https://personalityjunkie.

com/10/extraverted-intuition-ne-vs-introverted-intuition-
ni/

Intuition is sometimes described as a “sixth sense.” Unlike logical or deductive

methods, it involves knowing without being able to explain the means of
arriving at that understanding; the “how” of intuition is concealed from the
knower. Consequently, in a way similar to sense perceptions, we tend to
experience intuitions as given rather than as products of conscious effort.

Extraverted Intuition (Ne) vs. Introverted Intuition (Ni)

the fact that Extraverts tend to have shorter attention spans and frequently shift
their focus from one thing to the next. Their social relationships and interactions
are also more extensive in nature, characterized by breadth rather than depth.
Jung viewed Introversion as more intensive and focused. Instead of constantly
shifting or extending their attention, Introverts dive deeper by investing more of
their time and energy into a handful of things they really care about.

Types who lead with Ne generally display a greater breadth of hobbies and
extraverted activities than Ni dominants. Ne are often good at many things, but
their breadth of interests may prevent them from achieving mastery in any one
area. Ni by contrast, are more apt to develop expertise in a specific subject or
discipline.
Ne is also more divergent / scattered in its ideation, commonly bouncing from
one idea or topic to the next, whereas Ni likes to linger on a single theme of
discussion whenever possible
i is more convergent, zeroing in on ONE theme or conclusion. Ne generates
myriad options and possibilities, which is why P-types are known for “keeping
their options open.”

The Dynamics of Ni-Se & Ne-Si

, Ni uses material absorbed subconsciously by INJs’ inferior Se function to

detect a pattern or theme occurring in the physical environment. Se casts a wide
perceptive net into the observable surroundings, taking note of visual, auditory,
and other “sensory clues.” From this sea of sensory data, Ni finds a narrow
(however deep) underlying pattern.
Whereas Ni borrows from a breadth of sensory information (Se), Ne draws on
an intensive store of inner experience via Si. In a way, Si represents a
concentration of Se snapshots—a culmination of repeated experiences over
time—and recognizes an established pattern of doing. From this deep and
narrow knowledge of what has been, ENPs are able to extract and put forth a
breadth of possible “what could be’s…” And the possibilities, from an Ne
perspective, are truly endless. Unlike Ni which interprets deeply from Se
breadth, Ne interprets broadly from Si depth.
One of the hallmarks of NP types is their ability to take a small amount of Si
material and fashion a plethora of options
Ne is characterized by its ingenuity, Ni for its insight.
NPs are masters at spotting unmet needs and craftily engineering ways to fill
the void.
But NJs are less adept at putting forth possibilities and might even be seen as
less “creative” than NPs
Similarly, NPs are less equipped to extract convergent insights from
experiences. While they are adept at seeing potentials in everything, ENPs can
be unreliable when it comes to zeroing in on singular causality. typically, NPs
can’t be fully convinced of the veracity of any single theoretical proposition
until they’ve run the full gamut of possible solutions.

When Ne “Masquerades” as Ni (& Vice-Versa)

n such instances, Si is actually captaining the ship, while the creativity of Ne is

used to justify it. When NPs attempt to do this, the result can look curiously like
Ni, which presumably involves a sort of “blending” of Si and Ne. Unfortunately,
when NPs race to find THE answer they prohibit Ne from thoroughly exploring
the matter.
. Namely, when NJs becomes fixated on achieving a certain Se outcome, Ni is
effectively commissioned by Se to take over the creative “how to” role, that is,
to imagine the way the vision could be achieved. This process is suspiciously
akin to Ne; rather than focusing on interpreting “what is” (Ni), NJs becomes
enamored with hypothetical “what ifs” (Ne).

In the case of INFJs and INTJs, the goal is to take the insight of Ni and have it
revealed or manifested in the outside world; in other words, to reconcile inner
perceiving (Ni) with outer perceiving (Se). INJs are usually perspicacious
enough to know that Se on its own (as witnessed in ESP types, for example)
feels relatively hollow and undesirable, as it severely lacks N consciousness.

ENTPs and ENFPs return the envy in their admiration of Ni. In order to achieve
individuation, ENPs must reconcile their breadth of ideation (Ne) with a sense
of convergence and consistency (Si). But Si taken on its own rarely garners full
respect from ENPs, as it often fails to question or explore the theoretical reasons
(N) for adhering to a given tradition or belief system. Ni, however, with its
sense of constancy and theoretical complexity, gives the appearance of having
unified Si and Ne in a way that ENPs may admire.

https://practicaltyping.com/2020/02/24/7-differences-between-ne-and-ni-users/

1. Ne shares information, while Ni gathers information

Ne has to externalize their ideas or speculation. This can happen through

conversation (in person or online), or via starting another project to demonstrate
a concept. Regardless, that externalization will happen.
Their Si will see small similarities in things and use those to springboard to a
brand new idea.
Ni is introverted; ergo, it’s primary function is to internalize or gather
information.
Ni users see the concrete information, or what is, via Se. However, that sensory
information gets internalized into impressions and patterns. Ni users essentially
have an internal database of abstract information, which is why Ni users are
known for struggling to verbalize their thoughts
Ni information is subjective, due to being a user’s interpretation of sensory
information
Ni users won’t necessarily feel compelled to share their Ni data with the world; it
will be used for them to suggest outcomes or spot hidden meaning. They will be
interested in perspectives and viewpoints, so they can gain an understanding of
the larger picture.

2. Ne is a broad spectrum of external possibilities, while Ni is one internal

conclusion

Ne users are the idea people, the brainstormers. They’re the “what-if” people.
They see the world for all of its possibilities, which subsequently means that they
may struggle to settle on one, resulting in a state of indecision or failure to
fully
commit to any one thing. Although, those with a developed judging function will
struggle with this less, but they will still notice their need to weed through all
of
the options and possibilities, which may make them slower to come to certain
types of decisions.
Ni users tend to naturally draw one conclusion, or see only one possibility.
They’ll
essentially jump to a conclusion, or interpret the information around them (Se) in
one very specific way. Ni operates (or draws conclusions) much faster than those
on the Ne/Si axis. Ni used well can be eerily accurate, but Ni without a well
enough developed “internal database” of patterns can end up way off the mark

3. Ne may view Ni as narrow-minded, while Ni may view Ne as lacking focus

However, Ni users who are trying to narrow the scope to one conclusion may
find their abundance of ideas or possibilities to be distracting or irrelevant.
However, in contrast, Ne users may see Ni users as ignoring their ideas or
excluding very real possibilities. They’ll essentially get frustrated with an Ni
user’s tunnel vision.

4. Ne knows a little about a lot, while Ni knows a lot about a little

all Ne users have Si in their cognitive function stack, and those with Si in their
stack tend to be good at producing random facts due to Si’s concrete memory
storage.They usually gather a broad spectrum of information covering a variety of
topics. In contrast, Ni users prefer to delve deep into specific topics that either
interest them or they deem useful. They’ll know a lot about whatever they have
researched, but they won’t be as prone to producing random facts. They’ll likely
see trivia, in that way, as useless information, or wasted brain space.

5. Ne is more impulsive, while Ni users prefer structure or planning

but this is an extraverted perceiving (Pe) versus introverted perceiving (Pi)
point.
Basically, all Pe users, whether Se or Ne, are good at reacting to or dealing with
new information immediately. They will prioritize reaction (Pe) over intake/storage
(Pi). Pi users store information and then use their extraverted judging function
(Je) to make an external decision based on it. This process takes more time, and
ergo, they prefer to plan for their “spontaneity” since a bunch of new information
in the form of situations can be overwhelming to deal with. All Pe users tend to
naturally be better at going with the flow, and dealing with things as they come.
They’re more likely to suffer from a failure to plan because they acted too
quickly.
Ne users will appear generally more impulsive or chaotic than Ni users, while Ni
users will probably appear more purposeful or inflexible.

