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[ISTP] ISTP's as auto mechanics

ChocolateMoose123

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Oct 4, 2008
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5,278
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sx/sp
My best friend is an ESTP and he's worked as a mechanic. The best mechanic I know is an INFJ. I'm in awe of him, honestly.

I think the best mechanics have a sense of organization. Regardless of type. There is natural aptitude in mechanics but all that is worthless if you aren't thorough in the details. I've seen people who are naturals yet they mess things up because they're too impatient or want to take short cuts. It baffles me.
They end up messing the job up over the easiest stuff. I've had to fix some of their problems so I know. They are great at diagnosis but crap at implementing the solution.

Point blank: If you can think in a linear manner, are good at understanding principles, cause and effect and applying that to real life scenarios, follow directions and be thorough then you can be a pretty decent mechanic.
 
Joined
Feb 4, 2009
Messages
580
MBTI Type
INFJ
Enneagram
4w5
My best friend is an ESTP and he's worked as a mechanic. The best mechanic I know is an INFJ. I'm in awe of him, honestly.

I think the best mechanics have a sense of organization. Regardless of type. There is natural aptitude in mechanics but all that is worthless if you aren't thorough in the details. I've seen people who are naturals yet they mess things up because they're too impatient or want to take short cuts. It baffles me.
They end up messing the job up over the easiest stuff. I've had to fix some of their problems so I know. They are great at diagnosis but crap at implementing the solution.

Point blank: If you can think in a linear manner, are good at understanding principles, cause and effect and applying that to real life scenarios, follow directions and be thorough then you can be a pretty decent mechanic.

It's so cool that the best mechanic you know is an INFJ! Would you mind sharing your thoughts about what makes this INFJ a really good mechanic? :)
 

ChocolateMoose123

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Just had a real easy way about him. He never looked like he was struggling with anything and I saw him do some pretty difficult things. If you asked him how something worked he could explain it to you very easily. Meaning: he could take complicated jargon and say it in plain English.
 

Bamboo

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Jan 28, 2009
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2,689
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XXFP
They are great at diagnosis but crap at implementing the solution.

Point blank: If you can think in a linear manner, are good at understanding principles, cause and effect and applying that to real life scenarios, follow directions and be thorough then you can be a pretty decent mechanic.

I'd agree.

To expand on this, if you can imagine how you are going to approach a situation and then enact it you save time, effort, and energy. At the basic level: if you know you'll need a certain tool you'll put it on the tray next to you so when the time comes it's right there and you don't have to go searching around for it later, or if you have to remove something with liquid in it you have a catch pan down or nearby already so when the time comes there isn't goop all over the floor.

Or starting the job that requires a chemical to dry/harden before doing another job so that the time you'd otherwise spend "watching paint dry" can be productive.

At more complex levels, understanding which components you can remove/place in which order will make the job faster and easier - this also comes with experience.

And if you're impatient, you either do it nice or do it twice, and clearly that takes time (and money).


No type really has a hold on these traits. If I were to say anything type related I'd say ISTP tends to have the physical aspect down (spatial reasoning), but having it together and getting it done tends to separate productive from non-productive in all types across all fields.
 

ChocolateMoose123

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I'd agree.

To expand on this, if you can imagine how you are going to approach a situation and then enact it you save time, effort, and energy. At the basic level: if you know you'll need a certain tool you'll put it on the tray next to you so when the time comes it's right there and you don't have to go searching around for it later, or if you have to remove something with liquid in it you have a catch pan down or nearby already so when the time comes there isn't goop all over the floor.

Or starting the job that requires a chemical to dry/harden before doing another job so that the time you'd otherwise spend "watching paint dry" can be productive.

At more complex levels, understanding which components you can remove/place in which order will make the job faster and easier - this also comes with experience.

I don't know about you but I get a kick doing stuff like this to make the job faster. It's sort of like a race against yourself. I love not stopping through a job. :happy2:
 

Flicker

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Jun 12, 2011
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8
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ISTP
Thanks for the replies. All this rings true with the ISTP's I have known in my life. I remember one friend working on my car and kind of changing the way it was originally. I was like, "Wait. If it came that way, then obviously we don't want to change that, right?" He said something like, "Trust me. You're better off the way it is now." He could fix a lot of things - very impressive. What I didn't like sometimes is that everything he owned was "jerry rigged" in some way. He couldn't just buy something new and leave it alone. LOL.

Anyways, another question. Do you guys "perform" better when you are alone? I know this is true for most INTP's. When I'm analyzing things on my own, things seem crystal clear. When I've got others breathing down my neck and asking all kinds of questions, I lose my focus. Reason I ask is that the mechanics I know are all really cool guys, but they kind of give off the vibe that they want to be left alone a lot. I know that they're OK with me and I'm OK with them, but they'll sometimes say something like, "I don't know. Go in the office and ask Bill. He'll let you know everything you need to know." I kind of see myself in them. You can talk to them for a short bit, but if they're under the hood or even at home working on something, better to just leave them alone.

Yes we do. Being alone gives us time to think of a plan on what ever we are working on without interuptions or distractions. Don't take it personal. We just rather be doing what we love than explaining on how to do it.
 
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