Growing up my school made me take those “stupid” personality tests. They were complete bullshit.
How did I know that? Every year I switched from an “introvert” to an “extrovert” and then back again.
I found these personality tests restricting, pointless, and rebelled against them especially because the school was making us take them.
Don’t even get me started on astrology or some “moon space planet” craziness!
7 years later, I am a huge advocate for the Myers Briggs Type Indicator. Turns out there’s actually some truth to it- IF you take the right test, and IF you apply the information CORRECTLY.
Everything You Think You Know… Is WRONG
Like most other subjects, education institutions implement personality tests in the WORST way possible: they label people, such as “extroverts” or “introverts.” Furthermore there’s no application of this information. The teachers that are being forced to force their students these tests don’t even understand the basics of the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI from now on).
It’s possible to be a very confident “introvert,” and a very anxious “extrovert,” for example.
The way 99% of the population goes about personality tests are as if this is some horoscope bullshit. No one can say that because you’re an INFP personality type, today is going to be “lucky.” That’s not the way it works!
Sit down and put your seat belt on. Today we’re investigating the TRUTH about personality, and why you NEED to find yours out ASAP.
First: The TRUTH
Before we delve into the practical applications of a personality test, we need to go over the TRUTH about the MBTI personality test. It was never meant to be the weird horoscope BS it has become.
If you find your true personality type, and you actually delve into it, you’ll learn a lot about what you need to do to grow as a person. Here’s the truth:
Personality tests indicate cognitive functions, NOT personality. Personality is a BYPRODUCT of the way your brain functions.
Let me give an example of personality vs. cognitive functions:
A personality trait could be preferring sushi over Mexican food. It could be preferring to adventure rather than stay in at home. It could be needing 2 hours of alone time every day.
This does NOT make you an extrovert or an introvert. As you’re about to learn, there are some extroverts whom can appear quite introverted (hint: ME).
A cognitive function is for example “extraverted intuition.” This cognitive function, when primary in a person, allows the person the ability to be great at generating ideas. It also makes the person highly curious and easily excitable.
Do you see how this is a lot different than personality? Understanding your cognitive functions is vital to your self-improvement, and also as a byproduct creates your personality.
Understanding Cognitive Functions
True personality tests test you based on your cognitive functions. This is also how personality tests SHOULD be used, instead of the annoying, limiting, generic, horoscope BS that it is.
There are 8 cognitive functions, which I will leave to you to research. If you’d like me to write more about this, I’d love to, so just let me know if this content I should do more of.
Every person has 4 of the 8 cognitive functions. They operate in a certain order, and are scientifically measurable, rather than opinion-based such as “preferring to be out and social.”
Let me give you an example of the cognitive functions in action by using my own personality type, ENFP.
My primary cognitive function is “extraverted intuition” as mentioned earlier. My friends would indeed describe me as easily excitable, and highly adventurous. I have traveled to 12+ countries and lived abroad for a year in Bulgaria. This is totally something someone with this function would do.
My second cognitive function is “introverted feeling,” which we can nickname “authenticity.”
For those of you who have been around long enough, you will know that I’ve done a lot of writing about being “authentic” and “true to yourself.” Not everyone vibed with it, which I now understand as these people lacking an “introverted feeling” cognitive function (not to say they’re inauthentic or sleezy, but certain people have certain priories).
Introverted feeling is basically a person trying to make peace within themselves. It involves staying true to yourself, and makes the person highly individualistic.
My third cognitive function is “extraverted thinking,” which we can nickname “gimme gimme.” It’s basically designed to get you what you want. See: working hard to make my online business work.
My final cognitive function is “introverted sensing,” which we can nickname “routine & memory.” Your 4th cognitive function also shows up in negative ways. In the case of this, it makes the person highly rebellious. See: me dropping out of university, traveling the world, actively blogging about the horrors of mainstream society.
Do you see how important it is now to understand your cognitive functions? This is your REAL personality type, and it drives EVERYTHING you do. It also shows you your blind spots.
