• You are currently viewing our forum as a guest, which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community, you will have access to additional post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), view blogs, respond to polls, upload content, and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free, so please join our community today! Just click here to register. You should turn your Ad Blocker off for this site or certain features may not work properly. If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us by clicking here.

[INFJ] INFJs... scatterbrained?

tenINsFJ

Permabanned
Joined
May 4, 2008
Messages
479
MBTI Type
INFJ
Enneagram
1w9
Are you INFJs scatterbrained? Everyone notices that I'll be always daydreaming and being quite random.

Yesterday, I was home with my mom, and I asked her where our portable dog house was so I could take my dog to the park. She tells me its in the garage. So I walk into the garage, circle it and walk back into the house. I'm walking towards my room and my mom goes "Did you find it?'' And I said "Find what?" She thought I was joking, but I literally walked into the garage with the intent of finding the travel doghouse but ended up not even realizing why I went there in the first place. I just totally lost all train of thought, and that happens quite frequently to me too.

And I lose a lot of stuff like cell phones, misplace my wallet + car keys, leave books behind etc. You guys have these same issues too?
 

Thursday

Earth Exalted
Joined
Mar 14, 2008
Messages
3,960
MBTI Type
ENTJ
Enneagram
8w9
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
not to the same extent, but yes

when i was little (9yrs old)
i would go to the trash can in the kitchen with the intention to pee
 
S

Sniffles

Guest
Yes Im very scatterbrained. I often joke about my mind being stucked on shuffle - randomly going from one thought to another.
 

Eileen

New member
Joined
Apr 19, 2007
Messages
2,179
MBTI Type
INFJ
Enneagram
6?
I can be scatterbrained sometimes - not that often, really. I guess I'm more disorganized. If I have a lot on my mind, I lose stuff because I can't keep it all organized. This is why I tend to be pretty organized on the front end (because I know that I won't be once things get crazy).
 

cafe

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 19, 2007
Messages
9,827
MBTI Type
INFJ
Enneagram
9w1
My kids will not be able to tell the difference when I become senile.
 

Hang

New member
Joined
Jul 1, 2008
Messages
75
MBTI Type
INFJ
I can be scatterbrained sometimes - not that often, really. I guess I'm more disorganized. If I have a lot on my mind, I lose stuff because I can't keep it all organized.


I agree. When I get emotionally unstable I tend to lose things and it gets out of hand. Also I can't help it when thoughts or images flys into my head. I.E I would be going to sleep and the image of random people I've met today, having sex with whoever. I hate it when that happens.
 

Thursday

Earth Exalted
Joined
Mar 14, 2008
Messages
3,960
MBTI Type
ENTJ
Enneagram
8w9
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
I agree. When I get emotionally unstable I tend to lose things and it gets out of hand. Also I can't help it when thoughts or images flys into my head. I.E I would be going to sleep and the image of random people I've met today, having sex with whoever. I hate it when that happens.

infp
infp
 

helen

New member
Joined
Nov 20, 2007
Messages
241
MBTI Type
INFJ
My mom says I'm scatterbrained, but I don't really think so, although I can easily see how she came to that conclusion. :D Really I have no trouble focusing when I want to, it's just I can't focus on everything, so I choose the things I deem most important-- which (sometimes unfortunately) aren't always things like keeping track of my stuff, doing laundry, and paying bills on time. . .

LOL, I have this feeling that I'll snap out of some of the vagueness as life goes on and I acquire more responsibilities. Merely learning how to drive has helped a lot already-- the need for constant alertness and focused attention on something concrete I think has strengthened my Sensing function overall. I also do better when I'm traveling or away from home.
 

cafe

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 19, 2007
Messages
9,827
MBTI Type
INFJ
Enneagram
9w1
Oh, I'm worse when I'm stressed, but I'm always scatterbrained.

Last school year I woke up on the wrong side of the bed or something and I paid for gas, then drove off without pumping it. Was halfway home before I happened to notice the tank gauge was on E. And I've gone to pick my kids up from school in a hurry and discovered that I was wearing a white tennie and a brown loafer. :doh: Those are bad days, but even on good days I have multiple "Now what was I doing?""Why did I come in here?" experiences.
 
S

Sniffles

Guest
Sorry, I just can't help but laugh at all these stories here. I can relate to your experiences so much. :D
 

Aerithria

Senior Thread Terminator
Joined
May 18, 2008
Messages
568
MBTI Type
INTJ
Enneagram
5w4
It might be a dom-Ni thing, as it happens to me as well.

The best example I can think of: once I was intending to get a glass of chocolate milk, but ended up somehow grabbing a bowl and filling that up instead. Also I've attempted to put various things in the refrigerator at one time or another, like a jar of peanut butter and a stuffed animal. All this is the result of a mind that won't stop going off on random tangeants, which tends to make me forget what I'm doing.
 

Hang

New member
Joined
Jul 1, 2008
Messages
75
MBTI Type
INFJ
infp
infp

Yeah some people might look at being disorganize and all over the place as an INFP quality.

I went this over and over in my head before. Because most of us can be extremely emotional, it's likely that we lose our heads and let everything go.

But because I'm like that doesn't mean I'm an INFP. Being a J is not how it's expressed, but it's how we hold ourselves in conversations. How try to hold ourselves together.

