# What on earth am I? ESTP/INTJ



## plasmadragon (Dec 15, 2010)

My friend, who introduced my to personality types in the first place [and is usually incredible at typing people by being with them for just a little while], immediately pegged me as ESTP. At the time I had no idea what he was talking about, but I went home and took a test and scored as INTJ. Now, I've read up on each of these personality types and they _both_ seem to fit me, which is odd. I agree with lots about the INTJ type, that I view essentially everything as an interesting thing to study, and learning and gathering knowledge are just about the most important things in my life. However, i'm not as cold or stoic as INTJ's are described as. I love to make random decisions, drive off on roads I've never been on into strange locations just for the adventure. [Put on the Venga boys and have a dancing fit in the living room just to freak out my roommate haha]. 

"ESTPs have an uncanny ability to perceive people's attitudes and motivations. They pick up on little cues which go completely unnoticed by most other types, such as facial expressions and stance. They're typically a couple of steps ahead of the person they're interacting with. ESTPs use this ability to get what they want out of a situation. Rules and laws are seen as guidelines for behavior, rather than mandates. If the ESTP has decided that something needs to be done, then their "do it and get on with it" attitude takes precendence over the rules. However, the ESTP tends to have their own strong belief in what's right and what's wrong, and will doggedly stick to their principles. The Rules of the Establishment may hold little value to the ESTP, but their own integrity mandates that they will not under any circumstances do something which they feel to be wrong."

this could not be truer about me. It's like a paragraph about the way I interact with everyone [it gets me in trouble all the time].
this however:

"ESTP's least developed area is their intuitive side. They are impatient with theory, and see little use for it in their quest to "get things done". An ESTP will occasionally have strong intuitions which are often way off-base, but sometimes very lucid and positive. The ESTP does not trust their instincts, and is suspicious of other people's intuition as well."

is completly nothing like me. I live for theory, theory is where the new ideas live, theory is exciting and i'm always looking for ways to prove or disprove theories in every situation. and my intuition is stellar, not to sound arrogant, but my first instinct about a problem is almost always correct. When i take an IQ test, i spend less than 5-10 seconds on each question, and I score very high.

"The internal form of the INTJ's thoughts and concepts is highly individualized, and is not readily translatable into a form that others will understand. However, the INTJ is driven to translate their ideas into a plan or system that is usually readily explainable, rather than to do a direct translation of their thoughts. They usually don't see the value of a direct transaction, and will also have difficulty expressing their ideas, which are non-linear. However, their extreme respect of knowledge and intelligence will motivate them to explain themselves to another person who they feel is deserving of the effort.

INTJs are natural leaders, although they usually choose to remain in the background until they see a real need to take over the lead. When they are in leadership roles, they are quite effective, because they are able to objectively see the reality of a situation, and are adaptable enough to change things which aren't working well. They are the supreme strategists - always scanning available ideas and concepts and weighing them against their current strategy, to plan for every conceivable contingency."

this is extremely correct about me. i have a blasted time trying to explain to someone how I get to a specific solution because my mind makes jumps and random connections but follows a strict logic, I just can't really translate it into words. Also, people are almost always grilling me about what i'm doing and why in the most inopportune times, which is extremely frustrating and I usually just rattle off my train of reasoning to them and they give me a blank stare [this, however, fortunately makes them shut up]. 
I am ALWAYS the leader in my group, whatever group that may be, even though i rarely try to be. It just seems that I always have the most knowledge about the situation and end up having to practically lead everyone by the hand through whatever we're doing. 

"Unless they complement their intuitive understanding with a well-developed ability to express their insights, they may find themselves frequently misunderstood. In these cases, INTJs tend to blame misunderstandings on the limitations of the other party, rather than on their own difficulty in expressing themselves. This tendency may cause the INTJ to dismiss others input too quickly, and to become generally arrogant and elitist."
I never do this. I realize that I am often rude and blurt out my opinions on things, and I see that as my fault. I also highly value other's input, whether or not i choose to act on it is very debatable, but I want to have their ideas and insights into the situation cataloged into my file of whatever we're doing.

