philipsmom said: I am INFJ and seem to be 5w4 lately. Many people mistake me for INTP. (I am also new to this forum) I find tons and tons of people just like me here on these forums, but where are they in real life? I don't even hold down a job very well. Is that why we never find each other IRL? Am I exactly like the rest of you? or is not being able to hold down a job or settle into a career weird even for INFJs? This is why I think I am type 5. I feel that if I "worked" in the real world I would breakdown and end up in the psych ward. So now I hide in academia and become a perpetual student. Which type is that most like? Click to expand...

hi- nice to meet you. it is such a challenge being Type 5. i can relate to several things that you have said in your post here. the best thing is to develop tenacity and to keep on going. and to keep on challenging yourself. lots of introspection each day. and self development. because i think we are amazing, but we have to find that balance and ability to express ourselves to others in a way that can show that. we need to cut through misunderstandings, or at least know to be around people who can understand us. also the student thing, i am going through that right now, but don't let anyone tell you you are a perpetual student - we are students of life, universities are more academic. we too can excel, it just takes a lot of self work, but there is something special about 5s i think,i think most of us, as you see on this thread, are generally well liked here on PerC, our insights are valuable, because of all the diligence we took in "investigating" ourselves and others, and now we are able to express our findings with confidence. being an investigator feels like constant discovery and no end, but i think there is an outcome to who we are, we should learn to be more in the moment, in appreciation of ourselves, and not compare to others...maybe some of this helps? i think it is ok to be hard on the self, if there are solutions put in place - or maybe just take some time to be serene, and relax your mind by water or something. i am very harsh on myself, i have to find balance frequently with that.