ESTJ, INFP …What’s your personality type?

Why did you chose that career? Have you ever been asked that question? When I started writing “Risk” one of the first things I did was get to know my main character Tana Lyre. Where did she come from, what motivates her and why did she become a pilot? Now I think I’ll leave that last question for you all to read in the book. But I am willing to share why I chose to be a pilot.

It’s simple. (and somewhat anti-climatic) The Myers-Briggs personality test.

Maybe some of you were like me, mid-way through high school, not exactly sure what you would be best suited to do, oh let’s say for the rest of your life. (no pressure, right?) So I waltzed into the career center and explained my dilemma.

“I have just the thing to help you dear,” the counselor said. (how often do you hear that?)
She handed me a no. 2 pencil and an inch thick Myers-Briggs aptitude test.

Many of you are probably familiar with or have taken the personality profile. But for the rest of you, here is the skinny.

Basically, Myers-Briggs is a questionnaire designed to compile information about how people perceive the world and make decisions.

The personality indicator was based on Carl Jung’s theories in his book “Psychological Types”. (1910)

The original format was designed by Katharine Cook Briggs and her daughter Isabel Briggs Myers during WWII. At that time, it was believed that knowledge of personality preferences would help women who were entering the war-time work force figure out what kind of jobs they would be comfortable with and effective at.

The test has been labeled as “the world’s most widely used personality assessment, with as many as 2 million tests administered annually.”

And get this… no right or wrong answers.(in my opinion, the best kind of test)

There are 16 possible psychological types (so yes, no matter how odd you think you are, don’t worry, there is one for you) None are better or worse than the others.

So, why would you want know what your personality preferences are?

Maybe you are interested in a career change or want to improve your skill set in your current position.

Team building-if you can identify other’s personality preferences, chances are you will have much stronger communication in any group.

Or perhaps you are where I was a few years back, just trying to figure out what the heck you are good at.

Here’s the link www.myersbriggs.org. (there is a modest fee to take the test and get a summary of the results ) Or there is a free test at www.sminds.com. (I haven’t used this website though, fyi)

Go ahead, get a little crazy and remember. Every once in awhile even a blind hog finds an acorn.

“E” or “I”? Let me know.