Anybody have any insights as to what my type is?
Feel free to ask me any more questions that might assist you.


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## Aleksei (Apr 3, 2010)

From this I'd say you could be ENTJ, but I dunno if it's enough to type with. Try to describe yourself a little without using the type descriptions.


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## plasmadragon (Dec 15, 2010)

yikes. haha. describing myself is a challenge.
I can't tell you how many times a day i'm called a "freak" if that counts.
Science is my life. I'm studying for two doctorates, one in Astrophysics and the other in Mathematical physics, have a Bachelors in mechanical engineering, and an Associates in Computer hardware engineering. 
I'm also a bit of an adrenaline addict. Park snowboarding, skateboarding, off roading in my jeep. I used to be a huge risk-taker, without any regard for safety, when i was younger [car racing, cliff diving, would have skydived if i had the money], and i can still fall back into that if i'm depressed. I have a passion for art and music, specifically street art- the soul of the people, you know- and my music tastes vary from metalica to ac-dc to stereo total to bach and mozart. I like almost everything [i hate Beethoven though. it's like listening to random numbers. I only like music that is mathematically accurate]. 
I'm very driven to be better at everything. I feel like i'm not quite where I wanted to be at this age. I should be smarter, quicker, i should just plain know more than i do. It's really aggravating that alot of times people tell me that they think i'm arrogant or stuck up because i'm always disappointed in myself to begin with. 
my spelling is atrocious and i never capitalize things because i think it's unnecessary. Grammer is ridiculous to me. if i can make myself understood, who cares how it's presented. I also expect this standard of my students. if they can show me that they have a very thorough knowledge of the subject and can stand up to verbal inquiry, i dont care about their written expression.
Problem solving is insanely fun for me, i actually seek out challenges and problems that need fixing, often digging myself into a hole but always able to get out. I belive everything is analyzeable, everything is explainable, everything makes sense, even if it doesn't seem to right now. If i don't understand how somthing is happening, i have to find out, and i know that it's possible. 
I seem to allways have a polarizing effect on people, they either love me or hate me, and they seem to know almost immediatly. I have people that dispise me so much they regurally send me scathing emails about what a jerk i am, but i also have two people that can't seem to get enough of me and are constantly trying to get me to go out and do stuff with them. I also wear people out i think. when people become my "best friend" as they like to call themselves, they barnacle on for the ride but usually don't last for very long. I don't have a single friend from my childhood, not all hate me now, they just moved on to other things- still write occasionally but can't stand to be around me for long term. I don't exactly know how to change that. 
that's about as much as i can think of. 
[oh, i also love to play and compose music. i play guitar, piano, violin, and drums, learning cello.]


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## plasmadragon (Dec 15, 2010)

i'm asking this mostly becuase my highly metacognitive roommate is writeing her thesis on how and why people think the way they do, and she interviewed me becuase i'm the only genius she knows. I seriously don't spend much time on metacognition so I though knowing my personality type might help me know more about what to tell her. 
I'd rather work on much more interersing things, like dark energy. 
I'm almost never bored- if somthing boring comes along, i ditch it. I find a huge amount of things entertaining, however, and can [and have] had an incredibly fun time in an empty parking lot with my current "best friend" and a cardboard coaster haha. i'm very ok making my own entertainment and don't, if ever, rely on other people to keep me occupied.


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## Aleksei (Apr 3, 2010)

I'm getting a Thinking preference and possibly Se from that, but I have no idea yet whether you're an extrovert or an introvert. Would you consider yourself as sociable, energetic and outgoing or more reserved?


