I am fairly satisfied working in the sewer. My company does flow monitoring, line cleaning, smoke testing, geolocating, inspecting... pretty much anything that has to do with testing or maintaining underground water/sewer utilities. I have to be competent in many skills from general construction and carpentry to electronics programming and repair to pipe fitting, and more recently, wireless communication diagnostics as water and sewer monitoring move into the 'smart cities' arena. While I'm typically able to 'tunnel vision' on my specific task, that task changes from one job to the next so I don't get bored or burnt out over time. I dunno if its a INTP thing, but my unemotional nature makes it lot easier for me to do this work and stay calm in tight, dark spaces with lots of spiders and human waste, which is FAR preferable to jobs where I would have to deal with people instead.

My pre-college career aptitude test identified me as 99% compatible with being a plumber. I called BS, but 20 years later that's pretty close to what I do.

Im an Industrial Machine Prostitute :-) Pay me enough money and I can and will work on any part of any industrial machine. This includes mechanical, electrical, controls, and programming. I have so far found it best to do it as a contractor. That gives me variety and new challenges all the time. Makes for good income, but a REALLY sucky personal life as Im gone most of the time.

My passion is alternative housing and energy systems. So far built a solar system to run my fridge (still fleshing out the complete system with automation), and built my office from a 20 foot shipping container. Both are basically "experimental" to find out what works and what doesnt for a fully off-grid home built with my own hands.

All careers are the devil

So all it took was one spammer to kill this thread? But I digress...

I am a mechanical engineer. I have studied machinery all my life and have invested too much person time into figuring hot how something is made. I have worked in several different functions in a different companies. They were all technically related functions.

Hi!! Just saw your post (sorry, I know it was a while ago) and I totally agree. It makes sense why my last relationship didn't work out - he was an infp and I had no idea until after that his feelings needed to be validated. I just took everything at face value.

All the time. I've been driven to it by activity on the internet. I HATE incomplete thoughts!! Lately, however, Alexa has been jumping into the convo. I was in the middle of kicking a theory about predator behavior around the room and she chirps, "I'll take and burger and fries". What?!?!

When I was, much, younger, I used to have epic conversations that lasted for hours with other (real) people, completely in my head. Mostly the actual conversation I would have liked to have had with that person in reality but that I was just too isolated to have. More recently, possibly due to my being forced to interact more in the real world, that almost never happens. Now I tend to just have a running dialog with myself, giving different viewpoints and playing devils advocate. The only time this is an issue is in public and, tbh, the issue doesn't tend to be mine.

Yup. I do it. Co-workers get to hear plenty of it - especially when things aren’t going as smoothly as possible. If they didn’t know me, they’d think I was “touched”. They might still think it. I dunno. Most know that it’s probably a good idea to steer clear when I get too quiet. There is this one new guy though, that seems to thrive on the negative reinforcement I’ve dished his way more than once this week. HATE being interrupted when I’m on a roll. HATE that some people can’t multi-task. They can talk to me or they can work, but they can’t do both simultaneously. Not so bad as long they don’t get in the way of MY multitasking, or want me to stop what I’m doing so I can look at something they just sent me. Worse when they come talk to me about the thing I want them to send me, before they send it to me. I can see some heavy lifting/heat coming down the pike REAL soon, and this guy is so blissfully oblivious and talking while I’m thinking about how to take this upcoming hit more like a glancing blow, rather than a frikkin Head-on Collision by 2 cars doing 100+. Anyway, a little off-track there. Sorry. I did talk to my dog all the time. Eventually, she understood that when 2 people vocalize, they can communicate, so she & I would have very robust “conversations“. I didn’t let on that I wasn’t exactly sure what she was saying. Instead, I would say something like, “You make a good point, Tara.” Then she’d continue until she was done, looking quite pleased we were able to have a nice chat. Now, a lot of my conversations take place when when I goof up. “Oh, Liam, you’ll never get that to happen doing it THAT way. You must do it the correct way if you want results.” I talk to God a lot. He doesn’t seem to mind. :)

This is a great question. Never thought about it being a trait based on personality types. I assumed I was secretly losing it. I constantly talk to myself. Although I do make a point to not do it in public. I used to speak to my dog alot. Say something to him, assume what he'd say back and respond again. I do wonder if all people in someway or another do these things. We all certainly sing to ourselves on occasion.

3) INTP are more rigorous in collecting 'pure data'. We need the best data possible because our goal is complete understanding of the universe, so every piece needs to fit into the massive jigsaw puzzle we each have inside our heads. An INTJ is less concerned with data purity and more concerned with how well it serves it's purpose, which is whatever system they are currently working on.

