Time for a little Introspection

A particular heart-breaking experience this week has me out of sorts and mulling the essentials. Time to pause, take stock, and figure out what’s going on. In the midst of the navel-gazing, I came across the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator in a random article in Slate, and it was just too good to pass up. Pop psychology? Probably. Astrology for the space age? Sure. It’s still food for thought.

According to the Keirsey Temperment Website I’d be classified as an INTJ, which carries the catchy if ominous appellation of “Mastermind.” (I’d rather get the INTP’s designation of “Architect,” but no.) Here, so it seems, is the essential me (emphasis added):

Masterminds will adopt ideas only if they are useful, which is to say if they work efficiently toward accomplishing the Mastermind's well-defined goals. Natural leaders, Masterminds are not at all eager to take command of projects or groups, preferring to stay in the background until others demonstrate their inability to lead. Once in charge, however, Masterminds are the supreme pragmatists, seeing reality as a crucible for refining their strategies for goal-directed action. In a sense, Masterminds approach reality as they would a giant chess board, always seeking strategies that have a high payoff, and always devising contingency plans in case of error or adversity. To the Mastermind, organizational structure and operational procedures are never arbitrary, never set in concrete, but are quite malleable and can be changed, improved, streamlined. In their drive for efficient action, Masterminds are the most open-minded of all the types. No idea is too far-fetched to be entertained-if it is useful. Masterminds are natural brainstormers, always open to new concepts and, in fact, aggressively seeking them. They are also alert to the consequences of applying new ideas or positions. Theories which cannot be made to work are quickly discarded by the Masterminds. On the other hand, Masterminds can be quite ruthless in implementing effective ideas, seldom counting personal cost in terms of time and energy.

Hmmm . . . . . I guess that mountaintop laboratory with the henchmen and the tank of sharks was a good investment after all.

Further introspection here and here.