5 Challenges INTJs Face in Leadership Positions

Hey, everyone.

So for the past few months, I've had the rather dubious distinction of serving as a part of my young adults' group leadership at my parish. During that time I have experienced some challenges and troubles that most INTJs never face since they don't usually lead. Why? Well, I'm not entirely sure, but I suspect freedom and an inability to deal with certain people are the prime reasons. But there are other challenges. Let's go over some of them.

1. Relating to Certain Members

As stated above, INTJs have difficulties dealing with certain people. I have stumbled across such an individual in my group, and for whatever reason, he and I seem destined to be at odds with each other forever. It's not that we necessarily disagree with each other--it's just that we think differently. I like to think along a single track and keep my thoughts within a specific topic. He however will get one thing about the topic stuck in his head that is only vaguely related and digress with a rant. This drives me crazy because, not only is what he's saying off topic and can be said later, but also because I feel as if I have lost control of the situation, and a leader should always be in control.

Another point is that I believe leaders should be able to relate to those "under their command", especially when those people are a part of a church-affiliated group established to foster the Faith. This means the group has to be inclusive, including my leadership, but as we know, INTJs aren't inclusive--we're exclusive. As a result, this comes off as a lack of empathy and an inability to see situations from different perspectives. Therefore, certain members of such a group might find an INTJ leader off-putting, resulting in their departure, which is obviously not what you want in an inclusive, church-affiliated group. So being able to relate to everyone, or at the very least, making sure that they feel like they've been heard and validated, is a boon to a leader in such a position.

2. Perfect Plans

It is well-known that INTJs are suckers for perfection. However, a question we should ask ourselves about this is whether or not INTJs really pursue perfection, or merely what they think is perfection. I raise this inquiry because, as mentioned above, I sometimes feel as though I have lost control of the group which I believe a good leader would never allow to happen. Is that true or is that what I think?

Regardless, the reason why INTJs want their plans to go perfectly is because they have a desire for total control, which relates back to their desire for freedom. That may seem contradictory, the desire for both freedom and control, but in order for an INTJ to have the freedom to interact with the world in the way he wants, he must have the power to do so, which is another way of saying he must be able to control the scenario to allow him the greatest freedom possible.

However, when you start adding other people to the equation, an INTJ's carefully crafted plan begins to fall apart as it doesn't allow for the freedom of others. As a result, INTJs can become upset and demoralized, and the old saying "the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry" seems more like a mocking insult rather than a sagacious comfort.

3. Getting Your Point or Passion Across

I don't know if it's because INTJs are clumsy in social situations or if it's because we're men of ideas rather than words, but it can be quite difficult for us to get our points or passions across to other people. For instance, our group recently "lost" some members (people are free to come and go as they please). As a result, I asked the remainder of the group what keeps them there, and more specifically, what will keep them there. However, I also wanted to make it clear that if they have any high ideals for the group, then they will need to take action to make sure those ideals come to fruition. However, their response was quite lack luster and I had the feeling I wasn't getting through, which was frustrating.

4. Being Frustrated with Lack of Commitment

When INTJs struggle to get their points across, it can result in a lack of commitment from the other parties involved, leaving the INTJ further frustrated. Without complete understanding from everyone, some people will invariably become lost and they won't know what is expected of them, resulting in them not giving their all or even following instructions. This is more or less the last point taken a step or two further, but it's not limited to that. INTJ leaders can just as easily experience this phenomenon anywhere, especially if they own a company and their employees are not enthused about building the company.

Another scenario where an INTJ can experience this is if he has a partner (not a romantic partner). If the partner aspires to the same ideals as the INTJ, or even to higher ones, then it really burns the ass of the INTJ when the partner isn't pulling their weight. This can result in the INTJ burning out as they shoulder more than their fair share of the burden of leading.