6. Ne is good at producing words, while Ni struggles to verbalize thoughts

Ne users tend to be good at producing words, but they may get frustrated
because they feel like their point is not getting relayed adequately. So, they’ll
keep throwing out more words, in an attempt to refine or correct what they are
saying.Ni users will not do this. They’re more likely to get stuck right from the
beginning, and may find themselves struggling to verbalize their thoughts at all.
They may have to ponder for a long period of time to find a way to put words to
their thoughts. This is due to them internalizing information with an abstract
function, in contrast to the Ne users who are internalizing with a concrete
function
(Si).

7. Ne gets distracted and follows rabbit trails, while Ni may fail to provide
context

When giving lectures, they may be prone to letting their point get delayed or
completely derailed as they end up on some side trail that was initially relevant
or
connected, but may no longer be. Ni users will tend to laser focus on one thing.
They’ll want to share only what is absolutely relevant. However, their Ni may not
realize what context everyone else is missing, and ergo they may not provide
enough. They also may have a tendency to produce statements completely out
of the blue, with absolutely no context attached. Or perhaps, they’ll produce
statements that refer back to something that was brought up earlier, that they’ve
been mulling over this whole time

https://boldintrovert.com/blog/introverted-intuition-versus-extroverted-intuition
The Perceiving functions establish how we take in information. In the
most basic sense, Perceiving is the stimulus and Judging is the
response. Perceiving functions gather the information that Judging
functions—Thinking and Feeling—utilize to make decisions. Like the
Judging functions, the energy of the Perceiving functions is also
directed inward (introverted) or directed outward (extroverted).

Instead, it’s a subconscious process that delivers evidence-based

insights that are often accurate and seem to come from “out of the
blue.” These insights can sometimes be as surprising to the Ni user as
they are to those they share them with. However, healthy Ni-users
come to trust the process due to the regularity with which the
impressions prove true.

Healthy Ni has strengths in focus and analytical ability

· Receives insight from “out of the blue” (a.k.a. A-Ha! moments)

because it can tap into the subconscious mind

· Its ability to work with impressions allows Ni to assess the

entirety of a situation and read what is happening

· Great appreciation for beauty, both visual and

theoretical/ideational

· Because it is not bound to the rules of conscious thought, Ni can

solve problems that logic cannot. It holds space for multiple and/or
conflicting perspectives simultaneously.

· Ability to hold multiple perspectives allows Ni to “walk in

someone else’s shoes”
· Attempts to “steer” this process can have the opposite effect,
interrupting Ni pattern-finding

· Can sometimes seem critical to others due to the Ni ability to see

where a situation is headed before others do

· Places high value on truth—understands that inaccurate

perceptions can lead to bad or harmful ideas and actions

Healthy Ni can be used in conflict mediation due to its ability to hold

conflicting perspectives. It knows when people are saying the same
thing in different ways, or saying different things using the same
terms.

Healthy Ni needs time free from distraction to perform optimally

· When overstimulated, Ni can become irritable, overwhelmed,

and frustrated

· When under-stimulated, Ni can become detached and apathetic.

Because of its take-in-the-whole-universe approach, it needs to have
access to new and interesting ideas and, to a slightly lesser degree,
new experiences.

Ni Dominant Function (Flow State)

Due to the unique nature of Ni’s relationship to the subconscious,

INFJs and INTJs can experience the Flow State more readily than
other types when conditions support it. This is especially true when
they learn to trust their insights and impressions.

Noise and distraction—especially when coming from behind the Ni

user—may be especially jarring. Sitting with their back to corner or
wall can feel like a relief. Time and space free of distraction are
essential for INTJs & INFJs to access their Flow State. Ni appreciates
as much sensory deprivation as you can offer it.

Contrary to Ni, which needs to eliminate distraction to flourish, Ne

must avoid the mundane to activate its Flow State. Engaging in new
projects and lively conversation or exploring new ways to be
innovative each day will keep Ne healthy.

https://personalityjunkie.com/the-intj/

in seeing the world through Ni lenses, their typical mode of operation is well
described as impressionistic. Rather than noticing or concerning themselves
with the details of the world around them, their existence is more cerebral or
dreamlike. This can lead them to feel estranged from their physical environs, not
to mention their own bodies.

I’ve met many INTJs who seem to have “photographic memories,” able to recall
nearly anything they’ve been exposed to. In recognizing their powers of insight
(Ni), not to mention their vast stores of factual knowledge (Te),
They enjoy opportunities to utilize their typological strengths and enlighten
others. Unfortunately, this can sometimes result in INTJs being misconstrued as
arrogant “know-it-alls.”
Despite their introverted status, INTJs can be surprisingly talkative. This is one
reason INTJs often enjoy the role of lecturer or professor.
Because INTJs extravert their Thinking judgments (i.e., Te), others commonly
(and often wrongly) assume them to be characteristically serious individuals.
This misses the fact that they are dominant Perceivers (i.e., their dominant Ni
function is a Perceiving function), which makes them far more inwardly
easygoing, even playful, than most people realize.
Another consequence of INTJs’ Perceiving dominance is their tendency to be
passive or phlegmatic
Namely, since INTJs’ first and foremost job is to Perceive rather than Judge or
act, functioning in a passive mode of perception is actually their most authentic
mode of operating. Indeed, the reason that INTJs’ theories and insights are often
superior is because they do not force things. They patiently allow their Ni
intuition to collect and synthesize all the pertinent information before they draw
conclusions.

These four functions comprise a type’s “function stack.” The relative strength of
preference for these four functions is expressed in the following manner:
dominant, auxiliary, tertiary, and inferior.

Phase 1(childhood)
This is what Ni does. It looks beyond appearances to discern the root causes and
structures of things. They acquire much of their knowledge through
happenstance, without much in the way of conscious effort.

Phase 2(adolescence-30s)
In Phase II, their inferior function, Extraverted Sensing (Se), begins to assert
itself and to play a more prominent role in INTJs’ psychic drama. The inferior’s
undue influence can be seen as stemming from its bipolar relationship with the
dominant function. Namely, in order to ensure psychological diversity or
balance in their personality traits, INTJs feel compelled to experience something
characteristically distinct from the dominant function. The inferior function is
often experienced as magical, mysterious, and exciting, even blissful. Some
have described it as “a whole new world.” It can thereby serve as a powerful
source of energy and motivation. This is why all types, especially those in Phase
II, display a strong appetite for, and curiosity toward, their inferior function.
the emergence of Se may take the form of INTJs’ showing greater interest in
novel aesthetic or sensory (S) experiences.
Although INTJs tend not to be as “experimental” in their approach to life as
NPs, many come to welcome new S experiences as an invigorating alternative
to their typical state of NT cerebralism.
Because of its deep allure and sense of novelty, the inferior can lead INTJs, to
make questionable career or relationship decisions in Phase II. t may, for
instance, cause them to pair with incompatible types under the spell of the
“opposites attract” (i.e., inferior function attraction) phenomenon. Therefore,
Phase II INTJs can typically benefit from a reality check, remembering that
their “core self” is ultimately founded on their Ni, not Se.

The siren call of the inferior function can be effectively counterbalanced by

regular use and development of the auxiliary function. For the INTJ, this means
bringing a greater measure of Te to the proverbial table. Te helps INTJs
rationally explicate their intuition

Regular employment of Te also encourages INTJs to move out of Perceiving

mode and into Judging, promoting a more diverse and balanced personality.

Phase 3(30-beyong)
Phase III INTJs wise up to the tricks and temptations of the inferior function,
discovering more sustainable ways of integrating their functions. Rather than
leapfrogging between the dominant and inferior functions (e.g., the bipolar
behavior characteristic of Phase II), they learn to stay grounded in their Ni as
they explore, develop, and integrate their less conscious functions

INTJs in Phase III also become skilled in achieving what psychologist Mihály
Csíkszentmihályi has dubbed the “flow state.” Flow states are characterized by
deep absorption in an activity, an optimal balance of challenge and stimulation,
and a sense of progress toward a meaningful goal. In a state of flow, INTJs
forget about themselves and their concerns, “becoming one with” the activity.
Flow states are most likely to emerge when INTJs perform activities that engage
their dominant and auxiliary functions.

