Experience | Personality Test

This experience was so spot on so I decided to share it here.

I've said so many times that I am not good at expressing myself, but this described me almost perfectly (some I disagree kaya almost lang xD) and took the words out of my mouth.

As what the title of this post says, I took a personality test last September 13, just out of curiosity when I saw Chico Garcia's tweet with the link of the test.

So what's the result? Who am I?


The result showed that I am an "Advocate" (INFJ-T) personality type.

I will write the explanation here verbatim, with occasional comments and reactions on the side.

The summary is that, I am:

75% Introverted than 25% Extraverted when it comes to how I interact with our environment (this is true)

63% Intuitive than 37% Observant where I direct my mental energy (Again, spot on. I admit, I am not that observant but I am practicing to be. I may not even recognize you if we bump to each other because I may seem to be looking at you but I am not. My physical body is present, but I am mentally absent)

65% Feeling than 35% Thinking when it comes to how I make decisions and cope with emotions (You know I am emotional, so this is expected)

53% Judging than 47% Prospecting which reflects my approach to work, plannin and decision-making

63% Turbulent than 37% Assertive - underpins all others, showing how confident I am in my abilities and decisions (Yup, I often doubt myself, as you may have seen in my past blog posts)

So what does all of that means?

The Advocate personality type is very rare (naks! Parang yung jeep pa-Tierra), making up less than one percent of the population, but they nonetheless leave their mark on the world. As members of the Diplomat Role group, Advocates have an inborn sense of idealism and morality, but what sets them apart is that they are not idle dreamers, but people capable of taking concrete steps to realize their goals and make a lasting positive impact. (You may have seen this part of me as I took steps little by little when transitioning to Freelancing and getting a client. Slowly but surely)

Advocates tend to see helping others as their purpose in life, but while people with this personality type can be found engaging rescue efforts and doing charity work, their real passion is to get to the heart of the issue so that people need not be rescued at all. (I may not be engaged with rescue and charity, but I do see myself looking for solutions to other people's problems. But I don't actually convey my findings, especially if it is unsolicited. So I keep it all to myself and observe those people suffering, on the side)

Help Me Help You

Advocates indeed share a unique combination of traits: though soft-spoken, they have very strong opinions and will fight tirelessly for an idea they believe in. (Well, there's this person I often debate with when it comes to perspective or ideals or opinions, does it count?)

They are decisive and strong-willed, but will rarely use that energy for personal gain - Advocates will act with creativity, imagination, conviction and sensitivity not to create advantage, but to create balance. Egalitarianism and karma are very attractive ideas to Advocate (I agree to this!), and they tend to believe that nothing would help the world so much as using love and compassion to soften the hearts of tyrants.

Advocates find it easy to make connections with others, and have a talent for warm, sensitive language, speaking in human terms, rather than pure logic and fact. It makes sense that their friends and colleagues will come to think of them as quiet Extraverted types, but they would all do well to remember that Advocates need time alone to decompress and recharge, and to not become too alarmed when they suddenly withdraw. (Well, I always do this subtly, but I think I overdone it, in an unsubtle way, few months ago which alarmed them.) 😆 Advocates take great care of other's feelings, and they expect the favor to be returned - sometimes that means giving them the space they need for a few days.

Live to Fight Another Day

Really though, it is most important for Advocates to remember to take care of themselves. 😳 The passion of their convictions is perfectly capable of carrying them past their breaking point and if their zeal gets out of hand, they can find themselves exhausted, unhealthy and stressed. This becomes especially apparent when Advocates find themselves up against conflict and criticism - their sensitivity forces them to do everything they can to evade these seemingly personal attacks, but when the circumstances are unavoidable, they can fight back in a highly rational, unhelpful ways.