5. The Desire to Quit

And finally, we have the culmination of all the problems into one--the desire to quit. This is perhaps the greatest challenge an INTJ can face as a leader. Let's face it, things are easier when the INTJ only has to worry about himself and not others. If he fails, he does so because of his failings, but if he succeeds, he does so because he's worthy of success. When other people are added to the equation, the chances of success or failure are radically altered and outside of the INTJ's control. This may require the INTJ to trust or rely on someone else, which can work out, but we all know which way INTJs think it will go, resulting in their "better not to try at all than to try and fail anyway" attitude.

Conclusion

So, what can be done for the INTJ who finds himself in a leadership position? Well, not much. The best way of avoiding these problems is for an INTJ to stick it out by himself. Unfortunately, sometimes something truly spectacular happens when you choose to bring others into your life. They have their own gifts and they may bring value into a lonely INTJ's life. In the end, being a leader may just be worth it.

***

I'm sorry it took so long for this to come out. As I mentioned before, holidays tend to screw me up, but also because I wasn't really happy with any specific version of this post. I don't know how many times I edited it, but it's been through the wringer, and even now, I'm not entirely sure it's good.

For next time, I'll cover either the INTJ perspective of religion or the INTJ's relationship to the super villain persona. It should be interesting regardless of what I choose. Until then...

Keep writing, my friends.

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Quick and Dirty INTJ Thoughts #7: Hypocritical INTJs

Hey, everyone.

Today, I'm talking about hypocritical INTJs. Unfortunately, there's not much that can be said as the meme really does explain it all, but let's see what I can squeeze from this stone.

So, as the meme says, there are no hypocritical INTJs. Why is this? Well, when you have a person that bases his entire life on logic and being right, he's going to make sure that his total existence follows suit. To not do so would be a violation of this logic, and if it violates logic, it can't be right. Remember 2+2=4, not 5.That's what it's like to be inside an INTJ's mind: it's like one giant math equation that needs solving.

But what does happen when you find a hypocritical INTJ? There are two possibilities depending on the situation: 1. Weaker, less developed INTJs will offer excuses and try to justify their hypocrisy, or 2. Regarding points that INTJs don't really care about, they may try to save face by pretending to be aloof and questioning whether or not "it" really matters.

While neither of those are good outcomes, the real tragedy comes from the fact that because INTJs' minds work so fast and argue so gracefully, they may actually convince someone in scenario 1, or their quick response will disarm and defuse the situation in scenario 2, basically ripping the wind out of their critic's sails. While it may seem like the critic can't win in either scenario, the truth is that no one really wins, especially not the INTJ. In scenario 2, pride is preserved, but under false pretenses, which the INTJ recognizes as false and will do what it takes to fix the problem without being noticed so he can maintain the lie he's living, and in both scenarios dishonesty of any kind is anathema to INTJs, hence self-destruction is not far behind.

But what about strong INTJs, or INTJs that do care? Well, while they won't accept defeat gracefully, because the only thing better than being right is being effortlessly right all the time, the INTJ will re-evaluate their lives and thought processes, and make the necessary changes. Sometimes these changes take days, but most often they're almost instant. And in some cases, the INTJ may apologize for being wrong or smug, depending on the situation.

***

Well that was surprising. I didn't think I would get so much. Of course though, I do re-write and edit thoroughly, so the above was not the first attempt. Anyway, I admit I have been neglecting this blog as of late. Other things have been occupying time. Another issue is that I didn't really have any good ideas for topics--nothing that could light a fire under my butt. But, due to some recent events in my life, I was able to come up with three new ones. The first of which will be 5 Challenges INTJs Face in Leadership Positions. Until then...

Keep writing, my friends.

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Can INTJs Be Rich?

Hey, everyone.

So, about a month ago, I became a business owner. That's right; I am the Member Manager to two new LLCs: Bryan C. Laesch, my author business, and Transcendent Tees, my t-shirt business. But I don't know too much about business, so I started watching a bunch of YouTube videos and putting together a Business playlist for my personal use. The videos cover multiple topics ranging from taxes, being an LLC versus being a sole proprietor, why you should set yourself up as an S-Corp, to even videos on becoming a successful businessman/entrepreneur.