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## vel (May 17, 2010)

try filling out this questionnaire and posting it up :happy:

http://personalitycafe.com/whats-my-personality-type/39275-rant-typology.html#post864081


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## plasmadragon (Dec 15, 2010)

well, i'm highly energetic and loud, if that counts as outgoing. I wouldn't count myself as shy, but i don't exactly seek out people's company. I perfectly happy being alone. But when i'm with people, I'm often the center of attention. I'm the person that absolutely everybody knows of at school, and in town, and pretty much anywhere that i stay for more than a week. I'm not open to talking about my personal life with anyone, but talking in general, about pretty much anything else, comes very natural.
As far as energy, i can sit down for about three seconds, and then i'm back bouncing around the room. I always have at least three projects going at once, somtimes dozens. My apartment, lab, car, and anything else where i work or live looks like a tornado mess, but i know where everything is if somone asks for somthing. 
I suppose i'm a bit outgoing when it comes to taking on adventures, which i do at every opurtunity. i'm ok going exploring in boston all alone, but i'd rather bring somone along if i could for the company. does that help?


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## plasmadragon (Dec 15, 2010)

well, i'm highly energetic and loud, if that counts as outgoing. I wouldn't count myself as shy, but i don't exactly seek out people's company. I perfectly happy being alone. But when i'm with people, I'm often the center of attention. I'm the person that absolutely everybody knows of at school, and in town, and pretty much anywhere that i stay for more than a week. I'm not open to talking about my personal life with anyone, but talking in general, about pretty much anything else, comes very natural.
As far as energy, i can sit down for about three seconds, and then i'm back bouncing around the room. I always have at least three projects going at once, somtimes dozens. My apartment, lab, car, and anything else where i work or live looks like a tornado mess, but i know where everything is if somone asks for somthing. 
I suppose i'm a bit outgoing when it comes to taking on adventures, which i do at every opurtunity. i'm ok going exploring in boston all alone, but i'd rather bring somone along if i could for the company. but i do need time alone. if i don't defrag away from eveyone once and awhile it get really stressed. does that help?


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## Aleksei (Apr 3, 2010)

pillbug said:


> well, i'm highly energetic and loud, if that counts as outgoing. I wouldn't count myself as shy, but i don't exactly seek out people's company. I perfectly happy being alone. But when i'm with people, I'm often the center of attention. I'm the person that absolutely everybody knows of at school, and in town, and pretty much anywhere that i stay for more than a week. I'm not open to talking about my personal life with anyone, but talking in general, about pretty much anything else, comes very natural.
> As far as energy, i can sit down for about three seconds, and then i'm back bouncing around the room. I always have at least three projects going at once, somtimes dozens. My apartment, lab, car, and anything else where i work or live looks like a tornado mess, but i know where everything is if somone asks for somthing.
> I suppose i'm a bit outgoing when it comes to taking on adventures, which i do at every opurtunity. i'm ok going exploring in boston all alone, but i'd rather bring somone along if i could for the company. does that help?


Definite extrovert. The scattered nature overall says TP, and you have an N preference so ESTP (which is N-inferior) is out.

I think you're ENTP. Second guess, ENTJ.


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## plasmadragon (Dec 15, 2010)

ok, don't know why that post went twice. but here's the questionare:


. When working on a project where do you place your emphasis? the process of putting it together? or the final product? (Do you experiment with your perspectives to create ideas?

I get asked this question alot. and i must say it's equal. the journey is extremly important to me, i love the details, the expirementing, the learning. Although there are somtimes i wish i could just download information into my head, in practice i wouldn't do it even if i could. half the fun is the hard work put into it. 
on the flip side of the coin, If i were working towards somthing without a final goal, that would be pointless. I don't want to work for the sake of working. the final product has to be complete, real, and meaningful. has to hold weight. has to exist.

2. Are you a realist? Are you more of a no nonsense type of person? (I find these people like to call bullshit on everything)

extreme realist and no nonsense. i don't get the reason for small talk. I HATE it when people dance around the direct answer to a question i ask. if you ask me if you look fat in a dress, and you are a whale, i will tell you so. I hope you will show me the same consideration.
and if you are an outright liar, you are not worth my breath to tell you so. go away.

