“I don’t have a personality type.”
When people say they relate to all types, or that they are ambiverts. It really means a missed chance to learn something about yourself and who you are. “I don’t have a personality type.” is a sad dismissal of a chance at personal discovery. However, it makes sense, given the problems with many modern personality tests.
I mean, I get it, you feel like you’re full of potential and that you have no limits or boundaries, and nobody can box you in, but nuances matter. It’s the nuances that make us individuals apart from the mass. While we all, in general, share more in common than we have differences. It’s the differences that can help you establish a sense of identity and a grasp of your unique passion or purpose apart from the human collective mission.
Personality psychology is just a tool to explore these nuances, and it doesn’t take away from your sense of inner potential. It doesn’t cover up ambiguity, nor does it hide your many inner possibilities. You may have a 5% or a 15% preference for a particular trait. But even a small preference, can make a big difference to the bigger whole. Five minutes a day in a special activity equals 30 hours a year. If you’re 1% faster at making decisions than the norm, that makes the difference between a leader or a follower. If you’re 5% smarter and more knowledgeable than your coworkers, that can make you the go-to-expert.
However, many personality tests fail to give you meaningful information about these nuances. Some tests get too caught up in stereotypes. They may only tell you things you already know about yourself. Other tests are too constrained, and make you feel limited or like you’re less intelligent than others. Other tests make you hate and look down at other people, for not being as smart as you. When you read descriptions from these tests, it’s easy to conclude that you “don’t have a personality type.”
You may feel like you don’t have a personality type. You may initially find it hard to find what it is that makes you favour one trait over the other, but just because it’s difficult, doesn’t mean it’s not interesting. Just start with the basics and start thinking about your day to day activities. You’ll start to see your patterns and you’ll start to hear a click. And you’re going to learn about yourself.
It’s good to remember how small these differences really are in the end, but it’s important to recognise how important even small differences can be. You’re not one of the many billion human blobs squishing around on the planet. You’re not indistinguishable from everyone else. You have your share of unique, and personality psychology can help you discover your unique qualities apart from everyone else. You do have a personality type, but you are also full of potential. Don’t be afraid of one of the most fascinating philosophical questions a person could ever ask themselves. Because nuances matter.
My Exploration into the Interplay of the 16 Personalities and Neurodivergence
Read this article