One of the videos I discovered was called "10 Signs You Won't Be Rich" by the channel Valuetainment. The channel is hosted Patrick Bet David, the CEO of a billion-dollar insurance company based out of Austin. In this video he breaks down ten reasons, hurdles, signs, whatever as to why a person may never be rich. And this gave me the idea for this particular blog post because while INTJs aren't necessarily known for being rich, we are known for being successful; in some circles, the only personality more successful than ourselves is ENTJ. So, I decided to look at Mr. Bet David's ten signs as to why someone won't be rich and see if they are hurdles for INTJs. Might there be proof for Bet David's argument held within the personality traits of the INTJ? Let's find out.

1. You don´t like rich people.

I wouldn't say INTJs don't like rich people so much as we don't like anyone in general. By that logic though, since we don't like anyone, we won't become anyone else, including the poor and average. On the one hand, that's good news for INTJs that want to be rich and extraordinary, however by not liking anybody we may not become like anybody else ever.

In all seriousness though, if INTJs had to choose which sort of people to like, rich or poor, they'd probably choose rich. To be rich means to have resources which means to have freedom, and INTJs can never have enough freedom. So, we likely don't possess a dislike of the rich.

2. You think rich people are special.

The only people INTJs believe are special are those closest to them because it takes a certain kind of person to stand in the presence of an INTJ. Now, whether that's because INTJs are special themselves or more because these people have a lot of patience is a topic up for debate, but INTJs are not likely to think of the rich as being any more special than themselves. INTJs know they can do anything anyone else can do, even run a business. It may require us to leave our comfort zone, but that doesn't preclude us from doing it. Therefore, this is not a hurdle for INTJs.

3. You don´t spend enough time learning.

Do I really need to cover this one? I think we all know this isn't a problem for INTJs. The only way I could see this as a hurdle is if INTJs are not committed to learning the right things. They may become an expert in a particular field, but if they don't know how to turn that into a business, they may not get anywhere.

4. People easily make you feel guilty.

I apologize for the syntax and diction. This is how it was worded. I also feel a bit of an explanation is needed.

Bet David's point here was that with every comment directed at you, you feel guilty. People may not be out to shame you, but everything they say makes you feel guilty. I think this has to do with some sort of inferiority or impersonator complex as if you are this sensitive to criticism, then you likely don't think anything you do is a good idea or decision. As a result, if you made a choice to lead your life in a new way or start your own business, you'll instantly shut it down as soon as someone else says, "I don't think that's a good idea" or "You'll never make it."

I don't think this is a problem for INTJs. For starters, we don't feel guilty about anything we do as long as we've carefully considered the consequences and our reasons for our actions. If we have a whole list of reasons for doing what we do, you won't be able to make us feel guilty for doing it. The only way we can feel guilty is if we've acted in some way contrary to our own conscience, which is almost impossible unless we've gone through some sort of significant change.

5. You worry too much about what people think about you. &

6. You worry too little about what the right people (customers) think about you.

I'm combining these two since they're related. I think INTJs do worry about what other people think about them, however, this only pertains to the image that INTJs want to project and protect. This image is one of confidence, intelligence, efficiency, success, and competence. So long as people see these things in us, we don't really care what else they may see, even if they think we're cold, heartless, or a jerk. And since some of those qualities we want people to see in us are also qualities of successful businessmen, I don't think either of these two are an issue for us.

7. You listen to every single thing your parents tell you to do.

Bet David's point here is that while he loves his parents, they can't tell him diddly-squat about being an entrepreneur, businessman, or owning stocks and bonds, so why on earth would he listen to their advice about such things?