4) INTP do not care where data comes from. If a concept is correct, it is correct regardless of source, never because of. An INTJ places a higher value on data from respected sources, even if the data is of lower quality.

5) INTP are more conditional in speech, we tend to couch everything in potentiality. INTJ are more confident and assertive when speaking, they make much more strongly declarative statements.

6) INTP find social expectations offensive, to be expected to conform in speech or dress angers us at a core level. If forced to comply it will feel inauthentic and just...dirty. An INTJ finds social expectations amusing. A mature INTJ will even play along if it provides them with a desired result.

There are some good responses above, particularly by Bazy, and I know this topic is old but just in case someone comes to the party later than I, I just wanted to share.

I have never tested as an INTP, almost always my results are INTJ or ISTP. After a little research was I sure that I was not an ISTP, so for quite some time I thought I was an INTJ. But, the more research I did, the more I realized I was definitely an INTP. To the uninitiated the two types are very similar but these are the key points that, I think, most clearly differentiate them:

1) INTP learn for the sake of learning, we want to know everything about what we are currently fascinated about. INTJ learn what they need for a specific project, their learning is with purpose, not random.

2) INTP are content with the learning, we have no need to practically apply any knowledge we acquire. INTJ seek knowledge specifically for it's practical application, which is why their learning is so purposeful. INTP seek knowledge to understand, INTJ seek knowledge to accomplish a goal.

I tend to be the introspective. So Yes, I have looked into how people trigger my own feelings. It has help me avoid a lot of conflict.

Have you looked into emotional triggers? That might explain a sense of having your feelings hijacked.

If you go back to analyzing the situations where you were triggered, could be experiences and memories from wwaaaayyy back resonating with your current state of mind, you might find answers which get you back on track to Thinking deeply and clearly again.

I think your both scared. Get it out there hun. Its no now is it not. Manipulate the situation.. nt seriously. Just by saying not asking you feels like im rejecting myself the opertunity to know and you know, i dont like rejection.

He told me before that he hates rejection and he never confesses his feelings toward the girl unless he's 100% sure about it in his own self because according to him, he doesn't like to be unsure of it.

As an INTJ myself, I also hate rejection and I'm still hoping that he will make a move or will confess his feelings for me even if there's about a little chance of it. I don't want to assume that he likes or whatnot unless he say so.

TBH I have the same problem as well, but it's been 2 years for me lol. Anyways, me and my INTP got along really well right from the start, but I waited like a year and half before I sat down planned everything out for like 8 hours, then the next day I asked him if he wanted to start dating.

The nice thing about INTP's, in my opinion, is that they're so honest and direct. There was no hesitation and pure genuineness in his reply: "No, let's just be friends."

TBH I have the same problem as well, but it's been 2 years for me lol. Anyways, me and my INTP got along really well right from the start, but I waited like a year and half before I sat down planned everything out for like 8 hours, then the next day I asked him if he wanted to start dating.

The nice thing about INTP's, in my opinion, is that they're so honest and direct. There was no hesitation and pure genuineness in his reply: "No, let's just be friends."

Hello @thepanini

I want to be very careful about how I respond. That is why I have taken so much time to consider what you have written.

I will start with the obvious. You have a barrier between you and this person. That barrier is the internet. You only see what that person chooses to present to you. That limits you in terms of what you actually know.

My suggestion to you is to limit your emotional investment in this person. Stays friends and talk to each other. But do not try to get emotionally close to someone that is not geographically close. This allows you to protect your personal well being.

hello @ballista11, I only met him through facebook and we're in the process of getting to know each other stage. It's been a month already since then and it confuses me because he's asking where do i want to go sometime but he never act on it. He's sending me updates about his life every now and then and it confuses me because he's doing it voluntarily. I asked him about my role in his life, he said that he considered me as a friend and it hurts me a little bit. He also asked me about his role in my life and I answered the same because I already thought that he friendzoned me. Honestly, I'm clueless about dating because I tend to analyze and overthink each and every message and reply that he sends to me.

PS. I haven't met him yet in person. He wasn't even asking me about meeting up just yet.

@thepanini
Well, I am an INTP... And I am a little uncertain about your question. How long have the two of you been seeing each other?

hi!, fellow filipino here :) i have the same problem tooo and its been 3 yrs already lol

It's too early for me to confront him about his feelings but I was kind of start liking him and it starts me to question if he also has feelings for me too. Help! Thank you in advance :)

Just what I needed, thanks :^) Definitely helps account for people who come out with results at odds with what their real type is.

Take a look at this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shq_CCeJfd4

I think what he says is fairly interesting.

I’m fairly new to Myers Briggs theory, but would any of you guys say it’s possible for an INTP to hold strong Ni functions/characteristics?