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INTJs are the most self-confident of all types,
having "self-power" awareness. Found in about 1 percent of the general
population, the INTJs live in an introspective reality, focusing on
possibilities, using thinking in the form of empirical logic, and preferring
that events and people serve some positive use. Decisions come naturally to
INTJs' once a decision is made, INTJs are at rest. INTJs look to the future
rather than the past, and a word which captures the essence of INTJs is
builder-a builder of systems and the applier of theoretical models.
To INTJs authority based on position, rank, title, or
publication has absolutely no force. This type is not likely to succumb to the
magic of slogans, watchwords, or shibboleths. If an idea or position makes
sense to an INTJ, it will be adopted, if it doesn't, it won't, regardless of
who took the position or generated the idea. As with the INTP, authority per se
does not impress the INTJ.
INTJs do, however, tend to conform to rules if they
are useful, not because they believe in them, or because they make sense, but
because of their unique view of reality. They are the supreme pragmatists, who
see reality as something which is quite arbitrary and made up. Thus it can be
used as a tool-or ignored. Reality is quite malleable and can be changed,
conquered, or brought to heel. Reality is a crucible for the refining of ideas,
and in this sense, INTJs are the most theoretical of all the types. Where an
ESTP sees ideas as the pawn of reality, an INTJ sees reality as the pawn of
ideas: No idea is too far-fetched to be entertained. INTJs are natural
brainstormers, always open to new concepts and, in fact, aggressively seeking
them.
INTJs manipulate the world of theory as if on a
gigantic chess board, always seeking strategies and tactics that have high
payoff. In their penchant for logic, the INTJs resemble the INTPs. The logic of
an INTJ, however, is not confined to the expressible logical. Unlike INTPs,
INTJs need only to have a vague, intuitive impression of the unexpressed logic
of a system to continue surely on their way. Things need only seem logical;
this is entirely sufficient. Moreover, they always have a keen eye for the
consequence of the application of new ideas or positions. They can be quite
ruthless in the implementation of systems, seldom counting personal cost in
terms of time and energy. Theories which cannot be made to work are quickly
discarded by the INTJs.
To understand INTJs, their way of dealing with ideas
should be observed closely. Their conscious thought is extraverted and
empirical. Hence, they are better at generalizing, classifying, summarizing,
adducing evidence, proving, and demonstrating than are the INTPs. The INTJs are
somewhat less at home with pure reason, that is, systemic logic, where
principles are explicit. In this respect they resemble the ENTJs. The INTJs,
rather than using deductive logic, use their intuition to grasp coherence.
Career
INTJs can be very single-minded at times; this can be
either a weakness or a strength in their careers, for they can ignore the
points of view and wishes of others. INTJs usually rise to positions of
responsibility, for they work long and hard and are steady in their pursuit of
goals, sparing neither time nor effort on their part or that of their
colleagues and employees.
INTJs live to see systems translated into substance;
an INTP, by way of contrast, is content to design the system. In both these
types, however, coherence is the master. Both internal and external consistency
are important, and if an INTJ finds that he or she is in a working situation
where overlapping functions, duplication of effort, inefficient paper flow, and
waste of human and material resources abound, the INTJ cannot rest until an
effort is made to correct the situation. Cost-effectiveness is a concept which
has a strong imperative for INTJs, who frequently select occupations in
engineering, particularly human engineering. They also can be found in the
physical sciences, in roles which require development, such as curriculum
building, and, in general, any job which requires the creation and application
of technology to complex areas.
Fellow workers of INTJs often feel as if the INTJ can
see right through them, and often believe that the INTJ finds them wanting.
This tendency of people to feel transparent in the presence of the INTJ often
result in relationships which have psychological distance. Thus colleagues find
the INTJ apparently unemotional and, at times, cold and dispassionate. Because
of their tendency to drive others as hard as they do themselves, INTJs often
seem demanding and difficult to satisfy. INTJs are high achievers in school and
on the job. On the job, they take the goals of an institution seriously and
continually strive to respond to these goals. They make dedicated, loyal
employees whose loyalties are directed toward the system, rather than toward
individuals within the system. So as the people of an institution come and go,
the INTJs have little difficulty-unlike the NFs, who have their loyalties
involved more with persons than offices. INTJs tend, ordinarily, to verbalize
the positive and eschew comments of a negative nature; they are more interested
in moving an institution forward than commiserating about mistakes of the past.
Home
As mates, INTJs want harmony and order in the home
and in relationships. They are the most independent of all types. They will
trust their intuitions about others when making choices of friends and mates,
even in the face of contradictory evidence and pressures applied by others. The
emotions of an INTJ are hard to read, and neither male nor female INTJ is apt
to express emotional reactions. At times, both will seem cold, reserved, and
unresponsive, while in fact INTJs are almost hypersensitive to signals of
rejection from those for whom they care. In social situations, INTJs may also
be unresponsive and may neglect to observe small rituals designed to put others
at their ease. For example, INTJs may communicate that time is wasted if used
for idle dialogue, and thus people receive a sense of hurry from an INTJ which
is not always intended. In their interpersonal relationships, INTJs are usually
better in a working situation than in recreational situations. They do not
enjoy physical contact except with a chosen few.
As parents, INTJs are dedicated and single minded in
their devotion: Their children are a major focus in life. They are supportive
of their children and tend to allow them to develop in directions of their own
choosing. INTJs usually are firm and consistent in their discipline and rarely
care to repeat directions given to children...or others. Being the most
independent of all the types, they have a strong need for autonomy;
indifference or criticism from people in general does not particularly bother
INTJs, if they believe that they are right. They also have a strong need for
privacy.
The most important preference of an INTJ is
intuition, but this is seldom seen. Rather, the function of thinking is used to
deal with the world and with people. INTJs are vulnerable in the emotional area
and may make serious mistakes here.
Midlife
At midlife the feeling side of personality should be
given much attention by the INTJ, who can work at expanding his or her
abilities to respond to wishes and feelings of others. They may also do well to
turn more attention to the sensory side of their natures, attempting to get in
touch with the joys of good food, good beverages, social rituals, kinesthetic
experiences...and play. The "wasting" of time in play is an appropriate target
as a midlife task for INTJs who can take lessons from an SP, especially an ESP,
in the art of enjoying the pleasures of life.
Mates
Wishing to control nature, the INTJ "scientist"
probably has more difficulty than all other types in making up his or her mind
in mate selection. Even mate selection must be done in a scientific way. It may
well be that the narratives, plays, and films impugning the "rational and
objective" approach to mating have as their target our thorough-going scientist
INTJ. Nevertheless, when young, the INTJ is attracted to the free-wheeling,
spontaneous, fun-loving "entertainer" ESFP. But the INTJ requires that mating
meet certain criteria, else it is not undertaken. So the INTJ doesn't often go
through with what is begun by natural attraction. Since he or she proceeds in a
rational and methodical way, the selection of a similar temperament is more
likely than selection of opposite, following the assumption that those who are
similar ought to do well together. The INTJ "scientist" is also attracted to
the ENFP "journalist," probably because of the enthusiastic, effervescent, and
apparently spontaneous enjoyment and wonderment this type exudes-the very
antitheses of the careful, thoughtful exactitude of the INTJ
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