INTP & Naturalist... any ideas?

[INTPhilosopher]

Let me start by saying I LOVE this forum. I've been so lost and confused.. then I find out I'm an INTP and that's normal.. then I find this forum and it's comforting to know that it's not my fault I could see myself pursing 50 different career paths.

Anyhow, according to mypersonality.info, I am an INTP with "intelligences" in Logical and Naturalism.. is there anyone out there who could interpret this for me?

I will start by saying that I see this as very accurate, as I have a great admiration/respect for the natural world and the natural way of things. This has led me to ponder possible careers in sustainability, energy, physics, engineering.. etc. But I don't think I want to go to any more schooling.. but I might if deemed necessary.

Any help would be dearly appreciated, thanks in advance!

 

[INTPhilosopher]

Oh, and as far as "logical" goes, I love math, innovation, and creative problem solving, and the operations side of businesses.

 

[EyeSeeCold]

Anyhow, according to mypersonality.info, I am an INTP with "intelligences" in Logical and Naturalism.. is there anyone out there who could interpret this for me?

Did you already see these sections?:
http://www.mypersonality.info/multiple-intelligences/logical-mathematical/
http://www.mypersonality.info/multiple-intelligences/naturalist/

I assume you did but I guess you could be asking for something else.

Also, @Pyropyro.

 

[Nibbler]

At first I thought you were another user, Pyropyro, because he uses the same avatar. I'd also have believed he was a naturalist, too.

I read up about it at MyPersonality and I take this to mean you are analytical but maybe favor your intuitive information gathering to include a holistic gallery of data, such as the people, the terrain, the setting; and that all complements the cold hard data. And perhaps because this input was inclusive, your output is also, resulting in more of a personable approach.

I'm going to surmise this talent comes from the bit of you good at sensing.

That's what I interpreted it to be, anyway.

Welcome, by the way.

 

[Pyropyro]

Welcome INTPhilosopher I see that you like The Thinker as well.

 

[Pyropyro]

At first I thought you were another user, Pyropyro, because he uses the same avatar. I'd also have believed he was a naturalist, too.

Yep, I'm a naturalist based on the mypersonality site description.

 

[Pyropyro]

Let me start by saying I LOVE this forum. I've been so lost and confused.. then I find out I'm an INTP and that's normal.. then I find this forum and it's comforting to know that it's not my fault I could see myself pursing 50 different career paths.

Anyhow, according to mypersonality.info, I am an INTP with "intelligences" in Logical and Naturalism.. is there anyone out there who could interpret this for me?

I will start by saying that I see this as very accurate, as I have a great admiration/respect for the natural world and the natural way of things. This has led me to ponder possible careers in sustainability, energy, physics, engineering.. etc. But I don't think I want to go to any more schooling.. but I might if deemed necessary.

Any help would be dearly appreciated, thanks in advance!

Just try them out for size first. Join a physics club or a engineering group just to observe how they do stuff. If you feel that you are comfortable on a specific field then get a subject or two before becoming fully committed.

 

[Ex-User (5841)]

As far as schooling, if it's something you're interested in you won't view it as schoolwork at all. You'll fall into creative thinking mode and find yourself talking about ideas with professors after class in spite of your introverted tendencies.

You'd probably be interested in Ecology and Environmental Engineering. The former allows you to discover things and expand upon a field/system that is still largely unknown, unexplored, and relatively bright and shiny, while the latter allows you to pull ideas out of your head and fit them into that shiny system.

Ideally you won't be able to do the latter without an understanding of the former, but unfortunately that's... not always the case, although it is improving. Many completed restorations even into the 90s aren't up to par with current ecological knowledge and standards, not because the restorations themselves weren't helpful, but because they were operating with an even more incomplete understanding of the system than we have today, which means that not only has our knowledge of how the system works has changed (i.e. channelizing streams decreases natural flood mitigation), but management goals have changed as well (i.e. carbon sequestration and natural fire regimes).

It's easier to try to put a square peg into a round hole when you have no idea what the hole is actually shaped like, but even so, square peggers are still the butt of the field when we do figure out what the hole looks like.

Evolution would probably rock your world as well once you begin to view species as parts of a grand machine/system.

 

[Polaris]

Ecology=systems

INTP's are also intrigued by systems.

Could apply to anything from naturalist interests to corporate/law/mathematical/musical....the list goes on and on...

...but in short: if you thrive on systems, you are likely an NT of some kind.

And schooling is a good way to hone your potential...as boring as it may seem.

If not, you may find yourself in a dead-end job at the age of fifty, wondering why the hell you didn't spend those three, four years at uni.

 

[INTPhilosopher]

I apologize for the hiatus...

Allow me to complete the (deliberately unfinished) picture

I went to college with intentions to become a high school math teacher, majoring in math and education. Well, with college came unsupervised freedom. Math, for the first time, was hard and I didn't know how to put in the time. I switched to business and coasted through college, rarely studying yet attaining a relatively useless, bland degree.

However, I truly enjoyed my liberal arts requirements. One thing led to another, and I finished with a religion minor - I considered a double major, but decided against it once I learned it required a 35 page paper.

The only classes I truly enjoyed were my philosophy and religion classes - debating with the professors, students, and getting others to think in ways they never had.

2 years after college went by and I had 4 very different, yet all unsatisfying jobs. I always had it in my head (thanks to my mother) that mechanical engineering would be the perfect fit for me... so in Jan 2012 I went back to school for mechanical engineering.. wrong again. Too little time between working part time, being home with my wife, and studying. Plus, I just don't feel mechanical engineering is very INTP-like. I enjoy my physics course, but all in all I don't think pursuing engineering is a good, long-term idea.

