All the typings and observations in this post are based on definitions and information presented in the aLBoP Guided Tour So if any of it bugs you, please go read that before leaving me a grumpy comment… Or, you know what?  Let’s just skip the grumpy comments!  Have a nice day! <3

INTJ
The Dragon

“I seek the means to fight injustice;
to turn fear against those who prey upon the fearful.”
Bruce Wayne, Batman Begins

The INTJ Dragon is the dynamic facilitator of the world as it might be.  Backed by the unyielding efficacy of universal principles and the useful plans of action which proceed from them, the Dragon knows just how to shape large-scale trends with penetrating accuracy.  Majestic and surprising, these titans excel at unleashing the world’s untapped potential.

With big, wide eyes for Principles and the use of what could be, young INTJs immediately see a special world, not immediately visible to most; a world of complete, interworking elegance, where anything you imagine *can* be accomplished, the only limit being on how much you know and understand the world and its trends.  So, from a very young age, little INTJs will be bursting to know about how things always work, trying to extend the borders of their capacity to do and change.

Complex little things, with a depth of desires and goals that usually extends beyond what their years and size might let on, young INTJs are usually quite varied, and often the same little INTJ will be vastly different depending on their surroundings, with the same INTJ alternating from silly and effusive in a situation where they feel comfortable, to withdrawn and closed down in a situation where they feel like their hidden depths are undesired or unsafe.

With their feelings and motives late in their cognitive process giving ITJs a natural inclination to cloak and protect their feelings, and with very little patience for shallow interactions and associations, it might be hard to tell what’s going on inside a mini INTJ (or a full-sized one).  And with INTJ’s Type Specialization of discovering and accomplishing the unused potential of what the world can be, little INTJs can often be accused of not caring about the needs or social desires of others, with extreme examples of young INTJs being called “heartless” or “monsters” for not wearing their vaulted hearts on their sleeves.

In a culture where status-quo is god, where the ability to keep one’s life from changing unexpectedly is lauded as the pinnacle of safety and responsibility, INTJ’s natural desire and ability to bloom change on an epic scale is often deemed immensely frightening… which leads to the ever-present portrayal of INTJs as villains in media (and regurgitated stereotypes >:C ).

When society treats INTJs like villains for a desire to shape and change the world into the beautiful thing they can imagine, a little INTJ can quickly become disheartened as their experiences with individuals (their last and most vulnerable cognitive step) teach them that their desires are too forceful, to ambitious, too idealistic, and too isolated.

For all cognitions, our last steps are our greatest struggle, leading to our Type Angsts.  For INTJs, this means that all their frustration and self-disappointment with feeling like their motives aren’t stable and reliable enough, as well as feeling lost about what motivates others, gets interpreted within INTJs as a deep, core fear that everything is their fault.

Used to being able to line up their plans as the natural continuation of Principles, and follow through to make things happen, INTJs naturally end up fearing that if something went wrong on the way to the ideal of what could be, that it could have been avoided had they personally done something different.  If only they had been faster, stronger, better, cared more, not trusted individuals so much… been in control of themselves and everything they touched, then things would have just gone right, and safe and like they were supposed to.  We call this deeply embedded fear and the ways INTJs cope with it, Anakin Angst.

These fears and interactions give an INTJ three choices.

The first is to react to Anakin Angst by insisting that they truly *can* be in control of everything, that they can make the world they imagine… if they just go around everyone who is getting in their way.  Often with resentment of those who do not grasp their vision, these first choice INTJs will be undeniably driven to accomplish the feats they know are within their reach, if they just push the limits a little farther.

But these INTJs are also likely to pull inward, shutting down to people, who just start looking like a liability in the way of what needs to be accomplished.  And since other people have wills of their own, this clenching INTJ is likely not to be able to just go around everyone.  In the pursuit of their own visions, this INTJ can easily end up stepping on the visions and Type Specializations of others, adopting an attitude, perhaps without even meaning to, that others’ ambitions, desires and wills must be of less use, if they can’t see what needs to be done to achieve the giant end goal.  When INTJs consider others’ desires to be subservient to the big picture, they can end up trying to force others’ wills, often even becoming an example of the very thing they wanted to fight in the first place.

