INTJ personalities form part of the 16 different personality types covered by the Myers-Briggs Indicator. As one of the rarer personality types, INTJs are introverted and analytical and can come across as isolated and callous. But for all this, INTJs are helpful and caring in their way and contribute much to the world around them.
The world needs INTJ types because they have an excellent work ethic and are hard-working. They are problem solvers who can take the initiative and think out of the box to find solutions and do so independently. INTJs are loyal, have high expectations, and always strive to learn more.
With INTJ personality types, their tendency to withdraw from social situations to recharge can make them seem aloof. And, since they value being honest and upfront, it can sometimes seem a little insensitive. So why does the world need INTJs?
INTJ Personalities And Defining Traits
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) identifies your personality type and psychological perspective of the world. Your behavior, reasoning, and decision-making patterns stem from your personality type, and the INTJ personality is one of the rarest types.
‘INTJ’ types are Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, and Judging but are commonly called The Architect for their thoughtful and tactical thinking. INTJs are often referred to as perfectionists, but they are also known to be creative and rational while keeping their inner world private. They value intelligence and willpower and can become highly frustrated with incompetence or laziness.
People with this personality type prefer to use their reasoning and experience to find more efficient ways of doing things. They are known for being inventive and questioning the status quo. They work well independently and make decisions on their own without having to wait for input from others.
INTJs seek out social interaction, but they are picky about who they let into their circle. The people they want to surround themselves with generally have a similar outlook on the world, shared priorities, and values. They feel at home when they can be themselves.
Let’s look at some areas in which INTJ personalities do well and others that might be challenging so we can identify why the world needs INTJs:
Strengths:
- They are independent and don’t need external motivation to drive them. INTJs make decisions without requiring input by gathering information and analyzing it independently.
- They sense and feel things deeply, especially when others are hurting, and will invest much time in understanding what happened and how to prevent it from reoccurring.
- They are driven and goal-oriented, and as dreamers, they will put all their energy into realizing a goal. If an INTJ has decided to do something, they will see it through.
- Known by their peers as academics, bookworms, or nerds, INTJs thirst for knowledge and will go to great lengths to learn about new things and become masters of the topics they are interested in.
- INTJs are known for their flame-sharp wit and sarcasm; as intellectuals, this is often perfectly timed.
- They value truth and depth, so they are always honest. What you see is what you get, and you won’t have to worry about being lied to or having the truth obscured.
- They are naturally confident about things that interest them, which draws people to them quickly. They are often charismatic.
- They like order around them, so their environment is generally kept in a good state.
- INTJS are innovative and hardworking, and when confronted with a problem, they will tirelessly look for a solution. And, as they are masters of abstract thought, they can identify solutions that most wouldn’t consider.
- High standards and ethics mean that they will always do the right thing in the moment, even if that’s not the popular choice. They also feel duty-bound to act with integrity and have a high moral compass.
Weaknesses:
- INTJs can come across as insensitive for their lack of patience when waiting for others to understand their reasoning. They also tend to get frustrated with people who don’t try to do their job well or find answers to seemingly apparent problems.
- They can be pretty cynical and sometimes default to the thought that the rest of society is lazy – this also makes them seem arrogant.
- A large chunk of their self-worth and self-esteem comes from what they see as their intellect and knowledge, so if they feel shown up or fall short of their expectations, they take it very hard.
- They lack patience for the things they deem frivolous and have no time for distractions in their single-minded pursuits.
- INTJs don’t value popularity and would rather upset people by pointing out when something is morally wrong – this doesn’t make them popular with the fun-loving crowd, but those who value justice will see the worth in it.
- Their upfront and honest way of speaking can be mistaken for rudeness or lack of tact, but an INTJ would instead tell the truth than sugarcoat something to make others happy.
- Although they like being social, they need to recharge on their own and will actively withdraw at such times. Partners who require a lot of reassurance and physical presence in a relationship may find this offensive and challenging.
- INTJs focus on logic and information over emotions about a particular subject, which can appear very judgmental on sensitive topics.
- Although INTJs can identify and align with emotions, they don’t like talking about feelings or things with an emotional undertone. Sometimes this can seem cold and uncaring to those who don’t understand how an INTJ thinks.
- INTJs are not typically very physically affectionate. They would more easily communicate their affection and care verbally or through acts of service, making it difficult for family and friends who want physical contact.
Why Are INTJs the Best?
INTJ personalities are interesting because they merge the concept of feeling very deeply for others with the ability to step back and look at the bigger picture from an analytical point of view. And while they don’t just focus on facts, they want to recognize patterns and possibilities and understand their potential meanings.
Such personality types are also happy to think about possibilities for their future and consider various options. And while they are less focused on how others feel, their close companions and chosen circle is unique to them, and they will work hard to invest in these relationships.
INTJs have a lot of value to add, so let’s discuss 15 reasons why the world needs them:
15 Reasons Why The World Needs INTJs
Sure, INTJs aren’t physically affectionate teddy bears that speak openly about deep emotions, but they are invaluable members of society for their other strengths and defining traits. The world needs people like this because:
1. Innovative Problem Solvers
INTJs take an organized approach to solving problems and do so very deliberately and methodically without being affected by emotion. This is particularly useful in crises and challenging situations that require emergency intervention or an ordered approach to identifying the cause of a problem. As they are also great at abstract thinking, INTJs make excellent lawyers, medical personnel, and investigators – they are also often found in the engineering field.
