How can i suppress my Ne?

[Kassiadou]

First, sorry for the english, my native language is Portuguese (Brazil)

I am overwhelmed by my Ne. I cant focus on any of my passions or even obligations because everything that is joyfull and magic in the first weeks is boring later. It's like the maze metaphor of personality junkie.

For me the perfect life is to have a passion and develop over the years, like Architect does with programming. But like i said, every passion or obsession that i have goes away quickly. My Ne is Strong. Very Strong. Sometimes (or maybe most of the time) i talk like brainstorming aloud, spitting a lot of ideas and connections at once.

I am trying to develop my si. I would like to be the oposite that i am. A routine guy, centered, focused on detais and Always moving foward. I am trying to study in college focusing on the details, the things that i usually move quickly (because my ne brain wants to just get the idea so he can move on to the next subject).

So.

How can i suppress my Ne and develop Si?

 

[Inquisitor]

First, sorry for the english, my native language is Portuguese (Brazil)

I am overwhelmed by my Ne. I cant focus on any of my passions or even obligations because everything that is joyfull and magic in the first weeks is boring later. It's like the maze metaphor of personality junkie.

For me the perfect life is to have a passion and develop over the years, like Architect does with programming. But like i said, every passion or obsession that i have goes away quickly. My Ne is Strong. Very Strong. Sometimes (or maybe most of the time) i talk like brainstorming aloud, spitting a lot of ideas and connections at once.

I am trying to develop my si. I would like to be the oposite that i am. A routine guy, centered, focused on detais and Always moving foward. I am trying to study in college focusing on the details, the things that i usually move quickly (because my ne brain wants to just get the idea so he can move on to the next subject).

So.

How can i suppress my Ne and develop Si?

Might you be an ENTP? I mean if it's that bad...INTPs are known for going in depth on one thing as opposed to flitting around. Distractibility is a problem, but it's not a way of life.

 

[RaBind]

Yea Ti is meant to keep you engaged enough within your interest so as not to allow you to keep jumping around between ideas all the time. But even if you are an ENTP you shouldn't be trying to suppress any functions that are ordered higher in the functional stack than those ordered lower.

But yeah I think Arche himself has written about this subject, and his opinions might have been to keep the Ne restrained within the realm of what you are working on with the use of Ti.

 

[Architect]

Textbook ENTP. The great wish ENTPs have is to have the focus and drive through of an INTP. I've know many who accomplished big things despite it.

 

[Sinny91]

Smoke some weed and meditate.

 

[Cheeseumpuffs]

Textbook ENTP.

Agreed!

The great wish ENTPs have is to have the focus and drive through of an INTP.

Not agreed!

As someone who's (probably) an ENTP I'd say this is not my great wish.

Smoke some weed and meditate.

I don't know about meditating but I don't think weed would help.

Source: Have been high fairly consistently for the last few days and haven't spent more than 20 continuous minutes on any one task.

 

[Architect]

Not agreed!

As someone who's (probably) an ENTP I'd say this is not my great wish.

Yeah that was overstated. Instead "I've known others with a similar with to have more directed focus"

 

[Sinny91]

Meditation is supposed to be the art of thought control...
Weed usually end ups helping in one way or another.

 

[Jungle]

OP I don't think you sound like an ENTP. The fact that you are neurotic about your Ne sounds more like textbook INTP to me.

I am an INTP who has gone through the same thing you describe and I'm still going through it.

I think your instinct is correct that the answer lies in developing your Si more to anchor down the Ne a little bit. I have found long distance running to be really great for this. I think meditation is great too but I have struggled to build a strong habit. I find the running is easier because once I have left my apartment I have no temptation to give up and do something else.

Another thing I have found useful for taming Ne is to write up a 'life strategy' document where I record all my different projects and give them different priorities. I have gone through seven versions of the document in the past year because my Ne still likes to change it all around, but it has really helped remind me of what I am supposed to be working on at any one time. I did not need to make any changes the last couple of times I reviewed it, so I think that is a positive sign.

