Seems like I am a little bit of an oddity around here.

[lordmetroid]

I just heard from Mike and Lauren that 65% of people in the early retirement community are INTJ personalities.

That makes me an odd one being ESFP-A "The entertainer" according to two the test 16personalities test. However, according to another test at truist I am right on the edge of S/N so that would make me E(S/N)FP-A "The entertaining campaigner" I suppose. Which can explain why I can identify splashes of N traits in my personality such as being a very meticulous planner but at an impulsive instance will simply abandon those plans if it suits my current whim. Though I am artistic and likes to express myself, I do so through programming and design rather than artistic performances.

I love my current job as a system developer. It is creative, I have a lot of freedom and my current boss really encourages us to make our own decisions during the development. However, I have had jobs that I totally loathed with dreadfull bosses. Which is one part of the reason why I want to achieve financial independence. On the other hand, I need to have people around me to feel well, even though job colleagues aren't friends in the real meaning of the word. I feel lonely and hopeless unless I get a daily does of socializing which job colleagues certainly provides. Yet I want to achieve financial independence because I can not stand having another persons schedule dictated on to my life and I want to be free to do whatever I want with my days, wake up when I wish and work on whatever I wish when I feel like it.

I am an entrepreneurial spirit so I try to get my own passive income business going on my free time after work.

[Rufus.T.Firefly]

Another outlier here. I am an ENTP/ENTJ. Not exactly the same profile as you, but less traditional than the typical early retirement person.

Finding freedom in my career was of the utmost importance to me - even more important than financial freedom. I started out right away after college as self-employed. I determined that even if I never made much money, I would be significantly happier with self-determination in the workplace. That led me to the need to be frugal since I didn't make much money out of the gate. Thankfully, it has worked out for the best - both in happiness and financially.

Like you, the best part of FI's appeal to me is the ability to pursue business ideas as opportunity and inspiration strike!

[trailrated]

What do these letters mean and how do I get some?

[Roots&Wings]

I was gonna say you aren't alone, but the 'official poll', http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/welcome-to-the-forum/myers-briggs-type-indicator/, shows that you are indeed the first ESFP!

[Rufus.T.Firefly]

What do these letters mean and how do I get some?

This is where I went: humanmetrics.com

[mm1970]

I don't remember that poll.

Anyway, I am on the cusp - sometimes I come up at ESTJ and sometimes INTJ, so I'm kind of centered in the E/I and S/N.  I like people, but also my alone time.

Sometimes I like to run things, and sometimes not.  Depends on how much I like my job at the time.

[BattlaP]

Why is this stuff so significant here? Is it an American thing? Seems like something that should be served with a mountainous grain of salt. I could be any of those descriptors in different circumstances.

I had a mate once that would never shut up about this 'enniagram' or something that supposedly totally encapsulated personalities. And another mate that seemed to put absolutely everything into either masculine or feminine. How is this any different from that nonsense? Why is it at all useful?

One quarter genuinely curious, three quarters unshakeably skeptical.

[Elle 8]

We took this test at one of my old jobs.  But I remember answering how I thought they would want rather than completely honestly.  I forget what my letters are; just know I'm definitely an "I" (that's accurate, not based on my 'wrong' answers).

[Insanity]

Why is this stuff so significant here? Is it an American thing? Seems like something that should be served with a mountainous grain of salt. I could be any of those descriptors in different circumstances.

I had a mate once that would never shut up about this 'enniagram' or something that supposedly totally encapsulated personalities. And another mate that seemed to put absolutely everything into either masculine or feminine. How is this any different from that nonsense? Why is it at all useful?

One quarter genuinely curious, three quarters unshakeably skeptical.

It is said knowing your personality can help in everything - marriage, jobs , etc. 

And in a group that wants to FIRe where everything is based on optimization, understanding your personality can expedite that as well.

[2Birds1Stone]

ENTJ here as well :D not many of us out here.

[BattlaP]

Why is this stuff so significant here? Is it an American thing? Seems like something that should be served with a mountainous grain of salt. I could be any of those descriptors in different circumstances.

I had a mate once that would never shut up about this 'enniagram' or something that supposedly totally encapsulated personalities. And another mate that seemed to put absolutely everything into either masculine or feminine. How is this any different from that nonsense? Why is it at all useful?

One quarter genuinely curious, three quarters unshakeably skeptical.

It is said knowing your personality can help in everything - marriage, jobs , etc. 

And in a group that wants to FIRe where everything is based on optimization, understanding your personality can expedite that as well.

How so, specifically? Why is it any different so asian cultures that speculate based on blood type?

[FIRE me]

Why is this stuff so significant here? Is it an American thing? Seems like something that should be served with a mountainous grain of salt. I could be any of those descriptors in different circumstances.

I had a mate once that would never shut up about this 'enniagram' or something that supposedly totally encapsulated personalities. And another mate that seemed to put absolutely everything into either masculine or feminine. How is this any different from that nonsense? Why is it at all useful?

