Nicaragua: Myers-Briggs
INFJ
For those of you who are familiar with the Myers-Briggs personality test, you probably understand the significance of these four letters. They classify me as "The Counselor," someone who lives a vivid interior life, who prefers listening to talking, would rather work behind the scenes than be the center of attention, who enjoys working for a cause. They say 1% of the world's population shares this personality type, and they are among other INFJs such as Mother Teresa and Hitler.
Rather than focusing on the fact that Mama T and Hitler share the same personality type, allow me to steer this topic in a more happy direction.
A week ago I introduced the Myers-Briggs personality test to my youth group. I had previously taken the test in a college leadership course and it turned out to be a hit. It's not just another teenage magazine personality quiz; it's quite a useful tool in understanding one's strengths/weaknesses and interactions with others. I'm working with students who are in their last year of high school, many of whom are discerning their next step in life be it university, starting a business, or trying to enter the work world in another way. It's an opportune time for them to reflect on their personality and how it coincides with their life goals.
They answered the questions, tallied the letters, discovered their personality traits, and were amazed at how well they identified with the results. I saw students take pride in being "The Actor," "The Champion," and "The Consultant." One student told me how after taking the test and realizing that she is among 2% of the world's population with her specific characteristics, she is more motivated to study medicine and make a difference in the world as a doctor. How neat is that?
Now if only I could find a way for Andres the cat to take this test, maybe I'd be able to better understand the crazy thing. Then again, maybe some things are better left a mystery.
For those of you who are familiar with the Myers-Briggs personality test, you probably understand the significance of these four letters. They classify me as "The Counselor," someone who lives a vivid interior life, who prefers listening to talking, would rather work behind the scenes than be the center of attention, who enjoys working for a cause. They say 1% of the world's population shares this personality type, and they are among other INFJs such as Mother Teresa and Hitler.
Rather than focusing on the fact that Mama T and Hitler share the same personality type, allow me to steer this topic in a more happy direction.
A week ago I introduced the Myers-Briggs personality test to my youth group. I had previously taken the test in a college leadership course and it turned out to be a hit. It's not just another teenage magazine personality quiz; it's quite a useful tool in understanding one's strengths/weaknesses and interactions with others. I'm working with students who are in their last year of high school, many of whom are discerning their next step in life be it university, starting a business, or trying to enter the work world in another way. It's an opportune time for them to reflect on their personality and how it coincides with their life goals.
They answered the questions, tallied the letters, discovered their personality traits, and were amazed at how well they identified with the results. I saw students take pride in being "The Actor," "The Champion," and "The Consultant." One student told me how after taking the test and realizing that she is among 2% of the world's population with her specific characteristics, she is more motivated to study medicine and make a difference in the world as a doctor. How neat is that?
Now if only I could find a way for Andres the cat to take this test, maybe I'd be able to better understand the crazy thing. Then again, maybe some things are better left a mystery.
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