Discover how to determine your MBTI personality type by breaking down the four key letters that shape your profile. This guide will help you navigate each dichotomy and uncover the profile that best reflects your natural tendencies.

MBTI – How To Find Your Type? (pt.2) | The Wisteria Fairy

If you haven’t read the first article in this series about Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), I highly recommend checking it out before diving into this one. It lays the groundwork for understanding MBTI correctly, clearing up common misconceptions that constantly lead people to mistyping, and explaining how the system truly works.

In this second part, we will break down the four key personality dichotomies that shape your MBTI type in a simple, beginner-friendly way. While the four-letter MBTI code is just the tip of the iceberg, it already holds valuable insights into how your internal processes operate. Understanding your type can deepen your self-awareness, helping you recognize your natural tendencies and patterns, as well as understanding others better.

By the end of this article, you will have a better idea of what your type might be, and you will have the tools to begin your MBTI journey with greater clarity and confidence. This article is laid out as a self-assessment exercise, so grab a pen and paper, and let’s get started!

IMPORTANT: Understanding MBTI Preferences

Before diving into each dichotomy, it's crucial to understand the notion of preference in MBTI. Personality types aren’t rigid boxes. For example, as an introvert, you may exude different levels of introversion depending on age, circumstances, or context.

While life experiences can influence behaviour, your core preference stays consistent over time. Even if you learn to use very well and consistently, the opposite behaviours! So, your profile remains the same throughout your life because we are looking at the inherent nature of how your cognitive processes work. The goal is to uncover which preference feels most natural to you.

What Does A Preference Mean In MBTI?

In MBTI, preference isn’t about what you like most, it’s about what comes most naturally to you, requiring the least effort or energy to do. A preference is:

A natural tendency;
What feels most effortless and instinctive;
Your default state;
The mode of operation that is the least energy taxing for you.

A preference isn’t:

A learned skilll or habit;
What you've trained yourself to do;
What you wish you were;
A mode of operation that demands effort or deliberate intent from you.

Many of us develop learned behaviours due to work, school, or social expectations, making our true preference less obvious. Some of the dichotomies will seem very obvious to you, while for others, it might take a healthy dose of honesty, humility, a bit of patience, and doing some serious introspection to uncover your natural inclination.

How to Identify Your True Preference?

Don’t overanalyze, go with what feels most instinctive;
Don’t get stuck on details, zoom out and observe your overall natural tendencies;
Think about your life as a whole, don’t answer just based on your current season of life;
Ask yourself: If I were completely free to act as I naturally would, what would I do?
If you really feel 50/50 between two preferences, lean into the one that feels even slightly stronger (even by just 1%). Treat it as a hypothesis and observe how it plays out in your life.

Ultimately, only you can determine your MBTI type because only you know what’s beneath your social mask. You understand the real you beyond external influences and expectations. Now, let’s take a closer look at each of the four dichotomies. Let’s start assessing, based on those definitions, which preferences you might default to the most.

The First MBTI Letter: Extraversion (E) vs. Introversion (I)

The first dichotomy focuses on where you draw your energy from:

Extraverts (E) recharge by drawing their energy from the external world;
Introverts (I) recharge by drawing their energy from the internal world.

What is the Difference Between Extraverts (E) and Introverts (I)?

The difference between Extraverts (E) and Introverts (I) is generally the easiest to notice. However, misconceptions can cause confusion. Here is how to best understand it, within the context of MBTI. We constantly navigate between two worlds:

The objective world – the external, tangible reality we can all perceive with our five senses.
The subjective world – our inner world of thoughts, emotions, and reflections, known only to us.

Extraverts are energized by the external world. They thrive on external engagement: activities, socializing, and seeking stimulation outside themselves. Introverts, on the other hand, gain energy from their inner world. They recharge through internal reflection in solitude, contemplation, and deep thought.

Important note: The level of extraversion vs. introversion is not solely measured by social inclination. It is a part of it, but it has more to do with how you engage with the world:

Extraversion: active participation by doing things in the concrete world, engaging in activities, going out, and also socializing;
Introversion: passive reflection by contemplating in our internal world, pondering, daydreaming, and enjoying solitude;

Is Being Shy The Same As Being Introverted?

No. Shyness is a fear of social judgment, while introversion is about energy management. As surprising as it sounds, both introverts and extraverts can be shy. Not all extraverts are exuberant or loud, and not all introverts look closed-off, unexpressive, and quiet in public.