He definitely has a point. INTJs are so different from everyone else that I fear many of us are born into families that don't understand us; I know that's my situation. So, what can my parents tell me about being an indie author, a self-publisher, or even an online t-shirt business? Not much. Sure, their hearts are in the right place as they don't want failure and suffering to befall me, but the problem with that is that I would have to follow every bit of advice they have to give me. That wouldn't necessarily be terrible as my Old Man makes $100G+, has five weeks vacation, incredible benefits, a practically new house, a leased vehicle, a wife and healthy children, stock options, could end up retiring with half a million dollars, and he has all the comforts of home, but... that's not the life I want to live. Some of those things I want, but I think I could do better in a few areas.

I'm sure I'm not alone. I'm sure most INTJs feel this way. All those things are nice, but we want more or less. Therefore, we need to take a different path in life which means not listening to everything our parents tell us.

8. You're too loyal to family traditions.

Now, where Mr. Bet David says "traditions", he actually means "habits". He does mention some family traditions like religion and politics, but he also mentions things like diet and what to complain about. Regardless, his point is that some family traditions and habits are extremely limiting. If your father was a coal miner, and your grandfather was a coal miner, and your great-grandfather was a coal miner, and that's the reason why you're a coal miner, that's also the reason why you're not going to be rich. If you follow habits and traditions simply because that's what it means to be a Johnson, then you're never going to be rich.

As you can probably guess, this isn't an issue for INTJs. We're known as the enemy to tradition, although it should be said that we're only the enemy to pointless, redundant, or archaic traditions. Some traditions are good and should be preserved, however they will have to face a mountain of INTJ-brand scrutiny. Anyway, an INTJ is not likely to follow these sorts of traditions and habits, especially if they get in the way of what an INTJ truly desires. So if an INTJ desires to be rich, he will cut himself off from whatever he needs to.

9. You´re an expert at making excuses.

INTJs hate excuses, too. Again, this comes down to limiting beliefs. As long as you don't put limits on your beliefs, no excuse will hold up. I've caught myself doing this from time to time where I say to myself "I can't do that", and then my brain asks, "Why not?" and then I have to re-evaluate my position. In the end, my brain is often right. I have no excuse other than I choose to be lazy and comfortable with what I have rather than attempting to face a challenge and potentially failing. Sure, no one likes to fail, but if you really want what you really want, no excuses are going to hold you back. And since INTJs are masters of challenging thinking, including their own, there's really no reason why this should be a hurdle.

10. Your attitude sucks.

For this one, I don't really know what to think. Bet David's point was that money, and the world in general, is turned off my bad personalities. He says that money and people are attracted to positive attitudes. The problem with that though is how do you define "positive" and "negative"? On the one hand, INTJs believe they can do anything in the world, but they're also extremely critical; we believe in constantly improving ourselves, but we're not afraid to tell people that they suck and why; INTJs are ready to take the world by storm, but we don't necessarily want to share it, and if we do, it's only with certain people. 

So, I don't know what to think about this one. I think the INTJ personality is a good one (I am biased though), however, I will readily admit that a lot people probably don't like us because we're either too weird or too intense for them. They love what we think about ourselves and what we long to accomplish, but we do so with the attitude of a burning rhino looking for water. Now, it could be that we just don't match subjective definitions of "negative", but I'm still not sure, so this could be one sign that INTJs have that they won't be rich.

Conclusion:

So, can INTJs be rich? Well, we're missing nine of the ten hurdles mentioned by Bet David, which means according to him, we have at least a 90% chance of being rich someday, and that's a pretty good chance. Unfortunately, I haven't met many INTJs, so I cannot corroborate this claim. I guess I'll just have to find out myself through my own businesses.

***

Well, that was fun. I know I don't do many of these posts anymore, mostly because I felt like I was stealing someone else's content and just riding their coattails, but Mr. Bet David's video was a fun analysis since it pertains to many INTJs' possible futures.

For my next post, I'm going to do another Quick and Dirty INTJ Thought. The last one wasn't as popular as I thought it would be, but they do light up on Pinterest and Instagram. Anyway, until then...

