INTP paradox?

[Teawastelander]

Hello everyone! 21/F/ assumed-INTP here. Scored 7 for Type-5 Enneagram and 6 for Type-3 Enneagram. Relate to both a lot, hard to choose. Probably 3.

I find the whole Myers Briggs thing fascinating, and I've tested over and over again within the last 4 years. I receive the INTP result probably 90% of the time, I occasionally get INTJ, ISTJ, and ENTP. I have always gotten INTP/A on 16personalities, the last two days I recieved INTJ. Ive gotten ENTP and ENTJ on another site which escapes me. The percentage difference of the P/J and I/E are always very close. I am definitely I-T-.
Anyway, to the point of my post: I don't know which thought process I use in reference to the INTP/INTJ difference. I generally do pick out inconsistencies, I use past experiences and see which actions produced the best results. I frequently cross-analyze and reverse engineer problems, I always figure things out but if I explained it no one would really understand how I did it. Ie: did math a totally weird way in school and would get in trouble even when I explained the methodology. But I always got the correct answer using the methods I made up. I collect pointless facts like a sponge, and share them randomly. I spend hours on the Internet jumping from subject to subject and absorbing whatever I want.
I was never a planner and always procrastinated, but the last year I'm pretty methodical. I always make lists.
Jack-of-all trades. I'm good at literally everything, not to sound cocky. If I try hard enough I'll excell. I always do. So if I suck at something I just don't care enough to try, lol.
Oh yeah, I LOVE praise. Praise me and I'll work 10 times harder.

I'm cynical, I can be cold hearted, but I do understand my emotions and express them. I have anxiety and over analyze everything. I do use rational thought before emotions 90% of the time. I'm actually in a relationship with an ESTJ for over a year. I love showering him with the attention and compliments he needs. I don't have an issue keeping up with him, he doesn't go to many social outings. We are definitely different, but compliment eachother well. Hes pretty introspective, really likes to ponder about bigger things and talk to me about politics. Hes very intellectual. Its been difficult at times but we compromise and respect eachother. Everything works out. Its a rewarding relationship.

I'm generally a pretty optimistic person. I used to be very pessimistic, egotistical, depressive etc. Since I've grown up i really try to stay positive, consider everyone's perspective, and try not to let my anxieties get to me.
I'm pretty neutral on everything in life, I mostly go with the flow.

Does this even sound remotely INTP?? Perhaps I was INTP and i'm morphing into an INTJ? who knows.

 

[Auburn]

Welcome, oh competent one, to the cave of the incompetents!

Whatever type you are, I'm sure it's more rewarding than being whatever we are.

I'm allergic to work, it gives me anxiety, makes me tired, fatigued and sweaty.

Err.. they say it's normal, but I don't trust 'em doctors.... so I rather not risk it.

 

[Teawastelander]

Welcome, oh competent one, to the cave of the incompetents!

Whatever type you are, I'm sure it's more rewarding than being whatever we are.

I'm allergic to work, it gives me anxiety, makes me tired, fatigued and sweaty.

Err.. they say it's normal, but I don't trust 'em doctors.... so I rather not risk it.

I'm sorry to hear that lol, Ive felt that way at jobs that were very hostile.
Why is it that you don't think I'm an INTP? Just curious

 

[Turnevies]

Relax, the mbti types from the books are mainly examples spanning the configuration space of humans. If you find INTP description suitable in some situation and INTJ in another one, that is fine for practical purposes (although opportunistic )

 

[Teawastelander]

Relax, the mbti types from the books are mainly examples spanning the configuration space of humans. If you find INTP description suitable in some situation and INTJ in another one, that is fine for practical purposes (although opportunistic )

Good point. Honestly sometimes I feel I'm not a T at all, I seem to be a complete personality paradox. Maybe I need to stop putting so much emphasis on having a label define me like that. Personalities change over time, anyway.

 

[Auburn]

I'm sorry to hear that lol, Ive felt that way at jobs that were very hostile.

It's ok. I'm a freelancer web designer so it works out. Sorta.

Why is it that you don't think I'm an INTP? Just curious

Oh, I don't have a very firm opinion of your type yet... I was just being tongue-in-cheek. But if I had to say, you sound like an mbti ENTP to me (or a CT NeFi-Te).

If extroversion is understood as a magnetic gravitation to the 'object', rather than exclusively a measure of social involvement, then anything from engaging with video games, economics, agendas, tasks and systems -- is extroversion. Because extroversion means your energies are going outward in some fashion, to attend to some problem, or creatively interface with "the environment". I'm extroverting even by posting this here, even though I'm on an online forum, because I'm engaging with an environmental interface.

