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Who and what limits your "type strength"?

Ghost of the dead horse

filling some space
Joined
Sep 7, 2007
Messages
3,553
MBTI Type
ENTJ
I've always been suspicious about the ENTJ strength, leadership and such. There are many ways how it is practically limited, although I can see it there.

So I'll share what limits my "type abilities", and I'm glad they do.

First of all: many people in the circles I belong to have a much more established career or presence in there, due to long work in the area, making me a no contender at all for the "leadership" title. I'm thinking of FJ while I wrote this. I'm thinking of some volunteer work groups I belong to.

Then there's some deep academic groups. Okay, my intellect and know-how can be notable outside some of those groups; but, I haven't gone far enough, deep enough in there, so I can't be an intellectual leader in such areas.

Just to give an idea where I excel at, well, I guess that's kind of underground work. Work under some system, opposed or independent of that system. I guess I'm an opinion leader in my social settings, working in the opposite, and at other times, working in the mainstream.

Social leader? No. Many people are more usual, everyday people who really feel much more about everyone, and they're more practically involved with everything. They know the fun places, people, etc.. I'm not a leader of the most fun people, socially, but perhaps a good name with the wise people in my social groups. A leader perhaps, but not The leader.

So in short, I find my ENTJ-powers quite limited. My leadership is limited to being an opinion leader with my social groups, and even not The leader.

So, what's your story? Name your "type power" and do you have it or not, and how it works for you.

Most of all, what limits you from exercising that power?
 

nightning

ish red no longer *sad*
Joined
Apr 23, 2007
Messages
3,741
MBTI Type
INfj
Side comments about leadership
Leadership doesn't need to be so strictly defined as the "figurehead" of the group. It can be defined subtly as somebody that knows how to make the team work well together. You don't need to be in the overt leadership position to do that. The advisor or the subtle influencer does just as good a job. Of course, those roles don't come with the concrete ego boost you get from being the official leader. :alttongue:
 

maliafee

Active member
Joined
Feb 10, 2009
Messages
1,127
ENTJ's may not know they have the force they have. When you're around them, they "feel" in charge to you.
 

Ghost of the dead horse

filling some space
Joined
Sep 7, 2007
Messages
3,553
MBTI Type
ENTJ
Side comments about leadership
Leadership doesn't need to be so strictly defined as the "figurehead" of the group. It can be defined subtly as somebody that knows how to make the team work well together. You don't need to be in the overt leadership position to do that. The advisor or the subtle influencer does just as good a job. Of course, those roles don't come with the concrete ego boost you get from being the official leader. :alttongue:
No they don't :devil:

I guess the type representations are made to give an idea of the type, and I can see why ENTJ might be called the fieldmarshal, but I just see how they can't be the fieldmarshal in everything they choose to be. Just saying.
ENTJ's may not know they have the force they have. When you're around them, they "feel" in charge to you.
I guess I might do some of that, but I'm just feeling I'm being treated fairly in return. That's all. Not like anyone's submitting to my authority or anything :D Okay, someone, to be honest. But I tell them to be more independent and to stand up for themselves.

What do you feel your type excels at?

Do you feel like living to your maximum potential in that, and if not, what and where are your limits?
 

Venom

Babylon Candle
Joined
Feb 10, 2008
Messages
2,126
MBTI Type
INTJ
Enneagram
1w9
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
I've always been suspicious about the ENTJ strength, leadership and such. There are many ways how it is practically limited, although I can see it there.

So I'll share what limits my "type abilities", and I'm glad they do.

First of all: many people in the circles I belong to have a much more established career or presence in there, due to long work in the area, making me a no contender at all for the "leadership" title. I'm thinking of FJ while I wrote this. I'm thinking of some volunteer work groups I belong to.

Then there's some deep academic groups. Okay, my intellect and know-how can be notable outside some of those groups; but, I haven't gone far enough, deep enough in there, so I can't be an intellectual leader in such areas.

Just to give an idea where I excel at, well, I guess that's kind of underground work. Work under some system, opposed or independent of that system. I guess I'm an opinion leader in my social settings, working in the opposite, and at other times, working in the mainstream.

