The Steady Idealist
Here’s the story: over the past couple of years, I’ve taken the MBTI personality test 5 times, and every single result came back as “INFJ-A” — even through several iterations of the question bank. Getting such consistent results was quite surprising. To further verify MBTI’s accuracy in categorizing personality types, I decided to compare the online descriptions of INFJ personalities with my own self-observed reality.
All quoted content below comes from the 16personalities website's description of the INFJ personality type.
INFJs may be the rarest personality type, but they certainly make their mark on the world. They are idealistic and principled, not content to coast through life — they want to stand up and make a difference. For INFJs, success doesn’t come from money or status but from seeking fulfillment, helping others, and being a force for good in the world.
The rarest personality type? After some research, I found that most MBTI content on the Chinese internet is directly translated from Western sources, so the “rarest” modifier needs an “in America” qualifier. Among post-95 Chinese millennials shaped by unique domestic circumstances, INFJ is actually fairly common. The truly rarest type domestically is probably ENTJ, known as “The Commander.” But this isn’t really about personality demographics.
Back to the point — I happily accept labels like “idealistic” and “principled.” Finding deviations caused by human nature in the process of implementing theories in practice is one of my pleasures. But “not content with a peaceful life” doesn’t quite fit. Everything I’ve done in recent years and my near-term plans are all preparation for the “peaceful life” I envision. Although I do agonize over the topic of “life’s meaning,” this meaning doesn’t come from social status or material wealth, but from realizing my inner vision — or rather, manifesting the rules (principles) I hold and applying them to reality. So… well, it’s hard. Visions remain just visions.
INFJs tend to feel different from most people. Because of their rich inner life and deep, abiding desire to find their life purpose, they don’t always fit in with those around them. Fortunately, this feeling of being out of step doesn’t diminish INFJs’ commitment to making the world a better place.
INFJs are troubled by injustice, and they typically care more about altruism than personal gain. Many INFJs see helping others as their mission in life, always looking for ways to step in and speak up for what is right. People with this personality type also aspire to solve society’s deeper problems, hoping that unfairness and hardship can become things of the past.
Stop, it feels like being mocked. If I had grown up in a more tolerant, open environment that embraced diverse values, I might indeed still be advocating for things as described above. But the reality is I currently can’t think of anything I can do to “make the world a better place.” I can only take care of myself and the people I cherish. While seeing a “sophisticated egoist” still makes me queasy, I no longer have any desire to argue or think “they’re wrong and I’m right.” I’m not even sure they’re wrong — I just don’t like it.
INFJs may be introverted, but they value deep, authentic relationships with others. Few things bring these personality types as much joy as truly getting to know another person — and being known in return. INFJs enjoy meaningful conversation far more than small talk, and they tend to communicate in a way that is warm and sensitive. This emotional honesty and insight can make a deep impression on the people around them.
This is actually true. Although I’m a typical introvert, when it comes to meeting new friends — especially getting to know them deeply and having profound conversations — I’m completely generous. When unlocking someone’s life experiences, emotional history, and especially the process that shaped their worldview, the satisfaction and joy I feel internally is incredibly strong. (I’ve always been curious about how different upbringings influence an individual’s worldview.)
INFJs prefer to keep things neat and orderly at work, prefer a peaceful and quiet atmosphere, and want everyone’s contributions to be recognized, everyone to feel fulfilled, and all work to achieve harmonious, positive results.
This makes me want to share my workstation of two years. As I wrote on my About page, “order” has always been the keynote of my life.
Finally, when I was debating the accuracy of MBTI with a friend, we discussed the difference between MBTI and astrology. During the discussion, someone offered an analogy I found perfectly apt:
In an exam, you score 90 in physics and 60 in chemistry, showing you’re better at physics, so I label you as a “physics person.” That’s MBTI. The discrepancy between MBTI’s personality descriptions and your self-observed reality can be seen as “unstable factors like luck that affect exam results.” Astrology, on the other hand, is determining your physics and chemistry scores based solely on your birth date — no exam required.
That’s all. Happy Lunar New Year.