But INTJs who insist on pursuing their visions without regard to the people around them will find their destination cold, lifeless and alone, lacking the brightness of other points of view and wills going in their very own directions.  A world without perspective from every direction, and every Type of Information and Objective represented, won’t have either the use or meaning it needs, and that’s hardly the smooth-running utopia that an INTJ may picture.

The second option INTJs have, is to defer to those who insist their ambitious hopes for the world are just too drastic, dramatic and long-sighted, and so they temper their own goals to fit the expectations of those around them.  Surely, they think, their vision of the future is as dangerous and inconsiderate as it is portrayed.  Surely they should let others, with safer intentions, protect individuals from their damaging objectives.  And so the INTJ tries to put away the planetarium of their minds in favor of following the path that is already set, or risk the possibility of breaking the world the ones they love, love.

The ironic thing is that these second-option INTJs often end up afraid and withdrawn from the very people they hoped to protect and care for, assured that their intentions are something that they need to keep away from others, or end up hurting them in the process.  And in addition, as they grow deflated about others’ opinions of their motives and intents, this INTJ is likely to feel unwanted and close off their secret heart from others.

But an INTJ who has halted the pursuit of the potential they envision will inevitably end up discovering that trying to quarantine their true desires doesn’t actually end up keeping the ones they love from harm.  Meanwhile, their ability to make good in the world is tragically minimized as they refuse to stand and live up to their own personal power.

However, the INTJ story need not have a dark ending.  Despite what INTJs may fear when the path seems lone to carry out ideals that some would never think to expect, their designs and ambitions are wanted and desired by individuals who love the inspiring might that healthy INTJs bring with them.

If this third INTJ turns to those who can ground them in the meaning and worth of individuals, including themselves, they will be able to gather the strength to reject the negative image that many would give them of their own character.  And as INTJs learn to love the person they are, by listening to those who truly see them and know their hidden depths, then their visions are given the perspective of hope.  And an INTJ with true hope is completely unstoppable.

Because the world needs those who can wield universal principles like cleansing fire, people who are ready to stand and do the hard things in order to protect those who cannot protect themselves, those who can use sweeping trends like wings to further grand plans; in short, the world needs INTJ Dragons.

The INTJ Dragon is found often and memorably throughout fiction.  Whether it’s as the fearless mentor and leader who isn’t afraid to push their protégés to their limits, the child with power and secrets that even they themselves do not understand, the scholar who has more adventure in them than might first meet the eye, or yes, even the villain who is always one step ahead of the heroes—the Dragon is always there with their gears turning.

And in fact, even though I usually reserve an examination of the “Dark side” of each Type Hero for the end, it seems with the Dragon I can’t wait that long.  INTJs are so very often cast as villains, to the point that it’s joke worthy, that we really can’t go on longer without addressing the fictional fascination with Dark Dragons.

But I think the major reason that INTJs are so often cast as villains in stories, besides fear of the change that INTJ’s Type Specialization brings, is that they really are pretty bad-A at it.  I was nervous to include so many villainous examples in this post, as part of my intent in writing The Dragon is to overcome the stereotypes associated with this wonderful cognition… but the thing is, it’s hard *not* to love Dark Dragons.

In a world that often treats power itself like a villainous trait, our sense of archetype finds it refreshing seeing characters who both have and use the power necessary to take the world by storm, shaping it and changing it, letting nothing stand in their way.  How can we not feel a thrill of excitement when these titans come on the screen or page, their thunderous theme music filling us.

But the lie, I believe, that our culture buys into in this case, is that power itself is the treacherous slope that has brought these leviathans down their dark paths.  As our true heroic Dragons show us, power used to protect, nourish and empower the individual wills of others, as opposed to subverting them, is something we desperately need more of.

I found it fascinating to realize how often within the same piece of fiction, both the teaching mentor and the villain would be written as INTJ.  Dumbledore versus Voldemort, Professor Charles Xavier versus Magneto, Nick Fury versus Loki, Elrond versus Sauron; over and over again, the author gives both the student-protagonists and ourselves the prospect of two potential worlds, given voice by two powerful INTJs who can imagine very different scenarios of how the world could be.

