About

ISTP - Introverted, Sensing, Thinking, Perceiving

"Doing The Best I Can With What I've Got"

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I am a straightforward, honest and pragmatic person who prefers actions to conversation. I am unpretentious and often have a good understanding of the way things work.


Because I am analytical, I am most interested in the impersonal and underlying principles of things. I have an innate understanding of how mechanical things work and I am usually skilled at using tools and working with my hands. I tend to make logical and private decisions, stating things clearly and directly, just as they seem to me.


Curious and observant, I tend to be convinced only by hard, reliable facts. I have a great respect for facts and can be a veritable storehouse of information on the things I know well and understand. Because I am a realist, I am able to capitalize well on available resources, which makes me practical with a good sense of timing.


Quiet and reserved, I tend to appear cool and aloof and am inclined towards shyness except when with good friends. I am self-leading, egalitarian and fair. I tend to operate on impulse, so I am quite adaptable and responsive to immediate challenges and problems. Because I thrive on excitement and actions, I usually like the outdoors and sports.

Possible Blind Spots

Because I make judgments privately, I often keep even the most important issues to myself, which leaves the people in my life in the dark about what is going on. I have difficulty sharing my reactions, feelings and concerns with others because I feel it is unnecessary. I need to accept that other people want and need to know what is going on in my life and realize I am the only one who can provide an accurate explanation.


I am so realistic that I can usually see ways of minimizing effort on almost all projects. Because of my desire to have free time, I often don’t prepare more than is absolutely necessary and may not stick with a project to its conclusion. This can lead to cutting corners. Mapping out a plan, complete with all the steps and details, will help me curb my potential lack of initiative and reduce my apparent indifference.


Because I am constantly on the alert for new sensory information and prefer to keep all my options open, I may be indecisive. My need for excitement can make me reckless and also easily bored. Setting goals and making serious commitments to people and things will help me avoid the common disappointments and dangers of such a potentially haphazard lifestyle.

The 3 Most Important Things For Me To Focus On

Communicate

Consider other people's feelings 

Follow through on my commitments

My Strengths

  • Ability to work well with defined tasks and tangible products

  • Keen powers of observation and an excellent memory for factual information

  • Ability to bring order to confusing data and to recognizable facts

  • Aptitude for working alone or alongside others I respect

  • Ability to stay calm and cool in a crisis or under pressure

  • Ability to recognize what needs doing and what is necessary to complete a job

  • Aptitude for working with my hands and with tools

  • Ability to adapt well to sudden change and shift gears quickly

  • Practicality and good common sense

  • Ability to identify and make good use of available resources

  • Flexibility and willingness to take risks and try new approaches

My Weaknesses

  • Difficulty seeing the long-term consequences of action

  • Lack of interest in verbal communication, especially superficial conversations

  • Dislike of advance preparation; I have trouble organizing my time

  • Little patience for abstract or complex theories

  • Tendency to be blunt and insensitive to the feelings of others

  • Tendency to get bored and restless easily

  • Difficulty seeing opportunities and options that don’t exist at the moment

  • Impatience with administrative details and procedures

  • Unwillingness to repeat myself

  • Difficulty making some decisions

  • Strong independent streak and dislike of excessive rules and structured bureaucracy

  • Resistance to setting long-term goals and difficulty meeting deadlines 

LOOK FOR POSSIBILITIES BEYOND THOSE THAT EXIST AT THE MOMENT

  • Set long-range goals for myself and my career. Ask myself what I hope to accomplish five and ten years from now. Assess whether what I am doing now will help me reach those goals.

BEWARE OF THE PROPENSITY NOT TO EXERT ANY MORE EFFORT THAN IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY

  • Avoid taking tempting shortcuts even though I readily see them. Pay attention to all phases of my task and conduct each part with energy and diligence.

  • Demonstrate my willingness to go the extra mile to get a job done right.

  • Seek others with complimentary skills to help me evaluate ideas.

DON’T POSTPONE A DECISION TOO LONG

  • Make decisions and then move on. Eliminate poor options and keep myself moving towards what I really want.
  • Don’t let myself appear undependable and lacking direction by procrastinating too long.
  • Ask people to be clear and specific about their expectations, repeat it back to clarify.
  • Look for activities that allow I to be independent.
  • Take a time-management course.

 

To learn more about your personality type, purchase the book, "DO WHAT YOU ARE" by Barbara Barron-Tieger & Paul Tieger