What to do with my life

[TheDrewJames]

Hello fellow INTP's

So here I am finally posting after lurking for far longer than I intended in these forums. It is truly wonderful to read that I am not alone (although logically I never really was) in this world with the way I think or act.

On with the story though. If only I knew how to proceed... well here goes. The simple fact is I am unmotivated to do anything with my life. My friends and family have given up on suggesting I do things now, after years of me running circles around their proposals. I come off as arrogant and egotistical to them and although I have to admit that I am just a little it isn't my intention.

I am sure I am not the only one here that tries something the first time and almost always excels above the person that introduces you to it. I am a 20 year old male that flew through college/high school (depending where in the world you are) with no problems. My problem being is that I cannot pick a path for the simple reason that I am fairly certain that within 6 months I will get bored with the bureaucracy.

I avoid University because spending 3-4 years locked into a field will undoubtedly drive me to an unwanted level of insanity.

What should I do? Any suggestions? Ask me anything you like if you think it is relevant.

 

[TheDrewJames]

Also excuse the grammar/spelling. I am ill at the moment and my brain is more fuzzy than usual.

 

[Jah]

ocw.mit.edu
Learn as much as you can, and consider taking up a higher education.

Try learning theoretical physics and mathematics.

 

[digital angel]

What interests you? Once you know what does, proceed from there. Don't give up on education. Learning is wonderful.

 

[Particle]

I'm with you, except I did at first go to a university. It was torture. By that point in my life, I'd had as much of forced, boring, and uninteresting learning as I could take. Due to my own problems with motivation, I was just going to coast through it anyway until a hickup with the scholarship money I'd been promised arose. The government swore up and down it paid the college while the college swore up and down it hadn't received a dime. They both pointed their fingers at each other for who I should talk to to resolve the issue, so in the end I got stuck with a $3000 bill I had no way of paying. My college days ended at this point.

It's probably all for the better. I've got an excellent position now that (albeit with decreasing frequency) presents interesting challenges and yet is open enough to where I can learn through much of my day to improve my own skills that interest me which in turn inevitably lead to me being increasingly effective at my job.

Being as we are though, no single job is likely to suit you forever. Like I said, I'm finding myself increasingly bored with the lack of challenges since they come less frequently than they used to. All of the hard, novel, and interesting problems have for the most part been solved where I work other than the occasional tidbits that someone comes up with. I generally burn through those rapidly since they don't ask for much compared to what I'm capable of. It is my guess that you're likely going to be in the same sort of situation.

It's a bit of a catch. The thing which makes us great problem solvers also makes us lousy long-term employees, and that's something study isn't going to help with.

 

[EyeSeeCold]

http://www.roguecc.edu/Counseling/HollandCodes/test.asp

 

[Jah]

Innocentive.com ? <- problem solving for money.

 

[Artsu Tharaz]

Without giving any specific suggestions,

Now that you know your type, you can use this to benefit you. You are dominant Ti, which means you need to do something which constantly makes use of your analytical thinking skills; you're auxiliary Ne - being your primary extraversion function, this is your link to the outside environment and how you will stay motivated; tertiary Si, means you are quite capable of remembering exact details or things you've done before, so long as this is only needed sometimes; inferior Fe, so you want something which doesn't rely at all on this.

Basically, you want some sort of problem solving job, where you can constantly take in new information, then rationally work through that to come up with a solution - from a mix of seeing possible solutions arise and using ones you've seen before.

 

[The Gopher]

http://www.roguecc.edu/Counseling/HollandCodes/test.asp

I did this got a result and thought.... But I want to do all of them.

 

[Sad Lions]

I have problems with motivation too. After briefly airing it on this forum, having assumed that it might be common amongst INTPs. I came to the conclusion that it is something you just need to have. There are no meaning, or realizations to be had. So I guess it just comes down to changing the thought pattern that make you lose the motivation in the first place (I really hate when people give me this advice, but what else is there?) - my negative heuristics are based on all the meaninglessness I perceive, and then all the people around me finding their meaning within the closed 'human' system bubble. I'm trying to decide that I'm part of the bubble.

Is going not going to university an option for you? If no, then pick something that comes natural and that you enjoy. If yes, then pick the lesser of two evils (you don't have to take a linear path.)