But our mentor INTJ has been to the edge, they’ve seen the slippery slope of power, and realized that the rise and fall of every civilization has one thing in common: its people.  A Dragon who has been to the other side of Anakin angst and is ready to lead others to the magnificent world they can imagine, realizes that they’ll never get there without individuals to back them up, fuel their way, and show them that what brings their world color, is the people in it.

Like all IJs, INTJs feel like “if I don’t do it, no one will,” and as the most future-oriented of the most zoomed-out types (NT, IJ), the Dragon is enduring, patient, and calculatingly meticulous, toward the larger end goals they’re trying to achieve.  But when not left alone, the Dragon can be an immense friend.

While they might have to go out of their way to show just how much they care, Dragons love people quite deeply, especially those who have shown integrity and a lasting appreciation of the principles they hold the dearest.  And though they might not expect to find those who will truly love, respect and see them for who they really are, the Dragon is likely to latch onto such people like the ray of brightest hope they could imagine.  Always paradoxically both complicated and straightforward, with a deep-seated seriousness, and yet with a childlike understanding of people, the Dragon is likely to catch you off guard with unexpected humor that’s remarkably true and yet not what others would be thinking about.

Dragon or Dark Dragon, INTJs are sure to be able to take the world by storm, but with people who can anchor them in hope and perspective, nothing can get in the way of a healthy Dragon on their way to make the world better.

Examples:
Male: Sherlock, BBC’s Sherlock
Female: Eleven, Stranger Things
Villain: Loki, Thor and The Avengers

Who are the Type Heroes?  Read the intro here, and stay tuned to meet them all!

Want more information on INTJ, the Dragon?  Read their Cognitive Orientation Guidebook here.

Author’s note – 2/17/17: This post is the 9th in the Type Heroes series, but the first in several years.  Part of the reason it took me so long to come back to this series, even though it is by far the most requested, is because I’ve learned so much in the nearly four years of creating aLBoP (and I learn new things all the time) and I want to do justice to all the beautiful complexity that I’ve learned about each of the cognitive types over the years!  I wish I could just go back immediately and update the previous 8 Type Heroes to the level of detail and nuance that I’ve been able to pour into this one, but that would really clog up my ability to produce new content, especially since 7 types are still desperately waiting for any version of their Type Hero!

But my hope and plan is to finish out the last of the Type Heroes (cue The Last of the Mohicans music in my head) with this degree of balance and depth, and *then* return to update and improve the previous 8 Type Heroes to my new standards, collages included most likely.  So if you’re thinking “Hey!!  Why does INTJ get the oh-so-special treatment??!?!” it’s just because it’s the first in the New and Improved Type Heroes!  Super excited for all to come, and hoping it’ll show everyone all the better that anyone can be a hero. <3

The post Type Heroes: INTJ – The Dragon appeared first on A Little Bit of Personality.

All the typings and observations in this post are based on definitions and information presented in the aLBoP Guided Tour So if any of it bugs you, please go read that before leaving me a grumpy comment… Or, you know what?  Let’s just skip the grumpy comments!  Have a nice day! <3

ESFJ
The Cavalry

“No one dressed by me ever looks like an idiot.”
Alice Cullen, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn novel

The ESFJ Cavalry is the paragon of group experience, intent on ensuring that all involved have the best experience, and that they personally get to experience the group.  They shine as the bright beacon of action-example, a lighthouse of what to be and do.  Open, warm, in-the-moment and upfront, the Cavalry is a perfect blend of party and poise; an ongoing paradox of sensible bounce, colorful pragmatism, and gentle snark.  To any group they choose to share their love with, the ESFJ Cavalry brings a fantastic *pop!*

Young ESFJs, centered on their family, teachers, etc. as their “culture” and group, love to be obedient, very happy to experience life with the people they love.  Happy to do what makes others happy, an ESFJ may even look EP from the outside; bubbly and happily going-with-the-flow with those they care about.  But even young ESFJs are very aware of how their actions affect consequences in the form of what others think of them, and the pull to follow friends, fads and culture comes young for a little ESFJ.  So the ESFJ has three choices, the most commonly chosen being a combination of the first two choices (the same is true of most types), since the third choice is in opposition to the other two.

