INFP or ISTJ

[Morgain]

Hi guys I'm back with a question

I usually type as INFP but I'm starting to wonder if I'm not an ISTJ instead. I know they almost seem like opposites but they share the same cognitive functions

INFP: FiNeSiTe
ISTJ: SiTeFiNe

In my spare time I seem to act more like an INFP while at work, when I'm in the outside world, I act more like an ISTJ.

At work I'm organized. I need to have a clear outline of what I have to do. If I don't know what is expected of me, how can I do a good job? I like new experiences and learn new things but they also scare me. If I'm thrown in a new situation without clear guidance I tend to stress out and become even more organized and scheduled. I like to make charts, tables, graphts. When things are getting to complex, charts help me to make things clearer, see patterns, find loopholes, ... At work I'm appreciated for my organization skills
But as much as I'm organized in the outside world, as messy I am in my private life. My head is a mess, I don't like to be tied to schedules or obligated tasks. Unless things are getting out of hands. For instance when I have so many appointments to remember, only then will I start to write them down in an agenda. But as soon as things are manageable again, I'll spontaneously stop keeping an agenda.

Lenore says that introverted judgers are organized on the outside and messy on the inside while perceivers are the opposite. She also says that the secondary function is something we can only use when we put our minds to it but we tend to be good at it. For me then Te would be my secondary function and I would be a judger --> ISTJ


INFP's are considered to be creative and a bit eccentric. I'm not at all. I like to think that I'm creative, but I'm really not. I'm a scientist but at work I'm not known for my creativity, thinking outside the box, intuition, ... in the contrary, I'm known for my consistency, accuracy, reproducibility. I would do an experiment at least twice before making conclusions. I want to be sure that the experiment was done in a proper way before I can trust the results, and even then.

INFP's are considered to be intuitive, to know when something is good or wrong. I thought I had that quality too but lately I'm wondering if I not just misunderstood the concept. I can sense when something is off but it seems like I know this because it is different from past experiences. In that case my sense don't come from my intuition but from Si. I compare the current situation with past similar situations and notice the differences. I think in one way I like the world to be predictable. I collect experiences to know in the future what I can expect and how to react when a similar situation appears. This mostly counts for stressfull situations when I'm expected to react in a certain way: job interviews, interaction with collegues, taking the plane, ...

On the other hand Si dominants are considered to be walking databases. I'm not like that, not at all, I have a terrible memory, I don't like facts for facts, I can't remember names, details or make a perfect recollection of an event. I rather remember how I felt, smelled, images that I can put together and rebuilt the situation from scratch. They are also considered to put themselves to a goal, a hobby and go for it completely. I don't put that much of effort in things. I have had so many hobbies and I'm moderate good in all of them but there is not a single hobby or goal that can adsorb all my attention and energy. I would be affraid to miss things. There are so many things to do, to see, to learn that I wouldn't like to pin myself down to only one of them. So that would make me not an ISTJ

INFP's are considered to be highly idealistic and have a strong opinion about what is good and wrong. I was like that when I was little, had a huge sense of justice and will to improve the world. Now not so much anymore. I also believe that you can't pin down what is good or bad. there are always two sides to a coin. Something can be good for one person but bad for an other. Every story has many viewpoints and I like to explore all of them instead of pin myself down to one of them. It is better to be open minded.


an other reason for me to think I'm not ISTJ is that I don't like rules as much as ISTJ's. Rules are only there to make the world more manageable but that is it. I can make rules for others to follow but I have a hard time imposing them on others. I would never say "you have to do this because it is the rule", I would rather say "I want to remind you that the rules say that you have to do this because these and these reasons, but it is your choice to follow it or not. If I don't see a clear, valid reason for a rule, I'm not likely to live by it.