Social leader? No. Many people are more usual, everyday people who really feel much more about everyone, and they're more practically involved with everything. They know the fun places, people, etc.. I'm not a leader of the most fun people, socially, but perhaps a good name with the wise people in my social groups. A leader perhaps, but not The leader.

So in short, I find my ENTJ-powers quite limited. My leadership is limited to being an opinion leader with my social groups, and even not The leader.

So, what's your story? Name your "type power" and do you have it or not, and how it works for you.

Most of all, what limits you from exercising that power?

I 110% agree with you. I think the ENTJ type was a big leader ship type back in the day of the corporate cliche, the honor of being a military man, ie patriarchail society.

Women are supposed to run society from a biological perspective seeing as they are the choosier sex. Most likely their was a food shortage, that created a chimp like society where the men ran shit because there wasnt enough food for women to band together --years of sexual selection-->the patriarchail society we've had for a long time --suddenly stuff is plentiful--> now we are entering the bonobo phase, where women run shit.

basically, the ENTJ is no longer needed to run shit. In fact, i think its more that people dont even want the ENTJ in charge. In the matriarch, the XXFJs run shit.

ENTJ's may not know they have the force they have. When you're around them, they "feel" in charge to you.

exactly goes with my point about people dont even want ENTJs to run shit, even if they are highly capable. It used to be aggressive pusuit of goals, intensity and getting shit done made you capable, now it makes you "too scary".
 

Ghost of the dead horse

filling some space
Joined
Sep 7, 2007
Messages
3,553
MBTI Type
ENTJ
basically, the ENTJ is no longer needed to run shit. In fact, i think its more that people dont even want the ENTJ in charge. In the matriarch, the XXFJs run shit.

exactly goes with my point about people dont even want ENTJs to run shit, even if they are highly capable. It used to be aggressive pusuit of goals, intensity and getting shit done made you capable, now it makes you "too scary".
That pretty much sums it up. The production levels in this society are high enough already, with most of the serious issues being about style, manner and other issues of opinion, rather than something being measured objectively. The wonders of the modern science have already done most of their things, as have the increased production levels. The big issue of today is, who's benefiting from it? That's the question that few dared to ask before the financial crisis. People are backing up their ideas of the making and distribution of wealth by humanistic considerations.

People are mostly fighting about whom shall have the right for what, how should some people's interest be presented, etc.. it's more of an area for value leading. The message of humanism appeals, it draws people.. it paves the way for emergent leadership, or that of the charismatic.

The law, as well as the formal structures, manage to govern the smaller issues, like physically stealing from the bank. Insuring your car. The larger, as in, is it good to make the Chinese work grossly overtime per low payment and neglect of local law, if the blame can be denied, now that's a matter of value judgement - and it's not being governed nearly as strictly. The bad word about it spreads fast, though. Everyone has an idea of it. Still, it might be that no-one can put a strict judgment of that into effect. One will get protested about that, disliked, and such. So.

Stories of corporate unfairness move consumers faster than a dozen marketing campaigns. Stories of practical things.. are they moving people? Yeah, but they've moved for an eternity already, and they are doing it all the time. Practical information, history, science, etc is available to us in an unprecedented manner. Libraries, internet.. you name it. But, it's found a saturation point from people unable to use it, uncaring about it, or with other issues. Besides, with everyone-for-themselves-mentality, there are few undiscovered truths that haven't been handled already, or ones that aren't being lied about. So I guess people are seeing hope in humanism right now. I guess it ebbs and flows in historical time periods, perhaps longer than a generation. Perhaps longer than a lifetime.

So I'd say T can and will put their power into effect in this world more effectively, on average, whereas F will get more popular support. Or, it depends.

F is not just feel-good, do-good, tho I just covered that aspect now; it's good that T and F forces balance each other in the power struggle of men and women.

Now who made me write this long? Babylon, you're a devil for inspiring my imagination so :D
 

King sns

New member
Joined
Nov 4, 2008
Messages
6,714
MBTI Type
enfp
Enneagram
6w7
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
This entire society is bad for my type.
 