ESFJs love to be and set the example for their group.  Though that desire isn’t intrinsically a bad thing, it’s that desire to set the standard of what is the *most normal* that provides all three of their choices.

ESFJs’ first option is to focus on being the *most* normal  An ESFJ taking this first path will desire to be *more* normal than others, to the point of finding themselves of more *worth* than others.  An ESFJ who gets more intent on having the crowd follow them, than on the people in the crowd, can end up self-centered and entitled, and yet constantly in need of the approval of others.  In the end, people following the lead of this first-path ESFJ will be short-lived, either because they’ll end up disliking the ESFJs’ self-centered attitude, or because they’ll want followers of their own and tear the ESFJ down at the first sign of weakness.  In either case, this ESFJ will end up without real friends or real meaning in their lives.

ESFJs’ second option is to focus on being the most *normal* (emphasis important).  An ESFJ who gets caught up in pleasing their group or culture, be it friends, family or faction, will find it all too easy to start sacrificing who they really are in the name of being liked.  Especially in a culture that wants nothing more than looking on the surface at the expense of anything real, an ESFJ can quickly fall into a pattern of trying to look like their culture’s picture of perfect, while neglecting anything real or genuine, encouraging others to do the same.

Both these first options leave the ESFJ feeling fake, shallow and in constant need of approval to feel valid, becoming just an insincere shell who has to suppress their real, magnificent self in order to look like what others want them to be.

But when an ESFJ instead redefines “normal”–when they defy the crappy parts of culture, even defying their friends if need be, stand up and say, “Being real is the new cool!”–an ESFJ becomes a powerful example and influence for good in the world, showing others how to be heroic, meaningful and happy, leading the charge and making life matter, making their own culture instead of following someone else’s.  This is the ESFJ Cavalry.

Though their interests may vary, the ESFJ Cavalry, always aware of the desires and needs of others, is often found in fiction as the perfect host or hostess, super-mom, or as an ahead-of-the-crowd trendsetter.  They combine the parentalness of the ENFJ Veteran, the force of will of the ESTJ Cannon and the bouncy color of the ESFP Morale Officer into a bright, warm, headstrong package.  They’re excellent at bringing together fun, savoir-faire and precision to help everyone have a great experience. With an Extraverted people-awareness to help them understand the needs and desires of others, a Sensor strength of being aware of the moment as they’re in it, an EFJ focus on the meaning behind actions, and a Judger talent for plans to put it all into motion, the ESFJ Cavalry is fantastic at making things memorable, seeing that everyone is taken care of, and that nobody is left out.

With the tendency to bowl ahead and a main weakness in data and conclusions, and yet with an earnest desire to be taken seriously, all EJs have different fears centered around, “No one will listen to me because I’m too ______.”  For the ENFJ Veteran (because I failed to mention it in their post), it’s a fear that, “My good intentions and trying to change people’s lives will never matter because I’m too nice, soft, etc.”  They inaccurately fear that they’re too weak to effect change… and so they feel like bad choices won’t matter either, so Faramir Dilemma seems to them to be about friends rather than consequences.

Similarly, the ESFJ Cavalry fears that, “I’ll never be truly smart, or anything above mediocre, so normal is the best I can hope for.”  They inaccurately fear that there is no reason to try to be anything more than the best at being average, not realizing that they bring special things to the table of heroism, and that they don’t have to think like other types in order to be a unique type of brilliant.

While the Cavalry is great at planning, they tend to prefer the day-to-day and in-the-moment plans as they relate to people, rather than worrying about the world as a whole, like an IJ does.  They’re happy to help shepherd their group to wherever they’re going, but they tend to care more about the progress and methods used to meet goals rather than the long-term goals themselves.  Whether it’s help looking **fabulous**, following protocol, making spinach puffs or sharing a “cuppa,” a healthy ESFJ is usually there at the ready with their own special way of helping their friends to shine at their best.

