Life Tricks of the INTP

[Minuend]

We all had experiences where we realized that doing something simple would give great results. Something small you just didn't think of before.

Throughout your life, what have you learned that has helped you in life some way? Whether it is about people, school, work, whatever.

Here's a few I can think of:

+ Don't try to argue with constructive criticism. Even if you had that certain element in mind, don't start justifying or explaining. Just accept it politely and nod. This will make you seem more mature and open to other people's ideas and opinions. They will feel validated.

+ Have someone to confide in. Sometimes life is harsh and we need someone to lean on. Accept it. Otherwise you will prolong your misery.

+ Try to visualize everyone as part of your "herd" or "group". This will make you accept people in a way like "yeah, he is very weird, but he is my uncle and he can be nice occasionally I guess". This makes you capable of relating to this individual without ill feelings. It's a technique I recently discovered, it has helped me greatly. It also makes people less intimidating.

+ Try to understand rather than judge. It will give you better insights and tools to relate to people. It also decreases irritation with other people's actions

+ If you are uncomfortable with something, let people know. They do not judge you as harshly as you imagine. We all have weaknesses. If informed politely about your discomfort, most will think you mature for being able to express such worry. There are probably more people who are uncomfortable too.

 

[lucky12]

Aside from social hacks similar to yours Minuend, I find myself into more technical "hacks" to improve my productivity. Mine sounds more like old man wisdom though idk, take it if you can tolerate it lol.

1. Always ALWAYS document procedures, assemblies, etc. when working on foreign objects (cars, bikes, etc.). The more abstract you write down the better, I like naming bolts and wires if there are many to confuse. Colour coding can get a little tedious but it is useful. You must pay attention to every detail, so slow down and take your time because it will save you in the end.

2. You break something? No problem. Get the proper tools and take it apart! Use google, 9/10 you will fix it.

3. Sleeping on problems, if you get really stuck just leave it for a day or two. A week if you can afford it, keep up to speed on what the task ahead is though and mind future complications.

4. Listen to everyone, ask as many unique questions + similar questions to all to draw a picture of what is going on. Even though I love having someone talk technical to me, feelers have interesting depictions of problems as well and I have never had any issues with their explanations (as a amatuer mechanic/bike shop tech).

5. Be honest about your abilities, yet be confident. Being able to fully explain future complications in the project takes time to develop, but can be a very powerful way to gain trust. If someone trusts in your proficiency of certain subjects you will be the go to person.

6. Be fun! Draw a line between fun and productiveness because you need a bit of both sometimes to encourage abstract thinking, this has helped me more than a few times to solve mechanical problems.

7. Talk talk talk about your problems, people know of many solutions outside your realm of reality. Even complete strangers, or your mother. I tell everyone I know about my problems relating to motorcycles, cars, w/e I am working on. Go talk to a mechanic, if they are decent people they will answer your questions.

Well.. Now I'm off to grind some bearings out of my 2005 crf250r swing arm, the bastards are holed up in there pretty good. Wish me luck

 

[Awaken]

I really like your list Minuend. I will try to think of something constructive to add later.

 

[Hadoblado]

I hereby resurrect this thread. Why Does it only have two responses? This is a really good idea!

+ Don't use Ti to make friends, unless you are already aware of other people's interests. There is nothing more inane than that guy who turns up and starts talking passionately about DOS or some shit. Speak to people about what they care about (if you can fathom the interest), then if you become friends they can find out about your deep and enduring passion for esports.

+ Principle of charity. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principle_of_charity
Learn it. Use it.

+ When conversing/arguing/debating with friends, specifically state when you alter your opinion. It's not enough to simply adjust, your 'opponent' needs to know that you have conceded ground, lest you be understandably strawmanned until doomsday.

+ When you study with other people, offer them $10 if they can catch you on any of a list of preselected procrastination sites. I do this for INTPf, youtube, and facebook, and my productivity goes waaaay up.

+ If you are smarter than people around you, just remember that this is only a result of your surroundings. There is no need to get full of yourself just because other people lack ability. Your intelligence has limitations, just because it compares well does not make you objectively brilliant.

+ If you have an insecurity, know it and address it. Insecurities are a source of enduring stress, and lower life satisfaction substantially. Signs of insecurity I observe in myself are inability to receive criticism well, and recurring thoughts. Addressing your insecurity can be as easy as rearranging/improving your values, your standards, your perception, your identity, or your capacities.

I'm out for now.

 

[Alex_]

> Keep yourself busy.
Get out of your comfort zone. Do something different at least one day per week. Boredom and routine are sad.

