Is the 16 Personalities Test A Useful Self Discovery Tool?

Welcome back for day 23 of my Happy.Healthy.Whole Project (HHWP)! If you are just joining me and are wondering what the HHWP is all about, or if you’ve been following but need to catch up a bit, check out my HHWP page!

This first month of my project has been mostly about self discovery which is incredibly important in a quest for meaning and happiness.

I have always wondered whether or not personality tests were a useful tool for self discovery, or merely a gimmick. 

So for today’s post, I thought that I would investigate for myself whether or not a personality test could provide any useful insight. 

I will first give you a basic overview of the test and instructions on how to complete it should you choose to, and then we will take a look at what I learned from my results.

The 16 Personalities Test

After doing a fair share of research about different personality tests that were free to the public, I came across one by 16personalities.com that looked rather promising.

According to the 16 Personalities website, this assessment is based on the famous Myers-Briggs model, but has one added dimension.

During the test, you will be presented with a series of statements to which you will need to answer on a scale that ranges from “agree” to “disagree”.

The website says it should take you about 12 minutes to complete the test, which I found to be pretty accurate.

Take the 16 Personalities Test for free!

Just remember that as you are taking it, it is important to be as honest as possible. 

For the most accurate results, answer the questions in regards to where you are at now, as opposed to where you would like to be in the future.

Understanding The 16 Personality Test Results

After you have completed the survey, you will be placed into one of 16 personality types based on your responses. You can then read through your results to get a better understanding of what they mean.

But basically, the test has 5 different traits which it evaluates. These 5 traits each have their own spectrum. For example the first trait is the introverted – extroverted spectrum. 

It’s important to note that each trait is not black and white. It is very rare for one person to be completely one thing or the other – for example, either completely introverted or extroverted. 

That’s why the traits are placed on a spectrum – most people fall in the middle somewhere and could lean one way or the other depending on the particular situation.

Let’s look at just a brief overview of what the 5 dimensions are. You’ll be able to read more in depth about each of these in your results after you take the test.

Introverted – Extroverted

The first personality trait they look at has to do with how we interact with our surroundings. This is the Introverted – Extroverted spectrum and is indicated by the letter “I” or “E” in the test results.

Introverts tend to be more the loner type. They can get exhausted by too much social interaction and can often feel overwhelmed in social situations.

Extroverted individuals really thrive and feel energized by social gatherings. They tend to be much more outgoing in a crowd than introverts.

Observant – Intuitive

The second trait describes how we see the world and process the information that we come into contact with. This is  the ObServant – INtuitive spectrum indicated by the letters “S” and “N” in the results.

People with the observant trait are focused on the here and now. They tend to be very practical people.

Whereas people with the intuitive trait tend to be more focused on future possibilities and gravitate toward novel situations. They are more creative, open-minded, and curious.

Thinking – Feeling

The third trait is about how we deal with our emotions, and what we base our decisions on. This is the Thinking – Feeling spectrum represented by the letters “T” or “F” in the results.

Thinking individuals value rationality and logic over emotion, and often tend to hide their emotions. These people value efficiency over teamwork and can be very competitive.

Feeling individuals tend to express their emotions more. They are also more empathetic and value teamwork and cooperation.

Judging – Prospecting

The fourth trait has to do with how we approach our work and planning. This is the Judging – Prospecting spectrum represented by the letters “J” or “P” in your results.

People who are judging are decisive, thorough, and very organized. They are the planning type.

Prospecting individuals enjoy spontaneity and are good at identifying opportunities when they arise. They like to keep their options open and tend to be more flexible in their work style.

Assertive – Turbulent

The final trait has to do with how confident we are in our abilities and decisions. This is the Assertive – Turbulent spectrum represented by the letters “A” or “T” in your results.

Assertive people are even tempered, don’t worry too much, and are more stress resistant. They usually don’t push themselves too hard when it comes to their goals.

Turbulent people on the other hand, can be self-conscious and prone to stress and worry. They are often especially driven individuals who seek self improvement and perfection.

Now that we understand what the different letters that you will get in your results mean, let’s look at my results!

My Results From The 16 Personalities Test

In your results, you will get your personality type along with the letters that specify your traits. It will also let you read about your: Strengths & Weaknesses, Romantic Relationships, Friendships, Parenthood, Career Paths, and Workplace Habits based on your personality type.

After completing the personality test, I got the result of “The Advocate” which is the INFJ-T personality.

Meaning that I am:

• Introverted – Easily overwhelmed and drained by social situations.
• Intuitive – Focused on future possibilities, open-minded, creative, and curious.
• Feeling – More empathetic and value teamwork and cooperation.
• Judging – Organized, decisive, thorough and the planning type.
• Turbulent – Seek growth and improvement, but can also stress, worry, and be prone to perfectionism.

According to the test, some famous people with the INFJ personality type are: Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Mother Theresa.

Wow! Those are pretty big shoes to fill!

According to the website: “Advocates are the rarest personality types of all. Still, Advocates leave their mark on the world. They have a deep sense of idealism and integrity, but they aren’t idle dreamers – they take concrete steps to realize their goals and make a lasting impact.”

During this project I was most interested in finding myself a new career path, so let’s check out what this survey had to say about my possible career paths.

Careers for The Advocate Personality Type

“Advocates want to find meaning in their work and to know that they are helping and connecting with people. This desire to help and connect can make roles as counselors, psychologists, teachers, social workers, yoga instructors, and spiritual leaders very rewarding for Advocates. Many Advocates are also strong communicators. This explains why they are often drawn to careers in writing, authoring many popular books, blogs, stories, and screenplays.” -16personalities.com 

Wow, I’d say that this is pretty spot on for me! I definitely want to find meaning and help others in my work, and if you haven’t noticed I am fascinated in the field of psychology (though I’m more interested in coaching/teaching rather than counselling). 

It even has blogging and writing on there as suggested career paths for me. How about that!?

The survey results also said that people with the INFJ personality type like to work for themselves which has always been a dream of mine.

Actually, both writing a book, and owning my own business are on my bucket list.

The other thing that really hit home for me was:

“Many Advocates have trouble deciding which job is best for them because they’re able to imagine so many possibilities.”

That’s exactly me. I think that’s why I have worked so many different jobs in my life. I have worked in a university laboratory, as a collegiate strength coach, a community college instructor for exercise and wellness, a director of operations for an adventure company… and now it’s time for the next thing.

My Overall Thoughts On The 16 Personalities Test

I found that this test was pretty spot on for me, which is a little bit spooky. Alright, not really, but I did feel like they were in my head a bit!

In addition to being very accurate for me, I loved how much information that it gave on different areas of life. I found the strengths and weaknesses and career insights to be most helpful for me at the moment, but the other areas were really interesting as well.

Overall, I do think that this test could be a useful tool for self discovery. I would highly recommend that you guys give it a try!

It only takes about 10-12 minutes to complete, and I actually found it quite fun! Even more so if you can talk a friend, family member or partner into taking it with you so you can compare results afterwards!

What about you? Have you ever taken a personality test? If so, did you feel like you learned anything?

If you haven’t taken one, might you consider taking the 16 personalities test? Let me know in the comments, I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Until tomorrow,

~Clarissa

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