Much of my life I thought I fit solidly in INFP territory. In recent years I’ve seen more INFJ traits in myself. I go back and forth. I relish unstructured days of exploration in thoughts and actions, but I also like the satisfaction of accomplishing things and being conscientious….it’s important to me to be punctual and to fulfill obligations that I have with others. Being unstructured myself, having roadmaps… lists and schedules (ideally, ones with wiggle room) gives me some sense of security and satisfaction, but I can’t live constantly that way. A good week would have some goals for accomplishing tasks, and also a good amount of flow time allowed (where I might be actually accomplishing things in a process that allows me to meander in the way I go about it. Too little structure makes me feel unmoored but the idea of having practically every hour of every day planned (including leisure time) makes me feel like tearing my hair out. Those “J-designed” vacations where people have pre-planned and reserved every meal, every tour, every museum down, to the half-hour allotted to strolling ? Nine European capitals in twelve days? I just can’t do it. Give me one or two planned objectives for the day and the rest open for serendipity or I can’t call it a vacation. That’s where the good stuff happens (for me, anyway).
True believers of MB think that a person is one type for life…that a person can modify tendencies but the “wiring” is intrinsic. Don’t know where I stand on that, but I do think ways of organizing how to think about personality (even if arbitrary and changing) can be a good tool for understanding self and others.
On this test I came out as INFP: 55% introverted, 87%intuitive, 79% feeling and, unsurprisingly, 53% prospecting (not so far from a J). And although I always test as highly feeling, I also have a logical mind. I always want to go with the gut and the heart, but the logic also has to line up. I want what is best for myself and also other people. Not always possible in every situation. That can make for a good deal of inner indecision. I think I have a mild and easygoing exterior but a more intense personality once you get to know me. That often surprises people even though I don’t try to disguise who I am.