I remember hearing a professor say that most tweens does not take into account that they might make it past 30 when considering future-looking life decisions. Which seems plausible to me. So, perhaps, thinking about what you want to do when your 30+ might help you as well.

 

[Words]

ocw.mit.edu
Learn as much as you can, and consider taking up a higher education.

Try learning theoretical physics and mathematics.

Without giving any specific suggestions,

Now that you know your type, you can use this to benefit you. You are dominant Ti, which means you need to do something which constantly makes use of your analytical thinking skills; you're auxiliary Ne - being your primary extraversion function, this is your link to the outside environment and how you will stay motivated; tertiary Si, means you are quite capable of remembering exact details or things you've done before, so long as this is only needed sometimes; inferior Fe, so you want something which doesn't rely at all on this.

Basically, you want some sort of problem solving job, where you can constantly take in new information, then rationally work through that to come up with a solution - from a mix of seeing possible solutions arise and using ones you've seen before.

This.


With the assumption that you are INTP, the *best* life for you is to try to study a certain academic field provided you have camaraderie(Fe) with other people in these fields.

I found many INTP's happily engaging in Formal Science. To be specific, Most chose Computer Science.


Another perspective is that you are an "artsy" kind, which is really just another way of saying "N'sh." For this, you can have graphic design(Ne) or social science(Ni). Something that would promote your creativity or deals with greater abstractions.

University does not have to "lock you up."

 

[Meer]

I'm trying to decide that I'm part of the bubble.

This makes a lot of sense to me.

I don't really have any useful suggestions, except that universities should offer "Renaissance Man" degrees.

 

[Artsu Tharaz]

I found many INTP's happily engaging in Formal Science. To be specific, Most chose Computer Science.

Ah yes; I basically consider INTPs to be the Formal-Scientists (or at least, for formal-scientists to tend to be INTP).

I think anything in this area would be quite satisfying.

 

[Bird]

Why do you get bored with things?


To me, this seems the variable that
should be changed/worked on.

 

[Jah]

Oh, I know the answer to that one.....
because whenever we master a field, or the resistance gets low, then it seems we can better apply ourselves to another field:

btw. read this: http://paulgraham.com/hamming.html

It's part of the reason I'm focusing on Formal Sciences.

 

[SkyWalker]

thedrewjames: you have got strong Ti for sure (in the way you describe the problem). you are a task avoider. you only do a task to avoid the other task. the problem is that finishing a task does not bring you pleasure.
Thus you are simply missing FOCUS. (Te)
you wont be able to change, you are too young and you can still get away with it / cope with it.
You have to get into deeper problems first. You have to really mess it up until the max (until the pain is unbearable.) ...then you will feel like you are cornered, cant avoid all those tasks anymore, and running out of time (getting older will help)... and then you can suddenly focus.

good luck for in the future pain phase

 

[mack]

I've noticed that a huge part(maybe it's the only part) of 'finding what you're interested in' is believing that you have some inclination(whether inherent or developed) towards the field, and that you would want to work in it for a significant portion of your life.

If you managed to change your view of yourself to something like the above, this problem would no longer be an issue.

I don't really have a proposed solution (I don't really expect "change your perception of yourself" to be actionable for anyone). Just adding another perspective on the problem -- hopefully a helpful one.

 

[Dimensional Transition]

Ah yes; I basically consider INTPs to be the Formal-Scientists (or at least, for formal-scientists to tend to be INTP).

I think anything in this area would be quite satisfying.

Really? I am way too uninterested and easily distracted to be a scientist. I usually get advice to become a psychologist/artist/designer. Which are careers I would love to pursue.

That aside, I do love reading in scientific magazines and watching stuff like Discovery Channel... but I wouldn't want to make it my career. I hate calculations, they intimidate and bore me very quickly. I LOVE the experiments, though.

 

[Artsu Tharaz]

Formal science, not science science. And like Words said, others will prefer more creative pursuits.

 

[Joz_helloworld]

thedrewjames: you have got strong Ti for sure (in the way you describe the problem). you are a task avoider. you only do a task to avoid the other task. the problem is that finishing a task does not bring you pleasure.
Thus you are simply missing FOCUS. (Te)
you wont be able to change, you are too young and you can still get away with it / cope with it.
You have to get into deeper problems first. You have to really mess it up until the max (until the pain is unbearable.) ...then you will feel like you are cornered, cant avoid all those tasks anymore, and running out of time (getting older will help)... and then you can suddenly focus.

good luck for in the future pain phase

Thankyou so much this has just given me a feeling that I might actually be at the beginning of this point, that all my messing up and pain was worthwhile

 

[EditorOne]

What Artzu said, as amplified.

