[ruby_roo]

Is your personality type 'INTP', perchance?

INTPs have these constant internal battles. We're good at concentrating and love working in the realm of ideas. However, we're often an impractical lot and procrastination is pretty rampant among the other INTPs I know. The biggest problem, I think, is that we just really suck at perceiving the passage of time, and the daydreaming, writing, or discussion of ideas is often rewarding enough just to stop there.

INTJs are supposed to have many of the same qualities of INTPs but tend to be more sure of themselves, and therefore, more productive (or more capable of delivering 'products' within 'deadlines'). They seem to live in the moment a bit more, and I would venture to guess that they make better entrepreneurs.

As an INTP, I feel I can relate to your situation. I too often wonder if my problem relates to a personality temperament, and truly can be changed. It really bothers me that I have little to show for all the work I do in my head, and this frustration has helped motivate me, but I still don't feel like I've been truly 'unlocked'.

To compound the problem, INTPs make up about 1% to 3% of the population, which means not many people can relate to the INTP mindset and are more likely just to call you a whiner without attempting to appreciate where you are strong, and why that strength makes you weaker in other areas.

Any INTPs out there who feel they've overcome their temperament's negative traits? How did you do it?

[indiejade]

My basic conclusion about the "personality" issues regarding INTPs is that INTPs think way too much about personality. Once I stopped over-analyzing everything as it related to my "personality traits" and how I felt so weird and different from the general population, life got so much easier. Isn't there a saying something like . . .

"Humility isn't thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less."

That said, the MBTI can be a useful tool to help in communicating with others (understanding how they see the world, for example), but over-analysis on the personal psych issues can easily escalate into a big, bleak black hole of self-perpetuating discontent. Sometimes you just have to kick yourself out of your own rut by doing something drastic. Get out of your comfort zone. Put yourself into extremely uncomfortable zones. For the INTP, this usually involves being around people.

Disclaimer: I've tested INTP.

[ruby_roo]

I'd like to second this. Obsessive self-analysis can be a real problem. Over the years, I've learned to take myself less seriously, and my life has definitely improved because of that. People are still tedious, but my tolerance has improved.

[cubedice]

I managed to overcome the slacker lifestyle. However, this was forced upon me. I found myself without a home for a short while, then living with two roommates who were 10 years older than me. They were mildly dysfunctional slackers, and much worse off than myself. I think having a visceral reminder of what could be your future is a pretty solid motivator.

[nostrademons]

I'm on the border between INTP/J. Was definitely an INTP as a kid, then have gradually moved towards the J, such that I'd probably test as INTJ if I took it now.

For me, it helped being exposed to people who Got Things Done. My high school was a startup, my teachers were a bunch of go-getter early-20-somethings, and one of the school's founders was an experienced entrepreneur. That started my shift towards the dark side of the force.

Then when I got to college (still very much an INTP), I volunteered to rewrite a major Harry Potter fanfiction archive and couldn't exactly back out without disappointing 100k users or so. I think the experience of pushing through on that and finishing it was a major portion of what led me to believe I could finish other stuff as well.

It also helped that I can now concentrate on stuff I like doing and avoid much of the stuff I hate. I used to always procrastinate on writing papers - now, I just don't have to, because I went into computers. (Ironically, I still sorta write fiction as a hobby, but I'm as unproductive with it as I ever was with my school papers.)

[frevd]

Ay, you're perfectly right, I can identify myself with that too. Also, if I cannot find myself in what I have to do today, I simply won't do it, no matter what I believe or tell others about what I'm going to do, thats a hard learned experience and there seems to be nothing I can do against not not doing stuff that bores me.

If you're an architect you need to do these kinds of things, you will just not be happy doing something else, no matter what's best for someone else or what others tell you is best for you.

What helped me was to set me goals to achieve one thing after the other as well as an exit time. At that time I'm looking forward to simply do something else (as an example - while currently being employed and having all the luxury I could imagine (big pay, nice collegues, nice boss), I still need the perspective that I'm out of all that after 2 years of full work - otherwise I'd suffer from boredom).

[justlearning]

wow! everything you described - is me.

"The biggest problem, I think, is...just to stop there" - i am ashamed to admit it, but yes that is me. everything you wrote is me. Actually, I know that if I take up a task, I do it completely(unless there is something that incites me,which usually happens when I am half way done with my task,but not completed - my visualization has come true, but not tested,incomplete functionality etc.) I didn't know there was a word for it. thanks!

[bgurupra]

yes I am indeed an INTP and every single word of your comment applies to me, boy you almost sound like my twin brother :-)