Here is an old post where I explored a similar type of problem to what you're going through:
http://www.intpforum.com/showthread.php?t=21305

 

[Kassiadou]

The possibility of me being an ENTP already was in my mind. My Ne is much stronger than my Ti, and i like being around people, i can talk with anybody and develop a decent rapport.

But really, in pratical terms, INTP or ENTP, what i really need is some focus! I whish i could make a plan of what to do with my life and actually follow it for more than 3 weeks.

Being a ENTP makes me jack of all trades, but master of none. And in the job market, people are looking for masters. I am 26 years old, and want to specialize in finance (I study business school), but anything beyond the basics seems to detail-oriented and my ne mind who dont like details got bored.

I already went to therapist, did meditation but nothing can slow my ne mind. She is always speaking, always making analogies, always thinking in something other than the actity i'm currently doing. Already tried the Architech method of restraining Ne to the topic in hand, but ne always runs wild ...

Jungle, i readed your topic yesterday, and i agree with you. Si is the antagonst of Ne, so, if we try to develop him, it could neutralize Ne. But we are fighting against our nature in that, and when we fight nature, nature always wins. I dont know how we could "jump" the functional stack. We are Ne dominant.

So... Any advices?

My currently idea is try to relax more. Listen to music and notice all the tunes, play a game and feel immersion, do sports... And enter in a more relaxed state so i can control my ne a little...

 

[Jungle]

The possibility of me being an ENTP already was in my mind. My Ne is much stronger than my Ti, and i like being around people, i can talk with anybody and develop a decent rapport.

If you are sure that your Ne is stronger than I would have to say ENTP, but I guess you could be underestimating your Ti due to it being more familiar to you?

If you are interested in clarifying your type I would focus on inferior grip experiences. Are you more likely to have an inferior Fe episode (e.g. trying to put on some massive party and having a tantrum if it doesn't work out) or an inferior Si episode (e.g. suddenly becoming obsessed with some historical building or ritual and arguing that it MUST NOT CHANGE).

Jungle, i readed your topic yesterday, and i agree with you. Si is the antagonst of Ne, so, if we try to develop him, it could neutralize Ne. But we are fighting against our nature in that, and when we fight nature, nature always wins. I dont know how we could "jump" the functional stack. We are Ne dominant.

I think it is only jumping the stack if you try to make your Si more powerful than your Ne, which as you say will not work. But you can still increase your Si to the point where it can work as an 'anchor' to the Ne. The Ne is still in control but the Si just helps to keep it a bit more grounded.

My currently idea is try to relax more. Listen to music and notice all the tunes, play a game and feel immersion, do sports... And enter in a more relaxed state so i can control my ne a little...

That sounds like a great plan. One random thing I have found that helps is to play a sports simulation computer game. For some reason it just instantly turns on my Si when I play that type of game.

 

[Inquisitor]

The possibility of me being an ENTP already was in my mind. My Ne is much stronger than my Ti, and i like being around people, i can talk with anybody and develop a decent rapport.

But really, in pratical terms, INTP or ENTP, what i really need is some focus! I whish i could make a plan of what to do with my life and actually follow it for more than 3 weeks.

Being a ENTP makes me jack of all trades, but master of none. And in the job market, people are looking for masters. I am 26 years old, and want to specialize in finance (I study business school), but anything beyond the basics seems to detail-oriented and my ne mind who dont like details got bored.

I already went to therapist, did meditation but nothing can slow my ne mind. She is always speaking, always making analogies, always thinking in something other than the actity i'm currently doing. Already tried the Architech method of restraining Ne to the topic in hand, but ne always runs wild ...

Jungle, i readed your topic yesterday, and i agree with you. Si is the antagonst of Ne, so, if we try to develop him, it could neutralize Ne. But we are fighting against our nature in that, and when we fight nature, nature always wins. I dont know how we could "jump" the functional stack. We are Ne dominant.

So... Any advices?

My currently idea is try to relax more. Listen to music and notice all the tunes, play a game and feel immersion, do sports... And enter in a more relaxed state so i can control my ne a little...

ENTP Jobs thread

Maybe this will help. Did you take the actual MBTI? It might be worth your while...They give you a career report with some jobs in there. Beyond that...and assuming that Ne really is your dominant function, the idea is to look at jobs that have constant change built into them by default. Journalist seems like the ideal occupation for an ENTP...you might also want to check out other ENTP forums on personality cafe...see what people have to say over there.