Introverted intuition:
In its popular connotation, intuition is understood as an unconscious way of
knowing, or what writer Malcolm Gladwell has cleverly described as “thinking
without thinking.” It is therefore interesting to consider that, for dominant
Intuitives such as INTJs, intuition is understood to be their most conscious
function. While it is true that intuition is more conscious for INTJs than it is
for
other types, we must remember that Ni is a Perceiving function. So although
INTJs may have readier access to its workings and products, there is still a sense
in which they don’t really control it. Intuitive insight often seems to emerge ex
nihilo, as a welcomed but unexpected gift from the muses.

With that said, INTJs do possess some measure of control over the types of
problems they want their Ni to solve, not to mention the raw material they feed
into it. The more they immerse themselves in a certain problem or subject
matter, the more their insight will deepen. So it’s not that INTJs can be totally
hands-off and allow Ni to do all the heavy lifting for them. Healthy INTJs find
the right balance between allowing their Ni to do its thing and consciously
participating with the process.

Because of its prescience and depth of insight, Ni may at times seem to border
on magical or supernatural. While not discounting it impressiveness, the Ni
process can, at least to some extent, be rationally explicated. Namely, INTJs’
inferior function, Extraverted Sensing (Se), unconsciously collects vast
quantities of sensory information from the outside world. This data is then
kindly forwarded to Ni, which tries to make sense of it, like assembling the
pieces of a puzzle. Eventually, an impression is formed that reveals the deeper
reality or N pattern behind the data.
It is often said that human beings rely more heavily on vision than their other
senses. This seems particularly true of INJ types, who often associate a strong
visual element with their Ni. Many report thinking by way of images more than
words. Their intuitions may take the form of symbols, images, dreams, or
patterns. This is consistent with Jung’s characterization of the Ni type as the
dreamer or seer. There is a distinct visual character to these notions, which is
why vision-related terms—foresight, insight, seer, visionary, etc.—are
commonly ascribed to INJs.

Visual processing may prove advantageous for solving problems that seem
resistant to rational solutions. This is because visual processing isn’t bound by
the same rules or limitations as verbal or logical processing. Indeed, Ni’s unique
approach to problem-solving may explain why INTJs often make such
formidable analysts and theorists.
Extraverted thinking
While Ni is a holistic and synthesizing function, INTJs’ auxiliary function, Te,
hails squarely from the left side of the brain. The left hemisphere is
characteristically logical, analytical, and systematic. It breaks things down into
their constituent parts, explicates their roles, and maps their relationships to
other parts.

A Te-based approach also emphasizes quantification, as well as the

establishment of measurable goals and standards. Never vague or ambiguous, it
employs clear definitions, policies, plans, and procedures. It carefully spells out
how to get from here to there, using as many maps, directions, and labels as
necessary. The ultimate goal of Te is to render things logically intelligible,
making them more amenable to human manipulation, prediction, and control.

Ni is neither characteristically rational nor highly systematic. Only the Judging

functions, most notably Te, operate in such a fashion. And because Ni comes
first in INTJs’ function stack, Te is ultimately more of a servant than a master.
It
is primarily used to analyze or flesh out Ni’s intuitions. Once an intuition has
formed, Te takes the reins and works to give it rational form, sort of like
decompressing a computer file. Te’s ability to translate intuitions into words,
diagrams, or formulae is important because it helps better comprehend INTJs’
insights.

In explicating their intuitions, Te is highly systematic and methodical, even

perfectionistic. INTJs pay close attention to the way things are ordered, ensuring
that their work follows the appropriate linear or logical sequencing. They may
also work to incorporate relevant Te facts, data, and other objective
considerations.

With that said, INTJs always keep at least one eye on the bigger picture,
ensuring that they are staying true to their foundational intuition. This is one
way INTJs differ from SJ types, who often miss the bigger picture or end up
getting lost in the particulars. Not only are INTJs blessed with the ability to
isolate and analyze specifics, but they simultaneously maintain a clear vision of
the whole system, including its hierarchical structure and the interrelationships
of its component parts But because Te closure is not their typical or preferred
state of being, we should be careful not to confuse their outer presentation (Te)
with their inner reality (Ni). INTJs are far more open inwardly than they may
seem outwardly.

But both are/were plagued by a lack of charisma and likeability (i.e., a lack of
Fe), making it difficult for them to inspire or connect with others on an
emotional level.

Introverted feeling

We know that INTJs’ feelings don’t readily translate because their preferred
Feeling function (Fi) is introverted in its direction. Instead of extraverting
Feeling, they extravert Thinking (Te). This precludes others from readily
accessing their emotional state. Instead of seeing variations of expression or
intonation (Fe), one encounters a relatively flat, monochromatic presentation
(Te).

With respect to other people, Fi is associated with intensive emotional

investments in a limited number of individuals. Instead of distributing its
emotional energies broadly in the way of Fe, Fi is more focused and
discriminating. This is why INTJs typically show little interest in social
networking. Instead, they typically invest themselves emotionally in their
families, along with one or two close friends. They tend to be loyal and
committed partners, as well as unswervingly devoted to the well-being of their
children. While they may be skeptical toward a great many things, the value of
family and friendship is typically not one of them.

Career-wise, Fi may inspire INTJs to work toward social change and reform. .
Fi is highly sensitive to injustices, especially those affecting individuals
perceived to be incapable of helping or defending themselves. Hence, INTJs’ Fi
often teams up with Ni to foresee paths to a more just and equitable world. Te
may also play a role in the process, such as developing strategic or logistical
plans for reforming broken systems. This combination of Ni, Te, and Fi explains
why INTJs often score high on the Enneagram’s type One, often called “The
Reformer.”

I’ve observed a fair amount of variability among INTJs with respect to the
prominence of Fi in their personality. I know one INTJ, for instance, who had a
rather difficult upbringing and has spent most of his adult life trying to
understand and remediate his childhood wounds. This led him to develop
interests in both normal and abnormal psychology. I’ve also known INTJs who
show little more than a passing interest in psychology. It may be that differences
in childhood experiences affect the degree to which INTJs focus on Fi matters,
including their own emotional landscape. The interaction of nature and nurture
may also affect the degree of INTJs’ emotional stability. Some INTJs are
emotionally labile and constantly turning to others for support. Other INTJs are
characteristically more steady and independent in handling their emotions.

INTJs’ Fi is its contribution to their interest in self-knowledge, including their

desire to understand what makes them unique and different. For quite some
time, I was perplexed as to why so many INTJs took interest in personality
typology. INTJs’ Fi compels them to understand who they are as unique
individuals.

Extraverted sensing

Sometimes called the lost, missing, or repressed function, it is the most

unconscious of the four functions. It is also the most difficult to access,
understand, and integrate. As is the case with other types, INTJs display a
“love-hate” relationship with their inferior function, Extraverted Sensing (Se).
This is especially true for those in Phase II of type development. Fortunately,
the challenges associated with the inferior can be largely offset by
understanding its essential nature, as well as potential ways of integrating it.

Generally speaking, having Se as their inferior function makes INTJs less

attuned to the details or concrete elements of life. While Se takes in plenty of
sensory data from the outside world, what INTJs typically experience is an Ni
synthesis of that information. So instead of registering particular environmental
details (Se), they see the world through the lens of Ni impressions. They can
therefore seem rather oblivious to the details of their surroundings.

This is not to say, however, that INTJs are unaffected by, or insensitive to, their
physical environment. Although they may be consciously oblivious to their
surroundings, they are still absorbing and subconsciously registering a breadth
of environmental stimuli. Similar to INFJs, their nervous systems are often
highly permeable and sensitive to the environment. This is why they commonly
know things without realizing how they came to know them. They passively
absorb information apart from conscious effort. This permeability can also make
them susceptible to overstimulation in noisy or chaotic circumstances.

Because of their conscious disconnect from the world around them, many INTJs
report feeling like aliens or strangers in the world, even estranged from their
own bodies. This can make them leery of unfamiliar S experiences, such as
trying new foods, drugs, or physical activities. Doing so can seem too risky or
unpredictable, since the S world seems largely outside of INTJs’ sphere of
control.

In time, however, INTJs may gradually become more open to and interested in S
novelties. Those intrigued by their inferior Se may display a surprising thirst for
sensory novelty, material comforts, or physical thrills.

