Although it can be helpful to work with a typologist or Jungian analyst to discover your personality type, doing much of the work on your own will be even more meaningful, as it gets you in touch with your inner self.
Journaling is one of the best methods you can use for this process as it helps you keep track of trends over time. As author and Jungian Analyst Daryl Sharp wrote:
In the area of typology, as with any attempt to understand oneself, there is no substitute for prolonged self-reflection.
Personality Types by Daryl Sharp, p. 94
The daily journal prompts below draw from Jungian analyst John Beebe’s archetypal typology model, but they will work for any Jungian-based typology system, such as MBTI and Objective Personality.
I phrased these questions as archetypes because it important to not use the language of the functions in your journal entries. Refrain from saying “I used my Fe today while listening to my co-worker talk.” Instead say something like, “I “parented” my neighbor today by listening to her talk about her problems.” Don’t make assumptions about which function you are using. Instead, tell the story of how that archetypal role was apparent in your life that day.
Here are the prompts:
- How did I act heroically today? This can be any activity you did effortlessly or in a flow state.
- Did I “parent” anyone today? Described how you helped someone in a way that came naturally to you.
- How did my inner eternal child show itself today? This can be a situation where someone else “parented” you and provided help in area you aren’t strong in. It can also be something you were enthusiastic about in a child-like way.
- Did I get triggered in a positive or negative way today? This helps you track the “other” within you that gets overly upset when your ideals aren’t met and overjoyed when they are. Pay particular attention to surges of emotions you felt in your body.
Once you have settled on what your personality type might be you can continue to use these prompts to help you become less one-sided in your personality, which is the entire point of knowing your personality type, so that you can become the unique personality that you are.
