8 Introverted Personalities Explained

I remember the day I took the Myers Briggs personality test like it was yesterday. It was completely random. I came across an article about "signs you might be an INFJ." I was just curious as to what that was so I opened it. As I read every point, I felt overwhelmed because all of them fit my personality. I kept thinking "It's not a me thing, it's an INFJ thing!!" Somehow I've gone through my entire adult life thinking nobody will ever understand how I see things or how I feel about certain things. And I've gotten used to that idea so I mostly bottled things up deep inside. It's very rare that I open up to someone because of that very feeling and you can imagine how that affects all kinds of relationships. After I read that article, I took the online personality test (more than once) and it was confirmed. I'm an INFJ, the rarest personality type in the world—the "counselors" who often feel misunderstood so they tend to hide their true feelings. 

I literally felt joy at that point. An odd thing to feel about this, but somehow I did. It suddenly hit me that I was too hard on myself. That moment was my first step towards my ongoing journey of self-acceptance. I want you to reach that feeling too. So, to get started here's a simple explanation of the 8 introverted personality types as per the Myers Briggs letters (Introvert/Extrovert; Sensing/INtuition; Feeling/Thinking; Judging/Perceiving):

INFP: "The Idealist"
Driven by loyalty to their own values, INFP personalities are classic idealists with a high sense of right and wrong. Due to their perfectionist nature, they can be too hard on themselves. They let their imagination flow and are highly creative. They always look for ways to make the world a better place, genuinely caring about people. Reserved. Good listeners.

INTJ: "The Mastermind"
Thanks to their T (Thinking) and N (INtuition) aspects, INTJs excel at seeing the bigger picture. They see patterns, theories, and possibilities—natural analytic problem-solvers. They innovate. Social situations can be daunting for them—being too strategic makes them skeptical of people most of the time. 

INFJ: "The Counselor"
INFJs are natural nurturers to people around them. They tend to have a high sense of personal integrity and always want to help people see and reach their potential (hence, this blog!). INFJ personalities have a clear vision to make the world a better place and are often organized and structured about implementing it. We tend to be naturally empathetic and excel at reaching solutions for other people's problems as well as making them feel understood; yet, we are rarely able to do that for ourselves. INFJs are often mistaken for extroverts because we tend to understand other people's motivations and feelings, which means we can "act" a certain way easily; however, we are true introverts at heart. Creative. Likable. Perfectionists. Good listeners. Complex. Mysterious. Likely to feel misunderstood. Guarded in expressing feelings. We take a lot of time to establish close relationships. I know that's a long paragraph, but I'm biased!

INTP: "The Architect"
INTP personalities seek logical explanations to everything around them. They are interested in philosophical outlooks to everything in life. An INTP is always analyzing information in their head. They are quiet and contained, yet flexible and adaptable to their environment. They enjoy their independence and always aim to achieve high standards in what they do.  

ISFJ: "The Protector"
ISFJs are caretakers at heart, striving for harmony in every aspect of their life. They thrive in meeting their responsibilities and obligations. They are very loyal and considerate beings. They tend to be accurate to a fault and remember many details about people they are close to. Quiet. Warm. Unselfish. Responsible.

ISFP: "The Composer"
An ISFP personality tends to be a great friend. They are sensitive and kind. They like to enjoy the present moment and what they can see around them. They have enthusiasm towards life. Low Key. Flexible. Spontaneous. They work at their own pace. ISFPs don't force their values on others.

ISTJ: "The Inspector"
Inspectors are organizers by nature in every aspect of their life. They are true hard-workers. ISTJ personalities pay great attention to upholding their social and cultural responsibilities. Serious. Practical. Realistic. Reserved. Highly dependable. Detail-oriented. They don't let distractions get to them when something needs to be done. They are private beings, yet tend to get along well in social situations. Their nature often prevents them from understanding people's needs and feelings.

ISTP: "The Craftsman"
A rational personality type, ISTPs are tolerant observers of the world. When a problem presents itself, they naturally act quickly to find the right solution. They work through the information in their heads. They are highly logical and tend to value efficiency. Spontaneous. Pragmatic. They understand mechanics and have a knack for troubleshooting. They can seem to others as acting haphazardly, yet everything they do is a result of keen observation and deep analysis of the facts.

Which personality type do you feel most likely describes you? Are you ready to find out? Take the free online test now. Still not sure why you should? Here are 5 Benefits to Knowing Your Personality Type.

I will be writing about the remaining 8 personalities belonging to our extroverted counterparts in my next post. Cheers!

By: Amal Ghali