The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is a personality test that suggests that there are sixteen distinct personality types in the world.
You probably have heard of the test, and hopefully, you know which personality type you fit into!
It is a really fun way of finding out more about us and our relationship with the world around us.
We can use this personality test to learn about our strengths and weaknesses, and what we can do to live our best possible life.
In this article, I will be looking at two distinct personality types: ISTJ vs INTJ. Despite having certain similarities, there are big differences between the two!
Let’s compare ISTJ vs INTJ, and see how we can tell them apart.
ISTJ Definition
Before we dive into the differences between these two personality types, let’s briefly define them.
ISTJ stands for Introverted, Observant, Thinking, and Judging. They are responsible and reserved individuals and tend to be practical.
They are normally pretty organized and are trustworthy people.
Those with an ISTJ personality type are loyal and honest. They like to follow rules and traditions and don’t really like trying out new things.
INTJ Definition
INTJ stands for Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, and Judging. They are logical thinkers and have a strong urge to discover and understand the world around them.
They are pretty introverted, but like spending time with people who have similar beliefs to them.
Furthermore, they are fond of debates and discovering new ways of looking at things.
Those with an INTJ personality type can be pretty brash and rude in social situations.
This is because they tend to speak their minds and don’t do well in conversations about emotions and feelings.
ISTJ vs INTJ: The Differences
Now we know how to define these two personality types, we can now look at their key differences.
Authority
When it comes to ISTJ vs INTJ, one major difference is how they deal with authority both in the workplace and the wider world.
People with an INTJ personality type don’t really care much for rules and authority.
When it comes to the workplace, they hate being micromanaged and really want to have the freedom to figure things out their own way.
INTJs won’t respect someone higher than them unless they have earned it.
If they disagree with a boss, they will speak their mind. They are normally pretty strong-minded when it comes to what they think is right, and will get annoyed easily if someone asks them to do something in a way that they don’t agree with.
In contrast, people with an ISTJ personality type have huge respect for authority and rules.
At work, they will respect their management and the hierarchy that is in place.
ISTJs like it when rules and regulations are set out and easy to understand and follow. When they have a task at work, they will follow what they are told in order to finish it.
INTJs will be the first to challenge authority if they don’t like how something is run.
They understand that just because someone is in power, it doesn’t mean that they are always right.
This is completely different from ISTJs who will rarely challenge authority. They have a natural respect for people in power and believe that they are probably right in what they are saying.
When it comes to ISTJ vs INTJ and authority, neither view is right or wrong.
Of course, sometimes we should challenge authority and pave a new way of living.
However, because INTJs are very passionate about their own beliefs, they might challenge authority when there really is no reason to.
It is important to respect those around us and listen to them, regardless of who they are.
Community
Another huge difference when comparing the ISTJ vs INTJ personality type is how they connect with the community around them.
Despite both being introverted, they both see the social structure really differently and have opposing views on the importance of community.
INTJs value freedom to explore the world around them, and don’t really care much for fitting into a social setting.
They value logic and analytical thinking and dislike any situation that might not let them do this.
INTJs are lone-wolfs and define their happiness and success by their own terms.
They're rarely looking for approval and acceptance from others. If people don’t understand them, INTJs don’t see the point of them in their lives!
ISTJs are completely different, valuing structure and community.
They find meaning in being a part of a community that allows them to bring their own strengths in order for everyone as a whole to flourish.
ISTJs like order and structure. They value maintaining the social structure, following the rules and regulations that are in place.
Those with the ISTJ personality type define their goals by society’s standard and wish to make a positive impact in the world around them.
Romantic Relationships
When it comes to matters of the heart and ISTJ vs INTJ, there are some similarities but some significant differences.
Both personality types value deep and meaningful connections, but will pursue romance in different ways.
Those with an INTJ personality type can find it hard to really connect with someone romantically, and this is because they aren’t that good at displays of romance and affection.
They see romantic relationships in a pretty logical way and might shrug off emotions and love as frivolous and unnecessary.
INTJs might find it difficult when their partner shows them a lot of emotions, and might turn away from them.
However, INTJs will tend to learn through experience how to create a healthy and happy relationship.
In contrast, those with an ISTJ personality type are pretty traditional when it comes to love.
They can be pretty reserved at first in a romantic relationship, but their views and ideals mean that they open up in an honest and loving way once connected with someone.
Because they value structure and tradition, ISTJs will act in a romantic and caring way in a relationship. They enjoy giving and receiving gifts, going on dates, and displays of affection.
They are dependable people and crave a traditional and stable romantic relationship. They will be active listeners to their partners and will do what they can to create a caring and healthy relationship.
Conflict
Conflict is a part of life, and it is fascinating to see how different personality types deal with it.
Both ISTJs and INTJs rarely seek out unnecessary arguments, but they treat conflict differently.
For those with an ISTJ personality type, conflict is something to avoid.
They try their best to stay out of any problems in the workplace or their friendship group, and will rarely get involved in a situation that does not concern them.
