The Personality Puzzle: Understanding What Makes People Tick
September 28th, 2008
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A few months ago, I read several blog posts that badly butchered the concept of introversion, twisting the definition and falsely assuming that it’s inferior to extraversion. Being a huge fan of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and the incredible insight it offers into personality differences, I had to set the record straight.
I wrote two posts exploring the differences between introverts and extraverts, as those terms were meant to be used. One of them quickly became one of my most popular posts ever, receiving comments such as “O.m.f.g my brain had an orgasm reading this thank you so true.” The other, a guest post on Pick the Brain, hit the Digg front page. But there was still a lot more to be said, far more than could be fit into a post or even a series of posts. It had to be an ebook.
I took those two posts, quadrupled them, squared them, and put them on steroids to make The Personality Puzzle: Understanding What Makes People Tick. It covers all eight elements of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, how they interrelate to make up someone’s personality, why this is relevant and useful in our lives, and lots of examples with real and fictional people.
Plenty of information is available on the sales page, and I love that sales page so much I want to marry it. I know that some people have concerns about scientific validity, labeling, and so forth. If you do, I ask you to read the sales page before commenting, because it addresses the most common objections. If you have any other concerns, feel free to leave a comment below.
I’ll leave you with my foreword from the ebook.
I first took the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator assessment in 2005. The company I worked at brought in a consultant to give us the questionnaire and conduct a workshop to explain what it all meant. While I found it intriguing, I didn’t really see how it was that useful.
My results came back and said I was an INTP; heavy on the I, light on the P. As we went through the workshop and learned about the different preferences, I wasn’t sure that I had been given the right type. The consultant said that sometimes the assessment isn’t accurate, and I could feel free to decide my own type regardless of what it said.
As the workshop continued, it became a running joke that I was the most indecisive person on the planet, struggling much more than everyone else to figure out what my type was. At the end of it all, everyone had confirmed their type. Everyone but me, that is. But pressed for a decision, I weakly declared myself an ISTJ. I read a description of ISTJs, and I thought, “Well, I guess that could be me, maybe.” But it didn’t feel right.
Fast forward to 2008, when I find myself meeting with a career coach to see if I’m in the wrong kind of job. At some point the MBTI happened to come up, and it took her all of ten seconds to determine that I was definitely not an ISTJ, and probably an INTP.
When I read a description of INTPs, I knew that was me, and suddenly my type made sense. Maybe there was something to the MBTI after all! I was hooked, and I began digging deeper. After reading several books and many articles, and typing people from Abraham Lincoln to Zig Ziglar, I couldn’t believe how much more there was to know than what I learned in that one-day workshop.
The MBTI originated from the ideas of revolutionary Swiss psychologist Carl Jung, in his 1921 book Psychological Types (translated to English in 1923). His work was continued by an American mother and daugher team, Katharine Briggs and Isabel Briggs Myers. In 1962, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator was published by the Educational Testing Service. But it didn’t become popular until the mid-1980s, and it continues to be grossly underestimated today.
If everyone understood the MBTI, every dating site would have members put their type in their profile, right up there with all the vital stats. Trial lawyers would (if it were legal) use potential juror’s types to help choose the best jury for a case. Friends and family members would consider type when communicating with each other, and learn to understand each other better. In some extreme cases, the MBTI has been responsible for saving marriages. Not saving marriages in the way that people say chocolate saved their marriage, but I mean people actually filed for divorce and then changed their minds after learning how to reconcile their differences.
There are practically limitless applications of the MBTI in understanding people, not to mention understanding our own strengths and weaknesses that we might not even be aware of. While I’ll be the first to admit that type doesn’t explain everything, it sure tells us an awful lot for four lousy letters.
But for most people, it still remains shrouded in mystery and unfounded objections. I wrote this ebook to bring an understanding of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to the general public. Unlike most workshops which are fun but not that informative, and unlike most books which are informative but not that fun, this ebook is a lot of both.
I’ve pulled together plenty of heavy-duty psychological research and mixed it with real-world examples, including everyday situations as well as a look at famous people and characters. There’s really nothing else like it. Whether you’re a type theory newbie or a die-hard typewatcher, this ebook will give you a fresh and entertaining perspective on enhancing your life with the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.
P.S. This ebook is really, really good. As if it weren’t worth parting with a measly $27, there’s an affiliate program paying 50% ($13.50) on each sale, so the ebook can easily pay for itself and then some.
Order The Personality Puzzle right now and finally understand what makes people tick.
September 29th, 2008 at 1:16 am
Hi Hunter – well done. I’m glad you’ve written something you can flog. It’s a lot like DISC profiling isn’t it? I found that useful, as different personalities need to be managed in different ways – and believe it or not, that had not occurred to me before.