3. Would you say you make decisions quickly? or do you take a while coming to a conclusion, because you hope you're not missing some vital information that will change your mind?

I make my decisions almost imediatly, and i know i'm right. i make sure i'm right before i decide, but sometimes i don't know why i was right until later when i analyze the situation under more detail.

4. Do you ever experience nostalgia? For instance being able to completely remember a mood of a past experience/time?

i do but i hate it. i try to ignore it and erase it. the past is the past and it's done and gone. it keeps popping up all the time but i don't dwell if possible.

5. Are you of the rebellious sort? The sort who rebels for no reason other than to rebel against authority?

kinda, to an extent. i very much try to rebel against social norms and expectations, more so than athoritys like the police or the government. specifically if someone says i shouldn't or can't do somthing, based on their opinion, that's all the more reason to do it.

6. When watching a film and critiquing it? Do you critique it based on details in the film, for instance on how you thought a certain portion of it was un-realistic (or something along those lines) or based on the idea or point they were trying to get across/how well they got it across? (It can be a combination of both sometimes too)

Mostly the details, like in time travel movies [good god!] that screw everything up, or historical movies that skew all the facts.

7. When debating with others, do you ever get the feeling or state for that matter, that you can see where your opponent is coming from? For instance I have gotten into arguments over things I honestly don't believe (or could care less if it were true), but it all started when someone would tell me about a certain topic and how this certain stance is stupid. Then I would say well, I can see why they'd think that or how it could be possible, then they'd start arguing with me as if I had a stake in it.... Do you feel you do anything like that?

very rarly. I debate alot, i enjoy to argue, but i believe in absolute right and correct. i'll argue a point to death, but if the other person has an incorrect veiwpoint [which they do if i'm arguing with them to begin with] i'll never tell them that i know where they're coming from, becuase i dont....

8. Do you notice symbols in the world, do you ever try and wrap the symbol back to an idea that you believe?

what do you mean by symbols?

9. Are you hurt by criticisms? Do you get personally offended when people try and criticize you? or are you thick skinned?

It depends. If i think they are right, i just agree with them and i'm not offended. if i think it is unfair critisisim, i might get upset. professional critisism is vital, however. i want everyone's feedback from my work, so i can improve it.

10. Say for example your learning about cameras in school, would you be more inclined to go home right away and read a whole shit load on cameras so you feel confident in your knowledge of cameras? or would you feel perfectly comfortable when the teacher calls on people to come try it out, to just hop up there and start using it?

i'd just start using it. i learn by doing.

11. When you are out do you worry about how people will interpret any action you take? (sort of in a seinfeld sort of way, where they over analyze actions people make, trying to find their true motivation) Do you feel a sort of pressure from this?

well, not really. to a small extent i realize that i'm always behaving strangly and everyone is thinking im a freak, which reminds me of my childhood and could make me stressed if i dwelt on it. but i've come to a point where i don't really care what anyone thinks anymore.

12. In a classroom setting do you ever find yourself helping other people out with projects or homework when you see their struggling? Do you do this to make yourself feel more comfortable?

every flipping second. and i do it partly becuase it makes me so stressed to see them struggling that i can't take it anymore, but also becuase i feel for them i guess, i don't want them to have low self-esteem becuase they feel stupid. 

13. Do you find yourself ranting to your friends about how a certain something could have been done way easier? Or how someone went about doing something (anything like a project,work,etc.) was really stupid and you could have done it way better and in a more simple fashion?

again, every flipping second....

14. how does your average day go in general?

wake up at 8, annoyed that i ignored the alarm clock at 7, shower, breakfast, half a pot of coffee, all while reading a book. work by 9 or 10, end up getting over involved at work and leaving 6-8 hours too late and getting home around 9- midnight, watching some lectures for an hour or two, then maybe a tv show or a mystery book until i go to sleep around 2-3am.

15. what things do you value the most?

knowledge, information, the ability to apply it whenever needed. humility, respect, and compassion. without the last three, any endevor would be pointless. i remember a quote i heard once that defines my entire purpose in life: "learn absolutly everything you can, and then turn around and give it back to the world."

