All About the Virtuoso Personality Type & Their Characteristics

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Explore the virtuoso personality’s lifestyle, strengths, and weaknesses

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What is a virtuoso?

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Strengths

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Weaknesses

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Relationships

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Careers

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Are virtuosos common?

So you’ve taken an MBTI (Myers-Briggs type indicator) test that says you’re a virtuoso, also called an ISTP—but what does that say about you? We’ve got the answer! The Myers-Briggs personality test can be a useful way to learn more about yourself, how you think, and your ideal lifestyle based on core personality traits like introverted/extroverted, sensing/intuition, thinking/feeling, and perceiving/judging. Read on to learn all about the virtuoso personality type, from their core traits to their ideal careers and their approach to romantic relationships.

Things You Should Know

Virtuosos, also known as ISTPs, are introverted, sensing, thinking, and perceiving, according to the Myers-Briggs personality test.
A virtuoso’s strengths include optimism, flexibility, intelligence, and rationality. They’re skilled problem-solvers who love to tackle issues head-on.
Virtuosos prefer hands-on careers that let them use their creativity and critical thinking skills. They make great engineers and designers, for example.

Section 1 of 6:

What is the virtuoso personality type?

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Virtuosos have introverted, sensing, thinking, and perceiving traits. “Virtuoso” is one of the Myers-Briggs (MBTI) personality types, also called an ISTP or “the mechanic,” “the crafter,” and the “the artisan.” People with the ISTP (or virtuoso) personality type tend to be individualistic and inquisitive, often approaching life with a hands-on mindset. They love to be challenged, get their hands dirty, and take on new, exciting projects that spark their inner creativity. In short, they’re true virtuosos!^{[1]XResearch source}
- “Introverted” (in ISTP) means that virtuosos tend to be private and enigmatic.
- “Sensing” means virtuosos pay more attention to the concrete things they sense and observe rather than their intuition.
- “Thinking” means virtuoso minds are more rational and technical than emotional.
- “Perceiving” means virtuosos are open-minded and flexible rather than organized and structured.

Section 2 of 6:

Virtuoso Strengths

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Generally, ISTPs are very good-natured! They’re upbeat, optimistic, and always ready to dive into a new project or activity. They have a lot of energy, like to keep themselves busy, and tend to be self-confident. They’re not the most emotional people, but they’re extremely adventurous and kind when you get to know them.^{[2]XResearch source} Life is never boring with a virtuoso personality around!
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Easygoing Virtuosos are very flexible; they aren’t the kind of people who spend much time worrying about the future. Rather, they like to take life one day at a time, live in the moment, and go with the flow. Schedules aren’t super important to them, nor are formal plans. They also have a pretty calm, relaxed demeanor—it takes a lot to make this even-tempered personality visibly upset.^{[3]XResearch source}
- Nonetheless, virtuosos know how to prioritize. They’re spontaneous but also practical enough to know how to store all that unpredictable energy for when the time is right.
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Problem-solver ISTPs are great people to have around in a crisis! Their easygoing nature allows them to pivot and try a new approach when their first solution isn’t working, and their creativity lends itself to thinking outside the box—so, when faced with a problem, a virtuoso is the kind of person to have a plan A, B, C, and D. They can easily think of solutions that other people might not.^{[4]XResearch source}
- Virtuosos are also risk-takers, which means they don’t mind getting their hands dirty when a situation calls for it.
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Rational Logic and intelligence are key aspects of the virtuoso personality. Because they have the “sensing” MBTI trait, they view the world through a very practical lens. They’re great at taking things apart, understanding the technical side of how objects work, and using their knowledge to improve or fix things. They also tend to be super sensible people.^{[5]XResearch source}
- Virtuosos also have tons of common sense. They’re book-smart and street-smart; they know how to read people and rarely get duped by someone else’s lies or bad intentions.
Virtuosos are extremely creative, but not because they gravitate towards traditionally artistic hobbies. Rather, they channel their creativity into practical things like mechanics, technology, and hands-on crafts. New ideas come to them easily, and they have an innate curiosity that makes them eager to explore those ideas and try activities they’ve never done before.^{[6]XResearch source}

Section 3 of 6:

