What's Your Personality Type - and Why Should You Care?

By Mary Kaitlin Enright

There are so many different sources of information regarding our personalities out there. Whether you are dependent on one source or the other is completely up to you! However, one of the most renowned and research-supported personality tests out there is the Myers Briggs, a variation of which is available here.

The test is based on categorizing the side of the scale on which you fall for each of its tests. You are tested for mind, energy, nature, tactics, and identity.

A combination of those letters based upon your results creates your personality descriptor code. But, why does it matter?

There are a number of ways that you can utilize the character traits that are revealed by your personality test results to be more academically, socially, and professionally successful. It all starts with the self-awareness and knowing your strengths and weaknesses. The test results tell you about each quality in more detail, but here’s a few ways that you can think about what your results might mean:

The “Mind” category speaks to how you interact with the environment around you.

Introverts tend to be more motivated and stimulated by solitary activities. You appreciate time with friends, but also understand the importance of and enjoy time with yourself, and are stimulated by that personal time. 

Extroverts are characterized by being more motivated by heightened social interaction. This level of energy and enjoyment of others can speak to what settings in which you are most yourself. 

Recognizing which one of these categories you most align with can be important to being socially successful. If you know that you lean one way or another, put yourself in social situations where you will enjoy yourself.

The “Energy” characteristic can be indicative of how you view the world around you. 

Observant people tend to see the world around them from a very practical and pragmatic lense.

Intuitive people tend to be imaginative and creative in their vision of the world around them. 

These results can help you to better understand who you are on a habitual level. It can inform things such as study habits, career choices, and the overall cultivation of your life.

The “Nature” category gives indication towards how you understand your emotional being and its interaction with decision-making. 

Thinkers tend to think logically rather than emotionally. 

Feelers tend to lead with their heart rather than their head. 

Knowing which of these two categories you fall into might shed light on how you make decisions, and therefore what you need to consider about yourself when you are making the big-picture choices in life. It all begins with knowing your strengths and weaknesses and using them to make the best decisions possible for whomever is involved. 

The “Tactics” category gives you an understanding of how you approach work and planning.

Judging individuals are highly organized and strong planners. You might lean toward clear plans over spontaneous ones. 

Prospecting individuals are more spontaneous, and open to improvisation and new opportunities. You might be more flexible in your decision-making and prefer to consider more than one strategy. 

This result can help indicate what type of employee or student that you are. Of course, not one is better than the other, but just a different approach. Utilizing your strengths will help you succeed in academic and professional settings.

The final category, “Identity” is the backbone of how you feel about yourself and your personality. 

Assertive individuals are self-assured and confident in their abilities. This leads them to be relatively resistant to stress.

Turbulent individuals, on the other hand, are more sensitive to stress, due to their wide range of emotions and self-consciousness. 

These can be very important for developing strategies to succeed throughout your life. If you are stress-prone, learn how to combat that stress. If you are worry-free, make sure to keep yourself in check with regards to what needs to get done and when.

You can find more information about type groups, roles, and strategies associated with personality traits on this website. Take a look to learn more about who you are and why you matter as much as you do!