Why I Like Personality Tests

16 Personalities

"Are you an INTJ?" Nobody has ever asked me this question upfront. However, I have plenty of friends who love talking about their personality types, and a lot of times, they base their entire personality around their semi-personalized readings. Get it? Anyways, I think personality tests are great. They're super fun to take, and if you answer the questions to the best of your ability, you'll get an insight into who you are and who you're similar to. 

Don't get me wrong, I love Buzzfeed and all, but their personality tests are not it in my opinion. I personally love the Myers-Briggs Personality Indicator (MBTI) test. Their wealth of information on each personality type is expansive, and I enjoy reading what recommendations they have in different areas of life. I take this all with a grain of salt though. I don't think I've ever followed a single suggestion they've given me, which seems pretty contradictory to this whole premise I've set of liking personality tests. But, personality tests are not perfect by any means. They can be inaccurate, and they can't tell us everything about ourselves. However, I still think they're a valuable tool for self-discovery and personal growth.

Even if you don't take personality tests seriously, they waste a lot of time, so if you ever want to procrastinate on your homework or something, you should take them just for giggles. Here are my personal favorites:

1. Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). The MBTI is one of the most popular personality tests in the world. It measures four personality dimensions: introversion/extraversion, sensing/intuition, thinking/feeling, and judging/perceiving.
2. Enneagram. The Enneagram is another popular personality test. It divides people into nine personality types, each with its own unique set of strengths and weaknesses.
3. Big Five Personality Traits. The Big Five Personality Traits are a set of five personality dimensions that are widely accepted by psychologists. These dimensions are openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism.

I've taken all of these tests, and I've found them all to be helpful in different ways. The MBTI has helped me to understand my own personality better, and the Enneagram has helped me to understand the personalities of others. The Big Five Personality Traits have given me a broader framework for understanding personality.

If you're interested in learning more about yourself, I encourage you to take a personality test. There are many different tests available online, so you can find one that's right for you. Just be sure to choose a test that is well-respected and that has been validated by psychologists.