This points to the love-hate relationship INTJs often have with their inferior
function. Depending on time and circumstances, Se matters may be viewed as a
source of great pleasure and intrigue, or one of fear, stress, and frustration.
Namely, INJs can be understood as striving to integrate their dominant Ni with
their inferior Se, to see their N ideals perfectly materialized in S reality.

Ne tends not to get attached to a single vision in the way that Ni does. Where Ne
is open to multiple interpretations or possibilities, Ni sees only one

erfectionism, thoroughness, and perseverance (or what some might call

obsessiveness or compulsiveness) are closely linked for INTJs. Many feel they
cannot rest or move forward until certain foundational matters have been
squared away. While other types might content themselves with “good enough,”
INTJs are insistent that their work meets their own (often very high) standards
of excellence.

https://mbti-notes.tumblr.com/post/127263303957/how-functions-work-inferior-se-
intjinfj

The Role of the Inferior Function

- As you develop, it is natural to become more dependent on the dominant

function
and unwittingly repress the inferior function in order to give the dominant
function
as much conscious control over life as possible
- As you press down harder on the inferior function and resist its
perspective, it will
gradually feel too constricted and its repressed energy will begin to “leak"
into
your conscious mind in the form of inexplicable urges or compulsions,
especially
when you feel frustrated or emotionally vulnerable.
- . As the dominant function becomes stretched beyond its capabilities, you
will
feel increasingly stressed because there will be many life problems that you
cannot handle with such a narrow and limited perspective. When life stress
depletes your focus and mental energy to critical levels, the dominant
function
will “burn out” and cause you to lose control of yourself, and this then
allows the
primitive impulses of the inferior function to “erupt” from the unconscious
and
take over your conscious mind, a.k.a. being “in the grip” of your inferior
function.
The degree of reactivity of the inferior function will be related to the
force with
 which you repress its activities.Because the inferior function’s view of the
world is
the opposite of what you are used to, you will unconsciously resist that
perspective even as it floods your consciousness. This results in a
distorted view
of reality and the weaknesses or destructive side of that function will
manifest. By
releasing the pent up energy of the inferior function, you can find some
temporary relief from stress; however, the extreme out-of-character or
destructive
behaviors that arise can often exacerbate the problems that were causing the
stress to begin with, which can potentially create a negative pattern of
destructive
behavior.
- According to function theory, the psyche is a self-balancing mechanism. When
the inferior function erupts, it is sending you a message informing you that
your
psyche is out of balance because you are directing most of your mental
energy to
the dominant function. This means that there is a positive side to the
inferior
function in terms of telling us where we need to grow and improve in order
to
rebalance ourselves. Learning to use the inferior function appropriately
will
recalibrate energy distribution so that your psyche can establish better
equilibrium. Therefore, instead of repressing the inferior function, we
should
gradually learn to be more aware of it and less resistant towards it.
Although you
cannot use the inferior function as your main approach to life like a
dominant
function, you can learn to respect it for its strength and power. As you
come to
understand the value of the inferior function and the advantages it can
bring you
in daily life, its power to disrupt your conscious mind will gradually fade.
You will
then gain a new perspective for understanding life, which will lead to more
adaptive and effective behaviors.
Inferior Se

- Ni-doms can use Se consciously for tasks that require attention to sensory
or
physical details. For instance, when cooking a meal or playing a sport, one
needs
to be fully aware of the external environment in order to adapt to the
physical
demands of the situation as fluidly as possible. However, since Se is the
opposing force to Ni, Ni is very prone to overriding and repressing Se and
misunderstanding its fundamental nature. While Ni-doms can use Se in very
simplistic ways, they cannot fathom using Se as a “main approach to life”
like a
dominant function, and therein lies the main source of psychological
conflict.
- Ni focuses on perceiving underlying patterns and creating meaning through
symbolic intuition; it observes facts/events from various perspectives in
order to
construct a bigger pattern that can be used for predicting future outcomes.
When
Ni-doms rely too heavily upon Ni, they will identify with Ni’s activities,
using
abstract meaning and purpose as well as the ability to access intuitive
truth to
construct the foundation of their identity. Because of this, Ni will feel
continually
 threatened by the Se perspective because Se has the potential to disrupt or
shatter one’s ego-image. Se is focused on engaging fully and immediately with
sensory stimuli, adapting to changes quickly, and making the most out of each
moment’s opportunities. But Ni tends to misinterpret Se as being superficial,
meaningless, or even base and vulgar. Ultimately, Ni forcefully rejects the Se
perspective because it fears that sensory or material life itself is
insufficient for
making one’s life meaningful and, if one’s life is not meaningful in some
abstract
way, then one has no concrete reason to live. Therefore, unhealthy or immature
Ni-doms do their utmost to reject Se in order to protect their ego-image as a
“thoughtful, insightful, deep, and intuitive” person.
- However, when Ni-doms rely too heavily upon Ni and suppress Se, they will
develop an overly subjective and solipsistic view of the world. Instead of
using Se
appropriately, Ni will use Se to collect “factual” evidence to confirm its own
intuitions, biases, or suspicions. In other words, Ni will develop a
maladaptive
tendency to misinterpret facts, arrive at invalid inferences, or “discover”
intuitive
meaning or connections where there really are none. When Ni is not functioning
in a healthy manner, Ni-doms will be more prone to overlooking important
details
or failing to adapt their vision to changing circumstances, and this will lead
to a
buildup of feelings of incompetence or worthlessness, especially when they make
careless mistakes or are unable to explain their intuitive reasoning
coherently.
- No function can be fully suppressed, so inferior Se will leak into
consciousness in
strange ways. Proper Se desires full freedom to pursue new experiences and is
completely comfortable with seeing external reality as having no boundaries,
limits, structure, or personal meaning. This can create an underlying sense of
anxiety in Ni-doms because Ni fundamentally requires a firm sense of structure,
direction, and meaning. Thus, when Ni becomes overextended, Ni-doms may
exhibit somewhat desperate attempts to impose artificial structure on the
external
environment as a way to generate meaning and purpose for themselves and
defend against the chaotic and shapeless nature of Se. For example, they might:
have a tendency to talk themselves out of doing things because of being
convinced that the outcome will be negative or undesirable, vicariously enjoy
interesting activities through others rather than doing it themselves (e.g.
reading
literature or hearing stories), be overconfident that they understand the
“truth”
about the world even when they have not experienced much of it, be
oversensitive to negative feedback that contradicts their ideas/beliefs,
subconsciously seek out positive feedback/reinforcement by doing things just to
garner compliments or admiration, seek out interests/activities that provide
safe
haven from the expectations of the outside world and even become snobby
about their ideas/hobbies as being “superior” or more “meaningful”, become
obsessive about tracking objects/people/details, overcompensate for insecurity
 by excessively researching so that they can plan or organize every detail,
compulsively clean/arrange/rearrange the physical environment, feel driven to
learn and practice physical skills that provide a sense of mastery over the
environment, suffer from perfectionistic or controlling tendencies, project
their
own weakness onto others by nitpicking other people’s failure to notice details
or
by mistakenly assuming that everyone feels uncomfortable in unfamiliar
environments, and so on.
- However, this means that Ni has not understood the real source of its own
anxiety and so the underlying conflict remains unresolved. Ni sees Se as the
“enemy” rather than as an important and helpful part of one’s own psyche. The
longer this conflict between Ni and Se goes on, the greater the likelihood of
succumbing to “the grip”. Ni might try to resist a grip experience by looking
for an
external scapegoat for its stress or suffering. Not wanting to turn a critical
eye on
itself, Ni will blame the outside world for its own failure to engage with Se,
e.g.,
by accusing other people, society, or the world for being unsupportive,
shallow,
short-sighted, or inattentive to meaning. On one hand, Ni-doms crave connection
with the Se world and unconsciously desire the natural ease, flexibility, and
admiration that the best Se-doms can achieve; on the other hand, they resent
themselves for this desire and become all too ready to distrust the external
world,
creating a paranoid mindset where the world is always throwing up obstacles for
them and only they themselves know the “truth” about things, all the while
ignoring the real problem. The more they resist adapting themselves to changing
facts and details, the more they will feel bound or constricted by practical
concerns.
- Ni-doms can be emotionally triggered in a variety of ways, such as: feeling
overwhelmed by the details of an unfamiliar physical environment, unexpected
changes to their personal space, having factual errors pointed out to them in a
way that implies carelessness or lack of forethought, being exposed or judged
as
lacking knowledge/insight, being forced to handle too many small details at
once,
lack of autonomy or personal space to engage in private activities, prolonged
exposure to situations that encourage sensory overload like big crowds or noisy
environments, being blindsided or confronted with unwanted surprises, feeling
pressure to extravert too much, frequent interruptions from others or the
environment, working in environments that do not allow independent thought or
expressions of creativity, not receiving proper recognition for insight or hard
work,
doing things that have no future prospects or significance for personal
development, working with people who seem short-sighted or apathetic or
inefficient, spending too much time in environments that lack structure or
clear
rules of conduct, uncertainty about the future, feeling a chronic lack of
purpose/meaning/direction in life.
 - When they become stressed and mentally fatigued to the point where Ni can
no
longer maintain its dominance, unhealthy Se urges will finally erupt from
the
unconscious, driving Ni-doms to surrender to Se in a negative or
destructive
manner.
- When they become stressed and mentally fatigued to the point where Ni can no
longer maintain its dominance, unhealthy Se urges will finally erupt from
the
unconscious, driving Ni-doms to surrender to Se in a negative or
destructive
manner. The ways in which these psychological urges manifest behaviorally
are
often unique to the individual and the circumstances. They tend to abandon
self-discipline and overindulge any impulsive whims that arise moment to
moment, unable to regulate their own mental functioning because of losing
sight
of future consequences, even becoming emotionally volatile or explosive,
raging
at others or trying to coerce people into falling in line with their
unreasonable
expectations. They might give in to hedonistic temptations and overindulge
in
sensory pleasures (like food, alcohol, drugs, sex, socializing, gaming,
risky
physical challenges, etc.) because these short-lived experiences are an all
too
convenient escape from underlying emotional issues.
- Since these poor decisions tend to worsen life’s difficulties, it becomes
easy to
spiral out of control, thereby exacerbating the urge to seek further
sensory
escape as panic or anxiety about the future cannot be kept at bay. Their
view of
situations can become extremely narrow and unimaginative as they become
hyper-focused on what certain “facts” mean, with a tendency to overthink
details
and misinterpret them in a negative, critical, biased, or pessimistic way,
usually
because they are only able to see the details that support their cynical
suspicions, and this gradually erodes emotional well-being and self-
assuredness
because of getting poor results or making no progress. They may start to
blame
others, nitpick other people’s behaviors, or become extremely judgmental
and
inflexible in relationships. As a result, they might come to rely on
negative coping
behaviors like self-imposed isolation or sensory escape in order to
protect/distance themselves from the perceived demands of the external
world.
- In order to properly avoid a grip experience, it is essential that Ni-doms
learn the
real value of the Se perspective and the advantages it can confer. For Ni-
doms,
successfully emerging from a grip experience usually requires solitude and
private space away from the demands of work to regain composure
Oftentimes, the immediate physical environment can trigger memories of stress, so a
change of location or scenery might be required. Ni-doms can also quiet the mind by
utilizing productive and relaxing Se-related activities that do not require any
focus on
long term outcomes or achievement. Whatever activities are chosen, they should
accomplish two goals:
 ■ to release and expend Se energy in a way that consciously emphasizes its
worth and usefulness, rather than using Se to escape or avoid stress
■ to decrease the dominance of Ni, thereby allowing it to relax and regain its
natural flexibility and accuracy