A non-shy introvert might confidently lead a presentation if well-prepared, even in front of a huge crowd, or feel at ease speaking to strangers. But they do need time alone to recharge.
A shy extravert may crave socializing, but hesitate due to self-consciousness, or feel very nervous about public speaking. However, they do need to go out and engage / be stimulated by the external world to recharge their batteries.

Are You an Extravert (E) or an Introvert (I)?

Here are 7 questions to start to assess which side you naturally lean toward:

Do you process thoughts by speaking out loud (E) or by thinking internally first (I)?
Is it natural for you to speak instantly what’s on top of your mind (E) or do you need a bit of time to think things through before speaking (I)?
Do you tend to say “I’m a better speaker than writer” (E) or “I’m a better writer than speaker” (I)?
Do you thrive in broad group conversations (E) or prefer 1:1 deep discussions (I)?
Which is harder (more draining) for you: a full day all alone (E) or a busy social day (I)?
As a child, which felt worse: being sent to your room alone (E) or forced to play with unfamiliar kids (I)?
Scenario: You're on a week-long cruise with a group of people and must follow one of two fixed schedules the whole time (not allowed to switch). Which one do you choose between:

—> Spending most of the day with the group, doing activities, and then having some downtime alone (E).

—> Spending most of the day alone, to relax and reflect in your own bubble, and then having some group interaction, doing activities (I).

Your answers reveal whether you recharge through external engagement (E) or solitude and introspection (I). Now, let’s further compare these two preferences side by side with real-life examples!

Example 1: Reacting to a Neighbour Gardening

Extravert (E): Notices the neighbour right away, greets them, and might stop for a chat.
Introvert (I): Lost in thought, then prepares a line before engaging, or simply reflects on gardening without feeling the need to interact.

Example 2: During a Vacation

Extravert (E): Thrives on multiple activities, eager to explore and experience as much as possible. A slower pace would feel draining due to the lack of external stimulation.
Introvert (I): Prefers a relaxed pace with downtime to reflect and “digest” the experiences of the day. Too many activities could feel overwhelming and exhausting.

Example 3: At a Party

Extravert (E): Moves through conversations easily, engages with multiple people, and might spot the quiet people in the corner to introduce them to the group.
Introvert (I): Sticks to a familiar friend, warms up gradually, enjoys deeper conversations with one or two people, but tires quickly and may want to leave early.

The Impact of Misalignment

If you are one, it doesn’t mean that you don’t enjoy the other, you just enjoy it in a smaller dose than your natural tendency. For example: An Extravert can enjoy some quiet moment by themselves and feel like it was much needed after a long day. And Introverts can appreciate going out with their group of friends and feel socially nourished. However:

Extraverts forced into an introverted lifestyle with too much solitude, reflection, and staying home, may feel like they will go insane, bored, drained, depressed, disconnected from their true self, feel lonely, and lose their zest for life;
Introverts forced into an extraverted lifestyle by constantly socializing, going out and packing in activities, risk to burnout, feel an urgent need to catch a break, feel overwhelmed, anxious, depleted, disconnected from themselves and lose their spark.

Now that you understand Extraversion (E) vs. Introversion (I), write down the first letter of your profile that you think best represents you!

The Second MBTI Letter: Sensing (S) vs. Intuition (N)

The second letter of our profile represents the lens through which you see the world, how you take in and interpret information. This letter will define our perceiving function (that we will dive deeper in the cognitive functions article), because it relates to how we gather information. Before I share the description of each, let’s do a little exercise!

Are you Sensing (S) or Intuition (N)?

Take a moment to observe the following image. What’s the first thing that comes to your mind? You can write it down if you wish.

There are two common ways people respond:

Descriptive: which sounds like “I see two boats, a lake, mountains, trees. The colours are beautiful, and the texture of the ripples on the water look stunning, it makes me feel at peace, etc.”. Did you focus on the details first? The objects, the colours, the tangible items that are clearly there.
Interpretative: which may start to imagine a little story “This scene evokes a feeling of freedom, like someone sailing toward their new adventure. I wonder what lays hidden below those too still mirror waters… , etc.”. Did you think about the story that the picture might be telling? Were you trying to figure out the hidden meaning of the scene?

If your answer was more descriptive, you may lean toward Sensing (S), focusing on concrete details first. If your answer was more interpretative, you may lean toward Intuition (N), seeking meaning and deeper connections first.

