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Joanna Fox's avatar

I did as you suggested Dr. Hall, and took the personality test again. The first time I was typed as Consul ESFJ-T, and this second time I am Adventurer ISFP - T. I feel in assessing the two, that I am a little of both. I think that how I feel at the time I take the test makes all the difference. Since becoming a widow, I find my mood swings in a day are all over the place. I also feel more vulnerable now, and if someone says or does something hurtful, I am less willing to be forgiving. At this stage in life, with all the craziness around me, I do feel judgemental. So, if I were to take a third test it would probably show another personality. It seems that I am who I am depending on the moment!

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Dr. Deborah Hall's avatar

Dear Joanne,

I'm glad you took the test again.

It revealed something more important than what personality type you are.

It showed you are experiencing

a lot of inner fluctuation.

Realizing this,

your challenge is to build stability.

The goal is to maintain your stable core.

Yes, you are more vulnerable

to swings since your huge loss.

And yes, the increasing chaos

in our land is destabilizing.

We are ALL being challenged

to stay inwardly strong!

I suggest you take a piece of paper

and write at the top:

The Strong Joanne I Am Proud Of.

Then describe in loving terms

who IS the Joanne you are proud of.

This will become your very own

Declaration of Independence.

Once you are happy with your words,

read it every morning

and evening.

Do your best to live up to it,

and forgive yourself when you don't:)

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Dave Conant - MO's avatar

Fascinating experience Deborah, thanks. It's been at least 10 years since I played with Meyers-Briggs, and I'm still. ENTJ-A. Reading the background for the interpretation was interesting as were the comments from other readers. We never learn so much, even about ourselves, that we can afford to stop.

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Dr. Deborah Hall's avatar

Dave,

I always enjoy your fully engaged responses

to my letters,

and to the comments of other readers.

Thank you for investing yourself in learning

and in sharing what you have learned.

You are a man in continuous growth!

It gives me joy to offer you new paths.

Allow me to suggest getting hold

of that book I mentioned

-- Do What You Are by Tieger and Barron.

It is incredibly enlightening.

It gives us an in depth understanding

of our strengths and weaknesses

in ways that are highly conducive to our growth.

You will see being an ENTJ

in a new and even more fascinating light!

You will have a deeper understanding

of those around you,

and become even better at relating with them.

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Dave Conant - MO's avatar

I absolutely will get the book Deborah, thanks for the recommendation.

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Dr. Deborah Hall's avatar

Great!

I see there are a number of new editions.

My books are in boxes at the moment

so I can't tell you for sure what edition I have,

but I read it around 1996

so it is probably the original 1992.

I see that the 6th edition (2021) has been revised

since 5th edition in 2014,

with the assistance

of the daughter of the writers, Kelly Tieger,

now a personality expert in her own right.

I see she wrote a great addition

to the Read This First section.

So, I would go with the 6th edition.

It has a green cover.

https://www.amazon.com/Do-What-You-Are-Personality-dp-0316497142/dp/0316497142/ref=dp_ob_title_bk

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Dave Conant - MO's avatar

Thanks again.

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Bill Alstrom (MA/Maine/MA)'s avatar

Well that was fun! I am an "Architect"! INTJ. I always enjoy self examination. How else can we grow? How else can we work on our weaknesses, temper our flaws? And mostly, it's a great way to build on our strengths. If we decide to be open.

Thanks for cracking open my brain - again. Love your letters!

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Dr. Deborah Hall's avatar

Bill,

Thank you for telling me

you love my letters.

That is highly encouraging.

So you are an Architect!

How exciting!

I'm so glad it was fun

to do this discovery work

with me.

Yeah, I love this stuff, too.

As it has been said:

The unexamined life

is not worth living :)

Haha

Nothing like cracking open

our brain

to start the weekend off right!

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Olusegun Osifuye's avatar

"We see the world through he lens of our personality " 👍

Wow. Another enjoyable piece, Deborah. My personality type from the test was ENTJ-A and it was spot on! This is so me.

I'll need to re-read the results so I get to have a much better understanding of who I am.

Thank you yet again for another beautiful post. Always a good way to kick off the weekend.

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Dr. Deborah Hall's avatar

Olusegun,

How fascinating!

