The ISTJ personality, along with the other 15 types in the MBTI, have their share of strengths and weaknesses. Here is a look at 7 of the weak points associated with the ISTJ personality type.
1. ISTJ Fear of Change
As an Si-dom type, ISTJs are less open to innovation and quite content to stick to what they know best. Once they’ve established a solid, efficient routine they are happy with, ISTJs will have little desire to deviate from that or entertain (potentially better) alternatives. ISTJs feel uneasy and stressed whenever there is a big change on the horizon. Upheavals to their way of life tend to invoke dread, and anxiety and compel the ISTJ to prepare for the worst. They can get very upset with people who inject chaos and various “unknowns” into their lives. Furthermore, ISTJs can appear closed-minded, fearful and pessimistic about the necessity and justification for many changes unless they see them as absolutely necessary.
2. ISTJ Narrow Thinking
ISTJs are all about the details. Their desire for structure and order can become a crutch on which they rely too heavily. They are very particular about what they want and how things should be done. They are tentative about taking risks or trying untested, unconventional alternatives that might actually work out for the better. Once they see the benefits, they can be won over, but they are not the ones to propose the radical new ideas. ISTJs tend to believe in the “proper” way of doing things, which, by and large, is simply the guidelines they have been taught and are familiar with. They have little urge to venture outside the paradigm of conventiality or even consider a fresh new approach. Furthermore, ISTJs can be very myopic and stress about complications all the way down to the granular level. They are inclined to get lost in those details and miss out on the bigger picture or exaggerate the negative implications of that bigger picture.
3. ISTJ Withholding Affection.
ISTJs are very private individuals not inclined toward emotional displays and acts of affection. They can oftentimes appear stone-faced and serious much like INTJs. ISTJs are more likely to rely on gift giving and charitable acts of service as demonstrations and expressions of how they feel. Putting into words, what they feel is likely a tougher task for the ISTJ and something that they will seek to circumvent. ISTJs may rely on the assistance of self-help books to learn the rules of the dating game. The tertiary Fi of the ISTJ suggests the moral significance that following the rules and respecting tradition likely holds for them. ISTJs are easily embarrassed and tend to be modest, shy and uneasy about expressing themselves on an emotionally vulnerable level. They tend to maintain a reserved and stoic front but when under stress, can be emotionally volatile.
4. Being Cheap.
On account of their conservative leanings, ISTJs can be penny-pinching cheapskates. They are prone to hyper-vigilance about their finances and ruthless against anyone who tries to cheat or defraud them. This is not necessarily a weakness, but ISTJs are probably less generous and philanthropic than what they could be, especially with their loved ones. They may have a scarcity mindset that leads to them to avoid frivolous spending but also deny others who try to treat them like an ATM. They won’t give it up so easily and may tend to believe that other people’s impecunity is their own fault. Super wealthy ISTJs like Warren Buffett have shown a willingness to donate very generously to causes where they trust their money will make the most impact.
5. ISTJ Judgementalness
ISTJs can be hyper-critical of others and often too quick to judge them without first understanding or considering their perspective first. They may exhibit a lack of empathy or willingness to give others the benefit of the doubt wherever their suspicions are raised. ISTJs have a tendency toward black and white thinking. As far as they’re concerned, the rules are the rules; they serve a purpose and everything would run better if they were adhered to properly. ISTJs look sideways at people who don’t stick to the program and seem careless, sloppy and incompetent. They are prone to imputing malicious or negative intentions to people’s underperformance. ISTJs may often neglect giving deeper consideration for what other people might be going through on an emotional level. Additionally, ISTJs tend not to give enough praise and words of affirmation to their loved ones.
6. ISTJ Insensitivity
ISTJs are earnest and sincere but they may show a deficit of tact and diplomacy in the way they express themselves. They are typically object-oriented in their thinking and less in tune with the feelings of others. ISTJs are not highly aware or concerned with the offense they may inadvertently cause when they are laying down the facts. It is not likely their intention to come across as stern a-holes, but merely a by-product of their pragmatic no-nonsense sensibilities and straight forward communication style. ISTJs consult their feelings generally as an afterthought. They are not as cold as they may seem, but ISTJs will often have to make an effort to convey warmth and empathy.
7. ISTJ Obstinance
ISTJs can be know-it-alls and very intent on doing things their way or the “correct way”. They don’t like letting anyone step into their world and interfere with the well-oiled machine that they’ve set up for themselves. They tend to be conservative and orthodox in their approach and cynical about anything different. When new ideas are brought to the table, ISTJs tend to be highly skeptical and hard-pressed to understand why they should adopt them. Once they do latch onto an idea, ISTJs are tough to dissuade without being shown strong evidence. Once they’ve set their mind on a course of action, ISTJs tend to pursue it with unrelenting resolve. They are inclined to be rather staunch in their views and cling to them tenaciously.
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