INTJs are strategic visionaries with a dominant focus on the theoretical aspects of the world. They are arguably the most strategic out of all the 16 MBTI types. With assumed potential like that, it’s no wonder that so many people are quick to call themselves INTJs. You yourself may be calling yourself an INTJ.

However, there are actually very few INTJs out there in the world. According to the statistics, nearly one in every 50 people you meet will be INTJs (2.1% of population). From my personal experience, it is even less.

The three types that often have the most trouble discerning whether they are INTJ or not, are usually one letter away, namely being the ISTJ, INTP, and the INFJ. Below are listed the key differences between those types.

INTJ vs ISTJ

INTJ is future-focused vs the ISTJ who is past-focused.

INTJ focuses on big picture impressions (they look at the top first, then bottom) vs the ISTJ who prefers to focus on details (they look at bottom first, then work their way up).

INTJ can get swept up by need for new experiences vs the ISTJ who can become overly focused on seeming funny.

INTJ often seeks to create new changes (non-traditionalist/non-conformist) vs the ISTJ who values past values and history (traditionalist/conformist).

When looking for directions, ISTJs would prefer the titles of the streets while the INTJ would prefer general directions such as “keep going right for a few blocks till you see it”.

INTJ vs INTP

INTJs are often more focused on worldly success compared to INTPs who focus on personal understanding and interests more.

INTPs are usually better people’s persons than INTJs since INTPs are more friendly-seeming overall, while the INTJ is ironically likely to be more caring on the inside.

INTPs are likely to ramble at times without being aware of the audience compared to the INTJ who is much less likely to do that.

INTPs look at things from a bottom-up perspective building a database of facts to the top helping them to understand the big picture, while the INTJ looks at things from a top-bottom approach trying to understand the big picture first and then the details.

INTPs generate many random ideas in quick succession that may not all be good while the INTJ is more likely to come up with a few ideas that are often on point.

INTPs think more like inventors while INTJs think like solution-builders.

INTJ vs INFJ