The problem is that university presumes production of minds equipped to do one thing in one field forever. That's kind of like being dead for an INTP. What you wish to do in life is try out new things after cycles of immersion, creativity, competency and then boredom, with no idea what will pop up that catches your interest and then your passion. There really isn't a course of study for us other than simply going to university to learn how to learn, which also seems like a "fail" since we self-learn so much.

Nobody has ever said it is easy to be an INTP. Eventually someone will tell us what the rewards are, but damn if it doesn't usually feel like you're the square peg facing an endless row of round holes, with lots of people standing by with hammers to help you, literally, fit in.

Welcome aboard. I know you were lurking, but now you're speaking, so you are officially part of the solution. Start bailing.

 

[digital angel]

What are you interested in? After you take this step, take it further.

 

[LAICK]

Hey there,

There is still hope! I for one, studied 'Cultural Sciences' on Academic level.
It's a very broad field, structured around solving academic and practical problems
in several fields. Because I paint, draw, play piano/guitar/bass (in 2 bands), and am
generally interested in a lot of things, I started working in the 'Arts-field'.

No, you'll never be a 100% certain of your field, but making music and drawing were
my first experiences that ever 'set me out from the rest of the pack', so I chose to
keep evolving those skills (now transgressing to painting) and at the same time work
in an academic field. Currently (professionally) I work at several art collections, writing
and reading a lot about art - always thinking and acting up the next 'project' I have
up my sleeve.

The real breakthrough came after a low-period, when I discovered that I could generally
excell in any field, as long as I put my mind to it. The most important development from
then on was learning how to 'network' and communicate and find people.

Once I learned of myself that I have already done so much stuff that most people don't
even do in a lifetime (I'm 23), I relativated it all and now I've found the patience to
make choices and put things 'on hold'. I'm now focussing on my job, my writings,
composing and painting.

For long, I was quite irritated that I never really 'got' stuff. At least, I understand it more
and faster than the average person, but never am specialized in it - get to the bottom of
it. Now I find a great deal of satisfaction in utilizing my 'improvisation and research- skills'
to all kinds of projects around me.

Believe me, once you make your mind up, you will never be out of work. Just put some
work in your communication and research-skills. This will help you structure your interests
and help manage your workloads. Once you start getting things done, it's a big kick!

 

[Reverse Transcriptase]

Nobody has ever said it is easy to be an INTP. Eventually someone will tell us what the rewards are, but damn if it doesn't usually feel like you're the square peg facing an endless row of round holes, with lots of people standing by with hammers to help you, literally, fit in.

Welcome aboard. I know you were lurking, but now you're speaking, so you are officially part of the solution. Start bailing.

EditorOne saving the day again.

But I'm going to be freaking contrary! Messr. James, why are you asking for advice from us, when you are ignoring advice from your friends and family?

One of the things about being an INTP is that it's easy to be a critic. You can shoot down any idea, if you want to. And even without INTP-specific traits, humans are stubborn enough to disregard others anyway.

I know that university hoops are annoying. Bureaucracy sucks. I hate it too. But what does it say about you if you are even unwilling to jump through those silly requirements? (I have an INTP friend who is on his 6th year in what is supposed to be a 4-year degree. I recently had this conversation with him.)

I think you're coming off as egotistical... because you are? Sorry, but... you don't know where you want to go! And you're not listening to these people who are trying to help you! People may be freaking dumb and below you, but you still need them.

I get frustrated when people don't present ideas to me the way that I think they should be presented. (Example: one of my classmates was explaining his group project. He dove too hard into the abstract, saying things like "it's a decision modelling network that we will generate by doing blah blah blah <jibberish>". Later, his partner explained the project: "Oh yeah, we're just making a survey website for SWOT analyses.")

So. People explain things badly, and it is your duty to find the kernel of truth in what they say. It is your job to find the interesting facet. It is your job to take it, and learn more about it!

(Also, learn how to program. It will provide you money so you can figure out what your real passion in life is.)