16. what things regularly bug you?

liars, manipulating, self-centered idiots that try to milk everything they can out of people. my own lack of knowledge, inability to help people somtimes.
cancer. cancer sucks. alot.

17. what do you value most in other people and what qualities do you find most repulsive in others?

humility and inventiveness, creativity, anyone who really pushes themselves to be the best they can be. I love to be around people that are interesting becuase they've bothered to think for themselves. I can't stand intentionally ignorant people, anyone who is all puffed up and thinks they're the cat's meow, anyone who won't listen to reason or accept that someone is different from them.

18. how do you evaluate people in general?

almost everyone i come accross seem to be so self-centered, or they're weak-minded and being beat up by the selfish ones. i am angry with the first group and feel very sorry for the latter. i've met a couple people who seem to be good hearted, and having a backbone, but they are few and far between.

19. how do you arrive at your decisions?

i realize after the fact, that i retrieve all of the information that i have stored that could have anything to do with the descision, weigh the facts, make a short pro con list, and then decide on a direction to take my actions in. this happens really fast and i don't really know its happening at the time, i just think, "oh hey, this is right. i'll do this."
and then i'll realize why later.

20. what factors are you most likely to pay attention to when deciding on things?

how it's going to play out. is this going to hurt anyone? is this going to cost to much money? how will it last in the long run? what are the short term benifits, weighed against the long term ones?

21. Any peculiarities that you have noticed about your personality? 

HA! all of them. I'm weird. let's face it. red converse with my dress shirt and slacks. i'm a glasses-on-upside-down, stop sign running, hair a mess, crawling around on the ground to prove a theory, licking the car window to assess its make up, singing rap in german, freak of nature.


22. Anything that makes you stand out from other people that you know? 

i often wonder if people really are as slow as they seem, i guess that means i'm quicker at knowing the answer that most others. i guess i'm quite overblunt becuase my current best friend, whoever it may be, is allways saying, "you're being rude again." or "you should probably go apologize to that person".

23. What do you yourself think are your strengths and weaknesses?

strengths- i'm very intelligent and quick, problem solving, best at whatever i'm doing, more energy and stamina than anyone i know.
weaknesses- this could be a novel.
short list: somtimes oblivious of what other people are feeling, especialy if i'm really involved in somthing distracting. I'm not capable of fixing everything, i can't solve everyone's problems like i should, i get impatient with people often and i snap and get very sarcastic.


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## Aleksei (Apr 3, 2010)

delete plz


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## Aleksei (Apr 3, 2010)

mmm... ESTP.


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## plasmadragon (Dec 15, 2010)

delete what?


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## Aleksei (Apr 3, 2010)

Note to the mods, I'd made a post and forgot that I'd posted already. Nevermind.

Anyway, I think you're ESTP. :happy:


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## plasmadragon (Dec 15, 2010)

interesting. I'm curious though, why i allways test to be INTJ, and i've taken about a dozen of them from different sites over the course of a few monthsm trying to see if i got different results. It's intrigueing. I'll go look up estp.


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## plasmadragon (Dec 15, 2010)

even more interesting, i don't feel like that type description describes me haha. this is a strange conundrum.


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## plasmadragon (Dec 15, 2010)

Thanks for everyone's help. I Guess i just don't fit a type [never thought i really did anyway haha]. I feel like an ENTP blended with an INTJ. haha. I don't know. But i guess i have somthing to tell my roomate in any case. The questionaire did help me to quantify my thinking a little better to try to explain to her.


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## Aleksei (Apr 3, 2010)

Look up cognitive function descriptions. See which ones match up with your style of thinking best.


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## plasmadragon (Dec 15, 2010)

I relate strongly to Ne and Ti. I wasn't at all clear as to the descriptions of perceiving and judging. I'm still searching it.


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## Aleksei (Apr 3, 2010)

Hmmm, Not Se?


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