King sns

New member
Joined
Nov 4, 2008
Messages
6,714
MBTI Type
enfp
Enneagram
6w7
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
There is always the possibility of instant gratification. Anything we want. Drugs, alcohol, sex, parties. Its a really good setup to put your average sfp in a fast downward spiral. Theres little room for growth when we have all of this temptation going on around us. Its difficult to move forward with so many distr-

hey! look! fireworks!
 

CJ99

Is Willard in Footloose!!
Joined
Jan 5, 2009
Messages
582
MBTI Type
ENTP
hmm Limits and strengths of an eNTP.

Strengths are the easy bit. We can improvise amazingly and can meet a lot of "useful people" as i think we have a way of attracting interesting people and interesting people are often useful people.

Weaknesses. When i think about it loads. eNTP are never going to fit in society because we just don't want to. Yet society has this thing were they think it would be great if we would calm down a bit and fit in and just use our wackiness when its useful; but it just doesn't work that way because if you contain your Ne you start going INTP and then its harder to pull out when society needs it.
Our limit is clearly our inability to get on with things and actual set a goal and stick with it. The dreams that make our minds so useful also cloud them so they are often useless.

I think society is getting better for eNTPs though as we are generally becoming more open and accepting and more trusting of ideas! then again with PC on the unrise maybe its not getting better!

Maybe all that was a load of shit i don't know i'm just saying what i think!
 

Ghost of the dead horse

filling some space
Joined
Sep 7, 2007
Messages
3,553
MBTI Type
ENTJ
Hm, I can feel how it works for ENTP. I've seen the desire to standardize that kind of behavior, but.. true, it doesn't work quite that way. There has to be some excitement, some discord to feed the Ne with all the info.. but, there's the temptation to give in to the norms more.. finding the fine line of enjoying one's unrestricted creativity and being "regular" enough for the more stability-seeking individuals to understand.

I can get where you're coming from, short.

Uhh, I'm again in TypoC at 3:30 am! G'night, yall :D
 

Apollanaut

Senior Mugwump
Joined
Aug 27, 2008
Messages
550
MBTI Type
INFJ
Enneagram
9w1
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
Excellent question. You obviously have a clear understanding of your strengths and abilities, and are in a situation which is preventing you from using them to their full potential. This is very frustrating, as I know from personal experience.

Even within specific MBTI types, we can only develop some of the abilities and strengths associated with our preferred type functions. Each function covers a very broad range of cognitive and behavioural abilities. It would be an unusual person who is able to devote the time and energy necessary to develop every aspect of, say, Extraverted Thinking. Real life circumstances mean that most people only get to develop a limited number of type-related skills and abilities (or in some cases, none).

In other words, each of the 16 types only gets to specialise in some aspects of their natural type preferences. This goes a long way to explaining the obvious and somewhat bewildering differences between people of the same type. As we get older, it often become possible to expand our horizons and begin to explore undeveloped aspects of our type.

I have a good awareness of my own strengths and weaknesses. In many ways, I am a typical INFJ. My dominant Ni is a constant presence in my life - it bombards me with insights, visions, commentaries, ideas and random tidbits on a variety of subjects. At its best, it gives me a glimpse of future possibilities with astounding clarity and accuracy.

However, it is not a function that is commonly understood or accepted by our society, so I am forced to keep most of my insights and ideas locked away inside, until I can find some way of explaining them in a way which makes sense to others, or proving their validity by some practical application.

Ni in conjunction with my auxiliary Fe, gives me extraordinary insights into the deep psychological forces which motivate or frustrate or confuse other people. If I am given permission, I am able to use this insight to help others truly understand themselves and to suggest how they can tap into their inner resources to solve problems or make new choices.

Once again, in my daily life it is neither appropriate nor possible for me to share this knowledge with those who could most benefit from some sympathetic understanding and advice.

So my basic INFJ strengths and talents - the things that really define me and make me feel worthwhile and even powerful - remain hidden and supressed most of the time.

One reason why I love this forum so much is because it gives me an outlet for expressing my true self and sharing my insights and off-the-wall intuitions with like-minded people.