Because access to the inferior function is extremely difficult to achieve due to

its
opposing nature, the auxiliary function must also be used to relieve psychological
pressure whenever possible:

■ INTJs can use Te-related activities to improve their ability to engage with
the
external world through being planful, competent, and results-oriented
(thereby building genuine confidence by working towards concrete goals).

Ongoing type-related development for Ni-doms:

■work on being more adaptable to changes in external circumstances

■use physical/sensual activities to relax rather than to escape stress
■set more realistic goals for yourself to avoid undue stress or anxiety
■use Se consciously to explain one’s current awareness of a situation
■use Se adaptively by forming the habit of focusing on sensory information
■use Se to support Ni by collecting evidence/experience of the physical world
and taking practical action towards goals/potential
■ avoiding making incorrect intuitive connections without enough facts
■ become more aware of the intuitive process so that you can know yourself
more objectively and communicate your thoughts, ideas, or feelings clearly
to others
■ enjoy physical activities or aesthetic/artistic pursuits in a way that
allows you
to exercise your intuition alongside sensing, e.g., interpret and re-
interpret
works of visual/performance art
■ reflect on how your relentless need to analyze meaning or pursue future
goals affects you and the people around you
■ make efforts to genuinely understand and build up the natural strengths of
Se; observe healthy Se-doms and learn to appreciate their style
 ■ envision, recall, or experience real-life scenarios where Se is more
capable
or effective than Ni at handling reality, so that you can learn to
consciously
and comfortably choose the most adaptive behaviors

PART I: TYPE DYNAMICS

- While you use the four functions of your stack all the time, it does not
mean
that you know how to use them in the most optimal way. A function being
higher in your stack only indicates the degree to which you rely upon it
(dominance), not necessarily the level of its development (maturity). The
more
you rely on a function, the more you tend to use it, and the more
opportunity
you have to develop it. However, development is by no means an automatic
process.
- Undeveloped functions operate unconsciously, outside of your full
awareness and control. Personality development requires people to learn
how to use functions with greater conscious intention, which requires
sustained self-work. Jung heavily emphasized the role of the unconscious
mind in psychological development, believing that one must understand
unconscious activity in order to mature and evolve into the authentic self.
It is
sadly the case that most people do not learn how to use their functions
consciously. Without the right development, functions remain in the
unconscious mind in the form of primitive emotional instincts that are
conditioned to react automatically to simple pains and pleasures. By
becoming
more aware of these underlying instincts, you can learn to harness their
energy
for growth-positive behavior.
- In each stage of development, you feel a natural psychological pull to focus
on
a function in order to spend time on its development, a process sometimes
referred to as differentiation. Type development can be slowed, quickened,
or
halted by environmental forces. It is important to identify when and why
your
 development slowed and learn to address the obstacles that limited your
growth.
- dominant function development ~ ages 6-12
- auxiliary function development ~ ages 12-20
- tertiary function development ~ ages 20-35
- inferior function development ~ ages 35+
- You may start to see glimpses of the next stage of function development
earlier
than expected but, even still, it often takes many years to learn how to use
a
function maturely, especially as you move down the functional stack, because
you have to reach deeper and deeper into the unconscious mind. If you do not
learn how to use a function in a healthy manner, your personality is more
likely
to manifest its negative aspects.

1. The Dominant Hero

- To make matters worse, parental influence can sometimes be too overbearing

in
reinforcing/punishing certain behaviors, which produces behavioral patterns
that are not
natural to the child’s type (as children tend to be invested in obtaining
parental approval).
- As the dominant function grows in prominence, you construct a self-image
around it. You will feel an increase in self-esteem when you are able to use
the
function with good results. You will feel a decrease in self-esteem when you
are unable to use the function with good results. If the environment isn’t
conducive to dominant function development, e.g., due to parental or peer
blocking, a child is likely to develop self-esteem issues.

