Through the Seasons

Could I sound more like a Golden Retriever?

Jonathan and I recently took a personality test.  My profile is an ISTJ: Introvert, Sensing, Thinking, Judging.  When I looked up a description of this type of person I felt… pegged. 

Words describing an ISTJ: reliant, systematic, thorough, hardworking, responsible, compliant, dutiful, reserved, orderly, commited, cautious, serious, and dependable.  Like a Golden Retriever.  Well, except for the introvert part.

Here are a few other things I found:

They get the job done and complete it on schedule.  They work well within a structure, follow the hierarchy, and are particularly strong and careful in keeping track of facts and details.  They get things to the right place at the right time and honor their commitments. 

At work, they get things done on a timely basis.  They honor deadlines and believe in thoroughness.  They establish procedures and schedules.  They put duty before pleasure.  Their work does not have to be fun but has to count toward something productive. 

Leisure for ISTJ’s must be earned.  Leisure-time activities usually take place after work is accomplished.  Leisure needs to have a purpose and a result, a beginning and an end.  And they like to schedule their leisure time. 

(http://www.geocities.com/lifexplore/istj.htm)

ISTJ’s have a keen sense of right and wrong.  Punctuality is a watchword for an ISTJ.  They seem to perform at highest efficiency when applying a step by step approach.  ISTJ’s are easily frustrated by the inconsistencies of others, especially when the second parties don’t keep their commitments.

(http://www.typelogic.com/istj.html)

Literal, concrete, rational, logical, quiet, reserved, organized, methodical, planner, capable, reasonable. 

Interested in security and peaceful living.  They have a strongly-felt internal sense of duty, which lends them a serious air and the motivation to follow through on tasks.  They’re not comfortable breaking laws or going against the rules.  An ISTJ will work for long periods of time and put tremendous amounts of energy into doing any task which they see as important to fulfilling a goal.  However, they will resist putting energy into things which don’t make sense to them, or for which they can’t see a practical application.  The ISTJ has little use for theory or abstract thinking.  ISTJ’s have an excellent ability to take any task and define it, organize it, plan it, and implement it through to completion.  They are hard workers who do not allow obstacles to get in the way of performing their duties.  (ISTJ’s are task-oriented and don’t like being interrupted.)  They do not usually give themselves credit for their achievements, seeing their accomplishments simply as the natural fulfillment of their obligations. 

Under stress, ISTJ’s may fall into ‘catastrophe mode’, where they see nothing but what could go wrong.  They will lose their ability to see things calmly and reasonably.

(http://www.personalitypage.com/ISTJ.html)

So, that’s me.  Pretty much.  There’s a lot more to me than just the above but that gives a good glimpse into how I think.  Not real exciting but important traits for someone to have, right?  I mean somebody’s got to do the bookkeeping, get the businessmen to their meetings, and pull the dreamers back down to earth.  I like to point out the facts.  Reality.  Cautions.  I’m a nightmare to creative people.

Personal quirks: 

I don’t like the food on my plate to touch and I eat one thing at a time.  I’m sort of a compartmentalizer.  So I don’t like stews, soup, or casseroles unless I know all the ingredients and that doesn’t always help.

I love lists.  I love marking things off my lists.  If I get a wordy explanation of how to do something I’ll break it down into a step 1, 2, 3 procedure.

I keep my office at work (when I’m working) very organized.  I clean it off and put everything away each afternoon.  At home – a different story.

Once I have my home set up I don’t change my furniture around.  If it’s not broken, don’t fix it. 

I don’t like surprises.  At all.  For any reason.

I love giving gifts, especially anonymously (because the ‘thank you’ attention embarasses me).  Receiving gifts makes me uncomfortable.  I don’t dislike it, mind you, but opening them with all eyes on me makes me nervous.

Too much attention in any situation will make me uneasy.

I need a certain amount of personal space, especially when I’m first getting to know someone.  If a person gets too close, too soon (physically and/or emotionally) I shrink into my little shell.

I’m a black/white, all/nothing, right/wrong thinker.  I like things to have a definite end and a concrete answer.

I don’t like the decision process.  I feel better when a decision has been made.

I’ll gather information on my husband’s profile and post that soon.  He’s an ENFP, the exact opposite of what I am. 

This should be interesting…