Keep writing, my friends.

More About Bryan C. Laesch:

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Quick and Dirty INTJ Thoughts #6: Fun Should Have A Point

Hey, everyone.

As promised, I'm back with another Quick and Dirty INTJ Thoughts... much later than promised.

Anyway, so this one is about how INTJs don't do anything solely for the fun of it. My inspiration for this one comes from recent events in my life. Two weeks ago I went to a friend's house and played poker with him and a few others. Now, they all seemed to be there to have fun as they really got into the trash talk, and they were loose and fast with their betting. Not me; I was very cautious. I was there to win--I was out for blood--I wanted to make some money, honey! And I did. Not a lot, but hey, I still got paid.

Now, this isn't the only experience I've had with doing something and hoping to meld fun with a point. Back in the day, I was a part of an archery league, and often times, the range owner's wife would ask me if I was having fun. I would lie to her and say "yes." The reason I wasn't having fun was because I wasn't shooting well, and to be honest, I've got better things to do than suck at archery.

Basically, I don't want to partake in any activity that has no purpose. I'm too old to be wasting my time on fruitless endeavors and challenges. True, the only way I'm going to get better at certain activities is by practicing them, which means occasionally messing up or sucking at them, but let's be honest, performing under pressure has its virtues as it forces you to adapt and survive, whereas in rewardless practice, it doesn't matter if you fail because there's nothing at stake.

In conclusion, I don't do anything solely for fun. There are things I do for fun, but they also help me to fulfill a challenge and/or reach a goal. My fun has a point.

***

For next week, I found a video called "10 Signs You Won't Be Rich" by Valuetainment. So, here's the question: can INTJs be rich? We'll find out next time.

Until then...

Keep writing, my friends.

More About Bryan C. Laesch:

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Are INTJs Creative People?

Hey, everyone.

As you know, I like to think of myself as a writer, and not just a blogger, but a novelist and poet, which is unusual for an INTJ. Speaking of, I found an article on Medium called "Writing and the Creative Life: 18 Things Highly Creative People Do Differently" and I thought it would be fun to see if INTJs qualify as "highly creative people". Of course, though, I'll be using myself as the metric and from I've gathered about our kind from social media. Let's see how we stack up.

1. They daydream.

I can't speak for all INTJs, but I know I daydream.  Although, some of my daydreams are about world conquest, or at the least conquest of ultimate efficiency, which would be a very INTJ-like fantasy, and therefore something INTJs would daydream about. And considering how much time INTJs spend in their own heads with their great ideas and revelations, it obviously takes some form of creativity in order to come up with all of that, so, INTJs probably daydream.

2. They observe everything.

This one is a bit double-edged. On the one hand, I'm very familiar with the image others have of us where they like to make jokes about how INTJs don't notice anything around them because we spend so much time in our heads; however, that has not been my experience. I don't know if it's because I have a well-tuned Se, or if it's the fact that I grew up with a father who is always planning and strategizing, regardless of task, but I like to think I notice everything. Well, maybe I don't observe everything, but I definitely observe more than nothing, and I think all INTJs have this capacity to some extent.

3. They work hours that work for them.

INTJs are known for being loners, doing what they want as opposed to following a set course, especially when it behooves them to. Now, true, a lot of INTJs work in fields where they work eight hours a day, but that's a limited view on "work". Taking myself as an example: while I work a job, I don't consider it "my work". My work is much grander, has a purpose, and can change the world. Usually it takes the shape of my writing, but can also include my thinking, my pursuit of knowledge, my reading, or even my teaching of others, which, guess what, don't all take place in my 9-5. I mean, sometimes my work does, but most of it takes place at night. Just the other day I tried writing during the day and it was an awful, mind-wrenching experience for reasons I don't understand; ergo, I work hours that work for me, whether it be times of convenience or times when I feel the least inhibited.