I will be taking a look at your affiliate program and I have one question to ask you. If you could describe the main benefit a reader will get from reading this book in one or two short sentences what would you say? I’m asking because I think it would be easier for others to pass on the message about your book, if they knew this.
Cath Lawsons last blog post..17 Ways To Stand Out From The Crowd
September 29th, 2008 at 1:45 am
Hi Hunter – Congratulations on your ebook. It sounds like a fascinating read, and knowing you, I’ve no doubt you did your homework to make it the best it can be.
Barbara Swaffords last blog post..Strike While The Iron Is Hot
September 29th, 2008 at 5:11 am
Hey, good job, Hunter! This kind of psych stuff is right up my alley, so I’ll definitely be reading my copy cover to cover. Plus, you write well
Good luck with it!
September 29th, 2008 at 9:58 am
Hi Hunter, congratulations about getting your ebook out! Coincidentally, over the weekend and due to attending an workshop, I wrote a draft post on Enneagram personality profiling. I am intending to publish my post later this week.
If my memory serves me well, I believe that I have been through the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test some years ago but at that time, did not know how to apply it well. I’d just have to read your ebook to see how useful it can be.
Evelyn Lims last blog post..Building The Businesses Of Our Dreams
September 29th, 2008 at 10:01 am
Wow, very cool, Hunter. I took the Meyers-Briggs test online (a couple different ones) a while ago, and it opened up a lot of understanding about myself. My wife and I both took them and our understanding of each other has increased, as well.
For the record, I’m INTJ.
September 29th, 2008 at 10:21 am
@ Cath, yeah, it feels a little strange to release an ebook that’s not free! It will be exciting to see what happens. I’m not too familiar with DISC profiling, so I can’t really say how much they’re alike.
Your question about the one or two sentence blurb is a good one, but also one I have a hard time answering. I know you’re supposed to make the benefits clear and succinct to potential customers, but I’ve never been benefit-oriented, more like “Just give me as much information as possible and let me figure out the benefits for myself!” It makes sense considering my type.
Here are some thoughts:
- For me personally, the main benefit is simply that it satisfies our natural curiosity about human beings and why they do the things they do. If someone’s not instinctively drawn to this, they must be a robot!
- For anyone who liked “Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus,” this is similar, but much deeper. Instead of 2 superficial types, we have 16 types based on distinctions that matter from a psychological perspective.
- Understanding our personalities leads to better relationships, friendships, and marriages. Arguments about the law of attraction, list posts, the Iraq War, etc. can often be traced back to our types, so understanding them means we can work out our differences in a healthier way.
- Or, just listen to Isabel Briggs Myers herself: “Whatever the circumstances of your life, the understanding of type can make your perceptions clearer, your judgments sounder, and your life closer to your heart’s desire.”
@ Barbara, if I did any more homework, I think I might explode.
But it was all worth it. I just had to write this ebook.
@ James, one interesting thing I’ve noticed is that fictional characters almost always make sense typologically. When people create characters, they just naturally give them a real type, without even thinking about it. I’d be interested to hear if you can figure out the types of the characters you’ve created in your fiction writing.
@ Evelyn, I’ll look forward to that post. A lot of people go through the MBTI but then don’t get enough information to apply it, so I wanted to correct that!
@ Michael, you’re such an INTJ it’s not even funny.
BTW, they sometimes call that type “the mastermind.”
September 29th, 2008 at 11:21 am
Hi,
I took that test at a workshop — I’m ENFP. Full strength on N and F (I’m intuitive and yes, this is why I sometimes go under the blanket for a quick weeping from time to time when someone intimidates me . . . despite the nice strong face I put on), very easy on P, reasonably E ^_^
Congrats on your eBook!!
Akemi – Yes to Mes last blog post..Inside Out Approach To Entrepreneurship, Part 1, Find The Niche
September 29th, 2008 at 11:34 am
@Hunter – Yeah, I know. At first I was creeped out by it. I was like, “who, me?” Now I’m cool with it and I use it to help others. Now that I’ve changed my business model around, I can finally start being a mastermind instead of getting in my own damn way.
September 29th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
Hi Hunter – you’ve given some good reasons there. And I guess it depends who we’re trying to sell it to.
The benefits to people on my business site would be different to visitors on a health and fitness site. But it’s definitely a book that will appeal to a wide range of people.
I didn’t know you’d written it – you went really quiet for a while, so I figured you were up to something. Well done.
By the way, when you’re trying to find a benefit – Guy Kawasaki offers the best tip. Ask yourself what is good about your product and when you reply – imagine there’s a little man on your shoulder saying – “so what” until you get to the real benefit.
September 29th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
@Cath – that is a great tip!
September 29th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
I had taken this test sometime in 1998. Had been fun. Was INFP (I think). Will have to re-take the test I guess.
Your book sounds great. Understanding self has been my area of interest since ages. And I loved Men Are From Mars Women Are From Venus.
