My (earnest, irate) thoughts

After reading Rusty’s entry about introverts and IM (yeah, I don’t even have an IM program anymore) I wanted to see my whole Keirsey temperament profile. See, I adore taking quizzes. Especially when the results promise to delve into the mysterious depths of me. I’m not a medium (you’ll understand that reference when you get to the bottom of this description) but I do think this is a fairly good description of my personality, even though I’m only like 1 percent “J”. My favorite part is that I share this temperament type with Mohandas Gandhi. Which is basically pretty awesome. Find out who you are at www.keirsey.com.

I am an INFJ. I is for introvert, which means people who tend to need solitude to re-energize. N is for intuitive, which means people who tend to gather information in a ‘going with my gut/heart’ more than a ‘just the facts, ma’am’ kinda way. F is for feeling, which means people whose decisions tend to be ruled by their emotions more than their thoughts. J is for judging, which means people who tend to prefer order to chaos. Emphasis mine (for parts that are extra-super me.)

The Portait of the Counselor (INFJ)
The Counselor Idealists are abstract in thought and speech, cooperative in reaching their goals, and enterprising and attentive in their interpersonal roles. Counselors focus on human potentials, think in terms of ethical values, and come easily to decisions. The small number of this type (little more than 2 percent) is regrettable, since Counselors have an unusually strong desire to contribute to the welfare of others and genuinely enjoy helping their companions. Although Counsleors tend to be private, sensitive people, and are not generally visible leaders, they nevertheless work quite intensely with those close to them, quietly exerting their influence behind the scenes with their families, friends, and colleagues. This type has great depth of personality; they are themselves complicated, and can understand and deal with complex issues and people.
Counselors can be hard to get to know. They have an unusually rich inner life, but they are reserved and tend not to share their reactions except with those they trust. With their loved ones, certainly, Counselors are not reluctant to express their feelings, their face lighting up with the positive emotions, but darkening like a thunderhead with the negative. Indeed, because of their strong ability to take into themselves the feelings of others, Counselors can be hurt rather easily by those around them, which, perhaps, is one reason why they tend to be private people, mutely withdrawing from human contact. At the same time, friends who have known a Counselor for years may find sides emerging which come as a surprise. Not that they are inconsistent; Counselors value their integrity a great deal, but they have intricately woven, mysterious personalities which sometimes puzzle even them.
Counselors have strong empathic abilities and can become aware of another’s emotions or intentions — good or evil — even before that person is conscious of them. This “mind-reading” can take the form of feeling the hidden distress or illnesses of others to an extent which is difficult for other types to comprehend. Even Counselors can seldom tell how they came to penetrate others’ feelings so keenly. Furthermore, the Counselor is most likely of all the types to demonstrate an ability to understand psychic phenomena and to have visions of human events, past, present, or future. What is known as ESP may well be exceptional intuitive ability-in both its forms, projection and introjection. Such supernormal intuition is found frequently in the Counselor, and can extend to people, things, and often events, taking the form of visions, episodes of foreknowledge, premonitions, auditory and visual images of things to come, as well as uncanny communications with certain individuals at a distance.
Mohandas Gandhi, Sidney Poitier, Eleanor Roosevelt, Jane Goodall, Emily Bronte, Sir Alec Guiness, Carl Jung, Mary Baker Eddy, Queen Noor are examples of the Counselor Idealist.

I loved answering the questions, even when they asked the same thing in different ways, and I loved reading the results and pondering what it all meant. I think one’s reaction to the test is indicative of one’s personality. My mom, a Protector Guardian (ISFJ) loved taking the test — but couldn’t have cared less about reading the results. My husband, a Supervisor Guardian (ESTJ) was bored immediately with the questions — but loved reading the results and reaffirming things about himself.

Please leave comments (or send me an e-mail) to tell me about your uniquely wonderful temperament.