2. The Inferior Enemy

- As the dominant function grows in power and influence, the inferior function
suffers repression with equal force, thus producing a permanent state of
tension
in the mind.
- n order to build and maintain a coherent ego identity, the dominant versus
inferior
dilemma requires you to always side with the dominant. In other words, the
“hero” is always trying to “keep the enemy at bay”. This is a natural part
of
 psychological development and not something that can/should be avoided. The
inferior function is actually an important part of who you are but it runs
completely
counter to your ego identity, and therein lies its power to disrupt. The
“hero’s”
existence is largely defined by the nature of the “enemy”, which means that
unconscious fear of the inferior function is a major motivating force in life,
though people rarely realize it. The hero is primarily driven by fear because
it
believes that the enemy represents “annihilation”. Thus, the hero’s natural
reaction is to build up defenses to protect the ego’s integrity and keep
unconscious activity unconscious… but ego defenses aren’t impenetrable.
- To use a function consciously requires a lot of mental energy. Age aside, the
higher the function in the stack, the easier and more natural it is for you to
use it,
whereas the lower the function in the stack, the harder and less natural it
feels for
you to use it consciously. This uneven distribution of mental energy makes your
mind more efficient in a lot of ways, but there are some downsides to it as
well.
Unfortunately, the amount of mental energy you have is finite. When you are at
full mental energy, it’s much easier to be your better self and use your
dominant
function optimally. However, mental energy can become exhausted for a variety
of reasons, including: stress, economic pressures, emotional conflict or
turmoil,
tough transitional periods of life, dealing with too many challenges, or even
general fatigue from living a very busy lifestyle. As mental energy drains, you
start to lose focus and become less and less able to control your executive
functioning, which means being unable to use your dominant function optimally.
- According to analytical psychology, repression of mental activities to the
unconscious mind tends to produce maladaptive tendencies. The longer and
more intense the period of repression, the more likely it is that the boundary
between unconscious and conscious breaks down. What is continually pressed
down eventually wants to bounce back up, but the longer it stays down, the more
ugly and distorted it becomes, because problems are left to fester and worsen
beyond one’s awareness. A big part of why talk therapy is helpful is because it
provides a safe space to explore unconscious activity, such as one’s fears,
insecurities, and traumas - talk therapy is a healthy form of release. When
unconscious pressure remains high due to prolonged and intense repression, it
will find some form of release eventually, whether through healthy or unhealthy
means. Of the four functions, the inferior is the closest in proximity to the
unconscious mind, so it is the easiest function to hijack for releasing
unconscious
pressures when a person is mentally exhausted. This causes a person to act
really out of character for the period of time that their mental energy remains
exhausted, due to the oppositional nature of the inferior function.
- hese out of character episodes (commonly referred to as “being in the grip of
the inferior function”) can vary in their behavioral characteristics, depending
on
 individual skillfulness in replenishing mental energy and reviving ego
defenses.
For example, when mental energy is medium to low, unconscious pressures can
trickle sporadically through the ego’s defenses day-to-day, or they can
suddenly
blast through the defenses when one unexpectedly meets a major stressor in
life.
- Any time that you “lose yourself” for a moment or for awhile is an opportunity
for
the inferior function to express your unconscious activity.
- inferior Se: disproportionate reaction to a minor event
- For most people, experiences with the inferior function tend to be negative
because they accompany difficult or stressful times in life. The inferior
function
often manifests in destructive ways because its level of development remains
infantile, which means that you have little control over it. When an inferior
grip
episode is brought on by situational stress, it’s important to remove yourself
from
the stressor or manage the stress properly so that your mental energy has a
chance to replenish and return you to normal psychological functioning.
- As a child approaches prepubescence (10-12), they tend to overuse the
dominant function, which in turn exacerbates inferior repression, so the
tension
between the dominant and inferior functions reaches a critical point. Unless
there
is some way to relieve the tension, the mind becomes increasingly fragile,
unstable, and susceptible to inferior disruption.If type development stalls
because
the tension between the dominant and inferior functions is never properly
addressed, a person is likely to show more and more serious signs of
personality
disorder over time.
- There are rare cases where people get stuck in inferior grip mentality, or what
I
sometimes call chronic grip. Usually, it is a result of environmental factors
that
severely constrained or punished dominant function development in childhood.
Because the dominant and inferior functions are opposites, reinforcing one side
means producing a loss on the other side. Growing up in an environment that
doesn’t respect the dominant function and forces a person to behave
diametrically opposed to their natural type enables chronic misuse of the
inferior
function. Sadly, chronic grip interrupts the natural process of ego formation,
which means that a person’s ego identity becomes distorted. They tend to have a
very shallow understanding of themselves and pursue life goals that either
leave
them empty or even produce self-harm.
-
Dom Inferior repression Dom extreme Inf Intrusion

Ni Avoids (Se) unrealistic overreactive

factuality
To avoid inferior grip and tamp down the negative aspects of the inferior function,
it is
important to:

1. avoid overusing or overextending the dominant function, such that repression

of
the inferior function also loosens
2. maintain adequate mental energy levels by addressing the factors that drain
away mental energy
3. learn and practice effective stress management strategies that allow for
regular
replenishment of mental energy
- Point number one is best accomplished by developing the auxiliary and
tertiary
functions. Using the auxiliary and tertiary functions more optimally creates
a
“bridge” that helps you become more aware of inferior function activity. As
self-awareness deepens over time, unconscious activity is given more room to
breathe, and there is less and less reason to treat the inferior function
like the
“enemy”.

3. The Auxiliary Sidekick

- The best way to relieve the tension between the dominant and inferior
functions
is to develop proper use of the auxiliary function. Because the auxiliary
and
inferior functions have the same i/e orientation, the auxiliary function
ideally
serves as a “release valve” that creates balance. Extreme dominant function
use
creates an imbalance between the introverted and extraverted sides of your
personality, which makes your psychology more tense and fragile.
- The reason that people tend to overuse the dominant function is because they
are largely unaware of the psychological imbalance, due to the inferior
function
being too far away from consciousness. Trying to use the inferior function
is risky
because 1) it is so close to unconscious activity, and 2) its level of
development
remains so infantile. In other words, you don’t have enough awareness and
control over the inferior function, so trying to use it to offset dominant
extremes is
dangerous, as it could increase your susceptibility to unstable and
unhealthy
inferior grip experiences. The auxiliary function, on the other hand, poses
less of
a threat to the dominant function, so using it should be easier, which is
why it is
the second function slated for development. In simple terms, using the
auxiliary
function to offset dominant extremes allows the dominant function to rest,
which
in turn loosens up inferior function repression.
 - If your dominant function is introverted (i), your auxiliary function is
extraverted (e), and vice versa. This ensures that
introverted-extraverted stability is maintained.
- If your dominant function is a perceiving function (S or N), you tend to
gather and generate a lot of data, perhaps easily overwhelmed by too
much data. This means that the auxiliary function should be a judging
function (T or F) that helps you organize data to ensure a more rational
mindset.
- As the introverted-extraverted and perceiving-judging aspects of the
personality establish better equilibrium, one’s psychology becomes more
stable and resilient
- When a person has gotten quite used to using and overusing their dominant
function, it becomes a very important part of their ego identity. This can make
it
difficult to develop the auxiliary function because the opposing i/e
orientation
poses a threat to the ego.
- Actively suppressing or resisting auxiliary activity leaves the function to
operate
less consciously and, worse, removes opportunities for learning how to use it
more optimally. The mental energy that should be used for positive auxiliary
growth becomes wasted in “self-defense”, AGAINST YOURSELF, creating
deep fragmentation in the mind that makes you more vulnerable to inferior
disruptions. Resistance against auxiliary development is ultimately rooted in
fear of the inferior function because both functions are urging you to move in
the i/e direction that seems unnatural to the ego.

Dom Flaw Auxiliary adviser says… Aux suppression

Ni distorted Te: correct faults and Irrational,

incompetent
mistakes
- The key to developing the auxiliary function is to accept its guidance and
advice when
necessary, to become aware of when the dominant (read: automatic) way of doing
things
isn’t working well and requires adjustment.
- It can take many years to resolve the conflict between the dominant and
auxiliary
functions. It is not unusual for people to still be working on it throughout
their
twenties. Those who are unable to resolve the conflict remain stuck
 psychologically, often very childish in how they perceive and judge
situations,
and prone to psychological problems. Those who are able to resolve the
conflict
become more mature as the mind stabilizes and strengthens.