>Keep yourself motivated.
Remember good moments and that you are able to - and should - have them again.

>Keep yourself social.
Talk (as in face to face) to someone everyday. We all need our time alone - for some of us that means 90% of the day - but isolation breaks everyone down.

 

[BigApplePi]

We all had experiences where we realized that doing something simple would give great results. Something small you just didn't think of before.

Great suggestions so far.

If something about another displeases you, never call them names. Such generalizations are not accurate and well received. Instead express how this discomfort arises within yourself.

Do not try to be a perfectionist, just an improver. It's alright to make mistakes. Recognize and correct them if you can if they annoy others. Let it go if others aren't affected.

 

[Etheri]

Don't work for tomorrow if you can enjoy today.

You don't need to work more to earn more to be happier. You can already just be.

 

[Reluctantly]

Fuck, I can never do these. I think about how what people say could turn out wrong and then I come up with some and think about how those could turn out wrong.



I'll just read then...or I'll sit here thinking for the next 30 minutes and not posting anyway.

 

[Elegia]

+ Don't try to argue with constructive criticism. Even if you had that certain element in mind, don't start justifying or explaining. Just accept it politely and nod. This will make you seem more mature and open to other people's ideas and opinions. They will feel validated.

I agree with this point, but sometimes I fear that simply accepting criticism without argument makes some people think that I don't really care about their point. It think it may come across as me agreeing with them just so I can let the issue slide.

 

[Reluctantly]

I agree with this point, but sometimes I fear that simply accepting criticism without argument makes some people think that I don't really care about their point. It think it may come across as me agreeing with them just so I can let the issue slide.

Yes, yes. Question everything and see how any statement can be wrong. Drive yourself crazy with thought. Be INTP.

 

[Hadoblado]

I'm not sure if this generalises or not, but I find that whenever I argue with constructive criticism, it's because i don't believe they're correct, or that I have a better understanding of what I'm doing wrong. I think the advise from Min is good advise, at least for me. There is no reason why I need to make an open display of disagreement.

 

[Jennywocky]

I agree with this point, but sometimes I fear that simply accepting criticism without argument makes some people think that I don't really care about their point. It think it may come across as me agreeing with them just so I can let the issue slide.

Hmmmm. Well, you don't have to sound like you're sloughing them off when someone offers you feedback. The point was not to argue with constructive criticism just because it's criticism. Think "big picture." I hate it when someone is just providing feedback and the recipient either feels the need to argue with each little detail to justify why it wasn't wrong after all or feels the need to apologize for each mistake. Someone's just giving advice -- things they noticed -- and it's not a huge deal to them, they're just doing a favor. So acknowledge the feedback and don't get hung up on it, that's the point.

It was kind of like when people used to tell me a good job, and then I used to explain to them all the mistakes I made. I was just trying to be honest, but I realized from their perspective I sounded like a jerk, they just wanted to tell me they appreciated something I had done.

Yes, yes. Question everything and see how any statement can be wrong. Drive yourself crazy with thought. Be INTP.

Please, sir -- Don't you think it's a bad idea to encourage him?

 

[kvothe27]

+ It is vital to keep anxiety at a reasonable level. Engage in lots of exercise and mindfulness to reduce anxiety. Get enough sleep. Anxiety increases paranoia. Paranoia increases social isolation. Social isolation increases paranoia. ad Kablamotus! When you find yourself trapped in rumination - - - STOP! Reduce your anxiety level. You're stuck in Si and it's not going to help you.

+ Don't overcompensate for your slacker tendencies by turning into a workaholic. It will catch up to you and it will smite thee with 24/7 procrastination. This may be impossible for an INTP who hasn't found what he/she truly enjoys doing because it involves doing. Suck it up. Man up. Whatever meaningless nonsense you need to tell yourself to survive by doing, brain wash yourself to your heart's content. Unfortunately, your Ti/Ne will take a dump on that, too. I'm not going anywhere with this . . . meh

+ Realize your ego is illusory. Building up your ego is fruitless because it's tied to perception. Your Ti/Ne will dump all over it. Meditate or whatever you have to do to realize your self-concept is illusory by being a highly subjective concept. Understanding will increase when you can get your ego out of the way. Reification in regards to identity will lead to existential crises. Your ego doesn't need a meaning. Your ego needs to go away.

 

[Methodician]

+When you feel your focus slipping, or your motivation/interest in the task at hand dwindling, or your creativity/problem solving ability hitting a wall... stand up, step back (for 2 minutes or 2 days or whatever depending on subject) and distract yourself, exercise and stretch a little, eat, close your eyes, jump off the wall, whatever works for you. Come back and you'll have a new perspective/renewed interest/revitalized motivation and focus, or whatever was blocking you.

