I’ve taken the Myers-Briggs test more times than I can count—starting way back in high school when it was part of a career prep assignment. At the time, I didn’t give it much credit. The job suggestions didn’t wow me (graphic design, teaching, computer stuff), and I definitely rolled my eyes at the idea that a personality quiz could define my future.
But over the years, I kept coming back to it.
Not because I was relying on it to make decisions for me, but because I was curious—especially as I grew and changed. I wanted to know: would my results evolve with me? Would my growth be reflected in the letters I got?
Spoiler alert: they never changed.
Every time I take the test, I get the same result—ISFJ-T. The Defender.
Wait… What Even Is the Myers-Briggs Test?
If you’ve never heard of the Myers-Briggs test, it’s a popular personality assessment based on Carl Jung’s theory of psychological types. You answer a series of questions and get a four-letter “type” that reflects how you process information, make decisions, and interact with the world around you. There are 16 personality types total—and mine is ISFJ-T, also known as “The Defender.”
Curious what your type is? You can take the free version of the test at 16Personalities.com. Just don’t be surprised if you feel weirdly seen afterward.
The description resonates more and more the older I get. Quiet, observant, nurturing, detail-oriented. The kind of person who wants everyone to feel safe and taken care of… and who also quietly overthinks everything afterward. I used to see those traits as things I needed to outgrow. Now I see them as part of what makes me me—and my growth isn’t about becoming someone else, it’s about learning how to move through life with these traits in a healthier way.
I don’t need a new label to prove I’ve grown. I don’t need my “type” to evolve just because I have. The ISFJ-T label may stay the same, but the version of me who carries it has definitely changed.
And funny enough? Those job suggestions I scoffed at back in high school—graphic design, computer-related work, even teaching—yeah, I’m actually drawn to them now.
It just took time.
Not everyone figures it all out at 18. Some people bloom early. Some of us don’t hit our stride until we’re 35… or 50… or somewhere in between. Everyone’s timeline is different, and there’s nothing wrong with taking the long way around.
Growth isn’t always loud or dramatic. Sometimes it just looks like finally feeling aligned with the things that once felt out of reach—or totally off-brand.
Still a Defender. Still growing. And finally learning to be okay with evolving at my own pace.
Because growth doesn’t always mean becoming someone new—sometimes it just means becoming more of who you’ve always been.
“Just because you’re not who you thought you’d be, doesn’t mean you’re not exactly who you’re meant to become.” – Unknown
What’s your personality type—and has it changed as you’ve grown, or stayed beautifully consistent like mine?
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