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[SP] SPs and new experiences

StephMC

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So I feel like this is something I should know, but I took the test at Thomson-Maidenbaum Personality Inventory
to discover that the test marked up "trying new things" as iNtuitive and sticking to what you know as sensing. I'm an ISTP, but I -love- new experiences. So I kind of marked that up as SPs being "the experiencer." Then I realized.. I know plenty of SPs and they -do- tend to like to stick to the familiar.... ESTPs and ESFPs in particular seem to be this way. ISFPs seem in between. What do y'all think? Maybe I'm more an IXTP? Hm.
 

Walking Tourist

it's tea time!
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I love to try new things, especially food! But there is some comfort in familiar things. I guess that I am in between. I want something new and something old. I like to travel and see new sights sometimes and I also like to stay at home and relax in familiar surroundings.
It is all good.
 

phoenity

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Trying new things is fun, in a way. But doing old things is much more fun because I like improving my skills in them :)

The way I see it, I don't like my interests too varied and broad. It doesn't allow for enough specialization which is what ultimately determines my enjoyment of an activity.
 

StephMC

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Hm.. yeah, that makes a bit more sense. I do like "specializing" in something. But I often get into an explore mode where I want to travel to new places and see new things, try new food... Once I get out of my comfort zone and with other people, I'm more likely to push the limits. On vacation with my ENFP sister is a great example. It all depends on who I'm with, I guess. If I'm left by myself, and "recharging", I focus on things I'm familiar with.
 

SolitaryPenguin

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I tend to get a new interest, then learn every possible thing I can about it until I am comfortable with it, then move on to the next interest. I have no real desire to specialize in one thing. I want to be decent at everything, not really good at one or two things.

Experiences fuel my flux capacitor.
 

phoenity

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I tend to get a new interest, then learn every possible thing I can about it until I am comfortable with it, then move on to the next interest. I have no real desire to specialize in one thing. I want to be decent at everything, not really good at one or two things.

Experiences fuel my flux capacitor.

Isn't that, in a sense, specialization? It's certainly past the point of vague interest, but no need to go into semantics... :)

I want to be really good at only one or two things, and I also have a desire to be good at everything I bother spending my time doing, which requires me to dedicate a lot of time to learn about them before I'm comfortable with it to move on to something else.

That's not to say I don't enjoy trying lots of new things. It's just that I enjoy spending the majority of my time learning about an activity and developing a skill.

There's only so much time in the day!

A lot of the things I enjoy doing, require investments in equipment in order to participate in an activity. Unfortunately, I can only buy so many toys...
 

SolitaryPenguin

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I suppose that is a sort of specialization, but not to the extent that I'd want to do it forever. The time is the one pain in the ass about the whole thing. So many times I end up wishing there were a couple more hours in a day or days in a year.
 

Walking Tourist

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I just took that test and got ESFP.
ESFP

E 8 I 6
S 9 N 5
T 2 F 12
P 12 J 2
Interesting test.
Yes, I like new experiences and, yes, I like to perfect my skills so I like to do familiar things, too. I tend to be very scattered, though, and easily distracted.
 

Jeffster

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Yeah, I hate the way most tests make creativity and innovation out to be an "N" thing and the "S" thing is just status quo or living in the past. I think it's the reason a lot of SPs test as N's, because they quite rightly answer that they want to do things in new ways and not just do stuff the way it's always been done.
 

StephMC

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Yeah, I hate the way most tests make creativity and innovation out to be an "N" thing and the "S" thing is just status quo or living in the past. I think it's the reason a lot of SPs test as N's, because they quite rightly answer that they want to do things in new ways and not just do stuff the way it's always been done.

Yeah.. it is kinda silly. I know several people that at first tested Ns, but when I realized... hey, that means I know like 1 other S for 10 different Ns. My ESFJ mom thought she was an N at first. I still have a lot of Ns that are really close to me, so I'm pretty confident I can spot an NF and NT anywhere by now (ESPECIALLY the NFs...As much as I love all the Ns in my life... they can sometimes make my head hurt. Although the NTPs much less so. I relate to them a lot more.)

Anyways, so yeah, I have quite a few Ns in my life, and what's funny is that it's sometimes a toss up as to who's more willing to try something new. My ENFJ brother hates being out of his comfort zone. I'm not sure about my INTJ dad and brother, but they don't really seem to have a preference. My ENFP sister has weird phases where sometimes she does and sometimes she doesn't (Except for food... she's super picky and hates trying new things). Then again, I have another ENFP friend that I call my "Adventure Pal." The ENTJ and INTP both seem pretty intrigued with new things, too

Well, I'm rambling, but I'm guessing (Disclaimer: I haven't thought about this until just now, so correct me if I'm wrong) that NTs try new things to figure out new ways of thinking or doing things, NFs do a similar thing except that they apply it more to a relational perspective, and for me... Well... I try new experiences just for the sake of a new experience. Basically, they like new things to apply the experience in another area of life, whereas, while I'm absorbing info no matter where I'm going, I do things just to do them. No ulterior motives included.
 

"?"