And also ISTJ's are considered to be not so emotional while I'm really really emotional and sensitve and I take everything personal. I can get hurt by almost anything and I cry for almost anything. My life seems to be built around my emotions. The INFP child is exactly who i was when growing up while the ISTJ child is not. ISTJ child likes practical information, I like more theory. They are more handson while I like fantasy. They like non-fictional books while I get lost in a fantasy story...

the only pattern I can see is that I tend to be more organized/controling (Te) and linger on the past (Si) when I'm in stressful and unknown situations but in situations where I feel secure I'm more inclined to be open minded and stand up for human rights. can it be that I'm an INFP but learned that it is better to use SiTe since my ISTJ father likes that better?

 

[Soulful]

Welcome back! I was just thinking about you the other day, wondering when I'd see you again.

What brought on this questioning?

It sounds like you've already alluded to this but is it possible that you developed the skills you use at work as coping mechanisms or success mechanisms to orient yourself in a non-INFP world? For instance, when you say you're known for your consistency, accuracy, etc., those sound like strong skills for your job, which sounds to me like a trait of professional excellence (wanting to be good at what you do). It could be an expression of an ISTJ personality, but it doesn't have to be. It might be helpful to keep in mind that while INFPs don't orient themselves toward precision, schedules, rules, and all of the STJ-minded expressions, there's nothing to say that you cannot develop or inherently possess those skills as an INFP. The type is about preference -- who you are when you feel safe to be yourself and sufficiently fulfilled that your motives are genuine? It is also about range -- ranges in individual functions and the resulting strengths of their various combinations. It's completely understandable that we develop alternate functions when we're in environments that call on us to do so, especially as children. It also makes sense that we may feel confused about who we are when we've relied on alternate functions to the degree that they began to feel organic to us. I have witnessed your use of Fi and Ne many times, and I am more inclined to suggest you may be an INFP than an ISTJ or a TJ; however, you know yourself best. But if there is anything I can offer, perhaps it is to not place yourself in a box.

Also, I'm not sufficiently versed in the theory to use it to explain your processes, except that this sounds like extroverted intuition:

INFP's are considered to be highly idealistic and have a strong opinion about what is good and wrong. I was like that when I was little, had a huge sense of justice and will to improve the world. Now not so much anymore. I also believe that you can't pin down what is good or bad. there are always two sides to a coin. Something can be good for one person but bad for an other. Every story has many viewpoints and I like to explore all of them instead of pin myself down to one of them. It is better to be open minded.

And you articulated introverted feeling very clearly as well, right toward the end.

 

[Morgain]

what brought this on is that I want to know who I am, how I behave, what I can do to make my life easier. . And lately I'm starting to believe I misinterpreted Si with intuition. I only know when things are doubtful or not right when I have previous experience with the matter. In new situations I don't know how to behave. So it can be I had a completely wrong image of who I am and how I operate, what Fi and Ne is, how Si behaves. And that is what I want to find out

I asked the same question on personalitynation and they think I'm ISTJ

I agree with you that it could be that I'm an INFP trying to find my way in an ISTJ world and therefore devoloped Si and Te. But since INFP's are considered to be completely Te alienated this theory is not so likely.

 

[Soulful]

they thought you were an ISTJ??? whoa. Did they explain why they thought ISTJ?

Honestly, I am not very well versed in theory so I don't know on that front. But you don't seem like an ISTJ to me. I know this is the internet, etc., but in recalling your blog and comments you have made throughout the times we've both been here, I never got that impression.

what brought this on is that I want to know who I am, how I behave, what I can do to make my life easier. .

Again, my knowledge is limited but this sounds like NF-quesitoning to the core.

Also, I think it is fathomable for any type to feel uncomfortable with the unknown or to not know how to act, even if it is more pronounced amongst S-types. Perhaps you are still learning how to do maneuver through those kinds of situations?

 

[Norton]

Morgain, I find it hard to believe that you are an ISTJ. At the very least, you're not a T. I know T's and you're no T! Your posts are too poignant and emotional. You seem to have insights that would escape an S. Also, the questions you ask seem to be more N than S. Now, I could be wrong because I don't know you IRL, but if I am, you've had me fooled.