An ESFJ turns villainous when they no longer care about how their actions hurt people or when they don’t care that the group or culture they uphold is damaging people right in front of them.  The Dark Cavalry can demonstrate as a self-centered d-bag with cronies or fans, or some variation of a Stepford Smiler–be it a creepy housewife variety, an evil celebrity, or a cheerfully humming robot you’d be willing waste your precious shotgun ammo on, even when you’ve been using it on zombie-like aberrations (no, of course I’m not referring to anyone in particular…).  All just twisted versions of the Cavalry’s innate strengths of warm sociality.

How can an ESFJ be sure they’re doing it right, being the example of what to do and not what *not* to do?  By being real.  By not pretending everything is okay when it’s not, by caring about people even when they’re not following the plan, by being genuine, even when things aren’t perfect.  That’s how the ESFJ Cavalry can be sure to be the shining star of experience, rather than a hollow shell of vanity.

Cavalry or Dark Cavalry, a strong ESFJ is sure to be a powerful influence in the lives of others, compellingly and charismatically setting the standard of culture.

Examples:
Male:  Link Larkin, Hairspray
Female:  Rarity, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Villain:  Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter

Who are the Type Heroes?  Read the intro here, and stay tuned to meet them all!

Want more information on ESFJ, the Cavalry?  Read their Cognitive Orientation Guidebook here.

The post Type Heroes: ESFJ – The Cavalry appeared first on A Little Bit of Personality.

But as far as what each of us has within in regards to our personality types; is all of us what lies on the surface?  If you Google your own four letters and see posters with limericks and characters mistyped by stereotype, is that all there is to know about you?  Who comes out in the times that you’re angry, sad or with your best friend?  Who is there to know that the world doesn’t see?

Now, please don’t confuse what I’m talking about with the Freudian idea of an Id… or “Sid” as I like to call it (Sig isn’t as catchy or poignant), which is the idea of your carnal nature; your impulses and base desires run wild.  It’s often implied by “deep thinking” psychologists and philosophers, that Mr. Sid is who we really are and that if we try to fight it, we’re simply lying to ourselves (strike dramatic pose here).  Seriously, if you haven’t found greater happiness or cognition than a dog that humps a mailbox by the time you reach adolescence, there’s something seriously wrong with you…which isn’t to say it’s uncommon.  That being said, if you’ve reached adulthood and haven’t gotten past your ego or superego stage, please don’t leave me a comment because I might have to shove a pencil in my eye.  You can be pretty sure that people who want to preach that the only motivations in life are sex, greed or vapid cultural pressure are trying to validate their own lack of higher brain function.  Neither philosophy nor psychology is about trying to prove how much better you are than other people because you haven’t learned basic human abilities yet.

No, I’m talking about being, as Shrek says, like an onion.  Humanity is insanely complex.  Creating Unforgettable Characters by Linda Seger (which, second to Robert McKee’s Story, is my favorite writing reference) refers to “consistencies and paradoxes” of character.  That is to say that a person is what we expect… until they’re not.  We think we know a person until they surprise us; and yet the way that they surprise us is something that ends up painting a better picture of the person as a whole.  This is what makes people rock beyond reason!  There’s always more.

So, when people are an infinitely complex blend of ups, downs, ins, outs and sideways-es, how can we quantify them… or should we?  Well, considering this blog, I guess you see what I think.  Quantifying people, without oversimplifying them (very important), is a way to understand them and know how to love/like/help/use them to their fullest.  The sixteen MBTI personality types are a huge leap ahead in doing that and certainly vastly surpass the four humors or jock/geek models of labeling.  While two individuals of the same personality type may be vastly different (I pride myself on not being Disney’s Hades, for example), they will cognate in the same pattern and specialize in the same category, such as ENTP’s focus on people-potential and INTJ’s focus on world-potential.

But you know what’s really cool?  These sixteen type patterns aren’t just a surface-y thing.  They actually create a pattern that shows who you are when those enigmatic parts of you come out.  Whether you’re usually quiet and reserved, until someone hurts the person you care about and then you protect them like a lion, or if you’re usually cold and utilitarian, until you fall in love and give someone pieces of your heart; it’s all coded there in your letters.  Who is this person who bursts out of your mind and heart in times of vulnerability?  Who are you when you don’t have to protect yourself?  This is your paradoxical self, the part of you that seems to contradict the rest, and yet on closer inspection is really true; this is your “Paradoxitype.”