Sensing (S) is more pragmatic, concrete, realistic, factual, down-to-earth, and generally grounded in the present. Intuition (N) is more attracted to theoretical, abstract or symbolic concepts, like to draw connections between multiple ideas, make projections in the future.

Note : Remember that both types of people can be either spiritual, religious, agnostic or atheist. That is not what we are looking at here! It is not about beliefs, or even openness to it, but about how you process information. Now, let’s compare them further side by side.

What is the difference between Sensing (S) or Intuition (N)?

How they prefer to get their information:

Sensing (S) prefers to get their information through the 5 senses. They tend to take in factual, and concrete data. Information either from authorities, past experiences, or what is happening in the present.
Intuition (N) prefers to take in information through their 6th sense. They tend to focus on making connections between ideas. They like to think about imaginative and far-fetched concepts that sparks new possibilities for the future.

Where they naturally focus on:

Sensing (S) prefers verifiable facts and like common-sense. They are usually grounded in the real world, making them more attentive to what is going on in their surroundings, and retain good memories for specifics of situations. They want to understand “How?”, to get how it works concretely and applies practically.
Intuition (N) prefers abstract concepts and theoretical ideas. They always look beyond what they see, search for patterns, connections, and possibilities. They want to understand “Why?”, to uncover hidden meanings behind things.

In a learning situation:

Sensing (S) hate abstractions and want tangible, real-world examples, asking questions like “Explain this to me concretely” or How does it work practically?”. They are more pragmatic, value well-established procedures, and prefer to follow a linear process.
Intuition (N) really like to have metaphors and symbols to grasp concepts. They like to figure things out for themselves by playing around with the information or idea, rather than having a linear process to follow.

Remember that all of us use both our sensing and our intuitive processes. But which one is most comfortable for you? Which do you tend to use first? Look for where you saw yourself the most overall. Now, that you have a good overview of Sensing (S) vs. Intuition (N), write down in the second letter, the one you think you might be based on those descriptions.

The Third MBTI Letter: Thinking (T) vs. Feeling (F)

The third letter of your MBTI profile represents how you make your decisions. This letter will define our judging function (that we will dive deeper in the cognitive functions article), because it relates to how our decision-making:

Thinking (T) make decisions based first and foremost on objective and logical criterias, and then consider how it will impact other people’s emotions. They like to solve problems based on facts and data;
Feeling (F) make decisions based on how it will affect others, and align or not with their personal values, and then take logical and objective elements into consideration. They like to solve problems by staying congruent with their values.

Important note: it is essential to remember that, obviously, we are all human. So Thinkers (T) do have feelings and emotions, and Feelers (F) do think and use their logic. Both can have compassion, both can apply logic and objectivity. Here, we are only looking at it within the context of MBTI, so in relation to our decision-making process. It would be a huge shortcut to view Thinkers (T) as insensitive, cold, and always Stoic, and Feelers (F) as irrational, illogical, and overly emotional.

When it comes to interpersonal relationships, this dichotomy is arguably the most abrasive one, if we don’t understand each other. As you may see with the following part, Thinkers (T) can have strong opinions about Feelers (F) and vice versa. Let’s have a closer look at their differences.

What is the difference between Thinking (T) and Feeling (F)?

How They make decisions:

Thinkers (T) step back from situations to make objective, logic-based decisions. They detach from emotions to focus on facts, fairness, and what makes the most rational sense. While they consider how decisions affect others, they don’t always prioritize emotional impact over logic.
Feelers (F) step into situations by putting themselves in other people’s shoes, and make decisions based on personal values and empathy. They prioritize how their choices affect others and align with their moral compass. While they do consider objective and logical elements, emotional and moral considerations often carry more weight.

Logic vs. Emotions:

Thinkers (T) prioritize logic over emotions and may see emotional reactions as either drama or weakness. They often say, “Don’t take it personally” and may view Feelers as overly sensitive. When you look closer, you can see that their motivation for using logic to solve problems is to attempt to prevent negative emotional outbursts, which they can struggle to handle.
Feelers (F) prioritize values and emotions over pure logic, taking things to heart, especially when their values are challenged. They are deeply affected by emotional expressions and may be seen by Thinkers as being too partial or giving too many chances, as they empathize strongly with others.

