"The only difference between genius and insanity is success"
Why should the world take the NT intellectual as seriously as they take themselves? Use objective, real-world (sensor) benchmarks.
You're asking why Sensors should take NTs as seriously as NTs take themselves?
They shouldn't, and they won't. If they did, they'd be Ns themselves. They naturally evaluate according to S-oriented criteria, so the advantages of being N to them don't seem as good as the advantages of being S.
You're asking for an explanation of the value of NT types in S terms, which is impossible. You've already defined the answer with the way you set up the premise.
If you want to understand the value in NTs, you need to think in NT terms, not insist that we explain ourselves to you in S terms.
Thing is about being an NT is that you know you could be doing a lot more a lot better. I know myself seeing what perfection could be makes me see how I am not there.
Striving to do better and reach toward perfection doesn't really have anything to do with type. That's not a uniquely NT property.
Your continual insistence on appearing NT is a manifestation of dominant Se's desire to make an impact and gain the respect of others by being a reflection of whatever traits the surrounding culture considers interesting, impressive, and worthy of attention and admiration. On this forum, it's cool to be NT, so Se motivates you to try and appear that way, to a much greater degree than you consciously realize.
Some people say fuck it that isn't what they are about anyway, some people (like myself) just keep working harder or trying to find new ways.
"Just keep going at it, stay active and keep finding new ways of doing whatever seems to make the biggest impact at the time" = ESTP mantra. (Te, on the other hand, would lead us more toward forming a step-by-step plan and knowing exactly how everything is going to go before we actively engage ourselves.)
Constantly staying active, scanning for and adapting instinctively to new opportunities as they unfold is characteristically ExxP.