 

[Morgain]

thanks, you make me feel better guys

they said this:

Yeah you really don't sound like an INFP. I'd guess ISTJ with various Fi/Ne aspects in certain specifically controlled areas of your life (which is normal for ISTJs.)

Si doms don't have to be walking databases of arbitrary trivia/facts. Some are; many aren't. You are a walking database of your sensory experiences and the expectations they produce; that seems to be the primary perspective you rely on, and that's what Si is.​

You are pretty solidly an xSTJ. I'd lean heavily toward ISTJ there are just so many examples of Si in your writing. I mean the only other possibility is ESTJ (which might make you seem a hair more eccentric because of the more pronounced Ne). There is no way you are INFP, you'd be the most Te-oriented INFP ever.​

 

[acd]

I have sometimes reminded myself of an istj or intj whilst working. I think our functions flip when we become stressed. Also I think you are creative. Remember when you made everyone those awesome avatars?

 

[Liesl]

Hi guys I'm back with a question

I usually type as INFP but I'm starting to wonder if I'm not an ISTJ instead. I know they almost seem like opposites but they share the same cognitive functions

INFP: FiNeSiTe
ISTJ: SiTeFiNe

In my spare time I seem to act more like an INFP while at work, when I'm in the outside world, I act more like an ISTJ.

At work I'm organized. I need to have a clear outline of what I have to do. If I don't know what is expected of me, how can I do a good job? I like new experiences and learn new things but they also scare me. If I'm thrown in a new situation without clear guidance I tend to stress out and become even more organized and scheduled. I like to make charts, tables, graphts. When things are getting to complex, charts help me to make things clearer, see patterns, find loopholes, ... At work I'm appreciated for my organization skills
But as much as I'm organized in the outside world, as messy I am in my private life. My head is a mess, I don't like to be tied to schedules or obligated tasks. Unless things are getting out of hands. For instance when I have so many appointments to remember, only then will I start to write them down in an agenda. But as soon as things are manageable again, I'll spontaneously stop keeping an agenda.

Lenore says that introverted judgers are organized on the outside and messy on the inside while perceivers are the opposite. She also says that the secondary function is something we can only use when we put our minds to it but we tend to be good at it. For me then Te would be my secondary function and I would be a judger --> ISTJ


INFP's are considered to be creative and a bit eccentric. I'm not at all. I like to think that I'm creative, but I'm really not. I'm a scientist but at work I'm not known for my creativity, thinking outside the box, intuition, ... in the contrary, I'm known for my consistency, accuracy, reproducibility. I would do an experiment at least twice before making conclusions. I want to be sure that the experiment was done in a proper way before I can trust the results, and even then.

INFP's are considered to be intuitive, to know when something is good or wrong. I thought I had that quality too but lately I'm wondering if I not just misunderstood the concept. I can sense when something is off but it seems like I know this because it is different from past experiences. In that case my sense don't come from my intuition but from Si. I compare the current situation with past similar situations and notice the differences. I think in one way I like the world to be predictable. I collect experiences to know in the future what I can expect and how to react when a similar situation appears. This mostly counts for stressfull situations when I'm expected to react in a certain way: job interviews, interaction with collegues, taking the plane, ...

