Google or search TikTok for “ENTJ” and you’ll find a wealth of information about CEOs, military leaders, and what it’s like to be a crush-people-like-a-bug style dictator. As a tested ENTJ, I think that maybe it’s time to dispel a few myths and add a few unexpected facts about this personality type.
We see everything as a 10 step plan. I love making lists about how to achieve something I want. To see it laid out in front of me makes it seem tangible, and gives me a sense of direction. This also means that ENTJs pretty much understand what they want to do with the rest of their lives early on. Not in a really specific way, more like they can see an image of themselves in 50 years and have a general understanding of how to get there.
I see this all the time on random tumblr lists and websites and it always makes me laugh. ENTJ’s love other people and hugs more than at least 14 of the other MBTI types. On top of that, our constant need for improvement makes us really good at giving advice about all kinds of things from relationships to rental agreements. When a friend asks me a question I don’t know the answer to I don’t just give a brief answer; I’m going on Google and figuring this out for them if this takes me an hour.
While most of us get better about this as we get older, our automatic reaction is going to be to split things into two categories: bad and good. Which is fine if you’re watching a baseball game, not so good if you’re supposed to be explaining complicated relations in the Middle East. The nice thing about this though is we are rarely in a state of indecision so if you want someone to run your bank heist, hit us up.
Every ENTJ I’ve ever met has this slightly vague look in their eyes, like they see you but at the same time they don’t. I’ve been told that I do this and that it’s mildly unsettling at times. I think it’s that I have a tendency to think about eight things at once, leaving me only about 55% focused on what’s going on in front of me, especially if I’m not stressed out by my surroundings. If I suddenly start paying really close attention, that’s probably a bad sign.
Quick, look up a list of famous ENTJs. What do they all have in common? They almost certainly have said something crazy in public that they later have to apologize for. It’s not that some head of state meant to say that they totally hated Sweden; they just started talking faster than they could think. It’s not a great trait but it takes almost a lifetime to learn to slow down and think things through before you say them, because you think aloud.
Like most individuals ENTJs look for people who understand our quirks and love us in spite of them. Unfortunately, we usually seem so at home being in charge of the situation most people are too intimidated to get to know who we really are. (Hence the misconception that ENTJs think we are always in charge.) I know we share a personality type with Napoleon but he probably needed a hug too.
