7 Major ISTP Weaknesses & How to Manage Them (2024)

Getting to know your personal weakness has many positive implications. For once, it helps you align your life path with your capabilities instead of forcing yourself to fit into a place you don’t belong.

If you are unaware of your shortcomings, you are doomed to experience unfortunate situations that divert you from your inner calling. But once you are familiar with these blind spots and embrace them, you can work on them accordingly.

The two biggest ISTP weaknesses are their stubbornness and lack of empathy.

ISTP Weaknesses

1. Stubborn

A huge ISTP weakness is their headstrong character. Yes, they are flexible and go with the flow, but they can also overlook it entirely with little care or sensitivity. 

These individuals are adaptable as long as others don’t go against their interests. But once someone challenges their views or ideas, they become irritated and rudely dig in their heels.

This ISTP flaw comes from their sensing (S) personality trait. They gather information through their physical senses and find it illogical that anyone would contradict these facts.

This ISTP negative trait manifests when establishing a new relationship. These individuals seem accommodating during the first few dates, only to reveal their stubborn nature when getting to know them better.

How to Deal With it

• ISTPs could minimize this weakness by listening to other people’s perspectives with an open mind.
• These individuals could avoid expressing this quality by reminding themselves that there are no immovable truths in life.
• People with ISTP personalities could manage this shortcoming by letting others have their own way on matters that are not that relevant to them.

2. Cold-hearted

Another weakness for ISTP is their inability to connect with their own or other people’s feelings. They understand what to say or not to avoid hurting their loved one’s feelings, but they are not good at reading other people’s emotions.

This ISTP problem is caused by the thinking (T) trait of their personality. These individuals rely on logic to understand life and avoid dealing with the irrational realm of feelings. 

This ISTP weakness in relationships is the most problematic. They fail to put themselves in their partner’s shoes and act accordingly. Their significant other could be mad at them because they didn’t pick them up from work, for example. But an ISTP personality will claim it was more logical for them to walk because the place they are going is only a few blocks away. 

How to Deal With it 

• ISTPs could work on this weakness by becoming curious about others’ personal stories. This could help them realize that everyone carries their own emotional baggage.
• These individuals could minimize this shortcoming by asking others how they feel instead of assuming their opinions.
• ISTP people could manage this personality trait by sharing their feelings with people they trust.

3. Secretive

Another of the biggest ISTP problems is their overly reserved attitude. They don’t let other people into their intimacy, which brings a lot of obstacles to their social life.

This ISTP personality weakness is caused by their introverted (I) character. These individuals don’t like to engage in small talk, talk about their life, or make new friends.

This negative ISTP characteristic makes them isolated even when surrounded by a crowd of people. Their work colleagues and acquaintances try to get to know them better, but ISTP pushes them away with their withdrawn demeanor.

How to Deal With it

• ISTPs personality could minimize this weakness by working on their self-confidence and people skills.
• These personalities could manage this trait by building trust with the people around them.
• These individuals could avoid this shortcoming by planning conversation starters before attending a social event.

4. Need Constant Stimulation

ISTP personalities are curious and enjoy novelty. Therefore, they don’t commit to long-term projects or routine tasks as they get easily bored.

This deficiency stems from the perceiving (P) trait of their personality. These individuals like spontaneity and abhor fixed plans. Their lack of interest in anything that doesn’t stimulate their curiosity makes them lose good opportunities to expand their careers.

This personality weakness causes stress to the rest of their colleagues. These individuals are highly talented but fail to stick to their projects till the end.

How to Deal With it

• ISTPs could work on this personality trait by focusing on their long-term objectives rather than getting discouraged by their current tasks.
• These personalities could minimize this weakness by finding creative ways to approach mundane activities.
• People with ISTP personalities could avoid this shortcoming from ruining their objectives by committing to short-term milestones rather than too-ambitious ones.

5. Commitment avoidant

ISTPs’ ability to bask in the present can be rewarding at times, but it causes conflict when committing to ambitious objectives. These individuals don’t like feeling restrained or obligated to fulfill a long-term project, as they are spontaneous and go where the wind takes them.

This negative quality is also caused by the perceiving (P) trait of their personality. They like to be flexible and take things day by day rather than planning their tasks.

This ISTP weakness at work is particularly problematic. These individuals forget their deadlines and neglect their commitments as they are too focused on what’s happening around them.

How to Deal With it

• ISTP personalities can manage this weakness by working together with a colleague. Another person will motivate them to reach the finish line without losing heart.
• These individuals could minimize this shortcoming by rewarding themselves with fun prizes after achieving every milestone. 
• They can avoid this personal weakness by remembering the deeper reasons for engaging in that commitment.

6. Too Risky

Another ISTP personality weakness is their constant urge to push their boundaries. These individuals are stubborn, get bored easily, and are too focused  the present to think about the consequences of their actions.

This negative personality trait stems from the perceiving (P) and sensing (S) attributes of their character. ISTPs craved novelty and danger in their daily existence, jeopardizing other people’s safety along the way.

These personalities have good judgment, but there’s still room for improvement. They are willing to violate the dress code of a social event or irritate their teachers when giving a lecture just for the fun of it.

How to Deal With it

• ISTPs can minimize this shortcoming by considering their actions’ long-term consequences.
• These individuals can avoid this personality weakness by understanding the logic behind the rules.
• ISTP personalities can manage this personality trait by considering how their actions negatively impact their loved ones.

7. Impatient

ISTP personalities are flexible but don’t like encountering obstacles when moving forward with their plans. They are too stubborn to deliberate or wait for other people’s opinions. 

This potential problem area stems from the introvert (I) trait of their personality. These private individuals prefer to do things independently rather than find a middle ground.

This weakness trait appears when planning an activity with their friends. These individuals become irritated by listening to other people’s perspectives instead of following their desires.

How to Deal With it

• An effective way to overcome this weakness is by taking deep breaths and focusing on the present.
• In order to achieve personal growth, ISTPs could change the thoughts surrounding their impatience.
• They can minimize this problematic characteristic by putting themselves in other people’s shoes.

FAQ

What is ISTPs weakest function?

ISTPs’ weakest function is their headstrong character that doesn’t like others to challenge their views.

What do ISTPs struggle with? 

ISTPs struggle with their inability to commit to long-term projects.

What do ISTPs fear the most? 

ISTPs fear the most when other people try to get to know them on a more intimate level.

What annoys the ISTPs the most?

What annoys the ISTPs the most is when having to deal with an overly dull task.

What is the dark side of ISTPs? 

The dark side of ISTPs is their inability to empathize with other people’s feelings.

What annoys people about ISTPs? 

What annoys people about ISTPs is their risky behavior that always pushes the limits.

What are ISTPs misunderstood as? 

ISTPs are misunderstood as misanthropes, but they are only highly introverted and reserved.

What stresses out ISTPs the most? 

What stresses out ISTPs the most is having to wait for others to make up their mind.

How to improve ISTP weaknesses? 

ISTP can improve their weaknesses by being more sensitive and thinking about their long-term goals.