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[NT] The Unfulfilled Potential of the NT

Nighthawk

New member
Joined
May 23, 2007
Messages
423
MBTI Type
INTP
I'm not an NTJ, but I can identify with a lot of what you write. I tend to get locked into a comfort zone and stagnate ... not producing anything of real value. It can be a tough cycle to break, since it takes some inertia to get things moving again.

Looking back at successful periods of my life however, I've noticed that they all came when I moved outside of my comfort zone ... either through changes in my environment, or by placing myself in situations where I was forced to act. One huge movement outside of my comfort zone was joining the military. While I don't necessarily recommend that, it did get my butt moving towards multiple goals that I eventually achieved.

Another big movement outside my comfort zone was losing my military career and having nothing to fall back on. I basically didn't know where my next meal was coming from. That got me motivated for grad school, which ended up being a delightful change from the J-based military and a new career.

If you can create some sort of situation that forces you out of your comfort zone, then I believe greater things could start happening for you. Figuring out ways to do that is the trick, however. Perhaps making a promise or committment to somebody or an organization that forces you to follow through ... even a contractual committment. That might get the inertia going. Placing yourself in new situations ... intellectual, work related, social, etc. can also sometimes jump start the move.

Best of luck.
 

Ezra

Luctor et emergo
Joined
Dec 12, 2007
Messages
534
MBTI Type
ENTJ
Enneagram
8w7
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
I'm not an NTJ, but I can identify with a lot of what you write. I tend to get locked into a comfort zone and stagnate ... not producing anything of real value. It can be a tough cycle to break, since it takes some inertia to get things moving again.

Looking back at successful periods of my life however, I've noticed that they all came when I moved outside of my comfort zone ... either through changes in my environment, or by placing myself in situations where I was forced to act. One huge movement outside of my comfort zone was joining the military. While I don't necessarily recommend that, it did get my butt moving towards multiple goals that I eventually achieved.

Another big movement outside my comfort zone was losing my military career and having nothing to fall back on. I basically didn't know where my next meal was coming from. That got me motivated for grad school, which ended up being a delightful change from the J-based military and a new career.

If you can create some sort of situation that forces you out of your comfort zone, then I believe greater things could start happening for you. Figuring out ways to do that is the trick, however. Perhaps making a promise or committment to somebody or an organization that forces you to follow through ... even a contractual committment. That might get the inertia going. Placing yourself in new situations ... intellectual, work related, social, etc. can also sometimes jump start the move.

Best of luck.

Very true, I don't doubt this at all.
 

Ezra

Luctor et emergo
Joined
Dec 12, 2007
Messages
534
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sp/sx
Well I already started it today. I got in contact with my dissertation supervisor, asked him to be my academic reference, he said yes, so I've now applied for law school! Then I got in contact with my peer mentor again so he can send me a CV template so that I can rewrite a CV (my other unbacked-up one was stolen with my laptop last May).

I also just feel really really good. Like I've got plans for the future again.
 

highlander

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Dec 23, 2009
Messages
26,562
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INTJ
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6w5
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sx/sp
I'm not an NTJ, but I can identify with a lot of what you write. I tend to get locked into a comfort zone and stagnate ... not producing anything of real value. It can be a tough cycle to break, since it takes some inertia to get things moving again.

Looking back at successful periods of my life however, I've noticed that they all came when I moved outside of my comfort zone ... either through changes in my environment, or by placing myself in situations where I was forced to act. One huge movement outside of my comfort zone was joining the military. While I don't necessarily recommend that, it did get my butt moving towards multiple goals that I eventually achieved.

Another big movement outside my comfort zone was losing my military career and having nothing to fall back on. I basically didn't know where my next meal was coming from. That got me motivated for grad school, which ended up being a delightful change from the J-based military and a new career.

If you can create some sort of situation that forces you out of your comfort zone, then I believe greater things could start happening for you. Figuring out ways to do that is the trick, however. Perhaps making a promise or committment to somebody or an organization that forces you to follow through ... even a contractual committment. That might get the inertia going. Placing yourself in new situations ... intellectual, work related, social, etc. can also sometimes jump start the move.

Best of luck.

Agree. Same experience here.

True.

I agree and feel affinity with all of this.

My aim is to conquer all the weaknesses within this year. I think I can do it.

Actually, to other ENTJs: I'm really interested in what you perceive your own strengths and weaknesses to be.

One other thought - not to suggest that you forget about shoring up on weaknesses - particularly those that can derail everything else (there seemed to be a few on the list), but I would suggest that you may be able to get better "bang for your buck," in terms of time invested, by developing and exercising your talents and working with others who have strengths in areas where you do not. That is, if it is an option for you.
 