So here I am - seeking wisdom of fellow INTP's. My wife and I have decided to pull back on school and accumulating debt - we'll focus for the next year or two and eliminate all debt, then figure things out. We'd like to move to Colorado and just ignore "success" and the headaches that come with figuring it all out.

On a separate note... do any INTP's wonder/wish they had NEVER heard of personality type testing?

Now on to direct replies...

Thanks to all for all the help.

 

[INTPhilosopher]

I'm going to surmise this talent comes from the bit of you good at sensing.

That's what I interpreted it to be, anyway.

Welcome, by the way.

Thanks for the welcome

actually, I can see myself 100% iNtuition in most situations, but I have had some outdoor jobs, and I grew up playing sports, and I believe they developed my Sensing and allow me to switch between the two, depending on the situation.

However, I don't consider this a good thing... only confusing.. sometimes enjoyable.

 

[INTPhilosopher]

Welcome INTPhilosopher I see that you like The Thinker as well.

It just fit. I've told my wife that I could see my ideal job as part of an innovative, creative thinktank group, with the title "Professional Ponderer"

she's an ISFJ... she rolls her eyes

 

[INTPhilosopher]

Just try them out for size first. Join a physics club or a engineering group just to observe how they do stuff. If you feel that you are comfortable on a specific field then get a subject or two before becoming fully committed.

I wish I had done it that way. I've learned that interests simply do not equate to the obligation to learn the details.

I appreciate the relationships (of the natural system of physics?) yet I struggle to discipline myself to work through the problems to completion, once I understand what's going on, which forces and types of interactions are present, etc.

 

[INTPhilosopher]

As far as schooling, if it's something you're interested in you won't view it as schoolwork at all. You'll fall into creative thinking mode and find yourself talking about ideas with professors after class in spite of your introverted tendencies.

You'd probably be interested in Ecology and Environmental Engineering. The former allows you to discover things and expand upon a field/system that is still largely unknown, unexplored, and relatively bright and shiny, while the latter allows you to pull ideas out of your head and fit them into that shiny system.

Ideally you won't be able to do the latter without an understanding of the former, but unfortunately that's... not always the case, although it is improving. Many completed restorations even into the 90s aren't up to par with current ecological knowledge and standards, not because the restorations themselves weren't helpful, but because they were operating with an even more incomplete understanding of the system than we have today, which means that not only has our knowledge of how the system works has changed (i.e. channelizing streams decreases natural flood mitigation), but management goals have changed as well (i.e. carbon sequestration and natural fire regimes).

It's easier to try to put a square peg into a round hole when you have no idea what the hole is actually shaped like, but even so, square peggers are still the butt of the field when we do figure out what the hole looks like.

Evolution would probably rock your world as well once you begin to view species as parts of a grand machine/system.

I really would like to learn more about introversion/extroversion... I have no problem approaching professors in a formal manner in an educational setting.. and I have approached my physics professor, discussed things, etc.. yet, once again, I simply struggle to grasp the minutia of the ideas which allow the better students to just go on and on about the theorems... etc.

Ecology sounds... perfect.

Reason 1: growing up, my sandbox had a lid - I would put water and plants and toads and bugs inside to create an "ecosystem" of sorts... when the grasses were growing and the creatures reproduced, I felt an amazing sense of accomplishment and wonder

Reason 2: I can't think of anything cooler than this : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-LWgbQMKIU&feature=related

I need to look more into Ecology, fo sho

I think you're right.. I suppose it should've been a sign when the only Google search results for ["intp" naturalist] was stuff about Darwin

 

[INTPhilosopher]

Ecology=systems

INTP's are also intrigued by systems.

Could apply to anything from naturalist interests to corporate/law/mathematical/musical....the list goes on and on...

...but in short: if you thrive on systems, you are likely an NT of some kind.

And schooling is a good way to hone your potential...as boring as it may seem.

If not, you may find yourself in a dead-end job at the age of fifty, wondering why the hell you didn't spend those three, four years at uni.

Definitely intrigued by the observation and implementation of self-sustaining systems.

Yes... all this head-scratching now is my attempt to avoid the dangerous mid-life crisis I know would ensue if I just sit on my thumbs

 

[Ex-User (5841)]

Ecology sounds... perfect.

I need to look more into Ecology, fo sho

I think you're right.. I suppose it should've been a sign when the only Google search results for ["intp" naturalist] was stuff about Darwin

Given your background it looks you can segway into either of the two using multiple connections (i.e. evolution vs creation, sustainable economics, the economic side of hunting, etc.)


Random buzzphrases that might interest you:


Ecosystem services
Maximum sustainable yield
Trophic cascade
Invasive species
Fire ecology (only you can prevent forest fires; only fire ecologists can burn them down for a living)

Reason 2: I can't think of anything cooler than this:

Well, the systems are just a tiny bit more complex, which is good because you get to swim through them instead of looking at a jar all day:

Spoiler

http://www.ma.utexas.edu/users/davis/375/LECTURES/L24/trophic.jpg

 

[INTPhilosopher]

Fire ecology (only you can prevent forest fires; only fire ecologists can burn them down for a living)

I often daydream about burning down natural areas when driving, just to re-new the area. My zoysia lawn, which is infested with multiple breeds of grass, weeds, clovers, thatch, and grubs... would be a perfect candidate.. if it wasn't for the house

 

[Rainer]

I've had a passion for ecology since my teens. I'm 28 now and have been working for the family farm since then. I have an associate's degree and it's time to finish my bachelor's. I want to have a reasonable middle class income in a few years as well as a sense of relative expertise in a marketable field compared to now. Does a career in ecology offer any such thing, even at the PhD level? My research implies not. I'm tired of making peanuts and not feeling like I have any practical expertise or potential to work non-menial jobs. So maybe environmental engineering is a happy medium?