Life's Direction

[ProxyAmenRa]

I keep on getting asked by people what direction I am taking my life and where do I see myself in a few years. I don't have a clue to the answer of this question. I kind of just do and see where that gets me. This specific question I am continually asked is making me feel uncertain. Basically because the expression on people's faces when they ask me this is of disbelief at my answer. Life just goes to shit when I am uncertain.

But wait, I do know something. I want to get into the field of quantitative analysis. Beyond that, I have no idea.

 

[Architect]

Sorry what is the point of the post? Is there a question? Maybe you just wanted a chat.

I've was always aware that one, I liked to do oddball things that don't pay (like thinking) and two, I wanted a nice lifestyle with lots of free time to do those things. Therefore making bank was always a high priority. So you could have gotten an earful of what I was doing with myself at any point.

I think I got the idea from The Story of the Worlds Laziest Man, told by Lazarus Long. Really by Robert Heinlein in Time Enough for Love. Good life lesson there for the INTP, one that worked well for me.

 

[Etheri]

While you shouldn't neglect your future nor your past, I think we should remember that the 'now' is usually the most important one. I don't understand people whom are so focussed on the future that they forget to live... They'll work forever claiming they must for their future, while that's obviously just denial, they could have been living all along.

I don't think we need to set major goals / directions, long term stuff. I do think we need some kind of goals, however small or ignorant they may be. We all want something, pick anything and go for it.

If you find something, and it turns out people still look at you the same way when you tell them that rather than what you say now, will you still feel the same?

I've was always aware that one, I liked to do oddball things that don't pay (like thinking) and two, I wanted a nice lifestyle with lots of free time to do those things.

I think you typo'd or are missing some words, or i'm just being retarded and honestly can't make sense of the first part of the sentence. D:

 

[ProxyAmenRa]

Sorry what is the point of the post? Is there a question? Maybe you just wanted a chat.

Just wanted to chat. ^_^

My immediate goal is figuring out the time to go through the new content I wish to study.

 

[Architect]

I think you typo'd or are missing some words, or i'm just being retarded and honestly can't make sense of the first part of the sentence. D:

Hm, I think it's clear, maybe you're retarded?*

Just kidding, I mean that I'll work hard and get money as needed to serve the greater goal of being lazy.

* I have a hard time using that word because it's an actual condition.

 

[7even]

Meh, disagreed. In such a civilization, living in the present isn't really possible. In a system such as ours, in order to survive (a synonym for success in our civilization), long-term objectives are very necessary.
I mean finance does have a-lot to do with life today unfortunately, but that is the way it is.
People today don't live in the present, because Western civilization are future-fanatics. They are obsessed with the future for financial gain and power. Why do you think technology and science is progressing at such an outstanding rate?
Our present civilization's mindset (that always looks to the future) is, however, self-destructive. We cannot cope with these tremendous changes on Earth, both physically and mentally.

 

[Absurdity]

I've noticed that I spend a lot of time planning my upcoming life decisions out, only to later disregard the plans.

My life is governed by chance and unforeseen change.

 

[7even]

Proxy, funnily enough, I've had the same question asked to me just today (although I'm asked the question quite frequently anyway) - I have no idea either. That's for the future me (who doesn't even exist yet) to worry about. It's probably because you're concerned more with knowledge than security. I'm assuming people concerned with security will see it as a necessary obligation to have a 'direction' in life, as to not risk any 'failure', sort of like instincts for survival according to the culture that is currently taking place, you know. Maybe. Not to mention the desire for knowledge makes just about anything appealing, thus strong set preferences cannot really be established.

I'm curious, are INTPs generally successful?
Because it seems to me, that people who already have a pre-determined 'direction' in their lives have much higher chances of what society call 'success' today.


Anyhow, I love going with the flow.

 

[Etheri]

Meh, disagreed. In such a civilization, living in the present isn't really possible. In a system such as ours, in order to survive (a synonym for success in our civilization), long-term objectives are very necessary.
I mean finance does have a-lot to do with life today unfortunately, but that is the way it is.
People today don't live in the present, because Western civilization are future-fanatics. They are obsessed with the future for financial gain and power.

This is exactly my point. However, we do not manage, this does not mean we can't. Most people in western societies are in fact capable of living in the moment. All the time? Perhaps not, but atleast sometimes. Yet more and more often, I realise how people aren't capable of letting go, aren't capable of just forgetting about tomorrow for once. The world won't go down tomorrow, and if it will, there's nothing you can do about it.

The truth is, in the future, you'll still be working for your future (ad infinitum), for exactly the reasons you disclosed... And then one day, you realise you've been doing it wrong all along... Will you realise before it's too late? Who knows.

Edit : I can imagine INTPs having a high succesrate in alot of desirable areas, I doubt marriage (yes i've read 'we' do marry often ) is one of those. But with the qualifications of an INTP, i'd say many would do good in academic life given the chance to prove themselves (which, in some places, can be rather hard for intp's).

 

[7even]

Ah, so we're in concordance after-all! - Excellent.

Ha, several marriages? - I can see that happening. Although judging from past experiences, I'd most probably be an emotional mess after my first divorce (if I ever get married) - and reject love or intimacy, can't see myself marrying another bitch right after (sorry, my favorite term with all due love and respect). Anyway, I'm speaking about the future me yet again, who doesn't even exist yet, pure lunacy man.

 

[H1N1]

As an avid planner I have learned that you really cannot plan things out. Allow me to rephrase this: there is no certainty. You can make all the plans that you'd like but it is irrelevant because the world does not revolve around you nor your desires. I planned on going back to work after my lunch break, instead I totaled my car. There are too many variables to have any semblance of a real plan. Which sucks drastically for those of us that like to feel in control and stable. You're really better off taking life one day at a time with a general idea of what you'd like to do with yourself and changing your desires to correspond with life events.

 

[ProxyAmenRa]

As an avid planner I have learned that you really cannot plan things out. Allow me to rephrase this: there is no certainty. You can make all the plans that you'd like but it is irrelevant because the world does not revolve around you nor your desires. I planned on going back to work after my lunch break, instead I totaled my car. There are too many variables to have any semblance of a real plan. Which sucks drastically for those of us that like to feel in control and stable. You're really better off taking life one day at a time with a general idea of what you'd like to do with yourself and changing your desires to correspond with life events.

Yes, good advice. I SHALLL! Continue...

 

[Intellect]

Just kidding, I mean that I'll work hard and get money as needed to serve the greater goal of being lazy.

I can relate to this. There's that idea about the best programmers being lazy at heart. Instead of just solving a problem themselves, they'll build an entire new language or system to solve the problem for them.

On the topic of life's direction:

I think it's silly for people to have 5 year plans or any longterm permutation of that. Things very rarely work out the exact way you imagine them to. In fact, when things do tend to go the exact way people expected, it's usually such a surprise they'll act as if they've just won the lottery.

Life is unexpected. Aside from some rough ideas, I have no idea where I'll be in 3 years (or even 3 weeks, for that matter). So, there's no point stressing over it. As long as I'm happy where I am, that's all that matters for me.