Congrats on your e-book. And all the very best to you.
Avani-Mehtas last blog post..How To Pick Your First Anger Management Area – Anger Management Series Part IV
September 29th, 2008 at 9:49 pm
Hi,
Interesting perspective.
A few weeks ago, I was reading, “How People Tick – A Guide to Difficult People and How to Handle Them” by MIKE LEIBLING, thought you might enjoy it as well.
Regards
Shamelle
Shamelle – TheEnhanceLifes last blog post..Over Spending & Impulse Buying: 8 Reasons Why You’re Not To Blame
September 30th, 2008 at 1:59 am
@ Akemi, an ENFP motto is “giving life an extra squeeze.” Sounds like you, doesn’t it? We shouldn’t really say “full strength on N and F” because the MBTI doesn’t indicate your strength with those functions, only the degree of your preference. It’s more accurate to say you’re a very clear N and F. Did the Pen Men make you hide under your blanket?
@ Michael, you gotta run with your strengths. And I think you’re doing just that with the SEO seminar you’re masterminding.
@ Cath, you’ve reminded me of a post idea. Thanks!
@ Avani-Mehta, uh-oh, you shouldn’t follow your type with “I think!” Maybe it’s time to check it again. It should theoretically be the same now that it was then. I thought MAFMWAFV was good, even though it drew some criticism for its unsupported ideas. I thought it had some good insights in spite of its simplicity.
@ Shamelle, thanks for that tip. I’ll check it out.
September 30th, 2008 at 9:01 am
MAFMWAFV took some time to register
I loved the book and it’s ideas but didn’t follow it literally. The concepts mentioned apply to both genders. For instance, there are times I go in caves or think that if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it.
What I gained most was a new set of vocabulary for phases we all go through. My partner too has read the book. Makes communication so much more easier – we are sure we are saying and understanding the same thing when it is in reference to the book
Avani-Mehtas last blog post..How To Pick Your First Anger Management Area – Anger Management Series Part IV
September 30th, 2008 at 9:23 am
Congrats on the eBook, Hunter; I’m looking forward to reading it. I did the M-B a few years ago and don’t remember what my type was, although I definitely know I’m an introvert – which is probably why I really enjoyed and appreciated your posts on introverts/extraverts.
Off to do some reading…
Laurie | Express Yourself to Successs last blog post..Helpful Habits
September 30th, 2008 at 11:19 am
Hunter,
I’m 10 on N and F, 2 on P, and 6 on E. They did a workshop explaining what these indicators mean, which was a lot of fun — much better than just doing the questionairs and reading the “answers”
No ^_^ James was very very nice and professional. Maybe a bit direct occasionally, but I deal with that type all the time. (In my terminology, souls that train in the 6th energy center) People who make my cringe is different. . .they intimidate for the sake of intimidation.
Akemi – Yes to Mes last blog post..Inside Out Approach To Entrepreneurship, Part 1, Find The Niche
September 30th, 2008 at 11:26 am
@ Akemi – *grin* I was watching to see what you’d say. And yes, direct. I’m working on it, though it does serve well in many situations.
@ Hunter – And HEY! What’s this scaring people with big bad wolf syndro-… oh, wait, okay, that kind of fits, eh.
Quick question. Is there a particular test online for this that is fast and doesn’t dink around with ads and signups?
September 30th, 2008 at 1:23 pm
Congratulations on your ebook! I didn’t realize there were people who didn’t know what this was. I took one so many years ago I can’t remember exactly when, plus did some online, and had to do it again for my last job. I’m off the chart on introversison, don’t really recall the rest.
September 30th, 2008 at 9:53 pm
@ Avani-Mehta, I know MAFMWAFV isn’t a great looking acronym, but I knew you’d figure it out. I think you can make certain generalizations about the sexes, but there will always be exceptions, so you can’t make it too black and white. I can see how having a common vocabulary would make communication much easier.
@ Laurie, the ebook includes a worksheet for you to write down your type and several other things, so I won’t let you forget this time.
Enjoy!
@ Akemi, I didn’t get any numbers back when I took it. It just said INTP with the I circled (very clear preference) and the P underlined (less clear preference). I would like to have seen the numbers though.
Yeah, I know James is nice, just a little…well, now I can say “his soul trains in the 6th energy center.” Now, the people who intimidate for the sake of intimidation, I wonder what body part goes with that chakra.
@ James, instead of Big Bad Wolf Syndrome, we can call it 6th Chakra Syndrome. My ebook points to some relatively good online MBTI knockoffs if you skip ahead to the section “Determining Your Tentative Type.”
@ Dot, I think a lot of people hear about the MBTI, but they don’t actually take it, or they take it and then forget everything. There are even people like me who take it, decide they’re a different type, and find out they were wrong 3 years later.