Marcel Deer
Logical, a problem-solver, and a deep thinker.
Could this be you?
INTPs enjoy their own company, and they often daydream or lose themselves while deep in thought. They’re described as introverts, but when given the opportunity to engage in a topic they’re passionate about, they really lighten up!
INTP stands for Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, and Perceiving. You think about practical ways of understanding and doing things and steer clear of emotional talk because being vulnerable is something that makes you uncomfortable.
Many are intrigued by the inner workings of an INTP mind because they are reserved and private.
To figure out whether you’re one of the world’s quietest personality types, I look at 8 signs you could be an INTP.
1) You need space
We all need some alone time!
But for an INTP, being alone means getting much-needed space to recharge and gather one’s thoughts – even if there are many, many thoughts!
You might be considered a social recluse, but you are just independent.
Your analytical mind drives you to constantly figure things and people out, which leaves you overwhelmed. Once you reach this point, being alone is your only way forward.
Think about this scenario in a relationship:
You feel like everything you do for your significant other is wrong, and they’re never happy, despite your best efforts.
As a problem solver, you try to understand their responses when they want you to comprehend how they feel, but you’re not an emotional thinker. In your best effort to grasp what your partner feels, you become stressed and frustrated and just need space.
Rather than start second-guessing themselves when figuring out someone’s emotions, an INTP will avoid emotional and social interactions that they find mentally exhausting.
So, if you find yourself in desperate need of space or the need to be on your own for a little while, you could fall into the category of the INTP personality.
2) You’re a natural problem solver
Is your middle name Sherlock Homes?
The inner detective in you is all about understanding your world in a logical and orderly way.
The “bigger picture” is important to you, and you want to find the underlying meaning in most things that you come across.
That makes you really smart!
Despite your overly analytical stance, you don’t necessarily verbalize what you think or feel.
It’s like running a marathon, but all in your head.
You’ll know if you’re more of an INTP if you’re motivated by achieving complex goals. You prefer to analyze a situation or idea to create your own solutions to problems rather than rely on others to do it for you because you probably think they’re incapable anyway.
A star trait of this personality type is the ability to think outside the box, which you may believe that other people can’t do. You find that you have a vast imagination, but remarkably, you can use this to resolve conflict.
3) You’re quiet unless a topic interests you
“You’re so mysterious.”
If you’ve heard this before, you’re probably an INTP.
A quiet and observant nature means that you don’t generally share information about yourself, especially when meeting new people.
Being so private could give the impression that you’re untrustworthy.
It’s definitely something to look out for.
On the other hand…
When you find a topic mentally stimulating or interesting, you can hold a conversation for hours.
It’s important to understand that introversion doesn’t mean that you never talk. It just means that you prefer to observe others, and you’ll join a conversation that you find relevant and rewarding at the right time.
4) Asking how and why is important to you
If you have the tendency to look at the world as an undiscovered book and can’t wait to turn the next page, you could have one of the strongest INTP traits.
An INTP always wants to learn more. They’re stimulated by information, particularly when it excites them.
There’s a deep desire to understand the “hows” and “whys.” This personality type questions the behaviors of people, and they can get irritated by the illogical decisions of others. An INTP will rely on a practical perspective to explain career moves, relationships, and life in general.
The only problem is…
In your constant search for meaning and truth, or how things work, you can run into conflict with others, which takes a lot of your energy.
Society is about following the rules rather than going against them by asking too many questions.
When you feel dejected or frustrated dealing with people and not getting the answers that you’re looking for, it just isn’t worth your time and effort, so you retreat into your shell.
But there’s another side.
When an INTP doesn’t like the rules, they can silently rebel. In the workplace, this could come across as being uncooperative. It’s not manipulative or callous, but a dislike for authority.
5) You come across as emotionally detached and cold
You might have been accused of having a cold heart, but it’s not for a lack of caring.
In a relationship, you act indifferent or distant, but you just love differently.
Have you been told that you’re absent?
Physically, you’re present, but psychologically, you become caught up in a whirlwind of thoughts and dreams, leaving little room to show someone your emotions or inner feelings.
Showing constant affection and expressing your innermost emotions don’t come naturally, even though you know that you would do anything for the people you hold dear to your heart.
When you’re an INTP, you prefer to figure things out through logic and practical reasoning, which is why you don’t rely on emotions to show your intentions.
In fact…
For an INTP, feelings, and emotions are at the lowest level of their function stack. You might feel that resolving your loved ones’ problems is your way of showing them that you care.
6) Procrastination is your middle name
A sure sign that you could be an INTP personality type is your indecisiveness.
You find yourself daydreaming and procrastinating because you get bored and distracted easily.
Most days, you have an endless cycle of thoughts, which is great when you need to be innovative or creative but hard when you urgently need to figure things out and get things done.
Follow-through is probably one of your greatest weaknesses.
Once you do make a decision, it’s precise, but it takes a while to get there when you have so many ideas in your head.
On the romantic front…
Indecisiveness gets in the way of resolving relationship conflicts.
The quiet personality type prefers rationality over emotionality, which leads to relationship stagnation.
When you can’t reason emotionally in a situation where feelings and emotions are at the forefront, you reach a stalemate. It’s hard for an INTP to be vulnerable, so you’re unable to move forward in your relationship.
7) You don’t always have a filter
Logical and analytical, but blunt and impatient.
Sound like you?
It’s always good to be transparent, but an INTP can take transparency too far.
Some might even call them insensitive or harsh.
This is best explained by our level of self-awareness. Most of us have an internal filter that we use when speaking to or resolving conflicts with loved ones or even colleagues. We are aware of how we say something so that it doesn’t come across as offensive.
As an INTP, your filter is almost non-existent.
You tell it like it is, even if it hurts.
It’s not that you don’t care; you just have a direct way of communicating.
The problem is that when someone thinks you’re being rude, they’re less receptive to what you say and might lose respect for you.
There’s a fine line between being direct and downright offensive.
8) You aren’t big on the social scene
Did somebody say introvert?
As a more reserved personality type, you find yourself focused on your own thoughts and pursuits. You prefer to work on your own, where you can hone in on your ideas and abstract ways of thinking.
Whether at work or play, you avoid crowds.
For introverted thinkers, constantly entertaining other people simply drains you. You prefer to observe your surroundings and make your own inferences.
Some might describe you as shy or even a wallflower.
That’s not to say that you don’t have a large social circle or network; you just prefer to connect with the people who are closest to you.
As long as you’re in your comfort zone, which means quietly delving deep into your mind, you’re just fine being an introvert.
What it means to have an INTP personality
As an INTP, you’re an introverted thinker with a vast imagination. Some might think that you’re weird, while others consider you mysterious. Either way, you have the ability to view life in a precise and logical way, making you an excellent problem solver.
You tend to have a complex network of thoughts and ideas that you can spend hours getting lost in.
INTP is one of the most introverted personality types and certainly the most interesting.
The ability to be quiet and observant while being intellectual and pragmatic is a much-desired personality trait, but always be aware of how you treat others. It’s also okay to be vulnerable once in a while.
