"It's Complicated 8" (2017) by Julie Cockburn
According to Grant, "we have a role to play in embracing a more nuanced point of view. When we're reading, listening, or watching, we can learn to recognize complexity as a signal of credibility" (171).
With this kind of complexity in mind, describe your self in a nuanced, on-the-one-hand/on-the-other-hand way. You might, for example, consider aspects of your personality that other people don't always perceive or that other people misperceive, assuming that because one thing is true, something else is also true.
Before doing this exercise, you might want to take an online personality test (such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test or an Enneagram test). Read descriptions of the different types that the test associates with you and reflect on how one or another type does not provide an entirely accurate description of who you are.
With this kind of complexity in mind, describe your self in a nuanced, on-the-one-hand/on-the-other-hand way. You might, for example, consider aspects of your personality that other people don't always perceive or that other people misperceive, assuming that because one thing is true, something else is also true.
Before doing this exercise, you might want to take an online personality test (such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test or an Enneagram test). Read descriptions of the different types that the test associates with you and reflect on how one or another type does not provide an entirely accurate description of who you are.
I've taken the MBTI test before, and it seems my ESTJ type hasn't changed much since the last time I took it. The one aspect of my type that I don't feel captures everything is my performance in unfamiliar situations. While it's true that I am a total klutz in foreign territory, that historically hasn't always stopped me from diving into a challenge headfirst. One of the big misconceptions that I think people have about me is how I choose to spend my free time. Although I enjoy spending time with people and having a good laugh, I'm rarely the one who initiates a get-together. I don’t know if that’s laziness on my part, or if it could be something else. I also love having a planner and checking off items from it. But when I finish a page from my to-do list, it's the Wild West in any setting where I'm with my friends.
ReplyDeleteI have taken both the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and Enneagram test and my results were not very shocking. For the Myers-Briggs, I am type INFJ-T (the advocate) and on the Enneagram test I am a strong 8 (the challenger). I feel that I do show concern for others, and I stand up for what I believe is right, but I also do not need to be in total control all of the time. I think the biggest misconception about me is that I am a harsh person, but I do not find this to be true. I believe that I have a strong sense of what is right and wrong, which means I have a hard time tolerating injustice, this is not always palatable to others. While I think these tests hold some value, I do not think much weight should be placed on them. Everyone is subject to change and a few questions on the internet cannot grasp who someone is as a whole, but I could just feel this way because I have the same Myers-Briggs results as Hitler.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I believe that many people do not perceive me as being able to enjoy myself and others. To people I am not familiar with, I likely come across as quiet and rather cold - and this is not wrong. But I also have another side that is only really seen to my family and closest friends: I am usually fortuitously loud, yearning to please, and extremely stubborn. While I would not call these mutually exclusive sides, I would say that I “lock” away some of my personality to a small circle of familiarity.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the Myers-Briggs test, I find my result (INTJ) and its description as eerily accurate: many of the characteristics they describe are ones I possess - and in a relatively similar way of expressing them. I know the test has been discredited and considered not valid by some, but - regarding myself - I believe it has done a fine job in describing many of my qualities. This ultimately does not mean much, but I find it interesting that a simple questionnaire can reveal some major aspects of anyone’s personality.
- Luken Sloan
My Meyers-Briggs personality test says that I am a ISFJ personality, or a "Protector". My Enneagram test shows that I am a strong 1, or a "Reformer", closely followed by types 8 ("Challenger") and 7 ("Enthusiast"). I do believe that people see my personality by what I believe it to be, but also understand that this may not be the case in all settings. When people first get to know me, they typically come away with the notion that I am reserved and soft-spoken. However, the people who have known me for a while understand that I am relatively extroverted and enjoy having conversations with people. I believe that, once people get to know me, they are not surprised to find out what my personality is. These personality tests showcase me in a way that I find to be very accurate; I tend to be called the “mom” of the group, perfectionistic, and confident.
ReplyDeleteTo others I feel like I am viewed as quiet and maybe even a little cold. I do know that I am quiet at first and I tend not to talk unless spoken to, but I believe that I can be very warm and personable once I get acquainted with others and I can figure out other people's way of communicating.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the Meyers-Briggs personality types, I am an INFP. This personality type is described as the "Mediator" and some common traits that the INFP is often associated with is quietness, open-mindedness, and empathy. I feel that while this is mostly true, people who are close to me know that I am not as quiet as I may seem, and I also am not as open minded when it comes to things I have already decided for myself. One of my flaws is that I do not take criticism very well so the open-mind aspect of this result seems slightly inaccurate for me.
-Abigail Johnson