If introversion is understood as a magnetic repulsion from the 'object', and a withdrawal into the subjective faculties of the mind, then things like reflection, refinement of personal concepts/identities, ideas/philosophies and values, are what result.

Of course everyone uses both modalities, but 'introverts' (roughly speaking) are constantly repelling away the influences of the outside world -- logistically, recreationally, socially or otherwise. As the natural impulse is to withdraw away from the outer, introversion experiences a heavy energy drain when engaged.

So your OP shows an incredible amount of engagement with real life, a satisfaction in excelling practically, being able to 'do' anything, a thirst for novelty, exploration and connection.

You're certainly a cerebral type, but I think you've got a lot more "umph" or "substance" in you than an introvert has.

 

[Teawastelander]

It's ok. I'm a freelancer web designer so it works out. Sorta.



Oh, I don't have a very firm opinion of your type yet... I was just being tongue-in-cheek. But if I had to say, you sound like an mbti ENTP to me (or a CT NeFi-Te).

If extroversion is understood as a magnetic gravitation to the 'object', rather than exclusively a measure of social involvement, then anything from engaging with video games, economics, agendas, tasks and systems -- is extroversion. Because extroversion means your energies are going outward in some fashion, to attend to some problem, or creatively interface with "the environment". I'm extroverting even by posting this here, even though I'm on an online forum, because I'm engaging with an environmental interface.

If introversion is understood as a magnetic repulsion from the 'object', and a withdrawal into the subjective faculties of the mind, then things like reflection, refinement of personal concepts/identities, ideas and values, are what result.

Of course everyone uses both modalities, but 'introverts' (roughly speaking) are constantly repelling away the influences of the outside world -- logistically, recreationally, socially or otherwise -- onto their space. And the same are heavy energy drains to introversion since every extroverted engagement is one going away from the subject.

I can't lie, I had to read that a few times over, lol. Interesting you said ENTP, i've tested as that before. I posted the same thing on an INTJ forum, and they all seem to be pretty confused as to what my type is especially since I'm dating an ESTJ. INTP, INTJ, INFJ, ENTP. The world may never know

 

[CloudHidden]

You sound like INTP to me. Auburn's description of introversion/extroversion is compelling, but I think a bit too pure. Most humans engage with their environment most of their waking hours, this is considered an indicator of alertness lol, so in other words basic human mental function. The only other alert activity you could do that is not engaging with an object, under such strict definition, would be to just literally sit there and daydream. Which is something we introverts definitely do, but is not the only activity we should associate with introversion, in my opinion. Reading about topics on the internet, even posting on a message board, is exactly the kind of thing an introvert would potentially spend a lot of time doing. Definitely something a cerebral introvert (so, IxTx) would do.

Just going by your apparent confidence level and the amount of real world skills you describe, I would also consider INTJ, ISTJ, ISTP. You can look into those descriptions for yourself, but just coming from an INTP perspective, those things about you don't feel relatable. Also the part about being a bit cold emotionally in your own self-description is not INTP. We are sometimes seen that way by others because we have trouble expressing ourselves, but subjectively feel we are emotionallly sensitive. So I would say consider the 3 other IxTx types. You didn't really say enough to determine your j/p preference, IMO, so that's why I'm putting all three of those types out there.

 

[QuickTwist]

What does your relationship have to do with picking between INTP and INTJ? That seems like a value type thing to say and not a rational thing to say. INTJs get straight to the point and don't go off on tangents as often as INTPs do.

You could be INTP, but you could really be a lot of different types based on OP.

 

[gooroff]

I have been lurking this forum from time to time but was compelled to post something given this 'paradox' coming from such a young person.

Your type (or rather your results) will float several different letters depending on how you answer the questions. Usually you rate on 1-5 scale and you may not rank the same each time. Your result may be INTP today, but another day INTJ based on how you answered questions that dealt between the P/J distinction. As hard as this may be to believe, at 21 your brain is not done developing, and your 'personality' still has a long way to go so don't try to box yourself in to four letters.


Regarding the Extroversion/Introversion - I've always thought of it as the Locus of Control

"The extent to which people believe they have power over events in their lives. A person with an internal locus of control believes that he or she can influence events and their outcomes, while someone with an external locus of control blames outside forces for everything."​

 

[Dislexyc]

Relax, the mbti types from the books are mainly examples spanning the configuration space of humans. If you find INTP description suitable in some situation and INTJ in another one, that is fine for practical purposes (although opportunistic )

In other words, home is where the heart is (or the mind)