ISTJs do try and resolve conflict if it is with someone that they deeply care about, such as a close friend or their partner.
They will try to work through it, and listen to the other person’s point of view intently.
However, because ISTJs tend to avoid conflict, sometimes an issue goes ignored for a while before it gets resolved.
This can make everything much worse, and ISTJs should try their best to tackle issues head-on once they arise.
Like ISTJs, those with an INTJ personality type don’t really seek out unnecessary conflict.
However, INTJs are much open to conflict and arguments. They will even sometimes enjoy having arguments with coworkers and friends!
There are a few reasons for this.
Firstly, INTJs love teaching others and having their opinion heard. They enjoy debates with people that see things differently to them and are always trying to win people over to their point of view.
Furthermore, INTJs like conflict as they see it as something that they can learn from.
INTJs are always trying to learn and grow, and they understand that conflict can be a source of this.
INTJs will tend to avoid conflict that is based on emotions, as they see it as unnecessary and don’t want to waste their time on it.
However, those with an ISTJ personality type might be more open to engaging in this kind of conflict over other types. This is because, for ISTJ, conflict is a way of resolving things and keeping the peace.
They aim to live in a peaceful and productive society and therefore will listen to the feelings and emotions of those around them.
Adaptability
When we consider ISTJ vs INTJ and their differences, one that stands out is their adaptability.
Both personality types are pretty logical and love to plan things out.
However, when things don’t go the way they thought they would, they both have their own ways of dealing with the situation!
Those with an INTJ personality type are much more adaptable than ISTJs. They see the world in an abstract and changeable way and know that unexpected things will affect their path.
Because of this, when an unforeseen situation occurs, INTJs will quickly step back and look at the best way of adapting and overcoming this challenge.
They don’t mind change. In fact, they will typically embrace a challenge and a new way of learning.
In contrast, those with an ISTJ personality type will frequently find change stressful and will not adapt well to their new circumstances.
ISTJs value tradition and regulations. When they are faced with a change of circumstances that don’t align with their plan, they will find it hard to figure out what to do.
Change stresses them out, and therefore they are not good at adapting to a new plan.
Work and Career
It is no surprise that ISTJs and INTJs differ vastly when it comes to their career.
Of course, they both value hard work and pursuing their dream career. However, they interact differently with coworkers and prefer different ways of working.
Those with an ISTJ personality type really value teamwork and following an organized structure.
They enjoy listening to instructions and following them carefully, having a duty and respect for their work.
Typically, ISTJs like to have someone at their place of work telling them what to do, as they value leadership and authority.
In contrast, those with an INTJ personality type thrive in a free and unstructured work environment.
They don’t like following rules and having people rely on them, as they want to have the freedom to discover and learn in their own time.
INTJs crave to be the best in their field and have their own ideas of how to get there. They don’t like bosses micromanaging them and need to have independence at work.
When it comes to coworkers and bosses, ISTJs will show them a huge amount of respect.
They enjoy being part of a team and like to provide help and support to others.
However, they might find it difficult to work alongside people who are not as diligent as them. They will never leave a project half done, and always put everything into their work.
INTJs differ from ISTJs as they don’t really like working with others, and need independence to truly thrive.
Leadership
When comparing Both the ISTJ vs INTJ you will see they can do well in a leadership role, but they will behave differently.
For those with an ISTJ personality type, a leadership role is something they take very seriously.
They are thoughtful and quiet leaders, using systems and rules that are already in place in order to lead others.
ISTJs might find it difficult to lead others who do not have the same hard-working values as they do. When they have a goal in sight, ISTJs will work diligently to get there.
When those under them do not act this way, they can quickly lose patience and trust.
In contrast, those with an INTJ personality type approach leadership in a much more creative and abstract way.
They are big thinkers and will typically break rules and change things up in order to create an effective way of working.
INTJs look at the big picture and might forget to pay attention to the little details in a task. This might mean they fall into unforeseen difficulties.
This is vastly different from ISTJs who will work methodically, providing time and attention to all the details in a task.
ISTJ vs INTJ Summary
When we consider ISTJ vs INTJ, we can see that there are loads of similarities to how they view the world.
However, they have some big differences that make both personality types pretty interesting!
Whilst ISTJs love structure and authority, those with an INTJ personality type crave freedom and independence.
ISTJs enjoy tradition, whilst INTJs are always looking for new and innovative ways of living and learning.
In order for society to work, we need both ISTJ and INTJ personality types!
They both bring so much to their work and those around them and are great people to have in your life.
Thank you, I hope you enjoyed reading about the differences between ISTJ vs INTJ. If you want to learn more about other personality types check out our other articles here. Enjoy!
❤️ Related Post:
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- INTP vs INTJ: 9 Subtle Differences Between These Personality Types
Alan is the founder of Subconscious Servant. He has a passion for learning about topics such as spirituality and the metaphysical world. The thing he loves to explore most though is manifesting with the law of attraction ✨.