On the other hand Si dominants are considered to be walking databases. I'm not like that, not at all, I have a terrible memory, I don't like facts for facts, I can't remember names, details or make a perfect recollection of an event. I rather remember how I felt, smelled, images that I can put together and rebuilt the situation from scratch. They are also considered to put themselves to a goal, a hobby and go for it completely. I don't put that much of effort in things. I have had so many hobbies and I'm moderate good in all of them but there is not a single hobby or goal that can adsorb all my attention and energy. I would be affraid to miss things. There are so many things to do, to see, to learn that I wouldn't like to pin myself down to only one of them. So that would make me not an ISTJ

INFP's are considered to be highly idealistic and have a strong opinion about what is good and wrong. I was like that when I was little, had a huge sense of justice and will to improve the world. Now not so much anymore. I also believe that you can't pin down what is good or bad. there are always two sides to a coin. Something can be good for one person but bad for an other. Every story has many viewpoints and I like to explore all of them instead of pin myself down to one of them. It is better to be open minded.


an other reason for me to think I'm not ISTJ is that I don't like rules as much as ISTJ's. Rules are only there to make the world more manageable but that is it. I can make rules for others to follow but I have a hard time imposing them on others. I would never say "you have to do this because it is the rule", I would rather say "I want to remind you that the rules say that you have to do this because these and these reasons, but it is your choice to follow it or not. If I don't see a clear, valid reason for a rule, I'm not likely to live by it.

And also ISTJ's are considered to be not so emotional while I'm really really emotional and sensitve and I take everything personal. I can get hurt by almost anything and I cry for almost anything. My life seems to be built around my emotions. The INFP child is exactly who i was when growing up while the ISTJ child is not. ISTJ child likes practical information, I like more theory. They are more handson while I like fantasy. They like non-fictional books while I get lost in a fantasy story...

the only pattern I can see is that I tend to be more organized/controling (Te) and linger on the past (Si) when I'm in stressful and unknown situations but in situations where I feel secure I'm more inclined to be open minded and stand up for human rights. can it be that I'm an INFP but learned that it is better to use SiTe since my ISTJ father likes that better?

Have you considered INFJ?

 

[Norton]

thanks, you make me feel better guys

they said this:

They don't know you (or love you) like we do.

Eat some delicious Belgian chocolate for me...please? I can't believe all the chocolate I gave away after my travels in Belgium. Boy, was I stupid!

I also could do with some of that mosselen-friet, and a few liters of that great lambic beer (it just doesn't export well).

 

[the]

Here is how you will know: Take the test. If you get ISTJ you will know you are an ISTJ. If you are INFP you will question the test results and attempt to figure it out some other way.

 

[Morgain]

Have you considered INFJ?

yeah it is the first thing I concidered but it didn't fit well. I feel good with the functions FiNeTeSi but I'm not sure of the order I use them

They don't know you (or love you) like we do.

Eat some delicious Belgian chocolate for me...please? I can't believe all the chocolate I gave away after my travels in Belgium. Boy, was I stupid!

I also could do with some of that mosselen-friet, and a few liters of that great lambic beer (it just doesn't export well).

I am doing that right now. Sinterklaas has come and brought all of us some delicious "chocolade ventjes". Mosselen met frietjes is great indeed, as wel as "stoofvlees met frietjes"

Here is how you will know: Take the test. If you get ISTJ you will know you are an ISTJ. If you are INFP you will question the test results and attempt to figure it out some other way.

I have taken the test several times. I first got INFJ, then INFP and now I can get any type I want . But the problem is the wording. If they ask me "do you have intuition" I would say yes but now I wonder wether my intuition is nothing more than a packed database that warns me when things are different than before...

 

[Morgain]

do you have this a lot?
because I have it all the time at work. Because if I don't force myself to be organized, I 'm too messy to do a good job. My job (I think most jobs) requires that I'm organized. And now it feels almost natural to be organized at work and I enjoy. But on the other hand I don't like the feeling of having all that structure in my head and like it better when my mind runs free . I also don't like rules or structures that others force on me, especially if I don't see a good reason for it.

 

[Norton]

But on the other hand I don't like the feeling of having all that structure in my head and like it better when my mind runs free...

Read: Getting Things Done by David Allen. It will teach you how to off-load all that "stuff" in need of organizing and "capture" all the things you have to do so your mind is free to feel and think. It is the only organizing book that ever worked for me. It'll improve your effectiveness yet diminish your stress.