What follows is a brief description of the INTJ personality type, including:
• Natural Strengths
• Common Tendencies
• Interaction Styles
• Stressors and Coping Mechanisms.
• Ideal and Corrupt versions of the INTJ
•INTJ Stack

INTJ Basic

Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, Judging. INTJs like to “make a plan” and “make it happen.” They struggle to adapt, improvise, or “let go,” (unless they replace their goal with a better one).

INTJs believe in logic and objectivity. They strive to keep emotion “out of the equation.” “The body” is little more than “a support system for their mind” and “a tool they can use to express their thoughts.” Once they come to a decision, they rarely hesitate, and give little thought to emotions (their own or other people’s).

INTJs believe in “one objective truth.” They dedicate themselves to “optimizing” and “perfecting” every aspect of their life. They often end up with a wide range of skills and expertise, and (being perfectionists) they attempt to master “all of them.” For this reason, INTJs are often very concerned about “time” and a sense of “so much to do, so little time.”

Their belief in the “higher purpose” of “finding the ‘one truth,” and their tendency to “mono-focus on an abstract idea” means that they can easily lose track of more mundane matters (like self-maintenance). In some cases, they may create rigid systems and routines (to help them remember when and what to eat and how to care for themselves). In other cases they may seek out a caretaker to “take care of the INTJ,” leaving them free to focus on their work.

This emphasis on “the one truth” and their focused effort to “understand it” makes INTJs more likely to be confident (or arrogant). Their emphasis on “thought over emotion” and concern with “so much to do, so little time,” mean they can be antisocial and “difficult to interact with.” They practice an extreme form of “harsh honesty,” believing that any form of “ignorance” or “inaccurate perspective or belief” should be corrected (and since they have dedicated themselves to studying “the one truth,” they are (usually) the most qualified person to correct others).

This tendency to “correct others” can be perceived as a form of “lack of tolerance for other people’s beliefs and opinions,” but from the INTJ’s perspective they are demonstrating “care for others” by “correcting them.” In turn, INTJs frequently seek out recognition for their efforts. They crave “a strong reputation” for their contributions to “the 1 truth” (which is ironic considering they don’t generally like people, and yet they want people to be grateful to them).

These “social difficulties” mean INTJs are slow to build connections, and (in turn) INTJs learn to treasure the few connections they do have, sometimes demonstrating a fierce (if often misunderstood) form of protective loyalty.

In times of crisis (or extreme pleasure) INTJs can become intensely emotional (but remain mostly unaware of the emotions of others). They have an intense desire for sensory pleasure (food, strong visuals, intimacy) but are also easily overwhelmed by “too much going on around them.” In those times, they will often withdraw or “try to simplify things.” If the tension persists, they may overindulge in “sensory gratification.”

INTJ Ideal

INTJs are known for their sense of vision. Guided by the wisdom of many, they strive to improve the world through science and logic, balancing the “expertise of others” with “their own internal moral code.”

Even at their best, INTJs can struggle with “weak/incorrect connections” (paranoia). That is why “having one (or a few) that they can trust” is so important for an INTJ. In times of uncertainty and confusion, they can turn to those “trusted few” to help and guide them.

INTJ Corrupt

INTJs often have “a vision” of how the world could be (one rooted in science and logic). When they become corrupt, they often become arrogant and heartless. Anyone who doesn’t appreciate their vision (and them) is inferior and unworthy. The INTJ is justified in “taking control” and “doing what they know is best” regardless of what their “inferiors” think. They may mock those who disagree, dismissing their criticism as ignorance, and vehemently attacking anyone who makes them doubt themselves.

Believing themselves superior, corrupt INTJs will often either “isolate themselves from the world” or “demand absolute obedience from those around them.” Both ultimately grant the INTJ the “absolute control” that they crave.

Believing themselves “superior” to everyone else (and frequently worrying about “interference”), corrupt INTJs are prone to paranoia. Their strong intuition (which grants them such strong visions and plans) can easily lead to misinterpreting “other people’s actions.” Someone “says something” or “does something,” not thinking further than the immediate, but the INTJ takes it much further (imagining that “you knew how I would respond, and planned for it”). A “simple thing” becomes proof that “you’re trying to hurt me, but I saw through you.”

This also relates to the INTJ’s natural tendency to “trust quickly.” This “eagerness to trust” (in turn) can lead to an almost “rubber band” reaction of “becoming paranoid,” but it also represents a way of “reaching” a corrupt INTJ. Give them “someone to trust,” follow through on that trust, and it may be possible to help them “come back.”

INTJ Stack

The stack is essentially “what distinguishes one personality type from another.”

1. Ni (Perspective)
2. Te (Effectiveness)
3. Fi (Authenticity)
4. Se (Sensation)

5. Ne (Exploration)
6. Ti (Accuracy)
7. Fe (Harmony)
8. Si (Memory)

If you would like some basic information about what the 8 skills and 8 roles mean (in general, please click the button below.