Much like Enneagram, the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (often abbreviated as MBTI) is a popular self-reported personality test. Through answering a series of questions about social habits, preferences, and personal philosophies, the test determines where a person falls within a list of 16 major personality types. Each type is represented by a four-letter abbreviation.
If you don't already know your type, there are a number of online resources and quizzes you can take to find out.
When trying to figure out your MBTI type, it may help to think of where you fall more on a spectrum between each of these sets of poles rather than an "all-or-nothing" approach. There are four major divisions that determine and help describe each of these 16 types.
Introverted vs Extroverted
The first letter of your Myers-Briggs type centers on what energizes you. At the end of a long, hectic day, would you rather have some peaceful time at home or blow off steam with some friends? Introverts (I) are naturally self-reflective, and while they can enjoy socializing, they often need long stretches of time by themselves to feel recharged. Their preferred company is first and foremost themselves. Extroverts (E), on the other hand, feel most alive in the company of others and often have sprawling networks of friends and acquaintances across many different social circles. Even if they aren't trying to be the center of attention, they feel most at-ease when they are surrounded by other people.
iNtuitive vs Sensing
Are you a big picture thinker, or does it all come down to details for you? If you're an iNtuitive type (N), you are interested in subjects that are more abstract and ambiguous. People may accuse you of having your head in the clouds, but it's because you tend to be more of a qualitative thinker who's interested in seeing bigger connections beyond what's immediately in front of you. If you're more of a Sensing type (S), you spend more time in the here and now. You are keenly observant, a perfectionist, and no detail is too small to be overlooked. You're more pragmatic, and your interests tend to be more focused on things involving hard-facts and concrete realities.
Feeling vs Thinking
Put in simplest terms, the Feeling vs Thinking dichotomy is about if you tend to lead more with your "head" or your "heart." If you have to make a split-second decision: Do you go with your gut, or do you try to quickly analyze a situation and logic your way through to the best solution? If you tend to act from a place of emotion first, you're likely a Feeling type (F). If you prefer making choices based on all the information you have at hand, you're more of a Thinking (T) type.
Perceiving vs Judging
This division really just comes down to how comfortable you are with ambiguity and uncertainty in your daily life. Perceiving types (P) are more spontaneous and excited by the unknown and all of the possibilities that affords. They feel that there are few truly "right" or "wrong" answers in life, and that it's more about finding a "best fit" in most situations. Judging types (J), are much more down-to-earth and prefer to have things settled and ordered as much as possible. They believe that rules exist for a reason and sit very strongly in their beliefs and values.
Now that you've identified your type, find out which musical theatre characters you're most like!
