infj

Do you complete things at the last minute?

I do and always have. Whether homework, essays, and project deliverables.
I usually complete it at the very last minute. This is not because i’m disorganized or lazy but rather it’s the way a lot of introverts complete tasks, especially ones that require thought.

Non-stop Thinkers

We’re always thinking deeply about something or another. From the minute the task is assigned, we begin working on it in our minds. Whether we’re imagining what the finished product will look like or comparing various hypothesis, we are literally always working on the deliverable 24×7 in our minds. By the time the deadline is near, I have typically already developed the finished product in my mind and it’s just a matter of transferring that mental picture to a physical product.

The Ultimate Perfectionist

Once we’ve developed our mental masterpiece, the next phase for most INFJs is what some would call torture. Hours of extremely meticulous proofing and reviewing to ensure not a single element of the finished product is anything less than perfect. We INFJs are our worst critic. We often set the bar for ourselves at extreme heights. Even after the final product is delivered, i’m still finding areas for improvement.

Take the pressure off yourself

Although a blessing and a curse, one of the major advantages of the INFJ’s unquenchable thirst for perfection is the fact that what we typically consider “ok”, the rest of the world views as excellent. Knowing that our personality demands we shoot for the stars in everything we do can actuallly allow us to relax and simply do what we’re programmed to do – excel. The self-inflicted stress we undergo can be significantly reduced by having confidence that our view of “good” is usually three times higher than everyone else’s and will ultimately result in excellence.

Getting on with it

So the next time you find yourself overthinking every possible variation of the finished product of your assignment, just remember that whichever approach you choose will almost always be a winner. Take the risk of “just doing it” and notice how our “not good enough” is received by the outside world. You may be surprised to discover how little effort we need to significantly exceed the expectations of others.

DaMon Ross is an Alabama native currently living in the Washington, D.C. metro area. He is a cybersecurity professional of 15 years and currently serving as Director of Cyber Threat Intelligence for a major financial institition. He has three children (2 teenage girls and 1 boy), and enjoys reading, watching movies and shopping.