4. The Tertiary Temptation

- The longer this situation remains unresolved, the more likely it is that a
person
will suffer the negative consequences of inadequate perception and poor
judgment, thereby more likely to buckle under life’s challenges and encounter
devastating life failures. Accumulation of life problems creates even more
threats
to the ego, seemingly coming from all directions, and this makes a person
more
likely to create thicker and thicker ego defenses. It becomes easier and
easier to
fall into a vicious cycle of threat-and-defense behavior that aggravates
psychological fragmentation. This unhealthy cognitive-behavioral pattern is
sometimes referred to as tertiary temptation or tertiary loop.
- Tertiary loop is essentially a double down strategy. Instead of admitting
that the
dominant function is failing, a person uses the tertiary function to fool
themselves
into believing that the auxiliary function is to blame for all the problems,
which
conveniently allows them to continue with auxiliary resistance. Because the
tertiary function has the same i/e orientation as the dominant, tertiary loop
creates a dominant+tertiary “team up” situation that, only on the surface,
seems
like a much better and stronger defense against the auxiliary+inferior
orientation
threat. Tertiary loop creates a false sense of power for the ego that becomes
quite tempting and even addictive. Unfortunately, the unintended consequence
is
that the divide between the introverted and extraverted sides of the
personality
grows dangerously extreme over time, the longer that the vicious cycle
continues. Severe tertiary loop results in “extreme introverts” who get lost
in
themselves
- Tertiary loop is usually a slow and unconscious process of threat management
and defense building. At first, people aren’t aware that they’re doing it
because of
the false sense of success/power they enjoy. However, as time goes on, the
strategy only creates more life problems, and it becomes harder and harder to
ignore the evidence which suggests that it’s really a terrible strategy.
Tertiary loop
can go on for many years if a person doesn’t realize what is happening and no
major catalyst arises to push them to change. On some level, deep down,
people
in tertiary loop know that they must change (i.e. develop the auxiliary
function),
but they can’t do it because they don’t want to open up the “hero” to a
challenge
when they have built up what seems like an insurmountable mountain of
threats.
This is why tertiary loop often resembles a slow spiral to rock bottom. Many
people have to hit rock bottom before they’re able to admit that tertiary
loop is
actually unhealthy and defeating their original purpose of managing ego
threats.
Auxiliary threat Tertiary temptation consequence

Te: correct ineffectiveness Fi: No, my action is failure

justified

- Ideally, the tertiary function should be a counter-balancing force that

addresses
the blind spots and excesses of the auxiliary function. Relying heavily on
only two
cognitive processes (dom+aux) essentially means that you are only dealing
with
half of reality.The tertiary function serves to enhance the relationship
between the
dominant and auxiliary functions, which results in greater maturity and
wisdom in
decision making.
- Unfortunately, tertiary function development isn’t always ideal, either. Even
when
you are open and welcoming to auxiliary function development, you will still
encounter some difficulties. When developing the auxiliary function, it’s
natural to
make mistakes, but they are important opportunities to learn how to use the
function better. This can sometimes result in what I call overindulgence of
the
auxiliary function, meaning that usage is unstable because one has not yet
established enough awareness and control over it - keep in mind that function
development is a long-term learning process. Since the tertiary function is
the
opposite of the auxiliary function, it can be used to address overindulgence
by
bringing the auxiliary function back down to earth, so to speak. This might
produce some friction between the two functions for awhile, as you learn
through
experience which function should be listened to in any given situation.
People
who are prone to auxiliary overindulgence may exhibit tertiary resistance on
occasion.

Auxiliary excess Tertiary balance Tertiary resistance

Te aux: too stringent Fi: what’s wrong with hardened

vulnerability?
- Succsessfully reconciling the auxiliary and tertiary functions is ultimately
about
taking personal responsibility in recognizing that, apart from environmental
challenges, the root of your problems is largely YOURSELF and your own
unconscious resistance to psychological growth. When the auxiliary and
tertiary
functions are properly aligned, a person is psychologically stable because
the
inferior function is more at ease and less likely to manifest disruptively.
This
 means that you have less reason to fear it. The mental energy that was
previously misspent on fear is now freed up for further personality growth.

Dominant flaw Auxiliary help Tertiary balance Healhy

inferior

Ni: out of touch Te: respect Fi: own Adaptable Se

empirical facts weaknesses

1. Stuck in a Rut

- To maximize efficient use of mental energy, we rely on the cognitive

processes
that we feel most comfortable with and not necessarily the ones that are
most
suitable. Repeating cognitive strategies ingrains them in the mind, like a
habit,
which makes the mind less flexible and more vulnerable
- An important aspect of type development is realizing how very limited your
dominant function actually is. For instance, say that someone criticized you
for
making a mistake. Which functions would be most appropriate for handling
this
situation? You would need a Sensing function that gathers the facts about
the
situation. You would need a Thinking function to assess the mistake and
correct it
properly. You would need an Intuitive function to come up with ideas about
how
to avoid making the mistake again. Notice that in this particular situation,
the
Feeling functions would be the least appropriate because they would orient
you
to the person who is making the criticism. This would distract you with
issues
about how you feel, your self-esteem, the fairness of the criticism, or the
status of
the relationship rather than the mistake itself. Therefore, individuals who
rely
heavily on a Feeling function to make judgments would have difficulty
dealing
with this situation in the most adaptive way.
- When you always use the same tool for everything, you are limiting yourself
in
terms of what kind of progress you can make in life.Feeling stuck in life is
a
signal that you should always pay attention to because it is your authentic
self
telling you that further growth is necessary. Many people reach their mid-
twenties
 and start settling into a life, getting increasingly comfortable in their
habits and
routines, and these conditions tend to gradually lead to the feeling of being
stuck,
as function development has reached an impasse.
- You can’t really develop your personality without broadening the scope of
the challenges and difficulties you are able to confront in life. In other
words, staying in your comfort zone does not push you to learn new things and
become more self-aware. It is often the negative and challenging side of life
that
reveals to you who you really are. The psyche has a built-in mechanism that
naturally nudges you to grow, so do you choose to listen to the voice within
that
guides you toward realizing more of your potential?
- When your cognitive functions remain underdeveloped, you are taking a risk by
staying in your comfort zone, because it means that you are ill-equipped to
handle situations that require more function maturity. When you are abruptly
confronted with a stressful problem or difficulty, you will easily lose control
and
spiral into loop cycles or grip episodes, which can entrench negative patterns
of
behavior. Therefore, developing your personality might seem like the harder
road
to take in the moment, but it is better in the long run. Learning from
challenges
prepares you well for living life fully, while staying in your comfort zone too
long
makes you fear living life fully.
- you don't have to be a slave to your fears and insecurities. You can choose to
confront them whenever you want to. If you are interested in personal growth,
observe yourself and reflect on some questions:
- Subjective Evaluation: Is there any bad habit or negative pattern of
thought/behavior that produces recurring problems or negative feelings
for
you? Is there any shortcoming or flaw that you wish could be improved
upon because you don’t really like yourself when you think/behave in
that
way? Do you have any thoughts/behaviors that prevent you from living
life
in the way that you intend/desire to? Are there are any negative
feelings
that you keep running from over and over? Do you have a sense that you
 are not living up to your potential? Are any of these problems
attributable
to poor function development?
- Objective Evaluation: Does any of your behavior produce recurring
complaints or criticism from the people around you? Do you sense that
sometimes the way you approach a situation is not getting the best
result/response but you just “settle” for whatever outcome as long as
you
don’t have to feel too uncomfortable? Do you have any negative habits
that prevent you from functioning smoothly on a day-to-day basis? Do
you
have any cognitive habits that hold you back from achieving the
success
that you know you are capable of? Are any of these problems
attributable
to poor function development?
- c) Function Use: Are you using your functions in a healthy way, when
compared to people who are good with those functions or theoretical
descriptions of what those functions should look like? Do you
understand
which thoughts/behaviors indicate misuse/misapplication of your
functions? Do you realize when the ego is being defensive? Are you
able
to catch the ways that you suppress or resist function development?

