Personality Analysis: George Washington
Typing George Washington
Historical figures tend to become icons. As icons, either for leadership, tyranny, grace, or invention, they become something more than a person. But in this process, their humanity is either demonized or idolized, and the person is drowned out by the deafening narrative of their legacy.
The analysis of their personality becomes a project that serves two aims:
1) To humanize the individual who becomes an icon. To know who they were.
2) To give vital context for the legacy. A deeper understanding of what made them an icon can be unlocked through knowledge of their personality.
In this article, my goal is to provide substance to both aims through exploring the psyche of one of history’s most consequential leaders: George Washington.
Sources
I have used three sources to detail Washington’s life and personality.
Paul Johnson’s George Washington: The Founding Father
An excerpt from Paul Johnson’s Heroes, taken from the chapter, “In the Roar of the Cannon’s Mouth”
Michael H. Hart’s short chapter on George Washington, from The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History
Meet the Man
Scouring the evidence for major traits, both in preferences, thoughts, and legacy, we will aim to get a feel for George Washington. Then, we will attempt to put the pieces together and discern his personality type.
Washington’s Presence
Both Hardt and Johnson comment on Washington’s physical presence. Standing at 6’2, an "enormous" height for the day, Washington had a moving presence. Johnson writes in Heroes:
“His height gave it [respect] to him. He was thus what we would call laid back. He was relaxed. He could take subordination and obedience for granted. Statuesque and formidable by nature, he radiated calm and quiet authority.”
Both authors suggest that Washington’s mere height gave him a weight of authority that needed little effort to maintain. For his presence, he was said to have a walk that was “majestic.” Along with his height, Washington remained a “remote and mysterious figure.” Johnson gives us the image of a tall, powerful man whose mind demanded exploration.
Surveyor, Farmer, and Builder
Washington is remembered as a courageous military general and president. But, in earlier years, he worked as a surveyor, farmer, and later became a competent craftsman. Johnson suggests that his work as a surveyor was particularly important to his military career, as he came to know the land throughout the American territory exceedingly well.
Washington was also an avid farmer. Acquiring an impressive amount of land, more so after his wedding to Martha Washington, he committed much of his time to developing and maintaining farmland. Of his farmlife, Johnson(Heroes) reveals a passage from Washington’s hand:
“The more I am acquainted with agricultural affairs the better I am pleased with them. I can nowhere find so great satisfaction as in those innocent and useful pursuits.”
In the same document, Washington writes that “to see plants rise from the Earth and flourish by the superior skill and bounty of the labourer fills a contemplative mind with ideas which are more easily conceived than expressed.”
Had it not been for the war, Johnson asserts, Washington would’ve much preferred to continue managing his estate, especially where farming and construction were involved. Washington took great pride in working on his house. Johnson writes that Washington “insisted on the best,” concerning materials and design for his carefully planned “little paradise” at Mount Vernon.
Soldier and General
Washington joined the military in 1752 and became a major at age 20. As a theme of his life, he rose fast. During the French and Indian War, he demonstrated himself to be a capable soldier and effective leader. His reputation followed him. Washington was made a full Colonel and then commander of all the Virginian troops at the age of 23. In the war against the British -- where he was given full control of the entire continental army -- Johnson captures a striking detail of Washington’s military strategy:
“Washington fought a war of attrition. It was his belief that, provided he and his army remained in the field, the financial and human cost of the war to Britain would mount, the political opposition to it would increase, and the will to continue it would weaken.”
Washington revealed himself to be a strategist of extreme patience. Though not devoid of capitalizing on opportunities for strategic aggression (such as the famed crossing of the Delaware), Washington preferred his opponent to deplete themselves into defeat. It’s almost as if Washington believed, “If we can last longer, victory will be ours.”
Washington’s ascension in military life raises a vital question for deciphering his personality: Did George Washington seek out and desire the authority he was given, or was it simply a byproduct of his competency and effort? We will return to this shortly.