Two different definitions of fairness

Both types want to be fair in their decision-making, but they have different definitions of fairness:

Thinkers (T) believe fairness means applying the same rules to everyone equally. They focus on holding everyone to the same standard and principles, rather than personal circumstances. In leadership, they might prioritize tasks and data over interpersonal relationships, which may make them overlook the emotional impacts of their decisions.
Feelers (F) see fairness as considering every person’s unique situation and making exceptions to the rule, based on potential negative impact. They prioritize harmony and emotional well-being, sometimes over objective rules. In leadership, they focus on group dynamics and relationships, which can sometimes lead to people-pleasing at the expense of efficiency.

Views on Critique and Debate

Thinkers (T) enjoy debating, critiquing, and challenging ideas. When presented with a new concept, they focus on identifying flaws rather than acknowledging strong points, which can across as blunt, or insensitive. They prefer “scientific” reasoning and will gladly admit they are wrong if you can prove it to them by a solid scientific explanation, so they often ask, “Do you have proof?”. They value competence and therefore use critiques to help others to improve.
Feelers (F) dislike debates and much prefer cooperation, therefore avoiding conflicts. They may perceive critiques or demands for proof and purely logical explanations as personal attacks, even when well-intended. They might focus on encouragement rather than critique to help others improve, sometimes overlooking flaws to maintain peace, which can make them seem overly accommodating or subjective.

Are you Thinking (T) or Feeling (F)?

When you are making a decision, you are likely to look at both the objective and subjective aspects of the situation. But which do you tend to use first? Which is more important to you?

Thinking (T): Do you start with a logical analysis and then think about how your decision might affect others?
Feeling (F): Do you immediately consider the impact on people and relationships, and then start scrutinizing the objective facts?

In summary, Thinkers (T) are logical and analytical, prioritizing objective principles before considering subjective factors. They define fairness through reason and impartiality, evaluating things based on what is true or false.

Feelers (F) are kind and empathetic, guided by their inner values before looking at external rules. They see fairness as understanding and accommodating, assessing things based on what is good or bad.

While society often expects men to lean toward Thinking (T) and women toward Feeling (F), your natural preference may differ. Don’t let these expectations cloud your self-assessment.

Now that you have a clear understanding of Thinking (T) vs. Feeling (F), write down the letter that best represents you as the third letter in your type.

The Fourth MBTI Letter: Perceiving (P) vs. Judging (J)

Let’s start with a necessary clarification! The terms "Perceiving" and "Judging" can be misleading. Judging does not mean judgmental, and Perceiving does not mean perceptive. Instead, this fourth letter in your MBTI type reflects how you approach daily life with structure and time-management.

This will give you a little insight into the upcoming article about cognitive functions, but is necessary to really grasp the importance of the last letter in our profile. Carl Jung initially described the second letter of our profile — Sensing (S) vs. Intuition (N) — as our information-gathering function, and the third letter of our profile — Thinking (T) vs. Feeling (F) — as our decision-making function. They are both referred to as "mental functions" in Jung’s words.

One of these functions is used in the outer world, influencing how others see you, as it is the most visible function in your profile. So, the last letter of our MBTI profile, Perceiving (P) vs. Judging (J) simply indicates which function you primarily show externally in everyday life:

Judgers (J) show their decision-making function (Thinking or Feeling depending on their profile) to the world. They prefer structure, decisiveness, and planning.
Perceivers (P) show their information-gathering function (Sensing or Intuition depending on their profile) to the world. They prefer flexibility, spontaneity, and adaptability.

What is the difference between Judging (J) and Perceiving (P)?

Planning & Organization:

Judgers (J) like predictability and tend to plan and structure life in advance. They prefer to have a set schedule and follow through with commitments.
Perceivers (P) enjoys spontaneity and flexibility. They prefer to adapt to circumstances rather than following a strict plan, and find schedules rigid or restricting.

Response to change:

Judgers (J) prefer stability and dislikes changes in plans. Sudden and unforeseen shifts feels frustrating and stressful to them.
Perceivers (P) adapt easily when plans shift. They are open to new opportunities and unexpected changes.

Decision-making approach:

Judgers (J) prefer closure. They tend to make decisions quickly, unless they are big overthinkers, in that case they can be more indecisive than most Judging types. Also, not all Judgers are rigid, some of them can be really easy-going and even a little disorganized. However, the key here, is that they feel a sense of relief once the plans are sets and the decisions has been made because at least now, they know where they are going, which secures them.
Perceivers (P) prefer to keep their options open for as long as possible, gathering information until the last moment before they make a choice. They typically make their decisions at the last minute, and much prefer to decide on things along the way. Some of them can see themselves as minimally organized, as they are the type of people that say “I plan it as I go” or “We’ll decide along the way”. For them, closure is stressful because “to choose is to renounce”, therefore, they feel restricted when things are set.

