INTP Personal Growth

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]n INTP’s creative drive and exploration of new possibilities is in part motivated by an underlying fear of running out of options and becoming stuck in a rut. INTPs want to achieve something of significance, they want to progress in whatever they do and do things they consider to be worthwhile. They prefer not to work in teams but when they do, studies have shown that their self-oriented individualism can clash with team player expectations. They generally want to succeed or fail on their own terms and by their own merit.

INTPs have the ability to create unique opportunities for themselves but…

problem is, they often move from one idea to the next without actually putting anything into action. Lack of follow-through, procrastination, and laziness may prevent the INTP from fully realizing their potential. INTPs may have a lot of ambition and ingenuity but their enthusiasm evaporates like the morning dew when it comes to time-consuming, tedious drudgery and meticulous detail work. They may do well to team up with an SJ who can tend to these logistic details so the INTP can be free to go wherever their intuition leads them.

INTPs hate repetitive tasks,

but in order to make progress on any long term goals and reap the rewards, they will likely have to pump up their patience and understand that there is no substitute for hard work no matter how tedious or thankless it may be. INTPs prefer to paint with a broad brush. Even though they can be very particular and exacting in terms of articulating and refining their arguments and ideas, INTPs tend not to exhibit the same level of detail when it comes to performing physical tasks. They can be very unfocused and undisciplined about proofreading and editing their work and may skip ahead or gloss over important details and problems.

INTPs tend to have difficulty in managing their emotions

in real-time as they experience them and instead choose to repress or ignore those feelings and set them aside for later consideration. This contributes to a build up of resentments and regrets over perceived slights and offenses, or missed opportunities they did not address because they were not mentally “in the moment” at the time they occurred. When INTPs are immersed in their primary mode of introverted thinking, they are generally detached from the external world and oblivious to much of what happens to and around them. Unexpected situations and remarks can catch them off guard and evoke an emotional response they are not prepared to express. INTPs instinctively avoid reacting emotionally because they don’t want to look foolish.

Inferior Fe may contribute to feelings of isolation

despite the INTP’s preference for quiet and solitude. They have difficulty wrangling and making sense of what they feel and they may exhibit emotional immaturity for much of their lives. This lag or disconnect in their emotional development may also affect their relationships. While INTPs may experience strong feelings for their partners while away from them, they may not experience those emotions or may have trouble communicating them while together in their presence.

INTPs may avoid people more often than they’d like to simply because of habit, the amount of effort it requires, and the risk of rejection. Despite this, INTPs should not neglect the human need to find other humans with whom they can interact and connect with as part of a well-balanced and healthy social life.

Tips for INTP Growth

Figure out how you feel about the other person. Do not falsely express love, or lead someone on with your ambivalence. Don’t expect yourself to be a master at the “touchy-feely” game. Be yourself, but remember that there is a basic assumption of human decency that must be adhered to in relationships. If you’re not sure what that means, take special care to observe how people in “good” committed relationships behave towards each other, so that you can determine where the lines are drawn. Pair yourself with an Extraverted Thinker (ESTJ or ENTJ) who is less likely to assume that the lack of feedback is the same thing as negative feedback. Realize and accept that for you a satisfying relationship will start with the head, and move on towards the heart. Expanding your world and experiences will expand your understanding of human expectations. Try to figure out the personality type of people that you know and encounter in your life. Take care to notice what people look like in different social situations. Notice their hair, makeup (or lack thereof), the condition of their clothes, their shoes, their facial expressions. Don’t compare others to your own appearance, simply take notice of it. When having a conversation with a friend or relative, spend at least half of the time talking about them. Concentrate on really understanding where the person is coming from with their concerns. Ask questions. Think of the people who are closest to you. Remember that they have their own lives going on. Try to visualize what that person is doing, and imagine what kinds of things that person is thinking about. Don’t pass judgement, just think about it.

via personalitypage.com