FDG

pathwise dependent
Joined
Aug 13, 2007
Messages
5,903
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Eh, Ezra, it's normal to feel a bit down at the end of your undergrad...most people I know feel/felt like they haven't/hadn't learnt as much as they thought they would. It will change when you go through graduate school, I'm sure.
 

Ezra

Luctor et emergo
Joined
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Messages
534
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sp/sx
One other thought - not to suggest that you forget about shoring up on weaknesses - particularly those that can derail everything else (there seemed to be a few on the list), but I would suggest that you may be able to get better "bang for your buck," in terms of time invested, by developing and exercising your talents and working with others who have strengths in areas where you do not. That is, if it is an option for you.

True.

Eh, Ezra, it's normal to feel a bit down at the end of your undergrad...most people I know feel/felt like they haven't/hadn't learnt as much as they thought they would. It will change when you go through graduate school, I'm sure.

Yeah, I think that's probably it.
 

Nighthawk

New member
Joined
May 23, 2007
Messages
423
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INTP
Eh, Ezra, it's normal to feel a bit down at the end of your undergrad...most people I know feel/felt like they haven't/hadn't learnt as much as they thought they would. It will change when you go through graduate school, I'm sure.

I had this experience as well. Grad school opened up many new horizons for me. It was particularly nice to drill down into one area more deeply, rather than becoming only somewhat conversant in a lot of areas.
 

Salomé

meh
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Sep 25, 2008
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"Rationals are very scarce, comprising as little as 5 to 10 percent of the population. But because of their drive to unlock the secrets of nature, and to develop new technologies, they have done much to shape our world." Source

I haven't shaped our world recently - have you?

As an ENTJ, I'm feeling inferior right now. If I was an ENTP or an INTJ or INTP I might be more lenient with myself, but right now, I'm mediocre.

What makes you think that having a preference (what MBTI measures) singles you out for greatness?

Maybe you're just not that special. Most of us are not.
Those who have shaped our world have frequently done so by accident...
And some of the shapes ain't so pretty.
 

matmos

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Mar 24, 2008
Messages
1,714
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NICE
What makes you think that having a preference (what MBTI measures) singles you out for greatness?

Maybe you're just not that special. Most of us are not.
Those who have shaped our world have frequently done so by accident...
And some of the shapes ain't so pretty.

Hey, Blue - nice to see you in one piece (I hope).:yes:

Advertisers often use the technique to sell us shit we neither want or need. Heaven forbid MBTI would do such a thing.

"Because we're worth it."

;)
 

Salomé

meh
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Hey, Blue - nice to see you in one piece (I hope).:yes:

Advertisers often use the technique to sell us shit we neither want or need. Heaven forbid MBTI would do such a thing.

"Because we're worth it."

;)
:p

I'd like to see the tagline that could sell ENTJness.
 

SUPER

Permabanned
Joined
Dec 4, 2008
Messages
202
MBTI Type
ENTP
From personal experience and the people I've met, I'd say NTs are closer to 5% of the population than 10%.... we're really rare... Ive only met a handful of other NT and almost always feel like I'm surrounded by boring SJs or dumbass SPs
 

Nighthawk

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May 23, 2007
Messages
423
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INTP
I've run into more NTs (and NFs) since joining the online fora. We do meet IRL from time to time. MBTI also gave me the tools to identify people with whom I get along with better ... I just didn't know how to quantify them in younger years.
 

Ezra

Luctor et emergo
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I think what makes me feel so deficient is the emphasis that is placed on ENTJs being "natural leaders" who blend effortlessly into a corporate environment, and who have a very powerful drive for life. I think I have all three of these things, but for some reason my life doesn't feel like it's materialising the way it should be. When I was young, I would lead wherever I could - I enjoyed being responsible for mass water or snowball fights and then when it wasn't hot or cold enough, sticks and stones. However, as I grew up this tendency gradually disappeared. In school, stronger kids took the lead, and I lost any real natural charisma of a leader. I don't know why. Likewise, in the Officers Training Corps the environment was very similar to school - lots of sheep who wanted to be led by the physically strong. I'm not weak, but I'm not very tough or very well built physically.

As for corporate environments, I feel as if I'm making very little progress in securing myself a corporate job for September 2010, and I want to know why this is. I applied for law school, and hopefully I'll get accepted, but if I don't, I know I will think myself unworthy for any corporate position, which will make me doubt further that I am an ENTJ (even though I am definitely an ENTJ using MBTI and no other type fits well in terms of description).

