As your already know INTJ is one of the rarest personality types.
I always kind knew I was an INTJ based on what I read about that personality type. I always identified myself with that personality type whenever I came across an article that talk about INTJ traits. However, I never took the actual Myers-Briggs test until recently, then my results proved that not only I am in fact an INTJ but I am an INTJ-A.
The A stands for Architect. It turns out that architects form just 2% of the population, and women of this personality type are especially rare, forming just 0.8% of the population. People with the Architect personality type are imaginative, decisive, ambitious, private and amazingly curious.
Being one of the rarest and most strategically capable personality types, we are often misunderstood for our way of thinking and bluntness. We can come across are emotionless, even arrogant at times. For those like me– it’s a challenge to find like-minded individuals who are able to keep up with our relentless intellectualism and chess-like maneuvering.
Here are 18 things that everyone should know about the Architect Personality:
1.- They are highly intelligent
Architects are born with a natural thirst for knowledge and are highly intelligent individuals that are lifelong learners. Architects pride themselves on their minds, taking every opportunity to improve their knowledge. They are always reading, always trying to find ways to widen and deepen their knowledge and always looking to add to their base of information and awareness. In fact, INTJ poses the highest average IQ amongst all MBTI.
2.- They are ambitious
Architects know that they can achieve anything they set their mind to. They know that by using intelligence, hard work and effort anything is possible. Architects are not the ones to wait for good things to happen for come their way. They make things happen, they are go-getters and are always working towards their goals and dreams. Once they achieved a goal, then they set another list of goals to accomplish. They are never satisfied.
3.- They see challenges are lessons
Architects recognize that life is often the best teacher. Architects can overcome or outmaneuver obstacles that seem unbeatable to most. Architects will face any challenge head on. They use their willpower and force personality to get them through everything.
4.- They rather spend time alone
Architects love their solitude. Therefore, is often best for them to remain where they are comfortable – out of the spotlight and alone –. They would rather spend time alone than with a bunch of people they don’t care for.
5.- They are over-thinkers
Architects move through life as though it were a chess board. They are always thinking and analyzing every move they make and the people in their lives. Architects always seek answers. From global issues to personal goals, their restless mind is always analyzing and thinking. They can’t help it.
6.- They have brilliant minds
Due to their thirst of knowledge, architects are characterized for being “walking encyclopedias.” Their minds are sponges for all sorts of information, be it historical, scientific, technical, or otherwise. Architects have “photographic memory,” able to recall nearly anything they’ve been exposed to.
7.- They love deep conversations
Architects hate small talk, however, despite their introverted status, architects can be surprisingly talkative. If you are able to start a conversation with an architect on something that interests them, you will see that they can talk at great length and depth on certain topics. They love to have deep conversations that stimulate their mind and gives them the opportunity to share their knowledge, as well as learn from others. INTJ-A’s are great storytellers due to their close attention to detail and their minds that carry so much information.
8.- They are workaholics
Architects are astonishingly dedicated to their work, putting in long hours and intense effort on things they are passionate about. Architects are incredibly efficient, they will always find a way to consolidate and accomplish their tasks.
9.- They are honest
Architects have an honest, direct style of communication that isn’t held back by anything. They will say exactly what’s on their mind and don’t care much about the opinions of others nor hurting their feelings by stating facts on what they believe to be true.
10.- They are a jack-of-all-trades
Architects’ strategic ability makes them individuals who are capable of doing pretty much doing anything. Architects tend to excel in many things, whether linguistic, musical, mathematically or scientifically. Architects are very talented in many things.
11.- They are very selective when it comes to relationships
Architects identify potential partners who meet a predetermined criteria. Architect's standards are really high. They are looking for more of an intellectual soulmate than anything else. Architects seek a strong, deep relationship with a companion, who will share their world and at the same time grant a degree of independence and trust. Needless to say, finding a compatible partner is the most significant challenge most Architects face in life.
12.- They live in fantasy world
Architects are brilliantly intellectual, developing a world in their heads that is more perfect than reality. Architects often zone out and spend a lot of time inside their minds.
13.- They are natural leaders
Architects are natural leaders. When they are in leadership roles, they are quite effective, because they are able to objectively see the reality of a situation, and are adaptable enough to change things that aren't working well. Architects are supreme strategists - always scanning available ideas and concepts for every conceivable contingency.
14.- They appear to be mean
INTJ-A’s are often known for their “death stare”. It has happened to me a lot when people ask me if I am angry or why I look so serious. It isn’t the we are mad, or we are unhappy. The truth is we don’t even realize when we have the death stare look on our faces. Architects have that intense stare looking into certain direction or at the random spot. The death stare usually means that we are thinking about something really deeply. Maybe it is a complex situation which we are trying to solve or just a few theories we are trying to combine together.
15.- They are perfectionist
Architects work very diligently for everything to be perfect. They are perfectionists, with a seemingly endless capacity for improving upon anything that takes their interest. They’re perfectionists with very high standards of performance for themselves and others.
16.- They are very independent
Architects are very self-motivated, drawn to working autonomously, and often do their best work when simply left on their own to undertake a particular project or task. INTJ-A’s is the most independent of all of the 16 types.
17.- They are very curious
Architects are generally quite curious about the world around them and want to know the guiding principle behind what they see. They want to know why things work the way they do and the reason behind everything.
18.- They feel like outcasts
Architects have difficulty fitting into the society norms. Their problems are associated with not knowing (or caring) how they come across to others. Their honestly can come across as being rude. Their intelligence can come across as arrogance. Their seriousness can come across as them being emotionless. When you are part of the 2%, you constantly feel out of place. No matter how much you try to be “normal”, it seems like no seems to understand you. It feels like you never fit in.
There is more to know about INTJ-A personality. This list barely covers the surface, if you are intrigued you can read a very detailed description of the Architect personality type in 16 Personalities.