To Advocates, the world is a place full of inequity - but it doesn't have to be. No other personality type is better suited to create a movement to right a wrong, no matter how big or small. Advocates just need to remember that while they're busy taking care of the world, they need to take care of themselves, too. (I can entrust this to my partner though. Just kidding)

Advocate Strengths

Creative (Oha!) - Combining a vivid imagination with a strong sense of compassion, Advocates use their creativity to resolve not technical challenges, but human ones. People with Advocate personality type enjoy finding the perfect solution for someone they care about, and this strength makes them excellent counselors and advisors.

Insightful - Seeing through dishonesty and disingenuous motives, Advocates step past manipulation and sales tactics and into a more honest discussion. Advocates see how people and events are connected, and are able to use that insight to get to the heart of the matter.

Inspiring and Convincing - Speaking in human terms, not technical, Advocates have a fluid, inspirational writing style that appeals to the inner idealist in their audience(Am I? Lol) Advocates can even be astonishingly good orators (I can't imagine myself being able to do this), speaking with warmth and passion, if they are proud in what they are speaking for (Ah, this, yes).

Decisive - Their creativity, insight and inspiration are able to have a real impact on the world, as Advocates are able to follow through on their ideas with conviction, willpower, and the planning necessary to see complex projects through the end. Advocates don't just see the way things ought to be, they act on those insights.

Determined and Passionate - When Advocates come to believe that something is important, they pursue that goal with a conviction and energy that can catch even their friends and loved ones off guard (like how important transitioning to Freelancing is to me, I put my conviction and all of my energy in achieving that goal, and here I am, a place they never expected I will be at). Advocates will rock the boat if they have to, something not everyone likes to see, but their passion for their chosen cause is an inseparable part of their personality.

Altruistic (according to Google, means unselfish) - These strengths are used for good. Advocates have strong beliefs and take the actions that they do not because they are trying to advance themselves, but because they are trying to advance an idea that they truly believe will make the world a better place (Freelancing will make the world a better place. You help lessen the agony of traffic by not adding to the commuting public. Stay at home. Work at home. And just go out for your wellness. That's what I believe and been pushing forward and I started it with myself.)

Advocate Weaknesses

Sensitive - When someone challenges or criticizes Advocates' principles or values, they are likely to receive an alarmingly strong response. (Yup, I am very much sensitive if you criticize what I believe in. But if you have a point and your inputs are enlightening, I might as well receive it with an open heart and incorporate it to my principle. But if you just want a debate or to shaken my values, don't fight with me. Don't even.) People with the Advocate personality type are highly vulnerable to criticism and conflict, and questioning their motives is the quickest way to their bad side.

Extremely Private - Advocates tend to present themselves as the culmination of an idea. This is partly because they believe in this idea, but also because Advocates are extremely private when it comes to their personal lives, using this image to keep themselves from having to truly open up, even to close friends. Trusting a new friend can be even more challenging for Advocates.

Perfectionist - Advocates are all but defined by their pursuit of ideals. While this is a wonderful quality in many ways, an ideal situation is not always possible - in politics, in business, in romance - and Advocates too often drop or ignore healthy and productive situations and relationships, always believing there might be a better option down the road. (Thank you for pointing this out. I must improve myself in this area.)

Always Need to Have a Cause - Advocates get so caught up in the passion of their pursuits that any of the cumbersome administrative or maintenance work that comes between them and the ideal they see on the horizon is deeply unwelcome. Advocates like to know that they are taking concrete steps towards their goals, and if routine tasks feel like they are getting in the way, or worse yet, there is no goal at all, they will feel restless and disappointed. (Hmmm. Can't comment with this. I can't think of any situation that I can relate to it. Maybe the times where I find a meaning behind what I am doing or will do?)

Can Burn Out Easily - Their passion, poor patience for routine maintenance, tendency to present themselves as an ideal, and extreme privacy tend to leave Advocates with few options for letting off steam. People with this personality type are like to exhaust themselves in short order if they don't find a way to balance their ideals with the realities of day-to-day living. (I meditate to counteract this.)

Advocate Relationships

When it comes to romantic relationships, Advocates take the process of finding a partner seriously. Not ones for casual encounters, people with the Advocate personality type instead look for depth and meaning in their relationships. Advocates will take the time necessary to find someone they truly connect with - once they've found that someone, their relationships will reach a level of depth and sincerity that most people can only dream of.

