3 Habits of Highly Effective INTJs

Isabel Briggs Myers was an American author and co-creator of the personality type test known as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.?

Since its creation, this test has become one of the most trusted personality type tests within both small and large organizations. In fact, many HR departments use it as a means to determine what position a candidate would be most suited for.?

With that said, one of the most important steps in creating the successful life that your personality type was designed for has to do with developing good habits and routines that help you grow and gain an advantage as a true professional.?

I recently took the test over at Truity.com and found out that I happen to fall into the category of an INTJ (a.k.a. The Mastermind), which stands for: Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, and Judging (you can go into more depth on what an INTJ is by clicking here).?

After becoming aware of my personality type, I sought to find what things I could do to become better at my chosen profession. You see, I’m of the belief that in order to be successful, one must develop good habits that help one grow and improve every day.?

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Therefore, I would like to share the following three habits that I believe every INTJ must incorporate into their daily routine if they desire to be the best they can be — both professionally and personally.?

Habit 1: Discipline Yourself to Nap and Mediate?Daily

The first habit that every INTJ should put into practice is of taking naps and/or meditating every day.?

Look, I’ll be honest with you, it wasn’t until recently that I discovered just how important naps and mediation are to one’s health and productivity. In fact, Dr. Alex Pang, author of Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less(AFF) said, “Rest is not works adversary, but rather its partner. Furthermore, you cannot work well without resting well.”

Did you know that some of history’s most creative people — people whose achievements in art, science, and literature (professions that tend to be the ideal career field for INTJs) are considered to be legendary — took their approach to rest very seriously??

You see, they found that in order to achieve their passion in life, the kind of work that would bring them the greatest feelings of fulfillment, they needed to master this thing called rest. The right kind of rest (and, yes, there is a wrong kind) would restore their energy while also allowing their muse to keep unearthing the creative genius buried within.

Related Article: Napping Your Way Into Creative Bliss

The truth is, virtually every ancient society recognized that both work and rest were necessary for a good life. You see, one provides the means to live (rest) while the other gives meaning to life (work). Today we’ve lost touch with that wisdom, and our lives are poor and less fulfilled as a result.

It’s time we rediscovered the good that rest can bring to our work and overall way of life.

Habit 2: Read Daily — At Least 30 Mins, If Not?More

The second habit every INTJ should develop is the habit of reading daily. In fact, for an INTJ, this is the most important habit one can form.?

For the most part, this kind of habit comes naturally to INTJs. That’s because we are introverts by nature, and if we’re not writing or deep in thought, you can normally find us reading (and taking exhaustive notes).

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You see, it’s been said that being a life-long learner is essential to personal and professional growth. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “The more you learn, the more you earn.” Well, there’s certainly some truth to that.?

Moreover, whenever I hear people say, “Well?… I don’t like to read”, what my INTJ ears hear is, “I don’t mind being incompetent and uneducated.” (Sorry, just being honest).

With that said, I am of the belief that an INTJ’s intuition becomes stronger as they develop competence and insight — the more you learn, the more you grow.?

Habit 3: Work Out 2 to 3 Times a?Week

For the last habit, did you know that the University of New Mexico recently put out a study that showed how heavy lifting and regular anaerobic exercise, not only reduces anxiety and depression but actually slows down the aging process as well??

The fact of the matter is: Exercising is never going to be a bad thing for us, regardless of what personality type you are. However, it’s important to make sure you’ve got good technique and form otherwise you might hurt yourself. Hiring a personal trainer can come in handy in this area.

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Now, I know if you are someone who doesn’t work out regularly, this habit might be the most difficult to put into practice. In fact, it’s kind of unreasonable to say “I’m going to workout 2 to 3 times a week” if you’ve never disciplined yourself to workout once a week, or even once a month.?

With that said, I would suggest starting with once a week until you are able to bump it up to 2 to 3 times a week.?

The main point I am trying to get across here is that, as an INTJ, the majority of what we do professionally is not exercise-related, which means it is extremely important that we keep ourselves physically active if we desire to be the best we can in our chosen profession.?

Now Over to?You

To that end, these are three habits I think every INTJ should learn to develop in order to become their best self — both professionally and personally.?

I know some of these habits might appear a bit daunting, especially if you are not used to working out often, for example. But I can guarantee that by week three or four, not only will these things become a habit, but they will become something that you look forward to doing each and every day.

No matter how much extra stress it might feel like is being placed on you, or how much time it might take out of your day, doing these habits will only do you more good in the long run.

To learn more about personality traits and professional development, connect with me on?LinkedIn.

Until next time,

Be Great, Nothing Else Pays!