+Don't let the feelings/mindset of those around you rub off too much. Is it just me or does your mood often become a reflection of whomever nearby means anything to you? I think it's partially because I usually don't have any strong mood/feeling-about-the-moment to start with. I'm just there. Worst is my girlfriend. Everything all hunky-dory and then she gets a mood swing and my whole day is shot. I try to step back and be my own entity. I try to remind myself that these "feelings" are just an artifact of my subconscious and something I can willfully alter.

+Be wary of our natural tendency to drop one obsession for another at the flip of a switch. Take note where you leave off if you're doing this because you could have been on the verge of a breakthrough.

+On a related note, be wary of our natural tendency to start things and not finish them. It's not always a bad thing; sometimes a project/book/task/videogame/obsession just turns out to not be worth finishing, then I'm thankful of my ability to walk away. But sometimes it's something simple, such as the dishes or an everyday life thing, and the people around us can become extremely irritated when we go half way then move on. They assume we're intentionally leaving the task for them to finish when in reality we're just procrastinating or getting distracted. I've worked hard at this and am better for it.

 

[doncarlzone]

Good post @Methodician

 

[Helvete]

Good post @Methodician

I second this, especially the last.
Also, about leaving things half done not being bad and dropping obsessions at the flip of a coin. This pretty much goes hand in hand most of the time, not necessarily for practical jobs that are left due to procrastination, but because often things naturally lead to other things; you make other connections and links between ideas and build new obsessions. <- resulting in unfinished business.

 

[RaBind]

+Don't let the feelings/mindset of those around you rub off too much. Is it just me or does your mood often become a reflection of whomever nearby means anything to you? I think it's partially because I usually don't have any strong mood/feeling-about-the-moment to start with. I'm just there. Worst is my girlfriend. Everything all hunky-dory and then she gets a mood swing and my whole day is shot. I try to step back and be my own entity. I try to remind myself that these "feelings" are just an artifact of my subconscious and something I can willfully alter.

I've really noticed this. It's fine if the mood/feeling you're mirroring is positive, but it's such a hassle when it's negative feelings. This seems to be most powerful when the feelings are not only powerful, but directed specifically towards me and I'm meant to acknowledge and address the source of those feelings. I've also found that feelings/emotions and your physical behaviors are very deeply intertwined. If you don't want to get angry, or depressed or frustrated, than you should abstain from having thoughts that bring out these feelings and emotions, as well as avoid behaving in ways that express these feelings and emotions.

 

[DIALECTIC]

I think philosophy posits great logical / ethical axioms and principles (do's and dont do's) to base everything else upon...
Thats why Stoics in ancient times used to read / reread / write / rewrite short efficient sentences so that they could remember them at the appropriate times of need. Thats why quotes by great authors / philosophers and their repetition first in thought, then in acts, are ideal to (re)program our unconscious i found...

 

[Goku]

Fixing your posture will inadvertently cause a chain reaction of super great things for you. Lemme know if I should elaborate

 

[DIALECTIC]

Fixing your posture will inadvertently cause a chain reaction of super great things for you. Lemme know if I should elaborate

Please do so...

 

[Affinity]

Fixing your posture will inadvertently cause a chain reaction of super great things for you. Lemme know if I should elaborate

This is something I focus a lot on but am curious about this chain reaction. Do elaborate.

 

[Goku]

Please do so...

I'm assuming the "posterior pelvic tilt" or "flat ass syndrome," but most items should also fit with anterior pelvic tilt as well.

1. The obvious first -- back pain dissipates over time
2. Many other related physical pains relieved, feet, hip, neck. This is bc the body compensates by using the wrong muscles to hold itself upright
3. You look more attractive
4. You feel more attractive for two reasons-- internally, because standing with your chest out (consequence of good posture) is similar to smiling, you can't help but feel confident. Secondly because people treat you better, an external confidence booster.
5. Everything physical in life becomes easier-- standing, walking, jogging.
6. Your stomach gets smaller bc holding upright posture involves ALWAYS keeping your an muscles and lower back muscles flexed.
7. You'll eat less, because your stomach shrunk, so it takes you less to get full.
8. You lose weight because you're eating less
9. Your abs start to show bc you're losing weight AND keeping your abs tight all the time.
10. The opposite sex will start finding you irresistible.


^all from correcting your posture... WORTHHHH IT.