That Unsettling Feeling in the Rearview Mirror
You find an old photo. It’s you, ten years younger, grinning in a way you don’t quite recognize anymore. The opinions you held, the clothes you wore, the way you navigated the world—it all feels like a costume from a play you barely remember starring in. This isn't just nostalgia; it's a profound sense of disconnection, a quiet anxiety that asks, 'Am I a fraud? Was I mistyped? Who even am I anymore?'
This feeling of personality type fluidity is especially common for those who have long identified with a specific label, like the logical frameworks of Thinking personality types. You spent years understanding yourself through one lens, only to wake up one day and find the prescription no longer fits. This isn't a sign of instability. It's the first tremor of a significant and deeply human process: the natural unfolding of your MBTI personality development stages.
The Discomfort of Not Recognizing Your Younger Self
Let’s just sit with that feeling for a moment. It can be incredibly jarring to feel like a stranger in your own history. That wasn't some other person; that was your brave, fumbling, earnest attempt at living with the tools you had at the time. The confusion you're feeling now isn't proof that you were wrong then; it's evidence that you have grown.
Take a deep breath. That unease is the sound of your psychological world expanding. It’s the growing pain of a mind making room for more complexity, more nuance, and more of you. That younger self wasn't a mistake; they were a necessary foundation. The fact that you see the world differently now doesn't invalidate their experience; it honors the journey you've both been on. The evolution through your MBTI personality development stages is a testament to your resilience.
The Predictable Path of Growth: How Your Functions Mature
This feeling of change isn't random; it's a predictable cycle of psychological development. As our sense-maker Cory would explain, we need to look at the underlying pattern of your cognitive functions. Think of your personality as a four-person crew on a ship. In your youth, the Captain (your Dominant function) and the First Mate (your Auxiliary function) are running everything. For an INTP, this is Introverted Thinking (Ti) and Extraverted Intuition (Ne). Everything is about logical consistency and exploring possibilities.
However, true lifespan psychological development demands more. Around your late 20s to mid-40s, the crew members who have been quiet—the Tertiary and Inferior functions—start demanding to be heard. This is a critical point in the MBTI personality development stages. For that INTP, this means confronting their Introverted Sensing (Si) and, most terrifyingly, their Extraverted Feeling (Fe). Suddenly, the hyper-logical thinker finds themselves caring deeply about group harmony or becoming sentimental about the past.
This process of cognitive function maturation can feel like a midlife crisis personality change, but it's actually a movement toward balance. It’s your psyche's way of forcing you to become a more well-rounded captain. The goal isn't to abandon your core type, but to integrate the skills of the entire crew. This journey toward wholeness is a central concept in Jungian psychology, known as Individuation.
So let me give you a permission slip: You have permission to be a work in progress. Your personality isn't a fixed state; it's an unfolding process, and these MBTI personality development stages are the map.
Embracing Your Evolution: Welcoming Your Shadow Functions
Our resident mystic, Luna, sees this journey not as a crisis, but as a sacred summons. She invites us to reframe this entire experience through a symbolic lens. This isn't just about developing tertiary and inferior functions; it's about courageously turning to face your own shadow. The parts of you that you deemed weak, underdeveloped, or even embarrassing are now revealing themselves as keys to wisdom.
Think of your life in seasons. Your youth was Spring and Summer, a time of outward growth powered by your strongest functions. Now, you may be entering your Autumn. It’s a time of turning inward, of harvesting the lessons you’ve learned and preparing for a more profound, integrated existence. This process of integrating the shadow is the essence of Jungian individuation. It’s the soul’s deep yearning to be whole.
The discomfort you feel is the soil being tilled for new growth. The inferior function, which once caused you so much trouble, now holds the golden seeds of your future self. What if this change isn't a loss of identity, but the discovery of your deeper, more authentic self? What is this new, emerging part of you trying to teach you about wholeness?
FAQ
1. Do MBTI types change with age?
While your core MBTI type is generally considered stable, how you express it changes dramatically. The process of cognitive function maturation means you will develop and integrate your less-preferred functions over time, leading to significant personal growth and a more balanced personality. This is a key part of the MBTI personality development stages.
2. What is Jungian individuation in simple terms?
Jungian individuation is the lifelong process of becoming the most complete, authentic version of yourself. It involves integrating all parts of your psyche, including the conscious and unconscious, and especially the 'shadow'—the parts of yourself you have repressed or ignored. It's a journey from being a fragmented person to a whole one.
3. How do I know if I'm developing my inferior function?
Signs of developing your inferior function often include a newfound interest in activities you previously dismissed, feeling a strong 'pull' toward behaviors opposite to your dominant nature, or experiencing moments of profound vulnerability that lead to growth. For a Thinking type, this might look like a sudden appreciation for emotional connection or artistic expression.
4. Is it a bad thing that I don't feel like my personality type anymore?
Not at all. In fact, it's often a sign of significant psychological growth. It indicates you're moving beyond the limits of your dominant functions and integrating the other aspects of your personality. This is a positive and necessary part of the MBTI personality development stages toward becoming a more mature and whole individual.
References
thesap.org.uk — Individuation