4. They take time for solitude.

This one should be obvious. INTJs are introverts, and then you throw intuitive thinking on top of that, or Ni, and you end up with the most introverted of the introverts. And like I said above, we are loners, so, do we take time for solitude? No, we take solitude for a time.

5. They turn life's obstacles around.

I'm not a hundred percent sure what to "turn life's obstacles around" means. I would go back to the source article, but apparently, the article from Medium was based on a similar article by Carolyn Gregoire from HuffPost who wrote examples for each of these, but I was not able to find it.

I'm going to assume that to "turn life's obstacles around" means finding a way to make a life obstacle work for you rather than against you. Unfortunately, I think this might be one where INTJs come up short. We are known for our perfectionistic tendencies, and when something doesn't match our ideal of perfection, we often obsess and fixate on it. So, I think INTJs aren't particularly good at this. We can solve problems, but we can't really make them work for us. And if we can't do either, then we ignore or destroy them. So, I think this is one we don't have.

6. They seek out new experiences.

Here's another one where I think INTJs come up a little short. We are judging types, so we're not the biggest fan of change. The thing about change is that it is often new or novel. The problem with novelty is that it's inefficient, and inefficiency hinders.

The only way I could see an INTJ seeking out new experiences is if they're new in a limited perspective. For instance, an INTJ might read every day at the same exact time. Thus, in keeping with that scope, a new experience may result in the INTJ reading a new book or a genre they wouldn't usually touch. That can be a new experience, and all the new experience an INTJ really needs.

7. They "fail up."

Here's another one where I could really use an explanation of its meaning. "Fail up"; I see two possible explanations for this: 

1. A person learns from their mistakes,

2. When a person does make a mistake, they still succeed in some way.

Of the two, I think the first one is more likely as the second requires a person to be more lucky than skilled or gifted creatively. After all, it isn't often that a person can screw something up and still come out of it fresher than daisies. So, can an INTJ learn from their mistakes?

Well, we won't ever know since INTJs are never wrong...

Relax, I'm joking, but only partially. INTJs are hardly ever wrong, so there really isn't a precedent set for them learning from their mistakes. However, seeing as how we're beings of relentless rationale, logic dictates that if we are ever proven wrong, we must admit fault and learn from our mistake. So, I would say that INTJs can indeed "fail up".

8.They ask big questions.

Here's another one I don't really have to explain. INTJs do not concern themselves with the small and mundane, and it is never enough for us that something "is"--we must also know "why" and "where it fits".

9. They people-watch.

This one sort of goes back to #2, about whether or not we observe everything. Bearing that in mind, there is obviously a split between INTJs: those who observe, and therefore people-watch, and those who don't.

One would think that since INTJs think so highly of themselves in comparison to regular people that they would have some knowledge regarding what regular people are like. True, they can learn that knowledge from a book or from a teacher, but they can also observe it for themselves. However, observing the faults and shortcomings of people is not the same as people-watching. Therefore, this one likely depends on each individual INTJ.

10. They take risks.

This one is interesting. On the one hand, I want to say the INTJ personality isn't predisposed to taking risks. We prefer to research and strategize so we can mitigate loss as much as possible. However, my uncle once told me I have a habit of letting my chips fall where they may, but I don't think this is the sort of risks the article is referring to.

Creative types can take risks without actually risking anything, such as wearing something strange or brightly colored to a funeral. Other than failing to read the room and being considered a total dolt, there's not much to risk here. Similarly, a creative person might wear a full tuxedo to a funeral, which while not totally appropriate, said person isn't dressed inappropriately. Therefore I think a creative person might take a risk drawing or writing in a style they're not familiar with, which may or may not be a loss regardless of what happens.

But the question is, would an INTJ take that sort of risk? Probably not, unless the specific INTJ was already prone to creative risks. Like I said, we try to mitigate risk.