One quarter genuinely curious, three quarters unshakeably skeptical.

Briggs Myers is well depreciated in many circles. I consider it to be not much better than the popular Japanese habit of assigning personality by way of blood type.

[begood]

Moved to more pertinent thread

[bearkat]

I'm ESTJ, so I think we have all strokes here. :)

Another ESTJ here.

[Jersey Brett]

INFP "The Mediator"

Famous INFPs

William Shakespeare J.R.R. Tolkien Björk Johnny Depp Julia Roberts Lisa Kudrow Tom Hiddleston Homer Virgil

and last but not least...Morrisey!

[2lazy2retire]

SPTAS here

[rubybeth]

Pretty sure I'm not an INTJ, but I'm pretty much done taking personality tests for life. My husband posited a theory (that I have come to agree with) that taking personality tests is somewhat dangerous--it may lead you to believe that your preferences, assumptions, moods, etc. are unchangeable or inflexible, and psychological research doesn't totally back this up--if someone wants to change something about themself, it's entirely possible for them to do this. The MBTI measures preferences, not unchangeable characteristics.

I also somewhat dislike the dichotomous nature of MBTI--either you're this or you're that. It doesn't leave room for grey area.

I'd say I'm on the line between introvert and extrovert--sometimes I want to be around people, and sometimes I don't. I sometimes get energy from people, and sometimes it wipes me out. But I also have social anxiety, and some people are just f*cking annoying, so maybe I just don't like horrible people?

As for sensing vs. intuition, I think I do both, same as with thinking vs. feeling.

And with judging vs. perceiving, I do prefer the judging perspective, and tend to judge things (people, situations) rather quickly, but I appreciate having the perspective of perceivers to help in my judging. ;)

[Rufus.T.Firefly]

As with any test, statistical measure, or data point, the user has to be a cautious to understand its limitations. For example, the unemployment rate only measures folks who have looked for a job recently. It doesn't measure those who have lost hope and given up, or those who would like to work more hours and can't find them, or those who have taken a pay cut to stay employed. But those limitations don't make the unemployment rate a useless, dangerous statistic. The number helps tell a story (especially when used with other stats) about economic health.

The limitations of personality tests is that they are never a perfect match to an individual personality. We are all shades of grey with our preferences. These tests serve to categorize general preferences and provide some parameters. And we do change over a long period of time. Someone may naturally become more introverted or extroverted over decades due to their particular environment.

I have found personality tests useful for self-awareness. By taking a personality test and carefully reviewing the potential weaknesses, I am more aware of potential failings that may occur. For one example, I am able to make decisions quickly and lack patience for those who cannot. Awareness causes me to actively look for situations in which I may be acting impatiently. Another useful feature is that personality tests breed understanding between people with very different personalities. By understanding others better, I can thereby minimize my own largest weakness, the aforementioned impatience. And perhaps most importantly, for spouses, it provides a vocabulary and a paradigm to describe and solve potential differences.

My own wife laughed out loud when she read my personality type, nodding her head at some of the descriptions. And I smiled as I read her profile. Sure, these profiles might change over time as we mature, age, and experience new events. No, they are not perfect matches for us. However, for the time being, we both gain a little insight into what makes the other one tick. That is a good thing.

[Milizard]

Pretty sure I'm not an INTJ, but I'm pretty much done taking personality tests for life. My husband posited a theory (that I have come to agree with) that taking personality tests is somewhat dangerous--it may lead you to believe that your preferences, assumptions, moods, etc. are unchangeable or inflexible, and psychological research doesn't totally back this up--if someone wants to change something about themself, it's entirely possible for them to do this. The MBTI measures preferences, not unchangeable characteristics.

I also somewhat dislike the dichotomous nature of MBTI--either you're this or you're that. It doesn't leave room for grey area.

I'd say I'm on the line between introvert and extrovert--sometimes I want to be around people, and sometimes I don't. I sometimes get energy from people, and sometimes it wipes me out. But I also have social anxiety, and some people are just f*cking annoying, so maybe I just don't like horrible people?

As for sensing vs. intuition, I think I do both, same as with thinking vs. feeling.

And with judging vs. perceiving, I do prefer the judging perspective, and tend to judge things (people, situations) rather quickly, but I appreciate having the perspective of perceivers to help in my judging. ;)

INTP, though I haven't taken a test in years.  Some of the tests will give you more specific levels y each trait--maybe in percentages.  It really has been a long time.  I think my T and F levels tend to change with my mood.

The field of Psychology has a looong way to go, and it has been recent been written that the Myers Briggs isn't any more valid than an astrological sign.  I think that it is a better descriptor than that, but also doesn't warrant the amount of attention/deference that it receives.

[neophyte]

PITA here! 

I feel like my letters would change depending on what day I took the test.  I took one yesterday and I already forgot the result. I'll have to try again in a couple days and see if I think it's the same one.

[rubybeth]

My husband also reminded me that the results of the MBTI are only "valid" for three years. And ideally this test is done under the supervision of a licensed therapist or counselor.