My drive for life has always been evident in the way I think and speak (especially about my ambitions I'm incredibly forceful), but unfortunately not always in the way I act. As Fabio says, I'm experiencing typical third year doubts, and I know I can achieve academically if I set my mind to it, because I did it with my A Levels. And I have done a moderate amount of stuff in the past to ensure that I have a future career, but until I secure it - until I get a training contract with at least a medium-sized law firm - I feel professionally incompetent; thus I remain frustrated with why as an ENTJ, who is allegedly a natural leader with a high drive for life, not to mention a naturally corporate individual, I cannot secure a job. This is the heart of the issue.
 

FDG

pathwise dependent
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Eh, why do you care about work so much. It's not everything.
 

corey_vann

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Aug 22, 2009
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I recently was thinking (and worrying) that, as an ENTJ, I wasn't reaching my potential. I thought that there must be something wrong with me because I have no urge to run a gigantic corporation or take over the world (ok, I want to take over the world, but am entirely too lazy to act on it). My primary goal in life is to be hassled as little as possible and have enough cash to not owe anybody anything and be able to do as much of what I want to do as possible. That's why I started this thread ot see what other ENTJs thought about it: http://www.typologycentral.com/forums/nt-rationale/26601-what-do-entjs-do-their-lives.html
What was a relief to me was that many of the other posters have the same goal in life that I do. We can't all be Bill Gates, and it's unreasonable and unfair to go through life with that expectation for ourselves. You seem to be letting other people define who you should be. CUT THAT OUT! You'll only make yourself miserable if you spend your life trying to live up to other people's (and you own) unrealistic expectations.
 

DiscoBiscuit

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Apr 13, 2009
Messages
14,794
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Don't get too wrapped up in what you should be doing.

Worry about what you want to do instead. :yes:
 

Timeless

Playnerd
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Sep 7, 2009
Messages
896
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7
Don't get too wrapped up in what you should be doing.

Worry about what you want to do instead. :yes:
Pretty much.

To the OP, I'd ask you this:

If you felt your death imminent and had 1 week to live, what would you be doing then? Would it be the same or something different?

;)
 

Ezra

Luctor et emergo
Joined
Dec 12, 2007
Messages
534
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sp/sx
Pretty much.

To the OP, I'd ask you this:

If you felt your death imminent and had 1 week to live, what would you be doing then? Would it be the same or something different?

;)

Probably the same, ahaha. I like nothing more than to just sit and play games, listen to music and watch films. I'd walk more I think though, I love the countryside and haven't been on a walk for ages! I'd get a loan out tomorrow and travel the world in a week, particularly to climates similar to the UK, but with better natural landscapes, like north America.

Yeah so basically travel in order to walk. I find it really enjoyable.
 

Jaguar

Active member
Joined
May 5, 2007
Messages
20,647
I think what makes me feel so deficient is the emphasis that is placed on ENTJs being "natural leaders" who blend effortlessly into a corporate environment, and who have a very powerful drive for life. I think I have all three of these things, but for some reason my life doesn't feel like it's materialising the way it should be. When I was young, I would lead wherever I could - I enjoyed being responsible for mass water or snowball fights and then when it wasn't hot or cold enough, sticks and stones. However, as I grew up this tendency gradually disappeared. In school, stronger kids took the lead, and I lost any real natural charisma of a leader. I don't know why. Likewise, in the Officers Training Corps the environment was very similar to school - lots of sheep who wanted to be led by the physically strong. I'm not weak, but I'm not very tough or very well built physically.

As for corporate environments, I feel as if I'm making very little progress in securing myself a corporate job for September 2010, and I want to know why this is. I applied for law school, and hopefully I'll get accepted, but if I don't, I know I will think myself unworthy for any corporate position, which will make me doubt further that I am an ENTJ (even though I am definitely an ENTJ using MBTI and no other type fits well in terms of description).

My drive for life has always been evident in the way I think and speak (especially about my ambitions I'm incredibly forceful), but unfortunately not always in the way I act. As Fabio says, I'm experiencing typical third year doubts, and I know I can achieve academically if I set my mind to it, because I did it with my A Levels. And I have done a moderate amount of stuff in the past to ensure that I have a future career, but until I secure it - until I get a training contract with at least a medium-sized law firm - I feel professionally incompetent; thus I remain frustrated with why as an ENTJ, who is allegedly a natural leader with a high drive for life, not to mention a naturally corporate individual, I cannot secure a job. This is the heart of the issue.


There are no 4 letters in the alphabet that will spell the word: passion.
Not even ENTJ.

Passion is a fire that burns within you and drives you on, no matter what.
It can live and breathe inside anyone.

Stop feeling sorry for yourself.

Get out a piece of paper and start writing what make you feel alive inside.
And if the law is not on that list, then you have no business going to law school.
Jobs don't make people confident, and certainly not competent.
You have it backwards.

Being confident and competent is sewn into the fabric of who we are as individuals.
It doesn't get handed to us for being a member of a group.
 
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