Getting to that point can sometimes be a challenge for potential partners (Anong 'sometimes'? Most of the time, ganun. Lol), especially if they are the impatient type, as Advocates are often perfectionist and picky. (Sadly, most of my encounters are with the impatient types.) People with this personality type aren't easily talked into something they don't want, and if someone doesn't pick up on that, it's a trespass that is unlikely to be forgiven, particularly in the early stages of dating. Even worse is if a suitor tries to resort to manipulation or lying, as Advocates will see right through it, and if there's anything they have a poor tolerance for in a relationship, it is in-authenticity.

Is This for Real?

One of the things Advocates find most important is establishing genuine, deep connections with the people they care about.

Advocates will go out of their way to seek out people who share their desire for authenticity, and out of their way to avoid those who don't, especially when looking for a partner. All that being said, Advocates often have the advantage of desirability - they are warm, friendly, caring and insightful, seeing past facades and the obvious to understand other's thoughts and emotions.

Advocates are enthusiastic in their relationships, and there is a sense of wisdom behind their spontaneity, allowing them to pleasantly surprise their partners again and again. Advocates aren't afraid to show their love, and they feel it unconditionally, creating a depth to the relationship that can hardly be described in conventional terms. (Well, I am not that showy before, but recently I've been finding myself being touchy-touchy...not with a partner though, but with my friends and family. Somehow, I've been expressing my love for them through skinship as I get on with life.) Relationships with Advocates are not for the uncommitted or the shallow. (Now you know. 😜)

When it comes to intimacy, Advocates look for a connection that goes beyond the physical, embracing the emotional and even spiritual connection they have with their partner. People with the Advocate personality type are passionate partners, and see intimacy as a way to express their love and to make their partners happy. Advocates cherish not just the act of being in a relationship, but what it means to become one with another person, in mind, body and soul.

Advocate Friends

There is a running theme with Advocates, and that is a yearning for authenticity and sincerity - in their activities, their romantic relationships, and their friendships. People with the Advocate personality type are unlikely to go for friendships of circumstance, like workplace social circles or chatting up their local baristas, where the only thing they really have in common is a day-to-day familiarity. (Well, I've exceeded this with my ex-coworkers and we became friends) Rather, Advocates seek out people who share their passions, interests and ideologies, people with whom they can explore philosophies and subjects that they believe are truly meaningful.

Closed Book and Speed Reader

From the start, it can be a challenge to get to know Advocates, as they are very private, even enigmatic. Advocates don't readily share their thoughts and feelings, not unless they are comfortable, and since those thoughts and feelings are the basis for Advocate friendships, it can take time and persistence to get to know them. Meanwhile, Advocates are very insightful and have a particular knack for seeing beyond other's facades, interpreting intent and compatibility quickly and easily, and weeding out those who don't share the depth of their idealism.

In friendship it is as though Advocates are searching for a soul mate, someone who shares every facet of their passions and imagination.

Advocates are often perfectionists, looking for ultimate compatibility, and yet also look for someone with whom they can grow and improve in tandem. Needless to say, this is a tall order, and Advocates should try to remember that they are particularly rare personality type, and even if they find someone compatible in that sense, the odds that they will also share every interest are slim. If they don't learn to meet others halfway and recognize that the kind of self-improvement and depth they demand is simply exhausting for many types, Advocates are likely end up abandoning healthy friendships in their infancy, in search of more perfect compatibilities. (Hmmm. Does it count with this when I often look for deep conversation with the person I talk to? Because that's where I can feel that there is a connection between us. But even if I don't get that depth I've been looking for, I don't just abandon friendship or any kind of relationship. It takes a lot of thinking, courage and stress for me to be able to do that.)

