I.N.F.P. – An idiosyncratic dreamer with a strong imagination

Today, at the suggestion of one of the guys I work with – I took the 16 Personalities quiz for a bit of fun. It’s essentially one of those Myers Briggs Personality Indicators. Reading the results I wasn’t particularly surprised that I turned out to be an INFP, classified as a Diplomat (due to having the NF combo). In fact I probably could have just looked at what each personality aspect was and I would have chosen exactly each aspect as the quiz results determined.

In fact previous posts have established that I’m

• (I) Introverted : I find socialising very exhausting, and I need plenty of alone time.
• (N) Intuitive: I have an imagination that runs wild, and I’m typically a dreamer
• (F) Feeling: I’m sensitive, empathic, and highly emotional

I’m not sure if I’ve written any posts about the last aspect (P) Prospecting yet, but it will definitely come up sooner or later. I would have to agree to being this aspect as: I am terribly indecisive and good at improvising. I pride myself on being flexible; always preferring to keep my options open.

And the diplomat part – well I usually tend to be a fence sitter. I tend to worry more about hurting a persons feelings so I am very reluctant to make judgement calls. And I can usually find redeeming qualities in even the most unpleasant person or situation (much to the chagrin anyone who is venting to me about said person/situation!).

It seems with my INFP personality type that I keep good company among some of my favourite authors: George Orwell, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, A.A. Milne, Edgar Allen Poe, Hans Christian Andersen, William Shakespeare, George R.R. Martin.

Maybe it’s little wonder that I love writing as much as I do! I only wish I were half as talented as the above mentioned folk.

Putting myself into this little box of letters, while a fun and interesting exercise, leaves me at a loss as to what to do with the information. I typically don’t put much stock into personality tests. In fact I got downright annoyed when I legit had to do a different one for work earlier this year (or was it late last year? I can’t remember.)

It makes me think of that end scene of Dirty Dancing where Patrick Swayze tells Jerry Orbach “Nobody puts Baby in a corner”. I feel like saying “Nobody puts Karlee into a personality type”. I kind of see it like star signs and horoscopes – keep it general enough and you can get it to apply to you, and everyone else you know.

That said an INFP personality type seems to suit me remarkably well, but it’s not really a type that’s conducive to success in relationships is it?

A question or two, if you care to answer: whats your Myers Briggs personality type? Do you think it suits you, or do you think you another type is a better fit?