Writing Your ESTJ Executive

With a sample story: The Tortoise and the Hare as told by an ESTJ

This is an experiment in point of view and character voice. In this series I’ll be using MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator)—to explore how they shape the way a character tells their own story.

• For writers, it’s a tool to sharpen your characters voices and deepen uniqueness.

• For AI users, it’s a way to refine prompts and narrative tone… to make your AI-generated prose feel more human.

• For readers, it’s a way to explore MBTI types in action, and reflect on how perspective changes everything—even in a familiar fable.

Let’s find out what happens when a classic tale gets filtered through a new lens.

🐢 The Original Fable: The Tortoise and the Hare

A hare made fun of a tortoise for being so slow. The tortoise challenged the hare to a race. Amused, the hare agreed and sprinted ahead, confident of winning. Halfway through, he grew bored and decided to nap. The tortoise, moving slowly and steadily, passed the sleeping hare and crossed the finish line just as the hare awoke and dashed forward. Moral: Slow and steady wins the race.

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📝 Retelling: The Hare as an ESTJ

The tortoise challenged me to a race.

Ridiculous, really. Not just because I’m faster—that’s a given—but because it wasn’t an efficient use of anyone’s time. Still, there were witnesses. Social protocol demanded I accept.

So I set objectives. Win. Demonstrate superiority. Remind the others of natural order.

At the starting line, I offered him a chance to withdraw. He declined. Noted.

We launched. I sprinted—controlled burst, optimal form, minimal drag. Within seconds, he was a speck in my rearview. No contest.

Now, this is the part people misunderstand.

I didn’t nap because I was cocky. I calculated the buffer. Factored in his average pace. Even gave a margin for variability. I had time to hydrate, recalibrate, and deliver a more dignified victory.

But I miscalculated. Not his speed—his stubbornness.

By the time I resumed, he was too close to the finish line. And he crossed it. First.

People cheered. For him.

It wasn’t just a loss. It was a disruption of the natural order. Of standards. Of accountability.

Now they’re citing it like a proverb. “Slow and steady wins the race.” As if effort trumps results. As if systems don’t matter.

But I’ve revised my performance metrics.

Next time, I won’t just win—I’ll set a record. And make sure they remember why races have rules.

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Compare this story with other types:

ENFJ | ENFP | ENTJ | ENTP | ESFJ | ESFP | ESTJ | ESTP | INFJ | INFP | INTJ | INTP | ISFJ | ISFP | ISTJ | ISTP

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📚 If You’re Enjoying These Fable Retellings…

You might love my speculative short story collections under the Echoes of Aesop series.

Each book takes one of Aesop’s ancient fables and explores its themes through original speculative fiction—experience these timeless stories from the viewpoint of mermaids, vampires, ghosts, and aliens while they struggle to survive in settings that include desert caravans, space stations, haunted mansions and alternate realities.

Available now on Amazon.

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💡 MBTI Lens: ESTJ – The Executive

Commonly called “The Executive,” “The Supervisor,” or “The Leader,” ESTJs are often seen as decisive, efficient organizers who thrive on structure, responsibility, and results. They lead with logic and confidence, valuing tradition and clear expectations to maintain order and progress.

• Core Traits: Organized, decisive, results-driven, rule-following, responsible

Additional writing prompts, including AI prompts, are available for paid subscribers: