Eliminate Your Blind Spots and Unlock Your Hidden Potential with Myers-Briggs
There is nothing more heartbreaking in life than untapped potential. We’re all capable of great things, if we put our minds to it. Sadly, the human condition is also prone to distractions and self-sabotage.
The good news is, by assessing your own Myers-Briggs personality type, you can learn where you’re going wrong. We all have a blind spot, and tracking yours down is critical.
Identifying your biggest weakness is key to eliminating it from your life. Unencumbered by the ever-present threat of self-destruction, you’ll be free to achieve everything you’re capable of – and more.
ENFJ – The Giver
The Giver is a generous soul, and that’s great. The trouble is, this personality type is so concerned with meeting the needs of others that they forget to think about themselves.
If you’re an ENFJ, you need to take a little time to meet your own needs. If you give more than you receive, you’ll never progress. This applies to relationships, business transactions and even parenting.
You need to implement boundaries. More importantly, you need to stick with them. If you give an inch, the world will take a mile. You have to stop accepting that with a smile and a shrug of the shoulders. You deserve to receive as much as you offer.
ENFP – The Champion
Anybody falling under the ENFP personality type will never be commended for their patience. The Champion is always seeking their next great experience, or a bigger, better deal. So much so that they fail to stop and smell the roses, enjoying the present moment.
A thirst for adventure is great, but sooner or later you need to start laying down some foundations. The Champion is prone to choosing a quick fix and immediate gratification over planting seeds and watching something grow. Sooner rather than later, this catches up with you.
If you’re starting to feel bored, resist the urge to toss everything in the trash and start again. That’s a never-ending cycle that will never result in contentment. Instead, focus your energies into sprinkling some life into a static situation.
ENTJ – The Commander
The Commander is a born planner. This personality type has one-, five- and ten-year plans. They have solutions for every problem that may or may not arise three steps down the line. They know exactly where they want to end up, and are determined to get there. What they tend not to consider is how that impacts the present.
If you’re an ENTJ, spend little less time thinking about tomorrow and a little more time enjoying today. It’s great to think about the future. Reaching a destination is ultimately pointless if you don’t relish the journey, though. Especially when you consider that, once you’ve achieved one goal, you’ll immediately start planning the next one.
ENTP – The Visionary
The Visionary has a grand design for their life, and they’ll move heaven and earth to achieve their goal. That’s admirable, but it can leave a trail of destruction in The Visionary’s wake.
When you think about what you want, and how you intend to obtain it, ask yourself another question. Are you capable of achieving your targets in your allocated timeframe? Will doing so leave you mentally, physically or financially exhausted? Will it involve bulldozing friends, family or colleagues along the way? Do the ends really justify the means?
Instead of cooking up a scheme that you think will fulfill your desires, canvas opinion from those closest to you. Take input from others, and think about a different approach. There is always more than one way to skin a cat.
ESFJ – The Provider
An ESJF takes a great deal of pleasure from helping others. The Provider is undoubtedly a people person, and will always be on-hand with a smile and advice. Unfortunately, ESJFs sometimes spend so much time concerning themselves with other people that they lose their own personality in the process.
If you’re a Provider, you likely find yourself constantly comparing yourself to others. More importantly – and dangerously – you end up coveting what they have. You helped your colleague gain a promotion, so you should be next in line for something better. You helped a friend plan their dream wedding, so yours should be in a bigger, more glamorous venue.
Does this really matter to you? Or are you just trying to keep up with your peer group? Take stock, and think about what matters most to your personal happiness. If that means living your life a little differently, there’s no shame in that.
ESFP – The Performer
Were you the class clown of your High School? If you’re an ESFP, it’s likely. This personality type breezes through life, refusing to take it too seriously. That sounds like a great way to stay sane in an uncertain world, but is it really sustainable? We’re willing to wager to the class Valedictorian has achieved more of their goals into adulthood.
If you’re an Entertainer, embrace that. People love being around you, and your happy-go-lucky approach to living for the moment is infectious. All the same, sooner or later, you’re going to need to think a little more seriously.
You need a plan to protect what is most important to you. Life is indifferent to us all, and sooner or later, some form of misfortune is likely to befall you. All the song and dance routines in the world won’t help then. Take a little time to think about the future, and put safety precautions in place.
ESTJ – The Supervisor
ESTJs are among the most practical of all personality types. They’re not averse to fun or happiness – they just place it lower down their totem pole of priorities. This means that taking time out to live their life sometimes gets lost in the shuffle.
“Work hard, play hard” is a great motto. If you’re a Supervisor, just make sure that you remember the, “play hard” part. Stop for a moment, and ask yourself if you’re really taking enough time to enjoy your present.
By all means, keep working and keep earning money. Don’t prioritize this so much that you don’t have time to spend it, though. You may find that life has moved on without you while you were prioritizing practicality.
ESTP – The Doer
The Doer, as the name suggests, wants to get things done. An ESTP is like a shark; if they’re not constantly moving forward, they’re at risk of losing oxygen. This does not lend itself to making the right decisions, though. The Doer will always take the path of least resistance.
