Finding your passion / Calling

[fisheadjones@hotmail.com]

Hi. I am new to the site. I've only recently found out that I am an INTP. It's refreshing to know that I am not alone. As I've felt alienated for many years.

I am absolutely in the wrong field, have been for all of my adult life. I've been trying to break out of this 'mold' for the last 7 years, but to no avail.

Any suggestions on where to go, what to read, or what I can do to help facilitate finding my 'calling?'

Thx.

 

[davidintp]

Will shortly write something in the into job thread.

 

[Shieru]

welcome to the forum of wanderers and misfits! sounds to me like you're likely to fit in well with all the rest of us outcasts

finding one's calling.. what an enigmatic topic! i think this is something ultimately very personal, which can best be answered through a candid questioning of one's inner self. but if i may ask, what line of work have you been in that doesn't work for you? what displeases you about it? what, if anything, do you imagine being better?

from my experience, we INTPs tend to be happiest in creative occupations, especially arts which require technical skill. web and UI design, digital art and technical illustration are examples. i worked in 3D animation for medical applications for several years and really enjoyed it. eventually i'd really like to get the extra certification it takes to do taxonomical illustrations for textbooks, etc.

 

[redbaron]

Fish heads
Fish heads
Rolly polly fish heads
Fish heads
Fish heads
Eat them up
Yum!

 

[Reluctantly]

*adds fisheadjones@hotmail.com to advertising lists for $$*

 

[Pyropyro]

*adds fisheadjones@hotmail.com to advertising lists for $$*

Our Vietnamese spammer will have a word with OP.

 

[AndyC]

Finding your passion begins when you follow your current interests. You will never find any 'calling' (if you mean destiny) unless you decide it for yourself. Haste is dangerous, as personal pursuits such as these take time for reflection and proper development, that is why you cannot limit yourself to any 'calling' as it hinders the process of reflection, hastening the journey. If you are unaware of your interests, I would suggest multiple activities that should help out. Talk to people, take notice of your talents and where they fit, build your own confidence (affirmations are helpful in doing this) and remember to be genuine in your approaches to these activities. Take things slowly, if you find yourself overcomplicating things, it is simply evident that you are not being genuine or that you are hastening the process.

 

[Intolerable]

As INTP you have certain requirements you can't change.

1. Autonomy - being micromanaged is a no-go.
2. Creative outlet - Along the same lines. If all your work is boilerplate fed to you it won't be a happy experience.
3. Seclusion - Introverts do not do well in group setups. We need space and time to think about things to find the best approach.

You're an overly analytical person and it takes time and energy to be this way. Find a way to bottleneck the incoming stimuli while allowing yourself autonomy.

That's pretty much it. Apart from the requirements it won't matter if you're a writer, a programmer, a custodian, a stock clerk or an astronaut.

 

[manishboy]

Watch yourself closely. What do you like? Dislike? What are you good at?

Don't assume you know much about yourself. Your question here is proof you don't. Explore the unknown within you as you would a new friend. Be open and inquisitive. It takes time and TLC.

Keeping a journal really helps to discover yourself.

I developed a condition a few years ago that required careful observation of all habits and behaviors. From food choices to thought patterns. I had to develop the habit of watching myself and doing little experiments and recording results. It felt like a long lab experiment. I don't think I would have been so careful had I not been suffering with a medical condition. Point is that having a good reason to dig into yourself is critical to long-term success. So find a why.

 

[Architect]

That's pretty much it. Apart from the requirements it won't matter if you're a writer, a programmer, a custodian, a stock clerk or an astronaut.

Very good, except the last sentence isn't literally true. Pilots/Astronauts are, as a rule, IST types (usually ISTJ with a scattering of ISTP). Some SFP from my observations. My INTP good friend is a private pilot, but he doesn't fly much. I think he did it to learn a skill, plus he's fascinated with machinery.

But yes people obsess too much over the specific career, where as you point out it's more the conditions of the career rather than the choice itself.