As for your own situation; I have a suggestion for you. When we feel "stuck" in a situation, it means our dominant function approach is not working and we need to try something different. For alll types, the best way to do this is to turn to our auxiliary function. For you, as an ENTJ, this is Ni. Instead of using logic or analysis or any other Te-based approach, you will be better served by giving free rein to your Ni to dream up new alternatives and possiblities. There are many ways to do this, but they all require you to take some quiet time out so that Ni can work without distractions.

To gain insights from Ni you might try some or all of the following:

Pay attention to your dreams. Keep a dream journal so that you can remember them.
Sit quietly and allow your mind to wander. Write down anything which may be significant.
Take a blank piece of paper and write down whatever comes to mind. Do not censor or analyse the words until later.
Meditate, in whatever way appeals to you.
If you have an internal dialogue, use it to ask questions of yourself. We all have a variety of internal sub-personalities that perform different functions within our psyche. If asked politely, they may present themselves to you as an image or speak in a different voice. Ask for help and advice from these characters.

In particular, you want to seek some feedback and advice on the nature of your dominant Te function.

These are the sort of questions I would recommend:

Fow what reasons does your Te function seem to be limited?
Do you truly wish to develop your leadership potential?
Which other arenas might be better suited to your talents and skills?

I hope you don't mind my slip into "counselling mode", but as I said above, this is the sort of thing that I feel really allows me to express my own INFJ strengths.
 

Ghost of the dead horse

filling some space
Joined
Sep 7, 2007
Messages
3,553
MBTI Type
ENTJ
No, you're quite right; I've found my quiet time exceptionally insightful, perhaps because it is so rare. Even my free time is too attached to reality and doing to count as meditation or anything of the kind.

First I thought, how I'm frustrated? But yes, I've had a passing feeling of something of the kind. Yet, I'm more sorry for my passed opportunities at engineering than leadership, though, as I haven't realistically considered myself for the latter jobs until last year, and I'm only considering them few years from now.

But, the advice is good: Perhaps a person can find an alternate route to their goals with more of a broad thinking and the improved use of multiple functions. Less narrow-sightedness and happier life too, possibly. It's funny to see I practically forget using Ni.

I've kept a diary and a personal plan in the past, but I stopped the practice when I got well and more busy with my life. I've thought of restarting the practice in some form.

So, thanks for the advice.

AH, do I want to develop my leadership potential? Yes, really. I've discussed this with a career advisor 2 years ago who noticed the trait in me. I'll aim to lead some small IT department in a few years, and perhaps random IT projects now and then, so yes I'm seriously trying to advance in that regard. My first move is to get the required know-how for my profession, though. I've been away from the IT sector for a few years, so I gotta catch back what I've missed. Will take a year or two.

As for INFJ?

As for being limited in providing personal insights, I guess the social norms for privacy limit the use of that. Moreover, anyone's communication is supposed to be taken for what it is, per norm. It's limiting the use of Ni-Fe insights to providing information for oneself, as opposed to communicating about such insights to others. Because of the small chance of error, and the untransferrability of the insights - thanks to the large S population - one is required to provide evidence.

I can see how councelling works. Hiring manager, career councellor sound good opportunities too. But, as you said, one is not often in the position to choose the best profession for their strengths; so many will be searching the places to freely express what they are, freely do what they desire and just be what they are. Not a bad start for living a life.

I think I find about 98% comfort in using my emergent leadership abilities to lead myself for now. One gotta find satisfaction in what they do in order to persist through the attempt.
 

Domino

ENFJ In Chains
Joined
Nov 5, 2007
Messages
11,429
MBTI Type
eNFJ
Enneagram
4w3
Instinctual Variant
sx/so
Being ENFJ is limiting in the sense that I'm never letting myself go fully at any time. I'm really rather spooked by what I'd be like without restraint. I've seen ENFJs in that state and they SCARE ME. The levels of control, venom and manipulation. *head shake* We're like ENTJs only way meaner and caustic. I like to believe it's because we get tired of caring ALL THE TIME, so when we don't care anymore, it's hell on wheels.

When I was a teenager, I was very angry and frustrated. Being Fe-primary is my weak point of entry - all you have to do is be emotionally brutal and I'll be walking it off for weeks. ENTJs don't seem to have this chink in their body armor.