2. Detail-oriented And Perfectionistic
Because they like order and want to see cause and effect clearly, INTJs are focused on details and take great pride in their work. They are often termed perfectionistic, which is essential in certain fields where mistakes can cost lives or cause more significant damage. The ability of an INTJ to tease the tangles out of a situation ensures that the best possible conclusion is reached for all parties involved.
3. Knowledgeable, Able To Take Initiative
INTJs highly regard intelligence and knowledge and they will invest a great deal of time into researching and mastering things that interest them. They want to be the best in the things that fascinate them, so they devote their time to this – they are often good at many things across the board and have a wealth of information and experience to share with others.
At the same time, they expect a lot from themselves and will take the initiative to go and find out what it is they need to know if they feel they are falling short. This makes them ideal for research-based careers like engineers, scientists, and mathematicians.
4. Diligent and Reliable
One of the significant driving forces in an INTJs life is their hard-working nature and their diligentness in completing their assigned tasks. You can always depend on them and are usually reliable employees who don’t skimp on hours and efforts when doing their work. Because of this high work ethic, they are often seen as workaholics, which is essential in specific fields that require maximum effort at all times. Emergency room personnel are a great example.
5. Independent
INTJs are lone wolves that are happy to carry on independently. They are self-sufficient and don’t require external management or constantly checking on. Because they are internally motivated, INTJs are also not reliant on constant praise and positive reinforcement to perform, which makes managing them relatively easy.
6. Honest And Upfront
You never have to worry about whether something an INTJ says is a lie because with these types of folks, what you see is what you get. They value honesty and truth and will rather say something uncomfortable that lie for the sake of it.
You can trust an INTJ to be truthful in what they say and do, and while it may seem disrespectful sometimes, knowing where you stand with them at all times can be a massive relief to those who feel others easily manipulate them.
7. Doing The Right Thing vs Doing The Popular Thing
Another trait of INTJ personalities is that they feel honor-bound to do the right thing. Regardless of whether others will agree or whether it can upset people, they will stand firm on their morals and values and do what is right. This is often needed in situations where emotions must be turned off to make a decision – nowhere is this more obvious than in law enforcement, medical professions, and lawyers.
8. High Standards For Themselves
INTJs hold themselves to incredibly high standards, and as such, if they feel like they have failed you as a friend or colleague, they will put in the work to understand where and how they did this and actively work on improving this. It’s rare to find people today who want to be better and do better, so this trait is essential today. We should all strive to become the best versions of ourselves; no one does it better than an INTJ.
9. Good Listeners
Since they love understanding the bigger picture, being analytical, and gathering information about the world around them, INTJs make excellent listeners. They can fully engage with you, ask relevant questions, and probe further to get the complete sense of the story you are telling, and can be great at helping you decipher challenging scenarios in your life. Their problem-solving skills are a boon here, too.
10. Constructive Criticism
Because they strive to be the best version of themselves, INTJs are good at taking constructive criticism and using it to improve themselves. They like to be in control and have structure around them, and things that will feed into this are highly valued – this goes for personal situations and relationships, not just work scenarios.
11. Self-confident
As INTJs are generally driven to be knowledgeable and the best at various things, they come across as self-confident and self-assured. This charm and charisma can be very encouraging for those around them and can help boost the self-esteem of those around them. They can convey their beliefs and values without batting an eyelash – something very important in situations concerning morals, ethics, and the law.
12. Think Out Of The Box
Rational and logical thinking is a hallmark of the INTJ personality type. Still, they are also exceptionally good at reading between the lines to figure out hidden meanings and seeing patterns others may have missed. This makes them good at investigating problems and sorting through potential answers, which careers in forensics and court matters value.
13. Big Dreamers
Due to their creativity and innovative thought patterns, INTJs tend to think they can do almost anything – and you can be sure they’ll pursue these thoughts. INTJs are the ones that can change the world with their unique thinking. Since they are able to dedicate themselves wholly to a cause, they are incredible advocates for social justice and other moral and ethical matters.
14. Loyal
Once committed to a task or a person, an INTJ is almost unshakable. They remain loyal and faithful to their cause, whether that is their career, an idea or philosophy, or a family member or friend. They will always have your back, and while you may not see them as often as you’d see others, they will not falter in their loyalty to you.
15. In Tune With Others
Despite being more introverted, INTJs value social situations – but they tend to surround themselves with people who think like they do and share in values and beliefs. And, when it comes to the ones they love and care for, INTJs are fully committed to maintaining successful relationships.
Because of how they can tune into others, INTJs make excellent mental health or healthcare professionals. Pair this with an ability to solve a problem rationally, and you have superb doctors and lawyers who can prioritize well-being over emotional decision-making.
Conclusion
INTJs are a rare and exciting personality type that, while being introverted and sometimes withdrawn, make for loyal friends who are in tune with the emotions of those they care about. They are typically bright and driven to improve their knowledge, so that you can expect someone with a broad spectrum of talents and skills.
The world needs INTJs because of their incredible work ethic, hard-working nature, and dedication to solving problems. They work independently without requiring micromanagement and will see their tasks through. They are good listeners and can take criticism well to improve their performance. And, since they have high standards for themselves and are driven by morals and values, they will always give their best.
