Grow as INTJ

The Four Flavors of INTJ In-Depth

When we look at the brain activity and wiring of individuals with

the INTJ pattern, we find the four broad classes or subtypes described
below. Specifically, the four profiles are based on brain-network analysis
of forty right-handed INTJs who did an EEG protocol. Differences also
correlate with demographic data such as career choice, showing that up-
bringing and life choices matter. In short, people who broadly identify
with the same field of cognitive processes use their brains in roughly
four different ways to meet their practical and psychological needs.

“Visionary Director” INTJs

Analytic Intuiting with Analytic Thinking
(Dominant | Red subtype)

These INTJ have things worked out, are relatively fast re-
acting, can act as skilled managers or executives, and lean
on analytical skills, particularly language-based reasoning.
They’ve learned how to be in charge.

Brain-wise, their wiring is biased toward the front and often the left
hemisphere, with a weak or no “starburst” brainstorming pattern, which
correlates with unstructured creativity. Even if they show a weak star-
burs patternt, it’s something they use more in quiet time alone. These
INTJs rely on specific brain regions for hypothesizing (Fz), imaginative
analogies (F7), and so forth to implement their creative side.

Compared to other INTJs, Visionary Directors are likely in a large in-

stitutional or company such as the military, hospitals, engineering firms,
and software houses. They typically lead in a conventional office space
and/or are focused on technical innovation. As INTJs, they are still in-
troverts. So use of executive and frontal regions—for making decisions,
juggling new data, and managing others—required an effortful learning
curve. They have figured out how to balance situational demands versus
their values and a desire for things being smooth or absolute. Speaking
and listening are comfortable ways for them to act as leaders.

Outside of work, they enjoy creative introverted activities that tap

the back of the brain, though they are more auditory and less visual than

116
other INTJs, and likely enjoy audio books, music, and such. They do
have a reflective side, distinct from being “on” at work, and they remain
open to musings or even hobbies that are esoteric or fanciful.

“Creative Enthusiast” INTJs

Analytic Intuiting with Holistic Thinking
(Creative | Yellow subtype)

This appears to be the most common INTJ flavor and a

textbook example of the type. They tend to be creative in a
thoughtful way, though also somewhat scattered and more
generalists than specialists. They’ve learned how to stir the
pot, engage others, entertain, and get things going.

For these INTJs, the brain often shows a strong, solid starburst pat-
tern typical of fast intuitive insight. They take in data and quickly play
with it in their mind in different ways. To balance this chaos, they have
a strong left or front-left brain wiring bias, with some back-right bias as
well. This allows them to organize, present, and act on their thoughts
and impressions in a goal-focused way. They easily notice patterns, proj-
ect into the future how an idea or event will turn out, and then set a goal
and focus around it with a confident drive to completion.

The weakness of the Creative Enthusiast is stereotypical: mediocre

body awareness and repressed emotional life, since they tend to neglect
brain regions like F8, FC6 and C4 that relate to identity, values, and un-
derstanding others’ feelings even as they extrovert their ideas. Occasion-
ally, they may develop a single circuit that handles a couple of these in a
limited way. They tend to push themselves even as they lack a solid base.

Being introverts, executive tasks such as decision making, juggling

new data, and managing others take effort and give mixed results. In
contrast, they tend to seek reward from visual, reflective, and detailed
activities that tap their brain’s back regions (O1, O2, T5, and T6). They
also find reward from activities that improve their visual-spatial (aka
biomechanical) understanding in life (e.g. region Pz).

Overall, these INTJs are motivated generalists. They see little differ-
ence between their workplace and hobbies. Their intuitive side works

117
 Grow as INTJ

across many subjects and contexts, though often in a scattered way that
needs constant self-management (e.g. region Fpz). They make for inter-
esting conversationalists and stimulating partners.

“Eccentric Diamond” INTJs

Holistic Intuiting with Holistic Thinking
(Harmonizing | Blue subtype)

These INTJs are the most eccentric and eclectic of their

type. They are also the most values- or principles-based
of INTJs and also the most “out there”, living their unique
philosophy and desires. They can have a behind-the-
scenes quality, observant and driven yet also tolerant and
not pushing themselves onto others.

Their brains rely on one or more diamond-shaped networks that

bridge the hemispheres. Thus, their name. The example shows a set of
typical networks. Each network includes four to six diverse brain regions
that work in concert. These multiple networks tend to not overlap. Each
does it own thing and represents a different “mode”. Each mode fits a
kind of situation or way of thinking and being. Each mode includes a
diverse set of skills that link and harmonize a thematic set of values, be-
havior, speech, perception, feeling, analysis, and so on.

To hold these modes together, there is also often a starburst pat-

tern. It may be strongly active, but usually it is soft, working in the back-
ground. Either way, the starburst helps all the regions work in synch.
Thus, this INTJ operates from a meta-perspective much of the time,
rapidly switching between modes. And if they lack a mode for a situa-
tion, their behavior is odd or non-reactive. Moreover, they often sport
an “anti-halo” brain wiring pattern. Anti-halo means there is no ring of
connections around the perimeter of the brain like many other people
have. It’s as if typical forms of linear thinking are actively excluded.

Despite their eccentric style, these INTJs have a strong drive to com-
plete goals (e.g. region Fp1), and forming and pursuing tasks in service
of their goals takes little effort. Oppositely, staying open takes work be-
cause their thinking is already so complex and developed in specialized
ways. This flavor is most common among INTJs in their 40s and 50s.

118
 “Unconventional Guide” INTJs
Holistic Intuiting with Analytic Thinking
(Normalizing | Yellow subtype)

These INTJs are the most culturally and cognitive “nor-

mal” of INTJs. Normal here simply means brain-wiring
that is more typical of the general population. They are still
quirky. They have a clear chart-the-course style that makes
them good stewards, monitors, and guides.

For Unconventional Guides, their brain wiring is relatively even

across the brain. That even pattern means every region is connected to
its nearest neighbor horizontally or vertically. Often there is also some
bias toward the back, middle-back, and/or left hemisphere. Overall, this
makes them look like linear, reflective, and analytical thinkers, process-
ing information one step at a time in a rational way. Male INTJs here
show a particularly strong linear, deductive style.

These INTJs are more likely to come from a collectivist or a conven-

tional background, perhaps with less education or lower-profile careers,
compared to other INTJs. Though they may also work at a high level,
busy implementing a big idea in a routine way. The more at odds with
their background, the more they have introverted wiring with dense
links toward the back of the brain. Conversely, the more they fit with
their background, the more the wiring is an even field across the brain.

Compared to other INTJs, these individuals are more in tune with

their senses, more patient with analysis of detail, and more likely to be
well-socialized. They can hang at the county fair, small-talk about ev-
eryday events, and enjoy life’s little moments. They are thoughtful, care-
ful speakers. They tend to be particularly visual, and they enjoy reflec-
tion and internal sorting. Like other INTJs, executive tasks take effort,
though they easily make smart, careful managers.

As for their creative side, they enjoy crafts and likely rely on pencil-
paper and familiar frameworks to sketch out ideas. They are less apt than
other INTJs to just brainstorm and work out ideas in their head. They
are, however, open to entertaining a wide range of fanciful ideas that
they can mull over in their giant database of abstract impressions.

119