How do you know what your Paradoxitype looks like?  Well, you may have met them before.  Step right up and meet your inner psyche.  Just be nice!

The pattern seems to be: flip everyone except N/S.

That’s right; your inner self, my friend, is *almost* completely opposite of your normal letters, except he or she (not saying *that’s* flipped, although some days I feel like a teenage boy inside) keeps his or her abstract or linear way of processing the world.  Like most formulas, this has complex results when applied.  Like so…

INFP and ENTJ

INFP Flutter-Rage (ENTJ at Heart)
The INFP may be a good listener who likes to keep to themselves and has an active imagination (as any personality page will tell you), but in their hearts, they’re crusaders.  They care ardently about the way things are going and will rise to the occasion and stand up for what they believe in if they deem it necessary, and even when they don’t say it, they’ll be thinking it.

ENTJ Trembling Leia (INFP at Heart)
ENTJs are pretty much *always* fighting for their cause or vision, but the rare times you can access their heart, you may find inside something quiet and sweet… and often times a little nerdy.  And you just may be able to get them to tell you why what they fight for is so important to them in the first place; not the posters they paste across the world or the engraving on their sword, but the emotional reason they don’t tell most people.  And it’s a special sight to see

ISFP and ESTJ

ISFP Ent March (ESTJ at Heart)
ISFPs usually like to go with the flow, enjoy things, explore everything the world has to offer, and are very protective of what their emotions say, but when they hear the call, they can go into action with a utilitarian calm and get the job done with fervor and necessary callousness.

ESTJ Spanish Buzz (ISFP at Heart)
ESTJ gets it done and gets it done right, but hidden beneath the no-nonsense, function over form mentality, is a sense of romanticism and passion.  They often have goofy senses of humor and a love for poetic details… but don’t push it.

INTP and ENFJ

INTP Illuminated Dr. Henry Jones… Sr. (ENFJ at Heart)
INTPs pride themselves on knowing their facts, understanding and analyzing data, but when you get them to open up, they long to share what they’ve uncovered because, deep down, they want their fact-finding and solution-discovery to contribute to a bigger picture.  They want their actions to have meaning and, although it’s one of the most common atheist types, if they don’t choose to find a higher power on purpose, deifying other fact-finders is almost imminent.

ENFJ Glaring Legolas (INTP at Heart)
ENFJs are caring teachers who love people indistinguishably from themselves, but they are usually worlds more aware than they let on about what is going on and why.  Get them to share what’s really going on inside their minds and you might be surprised what incisive things they understand.  They hate de-friending anyone, but don’t think they don’t notice when something stupid is going on.

ISTP and ESFJ

ISTP, Hello My Name is Inigo Montoya.  You Killed My Father, Prepare to Die. (ESFJ at Heart)
ISTPs may be snarky, withdrawn and skeptical, but they long to be respected and loved for the insights and skills that they uniquely offer.  They work so hard at what they do and what they love and they just want that to be acknowledged and appreciated.  They know they’re special… if they could just get others to see it…  When they let themselves loose, they can have in-your-face flair and color with calculated flourish and pizzazz.

If you don’t know the story, she’s not the green one.

ESFJ Loathing Glinda (ISTP at Heart)
ESFJs love to bring their group together, rallying them by their upbeat and vivacious example, but they have a biting side that comes out when they’re angry or when the things they care about are in jeopardy.   They’re more protective of their quiet hearts than one might think.

ENTP and INFJ

ENTP Sacrificing Eugene (INFJ at Heart)
ENTPs may be at the ready with a sarcastic comment and a mischievous grin, but more than anything, they long to be heroic.  They may use humor… and, okay, maybe a little sex appeal, as defence mechanisms (plus, it’s fun!), but inside they’re protecting a love of archetype and principle, and they long to do and be good… but with flair, of course.

“Maybe I need an image makeover…”
[dark and gravelly voice] “I’m Spiderman.”

