If you prefer your life to be spontaneous or planned, it has nothing to do with your level of organization. In the Myers Briggs Type Indicator, we describe personality types based on preferences such as a person enjoying a structured and decided lifestyle that we call JUDGING (J). A more flexible and adaptable lifestyle is called PERCEIVING (P). All of this defines your behavior and how you connect with the outer world. People who prefer judging or perceiving preferences can be organized.
So, everyone has a preference on how they prefer to take in information and make decisions. We all have to make decisions from time to time. When dealing with the outer world, people who tend to focus on making decisions have a preference for Judging because they tend to like things decided. People who tend to focus on taking in information prefer Perceiving because they stay open to a final decision to get more information. Some folks fall in the category of no strong preference that means they don't have a preference for being spontaneous or planned.
The James Party of 9 is a mixed bag. We complement each other by being different. Life can be difficult if you are always spontaneous, and it can be equally difficult if life is always structured. We see this mostly when we go on vacation as a family. Some of us want every part of the vacation planned, while others prefer we decide activities when the vacation starts.
If you are JUDGING the following statements/words generally apply to you:
Structured
Decisive
Planned
Seeks Closure.
I appear to be task-oriented.
I like to make lists of things to do.
I like to get my work done before playing.
If you are PERCEIVING the following statements/words generally apply to you:
Spontaneous
Open-Minded
Flexible
Seeks Options
I don't plan a task but wait to see what it demands
I appear to be loose and casual. I like to keep plans to a minimum.
I turn most work into play
Understanding personality differences can help minimize conflict and increase healthy relationships. The whole purpose is to be less frustrated and more fascinated about why people do what they do. Remember, the world needs all types of personalities.
Read more about people and personalities on my blog at www.LaNissirJames.com
