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The Best New Year’s Resolutions for Each Myers-Briggs Type

With only 10 days left in the year, you’ve probably begun thinking of New Year’s resolutions (in between spending time with family, finishing work projects or studying for finals, gift-hunting and holiday stress). But did you know that only 8% of people keep their resolutions? And 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail by February? What if you used your Myers-Briggs type to help you make and keep your resolution this year?

Knowing your Myers-Briggs type can help you make better resolutions and achieve your goals. It can also help you deal with stress, have better relationships, understand your motivations, be happier in your career, and more.

Your MBTI personality type gives you a self-awareness tool to trim that baggy, all-encompassing resolution into a trim, sleek resolution tailored just for your strengths.

Maybe instead of one resolution, you should make 12 mini resolutions and focus on one each month. Or if you want to resolve to be happier this year, and need to start your own Happiness Project. Perhaps you just need a reset instead of a resolution.

Whatever you decide to do, read about your Myers-Briggs type below to find a few suggestions on resolutions that will help you grow personally (and professionally) and maybe even identify a blind-spot or two in the process that will make you happier in the long run (fair warning - slight sarcasm ahead):

ISTJ – Conscientious Resolutions

• Take some time to think about the wider, long-term consequences of current, practical decisions
• Consider the effects you’re having on people instead of concentrating solely on the logic of your decisions
• Respond appropriately to others’ needs for connection and intimacy. Start by asking “How do you feel?” from time to time.

What resolution are you likely to hear from the ISTJ personalities this year?

“I resolve to allow myself to take a break even when I haven’t finished all the tasks I committed to….. just as soon as I’ve completed this to-do list.”

ISFJ – Wholesome Resolutions

• Try to see the big-picture consequences of current, practical decisions
• Assert your own needs instead of working so hard to accommodate the needs of others
• Apply logical criteria to decisions when needed. Start by asking others for their objective feedback.

What resolution are you likely to hear from the ISFJ personalities this year?

“I resolve to sometimes put my own needs before those of others….. if that’s alright with you?”

INFJ – Insightful Resolutions

• Try to “fill in the blanks” with necessary details when communicating with others – don’t assume they already have thought about what you’ve thought about
• Assert your own needs instead of working so hard to accommodate others
• Consider the day-to-day, practical impacts of your long-term vision

What resolution are you likely to hear from the INFJ personalities this year?

“I resolve not to suddenly tell people that I know what they are thinking. It freaks them out.”

INTJ – Big-picture Resolutions

• Focus on necessary facts and details
• Consider the impact on people instead of concentrating solely on the logic of your decisions
• Connect more with others and give them praise, as appropriate

What resolution are you likely to hear from the INTJ personalities this year?

“I resolve to try to explain the ideas in my head (even though some people might be too dim to appreciate them).”

ISTP – Carefully-thought-out Resolutions

• Identify the long-term consequences for others of the decisions you’re making
• Keep track of decision timelines so you don’t miss deadlines
• Provide praise and connect with others when appropriate

What resolution are you likely to hear from the ISTP personality types this year?

“I resolve to express some positive emotion to those nearest and dearest to me…. But not too often, that would be mushy.”

ISFP – Quietly-caring Resolutions

• Explore the wider consequences of specific decisions
• Complete agreed-upon work and make decisions before playtime
• Remember to tell others that you care about them to make sure they know

What resolution are you likely to hear from the ISFP personalities this year?

“I resolve to toot my own horn more and remember that I have special talents (but not more special than anyone else of course).”

INFP – Idealistic Resolutions

• Work on trying not to take everything so seriously
• Complete current projects before jumping on to something new and shiny
• Share your values with others who are important to you, instead of just assuming they know about your principles and beliefs

What resolution are you likely to hear from the INFP personalities this year?

"I resolve not to be so hard on myself for not living up to my own values."

INTP – Bah Humbug Resolutions

• Keep the sarcasm to a minimum
• Acknowledge the importance of others’ ideas, even if they don’t seem logical to you
• Consider the day-to-day practical impact of your long-term vision

What resolution are you likely to hear from the INTP personality types this year?

“I resolve to let people know what I am thinking at least once a year…without sarcasm.”

ESTP – Leap-in-headfirst Resolutions

• Pay attention to the wider, general consequences of your actions and decisions
• Put dates and events that have special meaning to important people in your life into a calendar (with reminders) and plan to celebrate them
• Consider the impact of your actions on others before implementing your decisions. Start by practicing patience with discussion or exploration of relationships.

What resolution are you likely to hear from the ESTP personalities this year?

“I resolve to thoroughly think things through before I act, starting NOW!”

ESFP – Hip & Ready Resolutions

• Consider long-term consequences instead of acting on your immediate needs and the immediate needs of others
• Address complex or ambiguous situations and take the time to deal with the people you’ve been having difficulties with instead of focusing so much on the present
• Deal with obligations before fun to get things done. Start by adding a priority checklist of things to get done each day.

What resolution are you likely to hear from the ESFP personalities this year?

“I resolve to party less… well at least during the week…. Well maybe just on Mondays.”

ENFP – Optimistic Resolutions

• Work to focus your attention when talking to others, remembering that multitasking often looks like not paying attention
• Follow through by doing the things you say you are going to do
• Work on adding the word “no” to your vocabulary from time to time

What resolution are you likely to hear from the ENFP personalities this year?

“I resolve to make fewer than 15 New Year’s resolutions and to keep at least 2 of them.”

ENTP – Last Minute Resolutions

• Consider the impact of your ideas on others
• Put dates and events that have special meaning to important people in your life in a calendar with reminders, and make plans to celebrate them
• Be aware that your challenging and stimulating style can seem overwhelming to some

What resolution are you likely to hear from the ENTP personalities this year?

“I resolve to not to play Devil’s advocate all the time. Or do I?”

ESTJ – Stern Resolutions

• Work to not overpower others by being intrusive and a “know-it-all” expert
• Try not to impose your detailed approach on others
• Consider others’ needs for intimate connection and talking through feelings

What resolution are you likely to hear from the ESTJ personalities this year?

“I resolve to find more tactful ways to get people to work my plan. Have you got that? Then why haven’t you started working on the plan yet…?”

ESFJ – Self-care Resolutions

• Try to refrain from jumping to conclusions before you have enough information
• Sometimes take care of yourself before taking care of others
• Remember that conflict isn’t always a bad thing

What resolution are you likely to hear from the ESFJ personalities this year?

“I resolve to chat less, listen more and not to be so worried about what others will think…. If that’s, okay with you?”

ENFJ – Benevolent Resolutions

• Remember that logical decision making (and not just your values) are needed to make a decision
• Consider the details when thinking about what you need to bring your ideas to life
• Try not to take it personally when your enthusiastic “warmth” is not appreciated by others

What resolution are you likely to hear from the ENFJ personalities this year?

“I resolve to stop meddling in others’ lives even when it’s clear they are making a mistake.”

ENTJ – Jet-propelled Resolutions

• Remember that people don’t usually like to be told what to do
• Consider the specifics and realistic factors necessary to move plans to completion
• Work on adding the words yesand please to your vocabulary from time to time

What resolution are you likely to hear from the ENTJ personalities this year?

“I resolve to suffer fools with patience – when there is a good strategic reason to do so.”

Don't know your Myers-Briggs personality type? Start the new year with new self-awareness by taking the only official MBTI assessment here.