INFJ, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spidermask (ENTP at Heart)
INFJs tend to be constantly mistyped.  I honestly wonder if it’s why there’s statistically so few of them.  You’ll usually hear them described as wholesome boy-scouts who care about good causes like donating to orphans or adopting kittens.  In practice… um, no… just no.  While they do care about doing the right thing, it’s in a dynamic do-what-works ENTP sort of way.  If they’re given permission to be themselves, which they struggle with, they can be snarky, outgoing and constantly unexpected.

ESTP and ISFJ

ESTP Gallant Aladdin (ISFJ at Heart)
ESTPs may brazenly live in the moment, self-assured and insolent, but their cavalier attitude protects a deeper desire to be noble vanquishers of evil, kicking its butt and being there for those who can’t defend themselves.  Though they’re unlikely to abide by rules unless they understand their applicability, they do have a strong underlying sense of justice, fairness and chivalry and a desire to set out to set things right.

ISFJ Master Chief who Likes to Jump from High Places (ESTP at Heart)
They may be the poster boy for be-there-when-you-need-them, but ISFJs also have the capacity to be daring, risky, self-confident and adaptable.  All this plus a literal, cheeky sense of humor when they let it out, they can be immensely multi-faceted.

ENFP and INTJ

ENFP John Watson who Always Hears “Punch me in the face” When You Speak (INTJ at Heart)
ENFPs understand the value of people, are charmingly vulnerable and wear their hearts on their sleeves, but underneath all that they have a calculated, principle-based vision of the world and a dry, satirical sense of humor.  When they need to, they can be unyieldingly decisive and commanding.

INTJ Adorkable Beast (ENFP at Heart)
INTJs are masterminds and world-visionaries, but under their cold and precise perfectionism, there lies a sweet and silly side of them.  Get them to open up and they’re likely to be child-like, soft and remarkably docile inside.

ESFP and ISTJ

ESFP Protective Dory (ISTJ at Heart)
Though they tend to be fun incarnate and as off-the-wall as you can get, ESFPs are very protective of the people who bring them their joy and of the world they love to explore.  If put in a position where they see the need, ESFPs can lay down the law and give a proper tongue-lashing or go into battle-mode to protect the things that matter most.

 

 

 

ISTJ Dancing Monica (ESFP at Heart)
Perhaps one of my favorite Paradoxitypes to recognize, because while ISTJs are the protectors and champions of justice and duty, get them to let their shields down and ISTJs have hilariously goofy senses of humor.  Some of my favorite memories growing up were the times I could get my ISTJ big sister to be silly (I hope she still remembers “Slap Happy,” “Ken’s Nudie-Tighties” and “No Bowling Alleys in the House”).

All Fs have a T inside that teaches them to stand up, strong.  All Ts have an F inside… whether we like it or not that we need to stop protecting with our very lives.  We have emotions.  It’s our dirty little secret; shh!

I’d like to add that I’ve noticed romantic trends between types and their inner types, like ESTP and ISFJ or INTP and ENFJ.  Also common is one-offs from that match, like ISTJs and ENFPs (I’ve noticed quite a few), or someone who fulfills that same inner desire, like ESTPs with ENTJs (also fairly common) since a crusader is a lot like a knight in purpose.  While lots of types trend together and any two types *could* make it work, it makes sense that people tend to gravitate to and identify with ones who represent those secret parts of themselves and are likely to cherish that other side of them.  That’s what I got.  Awww!

The heroic versions of all our types embrace this other side of themselves, this Paradoxitype.  Real heroes aren’t afraid to go outside their comfort zone, whatever that may be.  Our favorite characters are the ones that we see both sides of.

When we’re not in touch with this other side of ourselves, we feel stifled and are unable to be the full version of our outer self.  We end up closed off to the world around us and a restricted paper-tiger of what we want to be.  It’s also common for people to resent those who are the same personality as their inner type, wishing to be what they know is within them, and yet feeling like they could never be free to be as bold/noble/fun/effective as their counterpart, not realizing they have this potential within them all along.

As we go forward and embrace both our type and our Paradoxitype, we can finally become the complex, dynamic person we were always meant to be.

On the aLBoP Guided Tour?  You’ve reached the fan favorite, Type Heroes: Which Hero of Legend Will You Be? 

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