Man of Detail and Routine
A glance at some of the details of Washington’s life reveals him to be a fastidious and conscientious man. In Heroes, Johnson details Washington’s astounding practice:
“Washington kept, from the age of fourteen, every scrap of paper belonging to him -- diaries, letters sent and received, accurate and often day-to-day interactions - and saw to it they were carefully arranged and preserved … his life is the best documented of any spent in the entire eighteenth century, anywhere.”
The image of a fourteen-year-old committing to a disciplined practice of accounting and reflection should strike us as idiosyncratic and revealing. Later, Johnson gives us a portrait of an older Washington and his daily routine:
"Washington's own day was regular in the extreme. Rise at five A.M., read or write until seven. Breakfast of tea and corn muffins spread with butter and honey. Then by horse to the endless inspection of fields. Return at two, dress, dinner; if there were guests, he chatted to them afterward over a glass of Madeira. Then read the newspapers, getting ten in all, and writing letters. Tea at seven; then talk till nine, and bed.”
His routine and consistency are among his core traits. But there is another layer here that strikes me as more personal. Washington was not simply a stickler with an extreme regimen that drowned out adventure. He was, as Johnson declares, a man of action. The earlier quote about Washington’s love of plants reveals a level of experiential depth where Washington loved his farmer lifestyle. Washington deeply valued the satisfaction of a working man’s life. Johnson gives us this picture:
“I think it is probably best to see him not only as a soldier, or a politician, but as a gentleman farmer, riding about his land from early in the morning to late afternoon, observant, attentive, giving occasional directions, taking notes, doing something he loved and which he knew to be creative. Thus seen, he was not glamorous. But he was real, solid, comprehensible--and dignified.” - Paul Johnson, Heroes
Washington’s Relationship with Authority
The most important distinguishing trait of Washington was his relationship with authority. Some figures, many of history's most towering, were ambitious in claiming power and authority. But Washington? In retrospect, a man who quickly rose through the military ranks, becoming a country’s military general, and then president, may strike one as power-hungry.
Hart writes of Washington:
“He had no ambition to hold power indefinitely. He did not wish to be either a king or a dictator, and he set a precedent for the peaceful relinquishment of power -- a precedent which has been followed in the United States to this day.”
With the opportunity to run for a third term and conceivably reach for ultimate power, he relinquished it. It was this action of letting go that arguably had the greatest impact in shaping his legacy.
After hearing that Washington intended to step down and return to farming, King George III replied, “If he does that, he will be the greatest man in the world.”
Washington’s relationship with authority is further revealed when he was asked to be the general of the nation’s military. Washington not only wished nothing to do with it, he also doubted his ability was up to the task.
In Heroes, Johnson writes: “When the invitation was made public on June 16, 1775, he [Washington] told Congress that he felt great distress from a consciousness that my abilities and military experience may not be equal to the extensive and important trust.’ … I this day declare with the Utmost sincerity that I do not think myself equal to the Command I am honoured with.”
Johnson then recalls a passage that Washington wrote to his wife shortly after: “so far from seeking this appointment, I have used every endeavour in my power to avoid it.”
Washington appears as a man who had little interest in wielding the force of authority, much less pursuing it for its own ends. It appears, at his heart, Washington preferred a simpler life, one committed to reaping and sowing from his land. But his sense of duty superseded this desire, and the rest is history.
Personality Analysis of George Washington
What personality type is George Washington? Upon some reflection, Washington quickly appears as a consistent, dutiful, and patient man. Further, it is orientation toward routine and the management of tasks in the concrete world that not only evidences an Introverted Sensing (Si) user, but likely a concrete type.
Further, his skills as a capable administrator are evident. Extraverted Thinking (Te) is all but required to effectively orchestrate the management of resources, carrying out battle plans, and running a country. Together, George Washington appears to possess both Introverted Sensing (Si) and Extraverted Thinking (Te) traits.