Now that you’ve read this, you can understand just how important understanding your personality type is. I now clearly know my super-powers, and I also have made sense a lot of my past behaviors.
For example, I really suck at time management. I also suck at being aware of what’s going around me. Yesterday I was hanging out with a friend and twice I walked into a street despite not having the “walk” sign.
That’s because I don’t have an “extraverted sensing” cognitive function, which allows the person to be extra aware of what’s going on in the present moment. This also explains why if I don’t put my keys in the same spot every day I forget where it is. It also explains why when my mom would ask me to get things as a kid I would struggle to locate objects which were right in front of me.
In short: you wouldn’t want to give me your keys and ask not to misplace them. I will lose them, but it’ll be okay because my primary cognitive function (extraverted intuition) will come up with 15 ways you can make more money online!
Jokes aside, THIS is the truth about the MBTI personality assessment!
Applying Your Results
I’d recommend Googling “Personality Test,” and filling it out as accurate as you can. When you get the results, read over the description of your type and see if it’s accurate.
If it’s highly accurate (it’s okay if it’s not 100% accurate), then Google “[your type] Cognitive Functions.” For example, I Googled “ENFP Cognitive Functions.”
You should then read over the cognitive functions and by this point you should be highly resonating with your personality type. If not, then re-take the test. If you get the same result take a different test.
A true personality test takes a LONG time to complete because it goes over all 8 cognitive functions and then tests you based on their order. For sake of time, it’s better to spend 5-10 minutes taking a test online.
If it isn’t accurate, re-take or take a new test. This is the most time-efficient way to find your type.
Once you know your type, I’d also recommend finding a book for your type. For example, I found the book “The ENFP Survival Guide,” by Heide Priebe. It will give you a personal growth plan which is insanely accurate.
The Schools Had It Wrong… Again
To this day, I have no idea why the hell schools made us take these personality tests just to tell us “you’re an introvert” or “you’re an extrovert.” Like, what the fuck is the point of knowing that?
So what if you’re introverted or extroverted! Who cares? It’s a pointless label that accomplishes nothing.
Cognitive functions, on the other hand, reveal the truth of who you are. It’s how you think. It is your strengths and weaknesses. THAT is important to know because the information can actually be applied.
Don’t let anyone tell you who you are, instead seek to understand who you are!
The Truth is Fascinating
Growing up I thought personality tests were full of shit. As it turns out, my personality type, the “ENFP” is the “most introverted extrovert.”
The reason for this is because of my primary cognitive functions (adventure & authenticity) can be activated alone OR with others. This is why growing up I’d constantly switch between introvert and extrovert.
Sometimes I had friends to adventure with, and other times I was off on my own adventures! I also avoided activities which didn’t feel authentic to me.
When you discover your true personality type, you will no doubt be in for a rabbit hole, IF you apply the information correctly.
Again, to apply the information correctly you have to research your “cognitive functions.” Understanding your “super-powers” and “blind spots” is so key to becoming your best self (by the way, “becoming your best self” is something someone with “introverted feeling” would be likely to say).
It also will shed light on past behaviors, mistakes, and wins you’ve had in your life. For example, I now understand why me and my ex-girlfriend broke up. I now understand myself better, and her type.
One interesting thing is that according to personality theory the “ENFP” personality type is best matched with “INFJ” or “INTJ” personality type.
My two best friends? They’re both INFJs. I feel so great around them, and we connect so well… but why is that?
Now I know: it’s because our cognitive functions pair together very well. I also believe my ex may have been an INTJ!
There’s a whole lot to learn and I’d highly recommend diving into it. Remember: personality tests are not horoscope BS. You should NOT be looking up whether the “ENFP” will be happy today or not.
This is SCIENCE, and more importantly your cognitive functions. Your personality is a by-product of your cognitive functions, but of course affected by other things such as upbringing, emotional trauma, and likes/dis-likes.
Don’t let anyone tell you who you are, and don’t let the label hold you back in any way. Focus on understanding your functions, and you’ll be in for a lot of growth and improvement.
P.S. If you take the test, tell me what you get (:
