Getting it out of my system...

I'm going to work on posting more often, and posting on any good and coherent idea that comes to mind; not necessarily on Myers-Briggs. Kinda been difficult to do any posting at all lately, my home computer's been down and I was studying to take my real estate test all of September! I passed it, by the way. ;)
This post is on MB though, and it's on the basics, because I find myself struggling sometimes to explain what the letters mean in a straightforward and simplified way. Some friends have asked me the best way to explain it to others, but even after all I read about it I have trouble giving a consistent answer. So here's my best shot at summarizing each of the four aspects, with words that characterize them and short sentences as well. Each letter of your type reflects your preference, when you could use either of the two, but choose one more often than the other...


Whether you're an E or an I depends on where you get your energy and most like to direct your attention towards. We are Extraverting when we deal with the world outside of ourselves. We are Introverting when we are inside our own minds.


E- Extraverted

Sociability
External Events
Breadth
Multiple relationships

*Minds are outwardly directed, mostly on immediate environment.
*Often verbalize as they observe and make decisions or react to the world around them.
*Very comfortable around people and things.
*Energized by discussion, conversation.
*Are people of action and practical achievement.
*Do not usually need to be alone to recharge.
*Relaxed and confident attitude, plunge readily into new and untried experiences.

I- Introverted

Concentration
Internal reactions
Depth
Intense
Territoriality
Reflective

*Usually keep observations and decisions inside.
*Energized by thoughts and ideas but drained by too much discussion.
*Find it necessary to be alone to recharge.
*Attitude is more reserved and questioning, pause to truly observe before trying new things.
*People of ideas and abstract invention.
*Intense and passionate


The second letter, either S or N, refers to how you take in information, how we perceive things...

S-Sensing

Sequential
Present
Realistic
Factual
Specific

*Sees the trees more than the forest.
*Practical about life, hands-on, involved in here and now aspects of a situation.
*Whatever comes through their own experiences and five senses is more trustworthy than what comes from others through the spoken or written word.
*Less patience for theory or the abstract, focus on "what is", not "what can be".
*Intensely aware of external environment, observant at the expense of imagination.
*Love life as it is, usually pretty content, by nature pleasure lovers and consumers.

N- Intuitive

Random
Future
Conceptual
Theoretical
Fantasy
General

*Sees the forest more than the trees.
*Grasp information quickly, intuiting the conclusion from minimal known information.
*Engaged with the possibilities, are original and enterprising, impatient with details.
*Intensely aware of internal consciousness, imaginative at the expense of observation.
*Small capacity for living in and enjoying the present, are often restless.



The third letter, T or F, is about how you make decisions; how you judge. Both are reasonable and internally consistent for each person. Do not mistake it with whether one is thoughtful and intelligent or emotional and sensitive, it is based on how one ultimately decides on something.

F-Feeling

Subjective
Circumstantial
Persuasive
Harmony
Involved
Tactful over Truthful

*Decision-making process driven by interpersonal involvement, focus of impact upon people.
*Naturally more friendly, find it hard to be brief and business-like.
*Likely to agree with people around them, or appear to.
*Contribute to welfare of society by loyal support of good works in communities, and their personal service.

T-Thinking

Objective
Laws
Just
Critique
Detached
Truthful over Tactful

*Tend not to get personally involved and prefer that the consequences of an action be the driving force of a decision.
*Strive for justice and clarity, being firm-minded.
*Likely to question conclusions of others.
*Naturally more brief and business-like, enjoy getting to the point tend to not "take it personal"
*Contribute to welfare of society by the exposure of wrongs, solution to problems, and support of science and research.



The fourth letter, J or P, relates to how you move about the outside (extraverted) world...whether you use your information gathering function (N or S)and "Perceive" your way through the world or your decision making function (T or F) and "Judge" your way through the world.

P-Perceiving

Open-ended
Adaptive
Tentative
Spontaneous
Aim to miss nothing

*Prefer environments in work and leisure that allow them to be flexible, responsive, and experience the new.
*Live according to situation of the moment, prefer grey area.
*Tendency to keep collecting new information and put off drawing conclusions on any subject, plan, or person.
*Enjoy alternatives and new directions, expect that what is unknown will be interesting.
*Share their perceptions as opposed to their judgments.
*More curious than decisive.


J-Judging

Decided
Structure
Follow through
Scheduled
Aim to be right

*Prefer environments in work and leisure that allow them to be purposeful, controlled, and productive.
*Live according to plans, standards, and customs that the moment should conform to, prefer black and white.
*Tendency towards settling matters quickly, liking to be prepared against the
unexpected and unknown.
*Enjoy continuity and routine, and once they decide to do something, they do it.
*Share their judgments as opposed to their perceptions.
*More decisive than curious.