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Welcome to the forum Steph. To answer your question, I would say that ISTPs are more notorious for limiting their experiences not based on Se, but as Ti dominant ITPs in general tend to do what they feel comforable with. The greater the Ti, the less Ne/Se (novelty/variety).
 

TheAdaptableUser

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Hmmm. Trying new things is definetly a worthwhile experience. However, I like to have a balance of both in my life. Majority of the time I like consistent activities, and I enjoy just being comfortable.
 

maliafee

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I love trying new things, but let's say I am going to my favorite Mexican place -- I will always order the same thing. It's not because I am afraid of new dishes, it's because I don't wanna MISS my favorite thing there.

ISFPs (or at least this one) seem to have a major penchant for pleasure and enjoying things, so sometimes sticking with the same things as far as what they prefer to do and eat and how to spend their time is a way to guarantee that fun and enjoyment.

But ask them to go travel to a new place, or try a new activity, and typically they're totally into it!

Also, I've noticed as some ISFPs get older, they get even more immersed in their habits, maybe to avoid strenuousness in having to search for a good time. My ISFP dad always golfs on Saturday and plays basketball three times a week. If he misses it, he feels he's missing out on his FUN. It's not that he wants to keep a tight schedule, it is that his proven source of fun is easily realized through his habits; it takes no effort to find the fun.
 

"?"

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Hmmm. Trying new things is definetly a worthwhile experience. However, I like to have a balance of both in my life. Majority of the time I like consistent activities, and I enjoy just being comfortable.
Agreed. I would not try something new just for it's own sake unless it appealed to me. Interestingly it goes for food as well. When at a new restaurant, I generally go with something that I have a taste for (which usually means something that I eat generally). I have a plethora of things that I would probabaly experience if I had the time and spare income.
 

Bullitt

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I tend to get a new interest, then learn every possible thing I can about it until I am comfortable with it, then move on to the next interest. I have no real desire to specialize in one thing. I want to be decent at everything, not really good at one or two things.

Experiences fuel my flux capacitor.

I am the same. Some years ago it was photography, now it is this MBTi thing :D
 

"?"

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I am the same. Some years ago it was photography, now it is this MBTi thing :D
I think that is indicative of any extraverted type, especially extraverted perceiving types. The problem is that most EPs don't stick around long enough to see the true rewards.
I'm an ISTP, but I -love- new experiences. So I kind of marked that up as SPs being "the experiencer." Then I realized.. I know plenty of SPs and they -do- tend to like to stick to the familiar.... ESTPs and ESFPs in particular seem to be this way. ISFPs seem in between. What do y'all think? Maybe I'm more an IXTP? Hm.
Many test questions can be ambivalent. I don’t see STPs enjoying new experiences any less than their NTP counterparts. Sometimes questions should state the obvious for S/N purposes. STPs don’t like change for it’s own sake, whereas NTPs do. As agreed by most here, making changes because you can makes no sense, but seeking new experiences is possible. I am curious about something, and the fact that you have not returned to respond to this thread may confirm my thoughts, is your E/I close? As I stated, the Ti dominance of ISTPs will most likely limit the experiences for this type. Hence Marina Margaret Heiss’ comment from the typelogic description,
Like their fellow SPs, ISTPs are fundamentally Performers (note the capital 'P' :)), but…..unlike most ESPs they do not present an impression of constant activity. On the contrary, they lie dormant, saving their energy until a project or an adventure worthy of their time comes along--and then they launch themselves at it.
 

StephMC

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Sorry, I was forced to study for all my midterms these past week or so (I have to learn all the material at the last minute because I suck about going to class :D). But yeah, I suppose my E/I are close. I can be social when I want to be, but it's not always comfortable to me, and by no means comes naturally. And if I don't get my alone time, I'm miserable and moody. But that last quote probably describes my entire outlook on life. If I could make a living from spending time on all my interests (travel, drawing, reading, etc)... I would. But as a college student, I can't. Thus I'm lazy.
 

Bamboo

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Am I open to new experiences? Certainly. In the past two weeks (randomly selected time period), have I really done anything new? From one perspective...not really.

Pretty much all of the activities I have done in the past two weeks, whether work, recreation, or those other times, have been variations of what is essentially the same thing.

Gone to the bookstore/cafe, read books, studied, trail running, biking, garage time, job 1, job 2, job 3, hanging out, occasional movie, target practice. That's about it.

I've developed some new interests I suppose, but the amount of "new" things I've done lately, as I would describe them above, is somewhat limited.

However, my view is that every time I do one of those activities, it's different. It's the little changes that make each "repetition" unique and interesting. It hasn't been boring.

Four conclusions:
- What's "new" is hard to define.
- An openness to new activities doesn't equal participation in new activities.
- "Repeating" an old activity doesn't actually happen. Every time you do it it's different and you are as well.
- I need to stir things up. :D Why not.

So, have YOU done anything new in the last two weeks?
 

millerm277

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I am somewhat open to new experiences...on my terms. When I want to do something, I'll go right out and start doing/trying whatever new thing is of interest to me. However, I'm not one who will "do anything once", just to try it.
 
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