INTJBlog.de

Hello everybody,

Consuela Esseboom did a very good job with describing the INTP Superpower in her Vlog. I put the link in the desciption below. That inspired me to do a similar attempt at describing the INTJ superpower which is quite different. Because I like analogies, think of a problem like a brick wall. The INTP way would be to explode the brick wall into its single bricks and then build the desired result out of the blocks. As an INTJ - and perhaps even more due to the fact that I am an Enneagram one - I attack a problem completely different: I begin with looking at the wall as a whole, locate the place where the problems come to the surface and then pry the wall apart one brick after another. And while doing this, I analyze the connections between the blocks and I do that in a way that I can put the wall back together (as it was) in case I cannot fix the problem. If you want to say so: the INTP is attacking the issue from the foundation up, the INTJ is attacking this from the surface down, happily let everything be what is working as intended.

Both types have Intuition, which is responsible to make a network of data of how the connections work, but for an INTJ, Introverted Intuition is more a subconcious thing. I file away all the information I gather from prying apart things, and that information resurfaces when I need a solution and let the problem brew in my mind for a while. And the very useful part is - that includes applications of ideas independent of the original context. So, when something works in a context only remotely comparable to the current problem, the solution may work regardless of the differences, just basing on the same principles.

And because the major functions of an INTJ are Introverted Intuition and Extroverted Thinking, the extroverted part is the action-based function and because of that, I don't stop at concepts, I want to bring them to reality. Or citing the stereotype: To get things done. And regarding the lower functions: Extroverted Sensing really helps with grabbing and hammering on things. Unfortunately, unlike an INTP, INTJs don't have Extroverted Feeling and that means our charisma is somewhat ... frosty. We have Introverted Feeling way down and that means that we oftentimes don't really know what we are feeling when we have our guts twisted.

Like an INTP, an INTJ is also a very good observer. In my case that means that I observe what I am interacting with and compare that with my internal picture of how it should interacting if it would meet all the neccessary criteria. And if there is a major difference between these two images, it itches me to fix it. The other really INTJ thing is: always looking several steps ahead, try to predict the future and start now with developing the solutions I would need later. I really, really don't like it to improvise on the spot where I cannot do the problem-brewing thing because I can bet that: after the crisis, a better solution than the one I did on the spot will appear out of my unconscicious and then I am more than tempted to redo my original solution to get the better one which means effectively doing it twice.

And what I really, really don't like: I am constantly trying to get everything running as smooth as possible. But in reality, it constantly fails because other people don't meet their ends. If I make a mistake, I feel responsible and do everything needed to get it right. But other people ... they fail and don't care and it is on me to clean up a mess which I did not even done myself and which I could have easily avoided if I did it myself. But I simply cannot do everything myself so that is a problem.

And about my career choice: I had the opportunity to continue the family buisiness and because I am a bit older, I can now look back on twenty years of experience. It is not all sunshine, but in general I think my decision was a good one. I have nobody I have to submit to, and my ability to organize and see problems before they arise is also very useful. And because the company is small, I can also indulge my abilities as Jack-of-all-Trades because that is what you need if your company is not able to hire somone for every single particular job. And because that also included working in the sales department from the beginning, it shaped my personality a bit towards outgoing and chatty which is a workaround to having Extroverted Feeling what all natural sales people have. As far as I can see, the only downside is that my area is quite remote and the workload too much, and because of that I am unable to meet other Intuitive Types while I would need one to share the work with. Or which would be the most effective solution: marry that someone.

I hope this helps - if you are an INTJ too or have to work or live with one. We are not that difficult, just let us do our thing and it will work. You can read more INTJ articles in my blog or perhaps we will see us again. Bye!