Like Finding a Needle in a Haystack

Further complicating things are Advocates' eloquence and persuasiveness, which lead to a lot of (unwanted) attention and popularity. Their quiet, determined idealism and imaginative expression naturally draw influence, and if there's anything Advocates avoid, it's the accumulation of power over others - and the people who are drawn to that type of power. Advocates will find themselves more sought after than they'd ever care to be, making it even more difficult for them to find someone they truly have an affinity with. (I kind of experience this sometimes in different situations, but not that remarkable.) Really the only way to be counted among Advocates' true friends is to be authentic, and to have that authenticity naturally reflect their own.

Once a common thread is found though, people with the Advocate personality type make loyal and supportive companions, encouraging growth and life-enriching experiences with warmth, excitement and care. As trust grows, Advocates will share more of what lies beneath the surface, and if those ideas and motives are mutual, it's the sort of friendship that will transcend time and distance, lasting a lifetime. Advocates don't require a great deal of day-to-day attention - for them, quality trumps quantity every time (true that!), and over the years they will likely end up with just a few true friendships, built on a richness of mutual understanding that forges an indelible link between them.

(There's also for Advocate Parents but since I am not a parent yet, I won't include it here.)

Advocate Careers

Advocates are likely to find that most corporate career paths are not designed for them, but for those focused on status and material gain. This doesn't mean that people with the Advocate personality type struggle to see viable options though. In fact, they are likely to face the opposite problem - many Advocates struggle to begin a career early on because they see ten wildly different paths forward (I don't see ten. Grabe naman. Mga 5 below lang. Lol), each with its own intrinsic rewards, alluring but also heartbreaking, because each means abandoning so much else.

Truth, Beauty, Purpose

First and foremost, Advocates need to find meaning in their work, to know that they are helping and connecting with people - an Advocate Ferrari salesperson is a non-sequitur (meaning, it does not follow the previous statement). This desire to help and connect makes careers in healthcare, especially the more holistic varieties, very rewarding for Advocates - roles as counselors, psychologists, doctors, life coaches and spiritual guides are all attractive options. (These are not attractive to me. Though psychology is kind of interesting for me.)

Advocates' needs don't end at meaning though - any productive work can be rationalized to be meaningful, as any productive work helps someone, somewhere. (Yes! I find it meaningful whenever I'm doing something productive every day) Advocates crave creativity too, the ability to use their insight to connect events and situations, effecting real change in others' lives personally.

For Advocates, money and Employee of the Month simply won't cut it compared to living their values and principles. (Nemen!)

Two Roads Diverged in a Yellowed Wood

These needs are hard to meet in a corporate structure, where Advocates will be forced to manage someone else's policies alongside their own. (Maybe that's why I transitioned to Freelancing, and now I am happy?) For this reason, people with the Advocate personality type are more likely to, despite their aversion to controlling others, establish their independence by either finding a leadership position, or simply starting their own practice. (Yown) As independents, sole proprietors in the parlance of business, Advocates are free to follow their hearts, applying their personal touch, creativity and altruism to everything they do.

This is the most rewarding option for Advocates, as they will step out of the overly humble supporting and noncompetitive roles they are often drawn to, and into positions where they can grow and make a difference. Advocates often pursue expressive careers such as writing (Oha!), elegant communicators that they are, and author many popular blogs (I'm an author by hobby, but my blogs are not that popular. Lol), stories and screenplays. Music, photography, design and art are viable options too, and they all can focus on deeper themes of personal growth, morality and spirituality. (Surprisingly, I do these kinds of things as my hobby.)

Where Advocates fall flat is in work focusing on impersonal concerns, mundanity, and high-profile conflict. Accounting and auditing, data analysis and routine work will leave people with the Advocate personality type fidgety and unfulfilled, and they will simply wilt under the scrutiny, criticism and pressure of courtroom prosecution and defense, corporate politics and cold-call sales. (I'm an Accountant by profession though. And I'm enjoying what I do because I am doing different tasks for my client's clients and I like analysing and solving problems. It is fulfilling to find solutions or to fix their accounts.) Advocates are clever, and can function in any of these fields, but to be truly happy, they need to be able to exercise their insightfulness and independence (luckily, my client is letting me do these and I'm finding balance with my life), learn and grow alongside the people they are helping (yes, I am, with my client, together), and contribute to the well-being of humanity on a personal level.