I did not guess you are an ENTJ.

A Commander flying

under the radar.

Figuring out

where you want to go

and what you will lead

will be a great adventure.

You are deeply respectful

of others, Olusegun.

This will open many doors.

With me

you can always be direct.

You won't offend.

Like you

I am confident and secure.

I invite and value bold thought

and frank view.

Happy explorations!

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Stanley Wotring's avatar

Excellent piece! I really like the “lens” analogy.

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Dr. Deborah Hall's avatar

Stanley,

Thank you so much.

I am delighted to hear

that my take on personality

hit the spot!

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George Neidorf's avatar

We are the same type. Not to surprising. You're easy to connect with.

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Dr. Deborah Hall's avatar

Well I'll be danged, geo.

You're the first of my species

that I ever met.

I think this is super cool.

I hope you will enjoy reading

more about the nature

of the rare beast

that you are

55555

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George Neidorf's avatar

This rare beast says, grrrrrrr.

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Dr. Deborah Hall's avatar

This feral cat 😺

says mon dieu!

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George Neidorf's avatar

Here kitty, kitty, kitty.

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Dr. Deborah Hall's avatar

you are so freaking funny, geo

thank you

for this early morning laugh

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George Neidorf's avatar

You're welcome. I just read an astrology article that named the 4 funniest signs: Scorpio, Sagitarius, Gemini, and Capricorn. All the funniest people know belong to those 4 signs. I'm the goat. The animal, not the sports star.

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Fred Basset's avatar

Took the survey. ISTJ. Read the characteristicts. Spooky accurate assessment of me.

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Dr. Deborah Hall's avatar

Fred,

Congrats that you took the plunge!

I hear you that this thing is spooky.

And it's not like some horoscope

that by a fluke hits a single mark.

This thing lays it ALL out

chapter and verse!

Quite the revelation.

And the other cool thing

is to read the other profiles

and realize just HOW different

we all are from each other.

Quite the menagerie!

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Joanna Fox's avatar

I did take the survey, and the results came to the conclusion that I am a Consul ESFJ-T. I feel that it couldn’t be totally accurate because I didn’t know how to answer some of the questions. I just wasn’t sure how much I felt one way or another. I think I must have made some mistakes because I’m definitely not an extrovert. I am totally the opposite of flitting around making sure everyone is comfortable and enjoying themselves. I’ve wished I could be that way, but a basic shyness and insecurity prevents me. Caring about people and wanting to be giving and meaningful is very important to me especially in the twilight of my life.

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Dr. Deborah Hall's avatar

Joanne,

I hear you that you don't feel

they got you right.

I suggest you take it again.

but my bet is it will come out

the same.

Being shy and insecure

doesn't mean you are an introvert!

What you WISH you could be

is actually what you ARE.

Your true type.

I think you are a Consul

who is simply being held back

by shyness and insecurity.

Shyness and insecurity

are not signs of introversion.

They may have CAUSED you

to keep to yourself

and avoid interaction

but you have always wanted to interact.

Introversion means:

You get your ENERGY

from being ALONE.

You refuel in isolation

and MUST HAVE i

a lot of time alone to revive.

I am the least shy

person you will ever meet.

I LOVE being the center of attention.

I meet and connect immediately

with everyone I meet.

BUT

I am an INTROVERT!!!!

It exhausts me to connect

in the outer world!!!

I have to spend

the VAST majority of my time

entirely alone.

To refuel.

That's why I am a writer.

A writer is a lone creature.

By nature.

The extravert, by contrast,

gets fueled through connection.

NEEDS some form of social connection

even if it is hard.

I am betting, Joanne,

that your hyness is simply

standing in the way

of your natural need for connection.

As you emerge from shyness and insecurity you will find your true colors

are in making loving connections

and giving from your heart in them

You are a GIVER

whose time has come

to shine

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Dave Conant - MO's avatar

And it's important to remember that the answers are a range, not the Yes or No, or mutually exclusive multiple choice questions we're all used to on tests.

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May 15, 2024
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Dr. Deborah Hall's avatar

Welcome, Dr. Borges,

I am so happy you have found

insights of value here.

Thank you for your

encouragement of my letters.

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