13 ISTJs Explain The One Thing They Wish Others Understood About Their Personalities

ISTJs are the practical, loyal duty-fulfillers of the MBTI. This type takes their commitments seriously but they also don’t want their entire personality to be boxed into the description of a four-letter type. This week on my MBTI Facebook page, I asked ISTJs what others don’t seem to understand about their personalities. Here’s what they had to say.

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1. “Just because we’re insanely organized and routine-driven doesn’t mean we’re boring or miserable or no fun! We cut loose more than you think.”

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2. “As much as we love rules, routine, and order, it’s OK to surprise us. We need a little spontaneity to break things up, as long as it’s nothing illegal or contrary to our morals.”

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3. “We are so loyal – sometimes too loyal – but that doesn’t mean we like being taken advantage of.”

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4. “We do actually have emotions.”

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5. “I’m more open-minded than I seem. Yes I always want to do things the proper way but if your way is proven to be superior to mine, I’ll be open to it – even if I’m reluctant at first.”

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6. “We’re not always angry. We just aren’t bubbly or outgoing people. Don’t assume that just because we’re being quiet, something’s wrong.”

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7. “Extroverted, feeler types, don’t tone yourselves down around us! We like your energy. It gets us to open up and feel comfortable.”

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8. “If we’re poking fun at you or being sarcastic towards you, it means we like you. If we didn’t like you, we’d just avoid you.”

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9. “We don’t like tradition for tradition’s sake. We like tradition because it imposes order in our lives and points out what has worked well in the past. Traditions exist for a reason.”

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10. “Our lives are about practicality and efficiency. Please show up on time and follow through on the commitments you make. We take those small acts of respect very seriously.”

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11. “Not everybody earns our respect but if you do, we’ll be incredibly loyal to you.”

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12. “My morals aren’t set in stone. Many of them have changed over the course of my life and I’m sure that they’ll continue to change as I age – even though it may take a year or fifty.”

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13. “We are not all the same! There’s a stereotype that ISTJs are all carbon copies of one another but nothing could be further from the truth. I have a different set of beliefs and a different lifestyle than many of the other ISTJs I know. How we’ve been raised and what experiences we’ve had has a large influence on our personalities. Don’t assume that knowing one ISTJ means you know them all!” Thought Catalog Logo Mark

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