View of time:

Judgers (J) see time as finite and structured. They prefer to set deadlines (even self-imposed ones) to maintain a sense of progress and control.
Perceivers (P) see time as fluid and tend to postpone things to the last minute. They often struggle with deadlines and usually work best when they are under last-minute pressure.

Are you a Judger (J) or a Perceiver (P)?

You lean toward Judging (J) if, overall, you...

Like structure, planning, and organization;
Feel uncomfortable leaving decisions open-ended;
Separate work and play, and can’t fully relax if you know you have unfinished work to do;
Dislike last-minute changes and prefer predictability;
You set deadlines to stay on track and maintain a sense of accomplishment.

You lean toward Perceiving (P) if, overall, you...

Enjoy flexibility and spontaneity in daily life;
Prefer to adapt to situations rather than follow rigid plans;
Enjoy mixing work and play;
Work best under last-minute pressure and dislike premature closure;
See schedules and rules as limiting and restrictive rather than helpful or securing.

Where does your preference fall? If you thrive with structure and closure, you may lean toward Judging (J). If you prefer keeping your options open and adapting as you go, you likely lean toward Perceiving (P). Place your marker on the spectrum based on what feels most natural to you!

What You Need to Know Before Taking the MBTI Test

Now that you've explored each dichotomy and determined a likely four-letter profile, you have a strong hypothesis about your MBTI type. With this clearer understanding, you’re in a great position to take some tests and compare their results with your own deductions.

However, rushing to find your type can lead to shortcuts and mistyping. That’s why I encourage you not only to experiment with different tests but also to deepen your understanding of MBTI, especially by learning about the cognitive functions, which I’ll cover in an upcoming article.

What is the Best MBTI Test?

Before reading the descriptions of the type you've hypothesized, I recommend taking one or more MBTI tests. The official test can be taken here it’s not free, so I suggest taking the free ones and doing some research on MBTI before leaping into the real test which you can’t take twice.

The free alternatives are: 16 Personalities, Cloverleaf, and Truity, but as a last resort (although its questions can be overly simplistic and may lead to mistyping).

Important Disclaimer About the 16 Personalities Website

The 16 Personalities test is one of the most popular among MBTI beginners due to its user-friendly and visually appealing format. However, it often creates confusion because it is NOT purely MBTI, it blends elements from another renowned psychological model: the Big Five personality traits.

One of the biggest misconceptions comes from the fifth letter in their results, such as INTJ-A or ESFP-T. This extra letter (A/T) is NOT part of the MBTI system! It represents neuroticism from the Big Five model, where:

A (Assertive) = More confident, stress-resistant;
T (Turbulent) = More prone to stress, sensitive to feedback.

Additionally, 16 Personalities does not account for cognitive functions, which are the core of the MBTI framework. Instead, it focuses on general behaviours and assigns names to each type, for example: “Virtuoso” or “Mediator”. While these can be somewhat helpful, they often lead to mistyping, since people may be drawn to an idealized version of a type rather than accurately assessing their own.

Their descriptions, while insightful, tend to be oversimplified and generalized. They don’t account for the difference between healthy and unhealthy expressions of each type, nor do they help differentiate between similar types. Without an understanding of cognitive functions, their approach can leave you more confused about your true type.

What next?

Take a few tests, but remember to treat the results as hypotheses, not definitive answers. The real key to MBTI is understanding cognitive functions, this is where the depth of the system truly lies. In upcoming articles, I’ll guide you through this process so you can uncover your path of evolution based on your type.

What If You’re Still Unsure About Your Type?

If you're feeling uncertain, don’t worry! I have upcoming articles to help clarify things:

The Four Temperaments (to help you refine your type)
The Difference Between IJ, EJ, EP, and IP Types (useful if you're unsure about your first or last letter)
A Deep Dive Into Cognitive Functions (the real key to understanding MBTI)

By following this journey, you’ll gain a well-rounded vision of your type and its unique path of development.

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With a dash of whimsy,

-Anne 🧚‍♀️

*** What hypothetical profile did you end up with by reading this article? Do you hesitate between two letters? Which one? ***

MBTI – How To Find Your Type? (pt.2)