And when I get this way an INFP wouldn't obsess over it, they might, only until something else grabs their attention.
I worry over my problems, like I know any of you do. That is what makes me and most of you INFJs.
 

heart

heart on fire
Joined
May 19, 2007
Messages
8,456
Husband leans on me for memory and also for direction when doing chores. He is always saying "Nag at me later to do ------." or "Don't let me forget ------" or "I don't know where to start, point me to a starting place----"

I take it this is because I have Si and Te which he lacks.
 

Siúil a Rúin

when the colors fade
Joined
Apr 23, 2007
Messages
14,037
MBTI Type
ISFP
Enneagram
496
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
When i'm feeling my best i really try to remember everything, but it takes effort. When packing for a trip i start early so i can rethink through everything enough times to remember, although even with that i once forgot my underwear. When I am distracted i get woefully scatterbrained. It takes tremendous effort to remember a small list of details. I rely on lists because my mind will just go blank. I leave milk out, pour sprite on breakfast cereal, forget that i'm driving, hit my head on stuff alot, etc. The worst details are arbitrary ones. If they cannot be reasonably connected to a principle, core concept, or simple line of logic, there is precious little chance it will stay in my brain.
 

Penguin

New member
Joined
Apr 20, 2008
Messages
45
MBTI Type
ENTP
Husband leans on me for memory and also for direction when doing chores. He is always saying "Nag at me later to do ------." or "Don't let me forget ------" or "I don't know where to start, point me to a starting place----"

I take it this is because I have Si and Te which he lacks.

this resonated incredibly well with me, i have an ISTJ friend that helps me to remember things, he always phones me to tell me of the various tests/exams we have that day at school :D

i once cleaned up my shoes, and at the end i got so involved in thought that i put them in the refrigerator :D
 

Angry Ayrab

New member
Joined
Mar 31, 2008
Messages
600
MBTI Type
ENFP
OP put my experience better than I could myself.

Only thing to add, is before I leave the house I know I am forgetting something... ALWAYS... and when I get where I need to be, its like shit, I need my files.

****************************

Anyone remember the saying about losing your man jewels if they weren't packaged on so nicely...
 

cascadeco

New member
Joined
Oct 7, 2007
Messages
9,083
MBTI Type
INFJ
Enneagram
9w1
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
The only thing I can really relate to is walking to another room, and forgetting what I intended to do there.

But other than that, I can't say I'm scatterbrained. I've always been quite on top of things.

(although the distinction is probably that I don't LIKE to deal with details, and your more practical/logistical stuff. So I procrastinate on a lot of that.)
 

wolfmaiden14

*ears perk up*
Joined
Oct 14, 2007
Messages
590
MBTI Type
Infx
Yes. And it drives the people around me crazy, which in turn drives me crazy because they don't understand that it's not something I can change(at least without an unreasonable amount of time and training and at the expense of some of my strengths). ;.; It's gotten me in trouble and gotten me more lectures than I can even count.

Like some of the other stories, I walk somewhere and completely forget why and just stare at the spot for awhile. I've actually found that if I just start naming things that I'm looking at, I'll remember what I wanted. :D I've also spent upwards of twenty minutes just walking back and forth from rooms in the house until I finally remember what I wanted to do.

Also, I forget things a whole lot. Then I remember at inopportune times, and no matter how many times I remind myself, once I can actually do what I wanted, I'll forget again. I once completely forgot to pack my bridesmaid's dress for a wedding in another state.

I've gone to drink out of the ketchup bottle at restaurants more than I care to admit. :blush:

I have ridiculous amounts of trouble prioritizing.

Funny thing is, I can keep track of other people's stuff just fine.
 

Tigerlily

unscannable
Joined
Jun 21, 2007
Messages
5,942
MBTI Type
TIGR
Enneagram
3w4
I'll never admit to such behavior. :nono: You're all :crazy:.
 

Jae Rae

Free-Rangin' Librarian
Joined
Nov 19, 2007
Messages
979
MBTI Type
INFJ
Oh, I'm worse when I'm stressed, but I'm always scatterbrained.

Last school year I woke up on the wrong side of the bed or something and I paid for gas, then drove off without pumping it. Was halfway home before I happened to notice the tank gauge was on E. And I've gone to pick my kids up from school in a hurry and discovered that I was wearing a white tennie and a brown loafer. :doh: Those are bad days, but even on good days I have multiple "Now what was I doing?""Why did I come in here?" experiences.

I loved the senile comment.

I haven't done one shoe different from the other, but can relate to many of these stories, especially putting things in the fridge or cupboard that don't belong there.

My biggest distraction is with restaurant credit cards. First I have to flag the waitress down and ask for the check. She brings it and I put my cc on the tray. She comes again, then returns with the cc slip. Then I have to fill it in, adding the tip and after all that I'm supposed to sign it? I often forget.

Yesterday I left the house to go to the library, the pool and the green grocer. Got to the library and remembered I didn't bring my wallet, hence no library card. I did have money for the pool, so I swam for an hour, then realized I was soaking wet and didn't want to go to the grocer with dripping hair and goosebumps. At least I had a good swim!
 
Top