11. They view all of life as an opportunity for self-expression.

I wouldn't say INTJs have this quality, but at the same time, I don't think we lack it. It's not so much we view all of life as an opportunity for self-expression, it's more we're going to express ourselves regardless of the opportunity. Of course though, the methods in which an INTJ will express himself are far more conservative and restricted, such as discussing existential morality at a house party rather than performing keg stands. So, I would INTJs have this quality, just not in the way one would expect.

12. They follow their true passions.

Ah! Whom are we talking about? INTJs. So, could the answer to this be anything other than "but of course"? True, an INTJ's passions may seem boring when compared to the passions of an ESFP or an ENTP, but INTJs are some of the most honest personalities in the whole world. Therefore, we cannot act counter to our passions because that would cause us to act counter to our natures, and the two are inseparable. So, yes, INTJs follow their true passions.

13. They get out of their own heads.

Very rarely, if ever, do INTJs get out of their own heads. Even when we need to give our brains a break, we still remain firmly planted within the realm of our own minds. More than that, we don't see the need to get out of our heads; not because we're scared, but because there's no virtue in it. Sure, we may research disparate theories, opinions, and perspectives, but we never leave our own heads. Even when attempting to use someone else's rationale to see things from their perspective, we still don't leave our own heads. Although, I think the real reason why INTJs don't leave their own heads is because they think it's a silly sentiment and infeasible action; therefore, we don't do it.

14. They lose track of the time.

Like #10, INTJs are not predisposed or stereotyped as beings who lose track of time. In fact, we're generally regarded as not losing track of anything. However, I know for my part that I can certainly lose track of time when I'm having fun, regardless of the activity, whether it be playing video games, bowling, reading, writing, or hanging out with friends. Surely, I cannot be the only INTJ who does this.

15. They surround themselves with beauty.

I don't know why you would want to surround yourself with ugliness. I also think it possible that this statement unintentionally offends uncreative people. Just because you aren't traditionally creative, doesn't mean your surroundings are unpleasant. More likely your surroundings are beautiful but in a utilitarian sense. I don't care what anyone says, you can find beauty in anything that is true or good, which can manifest as "useful".

16. They connect the dots.

Are you joking? Again, whom are we speaking about? INTJs, right? All we do is connect dots. That's what our Ni was born to do.

17. They constantly shake things up.

Well, just like with #11, INTJs don't constantly shake things up because they're trying to, we merely shake things up by virtue of who they are. One of our most notable traits is that we have a tendency to indulge in refreshingly brutal honesty, which is all you really need to shake things up, because, you know, everyone is lying.

18. They make time for mindfulness.

This one I'm torn about, because on the one hand, like I said earlier, I like to think INTJs are exceedingly aware, perspicacious almost, although obviously not everyone agrees. However, I think what they mean here by "mindfulness" is a state of being considerate of other people, which is again another area where it is believed INTJs fall short. I tend to disagree because when an INTJ lacks mindfulness or consideration, it's not due to incompetence. It's generally a very conscious decision in which we choose to ignore something because it has no import to us. But when it comes to those closest to us, or anything we care about greatly, we become the most mindful or aware persons in the world. And of course, we like to think we are very mindful of the things that actually matter in life, like why does the universe exist as opposed to who won the Oscars.

Conclusion

In summation, I don't entirely know where this leaves INTJs. This is by no means conclusive proof as to whether or not INTJs are creative. Point of fact, I think some INTJs are creative and some are not, however that's only when you regard creativity in a traditional sense. If you broaden the definition, I think all INTJs may fit it, because after all, in order to ask big questions and think about things in ways people don't usually think requires some level of creativity. Not to mention, you sort of have to be exceedingly creative if you plan on taking over the world someday; that's no mundane task.

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So then, what will I do for next time? I'm not entirely sure, but those Quick and Dirty INTJ Thoughts are awfully popular on Pinterest, so maybe I'll invest some time in those. But we shall see.

Until then...

Keep writing, my friends.

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