I feel limited by my need to verify that everyone is all right. "Everyone" *isn't* all right. That's an impossibility.

I feel limited by deep distrust of my physical environment. Ni, to me, is no help there, and you can't "feel" your way through chopping wood or building a skyscraper with Fe.

I feel limited by my stormy weather. My ENTJ gf Athena feels as if she and I are too much to handle. I tell her that's not true while feeling like it could be.
 

lifeintechnicolor

New member
Joined
Apr 14, 2009
Messages
79
MBTI Type
INTP
Enneagram
5w4
ENTP?

Hmm. I would say conformity. We're not like everyone else, but everyone else seems to think we're at their disposal for entertainment purposes. It's difficult to be extroverted and different as well for me sometimes.
 
Joined
Aug 7, 2019
Messages
775
MBTI Type
INTJ
Enneagram
-
So, what's your story?

interesting question. This is my professional story.
(Moved) My Professional Life: Problem, Story, Discussion
My life story is related to my memory. Only when my memory come back, I can literally write them down. And that's the psychological problem that I am facing now. This is a good question. I'll just a add another blog for my memory.
Name your "type power" and do you have it or not, and how it works for you.
It is interesting question.
According to the MBTI, one of My type power is a strategist, but strategizing may not be limited only to my type. What I can tell you is that I do play some strategy game: like classic Chess game, and RTS and "quite addicted" to it. But I can see that other type play also this game. I tend to associate the playing video game that that activitiy must be related to the Fi-Se functions.
According to MBTI, my type are scientist, or may be a "potential scientist", but I doubt that. the Ni-Te expression is theoretical, it is possible to understand science, but I don't think that this type will be good when doing scientific research. It is instead other type like Isabel Briggs Myers (INFP) who is world widely well known with scientific research of MBTI.
I did social scientific research, but I suffered from psychopathic condition: hypersomnia when doing so. Feel free to argue that I could mistype myself.
According to MBTI, My type is a mastermind. Yes, I am interested deeply in Jungian psychology, and have been studying it autodidactly, with any reference that I could find on the net available for free, but it is a long story. If the mind that MBTI means that psychological understanding, it is actually what I am pursuing. But, what I found that it was Carl Jung( INFJ) was a real recognized well known psychologist. To him, I only regard myself as a patient and may be only a student, even though I have never met him personally. Whether or not I am successful in my pursuit is still uncertain.
Sometimes I think, what MBTI say may only be a potential to the type to be as MBTI say. But it could be not yet achieved by the type.
It could only be become an imagination if one very strictly interpreted the MBTI as it is said without willingness to find out struggling with the actual person.
 

Sacrophagus

Mastermind Fieldmarshal
Joined
Jul 11, 2017
Messages
1,702
MBTI Type
ENTJ
Enneagram
854
Hum, limits.


Let's start with a disposition to be rarely flexible. Sometimes it is hard for me to let go of plans I put inside my head to do something else. Luckily, some people have helped me become a little bit elastic due to their nature.

Being grounded in my own reality is something else. I have a vision in my mind I project and execute every step to see it in front of me. I'm rarely satisfied with the status quo, although grateful for my progress.


I don't care about your society. I only do things that align with the way I see my world should be.
The main way I take part in society, or so it seems outwardly, is by showing acumen, leadership, being highly practical, resolute, efficient, and professional in what matters to me. I wouldn't mesh in any other way since I don't give a crap about many things they do or talk about. I'm certainly not missing much.

Given any idea, I'm used to see it from every possible angle for concrete evidence. Only in later years I learned to take calculated risks and trust in my gut more.



...etc.
 

The Cat

Just a Cat who hangs out at the Crossroads
Staff member
Joined
Oct 15, 2016
Messages
23,552
The hand that rocks the cradle once belonged to Hook, you see, but then it got bored and so it joined the Addams Family...
Amadeus was a genius, Beethoven was a dog. The Muppet family Christmas is about a Pig And Frog...
There was a sled named Rosebud and a Citizen named Kane. He rode it till the snow was melting now he's singing in the rain...
 
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