boundless and selfless, inspiring them to make extraordinary sacrifices for someone or something they believe in. The Healer is the Princess of the fairytale, the King’s Champion or Defender of the Faith, like Joan of Arc.
Healers are found in only one percent of the general population, although, at times, their idealism leaves them feeling even more isolated from the rest of humanity. Healers seek unity in their lives, unity of body and mind, emotions and intellect, perhaps because they are likely to have a sense of inner division threaded through their lives, which comes from their often unhappy childhood. Healers live a fantasy-filled childhood, which, unfortunately, is discouraged or even punished by many parents. In a practical-minded family, required by their parents to be sociable and industrious in concrete ways, and also given down-to-earth siblings who conform to these parental expectations, Healers come to see themselves as ugly ducklings. Other types usually shrug off parental expectations that do not fit them, but not the Healers. Wishing to please their parents and siblings, but not knowing quite how to do it, they try to hide their differences, believing they are bad to be so fanciful, so unlike their more solid brothers and sisters. They wonder, some of them the rest of their lives, whether they are OK. They are quite OK, just different from the rest of their family-swans reared in a family of ducks. Even so, to realize and really believe this is not easy for them.
Deeply committed to the positive and the good, yet taught to believe there is evil in them, Healers can come to develop a certain fascination with the problem of good and evil, sacred and profane. Healers are drawn toward purity, but can become engrossed with the profane, continuously on the lookout for the wickedness that lurks within them. Then, when Healers believe that they have yielded to an impure temptation, they may be given to acts of self-sacrifice in atonement. Others seldom detect this inner turmoil, however, for the struggle between good and evil is within the Healer, who does not usually feel compelled to make the issue public.
Healers are keenly aware of people and their feelings, and relate well with most others. Because of their deep-seated reserve, however, they can work quite happily alone. When making decisions, Healers follow their heart, not their head, which means they can make errors of fact, but seldom of feeling. They have a natural interest in scholarly activities and demonstrate, like other Idealists, a remarkable facility with language. They have a gift for interpreting stories, as well as for creating them, and thus often write in lyric, poetic fashion. Frequently, they hear a call to go forth into the world and help others, a call they seem ready to answer, even if they must sacrifice their own comfort.
In their mating role, Healers have a deep commitment to their vows. They are loyal to their mates. They like to live in harmony and go to great lengths to avoid interpersonal conflict. They are sensitive to the feelings of their mates and enjoy pleasing them, although they may have difficulty in expressing interest and affection openly or directly. They are likely to want a mate who won’t shrink from their expansive imagination. They are often attracted to those whom others have over-looked, given the Healer’s rare ability to see the positive qualities that lie beneath the surface. They cling to their dreams, and often find it difficult to reconcile a romantic, idealized concept of conjugal life with the realities of everyday living with another person. Even at the best of times, they seem fearful of too much marital bliss, afraid that the current happiness may have to be paid for with later sacrifices. They devil is sure to get his due if one experiences too freely of happiness, or, for that matter, of success, or beauty, or wealth, or knowledge. This almost preconscious conviction that pleasure must be paid for with pain can cause a sense of uneasiness in INFPs when they marry; they may feel they must be ever-vigilant against invasion, and can therefore have trouble relaxing in the happiness of mating.
These reserved and soft-spoken Advocates are fierce protectors of home and family—their home is indeed their castle. As parents, they are devoted to the welfare of their children, treating them with great sympathy, and adaptability. In the routines of daily living, they tend to be flexible, even compliant with their mate’s ideas of discipline, and thus are easy to live with. They will often give their children a voice in family decisions—until their vale system is violated. Then they dig in their heels and will not budge from their ideals. Life with a Healer parent will go harmoniously along for long periods until an ideal is stepped on. Then they will resist and insist.
INFPs live their lives focusing on their values. They know what is important to them and protect this at all costs. Their values focus on the optimistic versus the pessimistic, although they are often conscious of the negative. To understand the INFP is to understand their cause. They can work tirelessly toward a cause that deems worthy. They will quietly let others know what is important to them, and rarely will they give up on their purpose. They will go along with the crowd, sometimes even letting decisions be made for them, until someone violates their value system. Then they will dif their heels into the ground and will speak up for their feelings, insisting their values be followed.
INFPs are withdrawn and are sometimes hard to get to know. Some may view them as shy. But those who take the time to get to know them will find them warm and gentle, with a surprising sense of humor. They care deeply for those they consider special friends. Putting forth unusual sacrifices to help such individuals. They often have a subtle, tragic motif running through their lives—inner pain and unease which others seldom detect.
INFPs are creative and constantly seeking out new possibilities. They have a gift with language and usually will express this by means of writing. Their intuitive preference supplies the imagination and their feeling preference giving them the need to communicate. They are gifted at interpreting symbols—being drawn to metaphors and similes. Because of these gifts, they often write in lyric fashion.
INFPs work must be more than just a paycheck; it must be fun and must contribute to something that is important to their values. To be the most productive, they need a sense of purpose behind their job. They often have to look at the large picture in order to see how specific programs fit in. They are adaptable to changes and to new ideas. They work well with other being conscious of others’ feelings and relating with most, though not always vocally. They like to work with others who are cooperative and who share their same set of values. They strive for harmony and dislike conflict.
INFPs treasure their privacy and may keep a lot to themselves. They need time and space for reflection. Others usually get along well with them, although they may not know them intimately. INFPs may not always be organized. They may tend to lose things or forget appointments. Only when they see the importance of organization in a task, will they strive to work at it in an organized way to get it done. They can be extremely patient with complicated issues, but may become impatient with routine and details.
INFPs strive for perfection, and this is especially the case when using their feeling preference. They may have trouble finishing a project, because they never find it is good enough. Even when the project must be finished, they may feel the need to go back and improve on it later.
Reluctantly, INFPs may accept leadership roles. They lead with their values being their guide. They do not aggressively lead people, but rather work with people to develop their talents and to independently achieve their goals. They have a hard time criticizing others, but will try to motivate them by their appreciation and praise. When conflicts arise, they avoid directly approaching the situation, but would rather wait for the others to work out the situation themselves.
INFPs view leisure activity as very important. However, they may have difficulty separating it from work. If they have a special skill they use at work, they may use this skill in their leisure time to help friends, family, or those in need. When they are interested in pursuing a new leisure activity, they may spend a great deal of time researching this activity. Many INFPs enjoy activities that are done alone such as reading, listening to music, or gardening. This gives them the opportunity for reflection and meditation. They may also enjoy social activities with those they feel close to. When they want to be social, they can be outgoing, charming and quite funny, making them a pleasure to have around.
Because they are reserved, they may be over-looked. But to those that know them, they have a view into their warmth and concern and their deep commitments to their values.
You can take the test here.