Virtuoso Weaknesses

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Stubborn Virtuosos might not seem stubborn, given how flexible and spontaneous their lifestyles can be—but the minute someone else tries to adjust the way a virtuoso does something, they dig in their heels and refuse to budge. In fact, virtuosos can be quite irritable (and blunt) when another person wants them to change their lifestyle, habits, or ideas—and they can’t stand criticism.^{[7]XResearch source}
- If you're an ISTP with a stubborn side, remember that it's okay to listen to people's advice and hear them out (even if you ultimately don't take it). Who knows? You might end up getting really valuable advice!
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Reserved Because they’re introverted (as ISTPs), virtuosos can be pretty private and reserved, especially when you first meet them. It takes time to get to know a virtuoso because they tend to keep personal matters to themselves unless they really feel comfortable with someone and don’t really like small talk. In fact, a virtuoso would likely prefer silence to small talk with someone they don’t know well.^{[8]XResearch source}
- If you’re an ISTP, you’re likely prone to canceling plans and sticking to solo activities. Try to socialize a little more! Learning to socialize can help you navigate interpersonal situations more easily.
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Inconsistent Virtuosos enjoy adventure and novelty, which means they can be easily bored. Once they get used to something—whether it’s a project, hobby, or relationship—they tend to move on to something new and exciting. This makes them a bit unreliable (and noncommittal in romantic relationships). The feeling of being locked into anything makes virtuosos uncomfortable.
- If you’re a virtuoso, try setting incremental goals for yourself to combat the inconsistency. If you always have another goal to work toward, it’s easier to focus on that and stop yourself from getting distracted.
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Reckless The fact that virtuosos are easily bored makes them prone to taking big risks. They want adventure and excitement—and to them, few things are more exciting than pushing boundaries just to see what happens. That’s why virtuosos tend to be daredevils; they may even escalate a conflict to see what happens or observe the consequences.^{[9]XResearch source}
- If you’re a virtuoso, try pressing pause and thinking before you act when the urge to do something reckless strikes. Evaluate the situation before making a decision—you’re very rational, after all, so this shouldn’t be difficult!
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Insensitive Emotional sensitivity isn’t really a virtuoso’s strong suit, and neither is social etiquette, which means they can be unintentionally insensitive toward other people. It’s not that virtuosos are mean-spirited; they may simply have trouble considering how their words might make someone else feel before they speak and, as a result, say blunt or unfiltered comments without thinking.^{[10]XResearch source}
- If you’re a virtuoso and feel like you’ve come off as insensitive from time to time, try working on your social etiquette and pleasantries. Cultivating politeness can help you develop new relationships—both friendships and romances.

Section 4 of 6:

Virtuoso Relationships

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Commitment may be difficult for a virtuoso at first. The idea of commitment sometimes makes ISTPs uncomfortable—so if a relationship starts getting serious, their first instinct might be to run the other way. However, the core of their flightiness lies in the fact that virtuosos are independent and need lots of personal space. If they find a partner who can respect those needs, it’s easier for them to settle down.^{[11]XResearch source}
- If you’re a virtuoso concerned about maintaining your autonomy, talk to your partner. Explain how you feel and set boundaries to ensure you get the alone time and personal space you need.
- Virtuosos can’t be rushed into a committed relationship. Rather, it has to be their decision, one they make naturally and in their own time.
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Virtuosos express affection and love through acts of service. They may seem unemotional, but a virtuoso’s feelings run deep—they have trouble expressing them. Instead, virtuosos express their feelings by taking care of the people that matter most to them. They actually put a lot of effort into their relationships! Expect to see a virtuoso partner doing practical things to help their partner out and responding thoughtfully to their needs.^{[12]XResearch source}
- For example, a virtuoso is the kind of personality to tackle chores or fix an appliance when it breaks to make their partner’s day a little less stressful.
- If you’re a virtuoso, look for other ways to express affection beyond acts of service. Practice expressing your feelings verbally a little bit at a time until you’re more comfortable with it!
Because virtuosos are so action-oriented and love immersing themselves in projects and hobbies, they love finding partners (and friends) to do those activities with them. A virtuoso will often rely on shared interests and hobbies to help them bond with people and tend to have closer relationships with those who share their interests as well.^{[13]XResearch source}

Section 5 of 6:

Virtuoso Careers

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Virtuosos thrive in careers that involve physical activity and risk. ISTPs are practical people who need a workspace that allows them to work with their hands! They love getting the opportunity to build things, solve problems using their quick-witted minds, and even take risks (or get into high-risk situations) because they can be such daredevils. They also look for opportunities to express their creativity.^{[14]XResearch source} Thus, they tend to succeed in jobs like:
- Mechanic
- Engineer
- Designer
- Scientist
- First responder
- Carpenter
- Pilot
- ISTPs are also drawn to exciting activities like archery, scuba diving, motorcycling, aviation, rappelling, and other extreme sports.

Section 6 of 6:

How common is the virtuoso personality type?

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Virtuoso (ISTP) personalities are more common among men than women. Overall, virtuosos make up roughly 9.8% of the general population. However, about 13% of all men are virtuosos, while only about 6.8% of women are virtuosos. That makes ISTP the 3rd most common MBTI personality type for men and the 4th rarest type among women.^{[15]XResearch source} Famous ISTP personalities include:
- Amelia Earhart
- Bruce Lee
- Christian Bale
- Daniel Craig
- Michael Jordan
- Michelle Rodriguez
- Olivia Wilde