ISTPs on Friendships, Careers, and Love

I’m a big fan of Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, probably because I fall so perfectly within the ISTP personality type. I was reading an interesting write-up on how ISTPs (Individualistic Doers) approach friendship, careers, and love, and I thought I’d share it with my readers. Original content from iPersonic Typology.

The Individualistic Doer

Introduction

As friends, Individualistic Doers are loyal and devoted; they only have a few friendships but many of them last a lifetime. People enjoy talking to them because of their optimistic attitude to life and their ability to listen. However, they prefer to talk about mutual interests and hobbies rather than about theoretical or philosophical issues – they are not tangible enough for them. They need a lot of freedom and time to themselves in love relationships but, at the same time, they are also very tolerant towards their partners. It happens very seldom that Individualistic Doers fall head over heels in love. They are far too rational. They prefer to pick their partner on the basis of mutual interests and preferences which they want to share with that partner. Individualistic Doers are not particularly fond of effusive outbursts of emotion. They prefer to prove their love by their actions and expect the same of their partner. Whoever wishes to tie an Individualistic Doer to himself needs a lot of patience. It takes some time before this personality type is willing to get involved with another person.

Individualistic Doer: Career

If one wanted to characterize you with one word, it would probably be “independent.” Few types are as freedom loving and individualistic as you. You should find a working environment where rules and structures play a secondary role, where the hierarchies are flat and where you won’t be limited to detailed projects and work flows. Your freedom to act cannot be large enough as far as you are concerned. You want to deal with things in the way you think it makes sense; how they relate to your own (high) standards and you don’t need others telling you how things must be done.

Titles and established authorities don’t impress you in the least. If someone is competent in your eyes, you have no problem occasionally listening to him/her. If he/she is not, there is no way that you’ll obey his/her instructions just because he/she has got a sign with “department manager” hanging on their door. Furthermore, you are all for equal rights and would prefer that everybody have the same rights.

Individualistic Doer: Love

All Doers love their freedom, but if there were a prize for independence and autonomy, you would win it. You need your personal space more than all others, and if your partner sticks to you like Velcro, you quickly feel constrained in your independence and individuality, not to speak of the fact that a person like that could not hang on to you for good. For that reason, you should carefully pick a partner who can deal with being alone, and does not get nervous when he/she has to spend an evening or even an entire vacation by him/herself. For you, a relationship is a nice and certainly a worthwhile addition to life. However, you don’t think your existence would be incomplete without one. Therefore, you are not in danger of jumping into an unrewarding relationship out of desperation; you’d rather wait until the right person crosses your path.

After all, you are a head person who does not fall in love blindly; you wonder whether your counterpart will complement you, and whether the stars favor a relationship. For impetuous personality types, you can be a true challenge, because it can take you quite a while to express your feelings. Even then, you don’t start with flying colors, but rather, you keep your handbrake engaged, and a hand on your ejection seat so that you can quickly escape in the case of doubt. Your freedom is always more important to you than a relationship where you would have to make too many compromises for your taste.

Your inner independence certainly does not mean that you are not willing or able to commit yourself to another person, on the contrary. Once you have decided on someone, you invest a lot in your relationship, albeit more with action than passionate vows of love. Then you are very sensitive toward your partner, and quickly register what he/she wants or needs at that moment. You support him/her loyally, faithfully, and with commitment when he/she needs your help. Whomever you love always has a reliable comrade-in-arms on his/her side.

Additional Reading

Here are some additional resources for the curious (some affiliate links included for shopping convenience):

• ISTP Personality (“The Virtuoso”) from 16Personalities
• Portrait of an ISTP from Personality Page
• Please Understand Me: Character and Temperament Types by David Keirsey
• The 16 Personality Types: Profiles, Theory, & Type Development by Dr. A.J. Drenth

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