Advocates in the Workplace

Advocates have pretty tall demands when it comes to a satisfying work environment. Not only does this personality type need to be able to express their creativity and insight, Advocates need to know that what they are doing has meaning, helps people, leads to personal growth and, all the while, is in line with their values, principles and beliefs.

Oftentimes the best way for Advocates to achieve this is to not have to answer to others' rules at all - to be their own boss, neither above nor below anyone else, just directly interacting with the people and ideas that are important to them. (Hmmm, I haven't given a thought about these kinds of things though. I just do what I can do, not thinking of any status or positions between me and who I'm talking to. I see them all as humans like me) All that being said, Advocates are a clever and inspired group, and with a few of the right conditions, most any position can be made to work.

Advocate Colleagues

As colleagues, Advocates are likely to become quite popular, being seen as positive, eloquent and capable friends, identifying others' motives and defusing conflicts and tension before anyone else even senses a disturbance. Advocates are likely to prioritize harmony and cooperation over ruthless efficiency, encouraging a good, hardworking atmosphere and helping others when needed. While this is usually a strength, there is a risk that others will take advantage of Advocates' commitment to their responsibilities by simply shifting their burdens onto their more dedicated Advocate colleagues' desk. (😭 I've experienced this when I was still in the corporate world.)

It should also be remembered that at the end of the day, Advocates are still Introverts (I), and their popularity isn't always welcome - they will need to step back and act the lone wolf from time to time, pursuing their own goals in their own ways. An unhealthy version of this tendency may pop up if Advocates sense that their values are being compromised by a more ethically relaxed colleague.

Advocate Managers

As managers, Advocates are often reluctant in exercising their authority, preferring to see their subordinates as equals (this is what I did when I became a team leader in the corporate world), coordinating and supervising people, leaving the technical systems and factual details to more capable hands, and working hard to inspire and motivate, not to crack the whip. That's not to say that people with the Advocate personality type have lax standards - far from it - as Advocates' sense of equality means that they expect their subordinates to be as competent, motivated and reliable as the Advocates themselves. (This is so me! But I learnt it the hard way that we are all different and I can't expect them to be like me because the truth is, they are not. Learning to cope up with other personality types is what I am training myself to be)

Though sensitive, understanding, principled and just, able to appreciate individual styles and to make accurate judgments about others' motivations, if a subordinate's actions or attitude undermines Advocates' ethics or values, they will find little comfort in these qualities. Advocates have no tolerance for lapses in reliability or morality. But, so long as no such lapse occurs, Advocates will work tirelessly to ensure that their subordinates feel valued and happy.

Advocate Personality - Conclusion

Few personality types are as passionate and mysterious as Advocates. Your imagination and empathy make you someone who not only cherishes their integrity and deeply held principles but, unlike many other idealistic types, is also capable of turning those ideals into plans, and executing them.

Yet Advocates can be easily tripped up in areas where their idealism and determination are more of a liability than an asset. Whether it is navigating interpersonal conflicts, confronting unpleasant facts, pursuing self-realization, or finding a career path that aligns well with your inner core, you may face numerous challenges that at times can even make you question who you really are.

--------

What you have read so far is just an introduction and less than 5% of what the testers can tell me about the Advocate personality type.

Although not all that were written aligns well with me, I kind of felt understood by the makers of the test. 😆 Again, that's just a test, and it doesn't mean that the written results tells everything about me. That's not even 5%, and for me lesser because I disagree with some statements (maybe because I haven't experienced those things)

If you are interested as to what personality type are you, you can check out the test here: https://www.16personalities.com/

It will not take long for you to answer the test. Honestly, reading the results is longer than the test itself. Lol

And it took me days to finish this blog post that I haven't even updated the previous one. I'm sorry!