Washington was avidly aware of a social credit called “interest” (think reputation + networking). If high enough, “interest” would unlock certain doors otherwise locked. A person with high "interest" could expect advancement in career through his connections and reputation. This was a reason Washington didn’t join the British Navy as a young man, as he was concerned about this lack of “interest” not creating a path for advancement. Decision making of this kind, with clear awareness of reputation and “standing”, is an Extraverted Thinking phenomenon. The willingness to “do one’s time,” to patiently sacrifice for one’s work, with the belief that one will move up over time, is a primary trait of the SJ (“Guardian”) temperament. This reveals Washington to likely be an Si + Te user.
Thus, with a preliminary investigation, it appears that George Washington is either an ESTJ or an ISTJ.
George Washington: ESTJ or ISTJ?
I had a strong sense that Washington possessed high degrees of Si + Te. I considered some of the other possibilities, such as being an administratively developed INFP or one of the xSFJs. But the consistent pattern of managerial ability and the powerful force of patience as a primary tool left no other choice but to consider only the ISTJ or ESTJ.
Looking at the typing vectors, Outcome and Progression is a puzzle for Washington. I’ve stated elsewhere that the ISTJ, though a Progression type, can be especially difficult to pin down. For this answer, I turn your attention again to his battle strategy.
Johnson quotes Washington as having “fought a war of attrition.” What I see here is a commitment primarily to the process of outlasting. Yes, Washington was aware of the endpoint being Britain's fatigue and depletion, but his attention seems focused on the journey -- continuing to chip away at their resources -- and being committed to steadfastness. This is not exhaustive, but it’s a start. I believe George Washington’s military strategy tilts toward Progression.
The next angle here is if Washington was an introvert or an extrovert. In my opinion, the distinction of introversion/extraversion between the ESTJ and ISTJ can pose the most difficult of all the types. There are many ESTJs (Henry Cavill, for example) who come across as more reserved, thoughtful, and selective with how they engage. If Washington were an ESTJ, he would be almost certainly of this orientation. However, upon some closer inspection, the quality of being “reserved” emerges as a consistent pattern of Washington’s character.
In Heroes, Johnson writes that, “There is something remote and mysterious about him. No man’s mind is so hard to enter and dwell within.”
The quality of being hard to get to know is reserved mainly for introverts. Particularly, the IxxJs, with perception-based functions as their dominant slot, make “getting to know them” difficult. Jung talked about this in Psychological Types, how both the Si and Ni dominants struggle to express themselves in the way they experience life.
Washington’s reflections on farming, that is “fills a contemplative mind with ideas which are more easily conceived than expressed,” echo the idea of a perception-dominant introvert.
But, it is not quite good enough to take these pieces of evidence as unchallengeable points that he is an ISTJ and not an ESTJ. But there is a fact that, in my view, is the most damning to the assertion that Washington was an ESTJ: his dislike for authority.
Washington didn’t want authority. He didn’t seek it. He rose out of competence, his presence, and his demonstration of intelligence and ability. But in two opportunities to grasp extreme power, Washington resisted both times, wishing not to be put into authority if he didn’t have to. It was Washington’s duty, leadership, and competence that promoted him (not a power-hungry ego).
The ESTJ’s drive tilts more toward authority. Te Heroes are ambitious to this end, and are more likely to seize these opportunities to increase the effectiveness of their influence, and demonstrate themselves as capable leaders. Washington appeared to prefer a simple life. To ride on his horse around his farm, to tend to his crops, to enjoy the pleasures of a working man reaping the labor of his own hands. Working to improve his “little paradise” at Mount Vernon. His experience (Introverted Sensing) was his primary drive, but not at the cost of his sense of duty to his country.
Thus, tilting toward progression, evidencing a high capacity for Introverted Sensing and Extraverted Thinking (Si + Te), showing evidence for a preference for introversion and a desire for free-roaming contemplation, and, most of all, the distaste for authority, reveal to me a verdict: George Washington was an ISTJ.
I see a man tending to his home, valuing his integrity as his primary contribution to others, and patiently and diligently working through his daily duties. As the cornerstone for this country, we could consider that there, at the foundation, a thoughtful and sacrificial ISTJ lies. America’s influence and abundance are largely in debt to the spirit of a man who shaped the times he lived: President George Washington.
