8 Ways ISTJs Preserve Understanding

The American philosopher George Santayana once said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”, and there may be no more devoted adherents to this adage than ISTJs. They are committed to maintaining a systematic and predictable path forward for society, one that avoids the follies and pitfalls of history. They are of the Archivist archetype, always examining and storing information to build guideposts for society.

The ISTJ Ego consists of Introverted Sensing (Si) Hero, Extraverted Thinking (Te) Parent, Introverted Feeling (Fi) Child and Extraverted Intuition (Ne) Inferior/Aspirant. In terms of communication style, they are concise and to the point. They prefer that others initiate conversation, but when they do speak they say what they mean and mean what they say. Although procrastination may hinder them, completion will be followed through once committed to. Their temperament is characterized by preferences for systems and processes, for concrete reality, and for doing “what’s right”. They are protectors of our traditions, exceedingly loyal and duty bound.

ISTJs represent a potent force of purpose to secure a future for humanity based on verified knowledge, sound principles, and established traditions. They believe in their moral duty to warn about what lies ahead and oppose what has been shown as undesirable but are effective only when actively verifying information and engaging with others. In this way, they are able to fulfill their aspirations in advocating for worthwhile causes and helping others intelligently develop a better world. While they may not be comfortable in leading such an effort, they are committed to its success in the following 8 ways:

Watchfulness 

ISTJs are inherently protective and risk averse. Sensibility which derives from personal fear of the unknown and desire to feel safe with the unfamiliar. Those concerns even extend beyond self to include society and the future of humanity collectively. The question of “what if” is always accompanied by feelings of apprehension. As a result, ISTJs seek to allay fear and secure safety. They are aware more than most that history has a way of repeating itself, and thus rely on past experience and the acquisition of knowledge to forge protective shields for themselves and others. They become watchmen for any information or movement, having the potential to challenge the status quo or inject uncertainty about the future. As such, they guide society along a known and proven path that ensures a continuing and protected future. Little wonder such duty-oriented occupations of police officer, firefighter, and soldier are attractive to them.

Self-Discipline 

ISTJs act because of self-discipline rather than force of will. At times, they may find difficulty extricating themselves from the rut of familiarity, from the warmth of personal comfort and certainty of self-worth, yet it is exactly this difficulty that they must overcome in order to fulfill the measure of their creation. In the absence of engaged and active ISTJs, humanity is without foundation and left to wander in a wilderness of chance. Obligation and duty are far stronger prescriptions than freedom and desire for the cure of inaction. Only through the mastery of self can the ISTJ shift attention from the trivial to the important.

Rationality

ISTJs seek information and knowledge, and can obsess over finding answers. Credentials are of utmost importance because they evidence an education, a skill, an expertise in something the ISTJ lacks. In turn, citing these sources and reference points demonstrates their own knowledge, building reputation. They risk error in following the narrative of the collective, yet through verification and experience, ISTJs accumulate significant comprehension and build themselves into towers of wisdom. The world will not change until they share that wisdom.

Verification

ISTJs must verify sources in order to validate belief. They rely on knowledge possessed by others more so than they do their own logical analysis, effectively resulting in a system of beliefs which may or may not be fully correct. While less mature ISTJs may shrug at the need to substantiate the accuracy of their beliefs, maturity brings a conscientious effort in recognizing that a certificate does not guarantee truth, and without truth, safety cannot abide. Their mission and reputation are in jeopardy if their scholarship comes into question.

Memory

ISTJs possess remarkable long-term memory. Every event, relationship, word spoken, and more is effectively catalogued and stored within their minds for quick and easy retrieval later. Beyond simply storing information, ISTJs have the ability to recognize patterns in that data which gives them a measure of prescience. They can predict future events based on their experience and analysis of historical information. Sight of the fabric of culture through time gives them unique insight into future potentialities. While ISTJs are wisely wary of the inaccurate and immaterial, illuminating the way ahead is their torch of truth and fact.

Objectivity

ISTJs place great importance on the need for dispassionate neutrality in decision-making. They value playing the role of devil’s advocate as it works to ensure desirable outcomes. Indeed, their virtue is objectivity. They examine data, highlight error, and limit fiction. Unfortunately, this potentially inhibits an openness to fresh information, new ideas, or alternative possibilities. Although data may be key to impartial judgements, provided it is relevant and verified, excessive insulation from differing viewpoints may introduce vulnerability rather than protection. ISTJs are generally mindful of this risk and strive for healthy balance.

Gatekeeping

ISTJs are not only scholars or walking encyclopedias, but they are also the gatekeepers of that knowledge. They are always in the know and enjoy recording events and circumstances. They are curators of knowledge rather than art, and are trusted and confidential sources of data upon which others may draw. Thus accounting, law, politics, and financial management are natural professions for them. ISTJs recognize the value of information is its power to inform decisions, impact judgements, and drive the course of history.

Structure 

ISTJs understand that predictability and risk mitigation is achieved through the development of an effective framework of processes and procedures. Spontaneity is potentially more exciting, but ISTJs find joy in ordinary work and following a proven course of action. Less interested in taking charge than in simply getting the job done, they reluctantly assume leadership when no one with sufficient knowledge is available. Once engaged, they will not rest until completion. Endurance is their hallmark to achievement, reflective of their loyalty to purpose.

In summation, these are the 8 ways ISTJs preserve the social contract, for both the present and the future. Their numbers in society reflect the importance of that role they fill. Understanding well the First Law of Time—all that has happened before will happen again—they are determined to prevent the recurrence of problems that have plagued humanity from the beginning. They seek to be the voice of warning and to keep mankind on the straight and narrow path. They dutifully tend the garden in which the seeds of future generations are planted.