 

[Polaris]

I relate to this very much.

I have recently started to reconsider my type. That is, I have recently continued to reconsider my type - but I have moved from general background noise of doubt to a more definite, in-your-face, kind of realisation that I do not fit the INTP model at all - certainly when I observe everyone else in here. I tried the INTJ jacket and that was....problematic.

I go through periods that resemble somewhat manic bouts of focus, to the opposite where I am so distracted and scattered that it is hard for me to sit still, let alone focus on one thing.

My career history resembles this pattern - I've gone from this to that and back to this again, Improved Version 1.2 with a slightly better user interface and upgraded processing power....

So yeah, meditation - an efficient shortcut to shutting down certain annoying parts of the brain. The illusory feeling of unity caused by hypofrontality. It does work, though, as far as deception is concerned - unity with whatever is the object of focus (the world, god, gods, whatever) is simply caused by the part of the brain (the superior parietal lobe) that normally enables a frame of reference, being momentarily suppressed. So the doors of perception aren't opening - they're narrowing, which can indeed be very useful if there is a problem with taking in too much information.

But I am struggling....it takes the smallest little factor to tip the balance from manic focus to plunging into the rabbit-hole of doubt - followed by a sluggish avalanche of existential despair, cynicism and...ooooh - New Shiny moments that serve as welcome distractions as I continue down the confirmation bias tunnel where the predetermined answer that is not surprising at all awaits my "disclosure".

In short, I am biting my own tail while I could be getting actual stuff done.

Am I an ENTP?

Looking at the very interesting thread in which reckful and Miss spelt have been discussing Jung's work, I am starting to think it makes sense. I am skeptical of the typology concept to begin with - at the same time there is the somewhat dubious subjective aspect which speaks for the applications of type case, which I can sort of semi, half-assedly go with. It has indeed helped me to be more accepting of people differences, and it was indeed instrumental to making me realise I am not retarded after all - just different.

Confirmation bias, fuck yeah.

....but what - and where would humans be without self-deception? Isn't that what makes us different from the rest of the animals - we can imagine things. We can imagine that we are amazing, different, clever, loving, type this, type that, speshul shnowflake, yada, yada. And so we become those things.

We can equally imagine we're realists. That's me - the Realist (cheers mum). And cheers dad for making me think that I was special.

Perhaps I should go immerse myself in art, music, film, drugs, whatever. Then come back, wanting more - because those things leave you wanting. The real world is too real.

I will go extinct very soon, and everyone else will follow. Earth moves on while yawning at the triviality that is life.


Ne-Te-Fe-Se...?


Maybe...it'll be the death of me. Well - I have to die of something so I guess that isn't the worst.

 

[Architect]

Given that they share all of their functions it can be difficult to distinguish between ENTPs and INTP's. How you distinguish them comes down to a difference between degree, not form. Let me give an example of an INTP and a ENTP in entertainment. The INTP is Larry David who is very likely one which runs a lot of Ne. This is common with INTP entertainers, I certainly did when I was working in music. The ENTP is Adam Savage. Both on TV and in person (I heard him give a lecture) he displays the wide-ranging jumping from one idea to another.

Superficially they look quite similar and are, but you see greater Fe warmth in the ENTP. INTP's are warm and fuzzy too, but are less so, a little closer to the INTJ's in this way. INTP's will also ideate and have focus issues too, but having a dominant introverted function will dive deep. ENTP's I've known typically (always so far) like to have an entourage. They collect groupies, and go into fields where they can get their little group. INTP's may have one by happenstance but don't have this need for a close group (of followers).

Probably the best test is to ask yourself are you dominant judger, or dominant perceiver? A dominant judger prefers closure and seeks it in their life, particularly the inner life of the mind. But generally they'll extrovert judgment and prefer for things to be looser in the outer world. There may be a little bit of mixture here too. For example, I as an INTP dominant judger keep my inner world purposeful and exert a lot of control. In the outer world I actually do prefer order, enjoying a well-kept house and landscaping. The reason for that is that in order environment doesn't intrude on my inner environment. However more generally I put little restrictions on the outer environment. I'm very happy that things go where they may.