If you fall under this personality profile, you’ll likely be familiar with this. Given the choice between a step forward or a lateral movement, you’ll always take the former option – rarely stopping to consider the bigger picture. In reality, that lateral move may be a short-term delay that results in five steps forward in no time at all.
Stop for a moment, and give a little thought to the future. You do not need to be in perpetual motion to achieve great things. A little time out today to hatch a plan can be pivotal to a brighter tomorrow.
INFJ – The Counselor
When an INFJ is asked for their biggest weakness in a job interview, they’ll invariably answer with, “I’m a perfectionist.” Seeking perfection in all things is admirable, but it’s also unrealistic.
You need to start accepting that the world is an imperfect place, filled with imperfect people and situations. Something is always better than nothing, but you’re prone to accepting nothing less than 100%. Until you lower your standards a little, you’ll find yourself constantly chasing shadows in the pursuit of an impossible dream.
That doesn’t mean that you should give up. It just means that you should learn to love failure and take a few more chances. You’ll learn more from things that don’t work out than anything that runs as smooth as clockwork.
INFP – The Idealist
The Idealist could also be called The Dreamer. This personality type may often be accused of having their head in the clouds, daydreaming about rainbows and unicorns. That’s great – but, sometimes, cold hard reality needs to be addressed.
This is the biggest weakness of the INFP. If you encounter adversity or hardship, you’re likely to retreat into a world of fantasy. Likewise, you may find yourself reluctant to take a chance. Why risk something ending badly, when you can remain in dreamland and imagine that it all worked out for the best?
Ultimately, while dreams and goals are important, they don’t come true unless you take action. Step out of your mind every once in a while, and step up to the plate. Until you do so, you’ll forever be talking about, “maybe one day” – and never making today.
INTJ – The Mastermind
INTJs cannot abide ignorance, in any form. This personality type needs to be in full possession of the facts before taking any kind of action. That’s admirable, but only so many hours can be dedicated to study. Eventually, thinking needs to give way to doing.
The Mastermind can be prone to spending hours, or even days, agonizing over decisions. Sometimes, you just need to take a deep breath and jump into the water. It may be freezing … but it could be refreshing. You’ll never know unless you actually try.
INTP – The Thinker
The Thinker is a fiercely independent personality type. INTPs like to keep themselves to themselves wherever possible. This includes a reluctance to share hopes and dreams – and, more importantly, a frequent refusal to ask for any kind help.
You may view any sign of vulnerability as your enemy, but this is a dangerous fallacy. You may be able to achieve great things by yourself, but sometimes, an extra pair of hands can make all the difference. Whether it’s moving a piano or mulling over a logic problem, there is nothing to lose by seeking help from time to time.
It doesn’t even need to be direct support, either. You could free up a great deal of time and energy by delegating responsibility on occasion. You need to start placing a little more trust in others, and carrying a smaller burden on your own shoulders.
ISFJ – The Nurturer
An ISFJ will frequently dedicate themselves to helping others. That’s very noble. Sadly, this decision is often born of insecurity. This personality type feels that they are unworthy of an interesting life themselves, and instead dedicates themselves to helping others achieve their goals.
If you find yourself questioning whether you’re worthy of love, a promotion at work, an accolade or anything positive, stop and take a moment. Step out of your mind for a moment, and try to view yourself the way others do.
The rest of the world wants you to succeed, and it’s you’re self-limiting beliefs that preventing that from happening. Only you can change that line of thinking, and it’s time to start claiming that which you deserve.
ISFP – The Composer
If there is one thing that The Composer cannot face, it’s conflict. When the temperature rises, an ISFP doesn’t fight fire with fire. They don’t even reach for the extinguisher. They flee and call the fire department from a safe distance.
That’s fine – but if you’re an ISFP, you really need to start stepping up on occasion. Conflict, in and of itself, does not have to be a negative experience. In fact, what you deem to be conflict may just be a conversation to somebody else.
You need to start swinging your arms and heading into every battle with all guns blazing. Pick a hill that you’re prepared to die on, however, and stand by your judgment. Some wars are worth waging, and you’ll never achieve your goals until you acknowledge this.
ISTJ – The Inspector
ISTJs are wholly cautious by their very nature. This is the personality type that never adds salt to their food without tasting it first. They always enter a swimming pool via the stairs. They’ll never try a new restaurant is an old favorite is available.
If you’re an Inspector, nobody expects you to start throwing caution to the wind overnight. Ultimately, that’s not who you are. However, you really need to start living a little. With no risk, there’s no fun.
Think about a minor chance you could take that promises a substantial reward. That could be financial, emotional or anything else. Just take the occasional gamble, without jeopardizing anything that really matters to you. Life begins where your comfort zone ends.
ISTP – The Craftsperson
The Craftsperson likes to consider himself or herself a realist. The people around this personality type are more likely to use words like, “cynic”, or even, “misanthrope.” Either way, an ISTP needs to lighten up a little.
Sometimes, you’ll need to check your skepticism at the door and open your mind and heart. If you think for long enough, you’ll be more than capable to dissuading yourself from following your instincts in any given situation.
Learn to trust a little. Even if thing’s go wrong, it’s a learning exercise. What’s more likely to happen, however, is that you’ll come to realize that people are inherently good. The world doesn’t have to be a dark and gloomy place.