 

[Miss spelt]

Those are P and J differences tho, not I and E.

So what gives?

 

[Sixup]

I go through periods that resemble somewhat manic bouts of focus, to the opposite where I am so distracted and scattered that it is hard for me to sit still, let alone focus on one thing.

My career history resembles this pattern - I've gone from this to that and back to this again, Improved Version 1.2 with a slightly better user interface and upgraded processing power....

...

In short, I am biting my own tail while I could be getting actual stuff done.

I really don't think this has to be an issue of personality type. I mean it can be if you make it that way. But type or not, I don't think it's ever easy for most people to dig down into details and focus on something for a long period of time.

So I don't really have a solution other than suck it up. Read some productivity books. Try to stay motivated. Etc etc.

 

[Kassiadou]

If you are sure that your Ne is stronger than I would have to say ENTP, but I guess you could be underestimating your Ti due to it being more familiar to you?

If you are interested in clarifying your type I would focus on inferior grip experiences. Are you more likely to have an inferior Fe episode (e.g. trying to put on some massive party and having a tantrum if it doesn't work out) or an inferior Si episode (e.g. suddenly becoming obsessed with some historical building or ritual and arguing that it MUST NOT CHANGE).



I think it is only jumping the stack if you try to make your Si more powerful than your Ne, which as you say will not work. But you can still increase your Si to the point where it can work as an 'anchor' to the Ne. The Ne is still in control but the Si just helps to keep it a bit more grounded.

Good question, thanks a lot.

I dont have the kind of problem of the first question. Actually it already happened to me and it was no big deal.

Definitivelty a big yes for the second answer. I got traditions that in certain days of the year i must do certain things. For example, every 7th semptember, in 11 years i always spend the day on the beach. It's a silly thing but i actually would prefer that my life was moved to traditions. Already tried religion ( I would love to have the closure of a religion)but my Ne mind Always questions too much...

One random thing I have found that helps is to play a sports simulation computer game. For some reason it just instantly turns on my Si when I play that type of game.

For me is play a good immersion game (Skyrim). Or listen to classical music. Also, sports. Still experimenting here.

I have a question. How do you know that you are on a state of mind of Si? For me is basically my mind stops judging, speaking, comparing, i just go with the flow... It's like that for you?

Maybe this will help. Did you take the actual MBTI? It might be worth your while...They give you a career report with some jobs in there. Beyond that...and assuming that Ne really is your dominant function, the idea is to look at jobs that have constant change built into them by default. Journalist seems like the ideal occupation for an ENTP...you might also want to check out other ENTP forums on personality cafe...see what people have to say over there.

Journalism was actually the first college that i entered. But like i said, everything interests me, so i dropped few months later to pursue other passions. I do business school now and i actually like a lot! I just need to settle down in one specific speciality (I like finances) instad of goind back and forth.

Probably the best test is to ask yourself are you dominant judger, or dominant perceiver? A dominant judger prefers closure and seeks it in their life, particularly the inner life of the mind.

Architect, i really like your posts, been Reading then over a year. I have a lot to say about the topics that you opened in this fórum, but Always keep to myself. Next time i can post.

The things is. I would LOVE some inner closure. Already did hundreds of plans to put my life and thinking in order. I actually love making these plans, but love even more ditching then. I Always told others that i would really like to be a soldier, or a grunt, or some low-lever worker that does not have to think, only do repetitive tasks. But i cant. I think and question too much. And whatever plan i make to put my thinking and life in order have a expiration date.

I dont think is matter of motivation, i tried everything, even Anthony Robbins and meditation, but i cant achieve inner closure. Before i discovered MBTII i thought i was just weird. I still dont believe 100% in Myer Briggs, but it sure explains a lot.


My plans now are relax a little more, get back to sports, enter in a meditative state to "calm down" ne. Ne is good, it makes me a good conversationalist, it makes me resume complicated ideas trough cool analogies that anyone can understand, but too much make me almost hypomaniac.