2. Common Obstacles to Development

- What obstacles have impeded your development? Think of strategies to

overcome the obstacles rather than using them as an excuse to stay stuck.
- Mental Disorder: address the mental disorder with the help of a
professional so that you can stabilize yourself enough to pursue
positive
self-development.
- Environmental Pressures: Environmental pressures can force an
individual to depend on cognitive processes that are not natural to
their
type, thus turning them into a cheap and unhappy imitation of something
they don’t really want to be.
- Low Self-regard: Some types have statistically lower numbers in the
general population and being a minority or outsider can lead to
feelings of
inferiority or attempts to overcompensate. For example, Western culture
tends to value extraversion more, which means that introverts often
feel
underappreciated. It is common for introverts to overcompensate by
 childishly wearing their introversion as a badge of honor or by trying
to
become an extravert in order to gain social validation
- - Lack of Social Acceptance: Children have a natural tendency to want
to
please their parents by behaving in the way that is expected, even if
it
goes against their type preferences, especially if they believe that
they are
likely to suffer punishment for expressing their true type. But
individuals of
any age can feel conflicted when their loved ones do not understand,
accept, and appreciate their type or even actively undermine their
natural
type expressions. It might be necessary to remove yourself from the
negative influence of people who discourage or denigrate your type
development.
- Lack of Opportunity: Sometimes, the environment does not provide
sufficient opportunity for exercising type preferences,
- Lack of Incentive: Growth requires a person to move outside their
comfort
zones, so it can be difficult to develop your type if the environment
does
not challenge you to stretch and cultivate your capabilities

3. The Biggest Obstacle to Growth: Ego Defense Mechanisms

- Aside from environmental factors, the main reason people do not successfully
develop their type potential is because of the limitations of ego.
- Ego confers upon you a sense of continuity and consistency of personal
identity.
Ego contains the things that you want to accept as part of yourself and
rejects
the things that you want to disown about yourself. In cognitive function
terms,
ego includes the cognitive functions that you believe are part of your
identity.
- Imagine that the ego is a fortress with tall brick walls and being wrong
means
that you have discovered a missing brick, i.e., a weakness or a vulnerability
that
leaves you open to inferior function intrusions.
- Strategies for ego preservation are called psychological defense mechanisms.
An easy to understand defense mechanism is the fight or flight response,
which
is your body’s natural survival strategy.
- . When you reject reality by building mental walls between yourself and the
world,
you can’t adapt well, which means being unable to handle life well. If life
problems slowly snowball, you get ever more defensive and feel compelled to
fortify your walls further (aka tertiary loop).
- This means that defense mechanisms often behave like an automatic instinct,
reflex, or habit. Therefore, it is difficult to be aware of them, what
triggers them,
what they do, and how they operate. One of the main goals of type development
is to increase self-awareness. Without understanding your defense mechanisms,
too much of your thinking and behavior remains beyond your conscious control.
 - As mentioned in the type dynamics section, it is not unusual for people to
exhibit
resistance against function development, particularly their auxiliary
function. One
way to build awareness of your defense mechanisms is to examine your
function
development failures - “resistance” is really just defensiveness. When you
have
difficulty accepting and developing a function, how do you react?
Oftentimes, the
defense mechanisms that people end up using are traceable to their function
development problems.
- Train yourself to reflect whenever you behave defensively. Dig deeper to
figure
out what the defensiveness is really about.
- Learning how to confront your problems bravely is better than allowing them
to sit
and fester. To deepen self-awareness isn’t easy because, at a certain point,
you
have to confront the ugliness within

4. Ego Development Through Life

- Less mature individuals are more likely to manifest the negative aspects of
their
type and more likely to exhibit development defensiveness. More mature
individuals are more likely to manifest the positive aspects of their type
and less
likely to exhibit development defensivenes
- Maturity is a matter of psychology, meaning that the way one thinks about the
world is more important than mere outward signs of success in life.
- Each stage of development brings a challenge to the ego, and meeting the
challenge successfully creates a sense of personal progress.
- I like to conceptualize ego development as “psychological evolution”. When
you are at an early stage of evolution, you aren’t really able to imagine
what
future stages will look like, because your mind simply isn’t equipped to
understand them yet. But when you look back at your earlier stages from a
later
stage of your evolution, it seems as though the changes you went through were
quite natural and obvious, perhaps even “fated” to happen. This provides a
glimpse into the nature of maturation; it is about how your perspective
changes
over time, specifically, how it both widens and deepens.

Phase I of Ego Development: Ego Formation

- Even if personality type is inborn, all it means is that you are predisposed to
certain responses. For example, an introvert is more likely to approach
novelty
cautiously, whereas an extravert is more likely to seek out novelty.
- To be clear, egocentrism isn’t about toxic fixation on the self (narcissism),
rather,
it’s about not having the self-awareness to realize that one’s perspective is
very
small, entirely limited to and constrained by one’s own personal experiences
(ignorance).
- However, when adults exhibit excessive egocentrism, it is usually because they
have unresolved childhood development problems and/or they experienced
negative events that made them overly self-protective.
- Egocentrism is necessary for ego formation because it involves learning how to
honor oneself. However, the downside of egocentrism is that a person fails to
demarcate a clear boundary between themselves and the world. Psychologically,
the subjective and the objective often get confused and conflated such that a
person is incapable of transcending their own perspective and then unwittingly
projects it out onto the world. Egocentric people use themselves as the
ultimate
measuring stick, which leads them to interpret everything in the world through
their own psychological issues.
- In adults, Phase I development has three distinct mindsets: self-protection,
social
identification, and selfhood.
- Level 1: Self-Protection Mindset
- main motivation is ego protection and defending self-interest
- easily triggered by negative feelings into fight/flight mode
- preoccupied with avoiding discomfort, loss, and pain
- envisions “success” as easy life with no troubles
- self-concept revolves around exuding “strength” and hiding “weakness”
- uses various methods of control/power to avoid feeling vulnerable
- defines “wrongdoing” in terms of getting caught and punished
- generally treats people with mistrust and blame, even paranoia
- People with a predominantly self-protective mindset have usually
experienced negative events that served to make them fearful of the
world. Fear generally manifests as either aggression or avoidance,
depending on how much physical power and privileged status they do or
don’t have at their disposal. They think in polarized, black-and-white
categories like “me vs world”. As a result, their interpersonal
relationships
tend to be about domination/submission, often manipulative, unequal,
unstable, even volatile. They are hypervigilant about spotting “threats”
and
reflexively jump to protect whatever they believe they own. In cognitive
function terms, they tend to misuse all their functions in messy
attempts to
defend against ego threats. To move beyond this mindset involves
understanding and resolving the underlying causes of fear and mistrust.
- Level 2: Social Identification Mindset
- main motivation is group acceptance
- easily triggered by feeling disapproval/rejection
 - preoccupied with abiding by social rules/standards
- envisions “success” as having a good reputation
- self-concept revolves around “acceptability” and hiding “shame”
- uses social appearances to gain praise and status
- defines “wrongdoing” in terms of noncompliance
- only trusting and helpful with members of in-group
- People with a predominantly social identification mindset tend to
have
some unresolved issues from childhood which lead them to believe that
they won’t be accepted or considered worthy of love unless they
placate
authority figures. In cognitive function terms, they tend to use
their
functions quite narrowly, only able to manifest the most obvious
strengths,
as social rules allow.
- Level 3: Selfhood Mindset
- main motivation is maintaining personal space
- easily triggered by feelings of oppression
- preoccupied with expression of personal traits
- envisions “success” as personal freedom
- self-concept revolves around personal beliefs/values
- uses social comparison to feel unique or special
- defines “wrongdoing” as failure to live up to expectations
- mainly appreciates traits that are similar to oneself
- The selfhood mindset is where the majority of adults fall in ego
development. In cognitive function terms, the average adult
understands
the strengths of the dominant function but tends to rely too heavily
on
them. They are likely to exhibit problems with auxiliary development
whenever it compels them to change their self-concept. They tend to
exhibit tertiary loop whenever they feel invalidated. They tend to
exhibit
inferior grip under stress. To move beyond this mindset involves
understanding that personal beliefs and values can be limiting and
should
be changed when they interfere with personal growth.

Transitional Period Between Phase I and II Ego Development

- Level 4: Conscientious Mindset
- main motivation is progress and achievement
- easily triggered by feelings of inadequacy
- preoccupied with choosing longer term direction
 - envisions “success” as determination to reach goals
- self-concept revolves around pride in capability
- uses talents and skills to obtain tangible rewards
- defines “wrongdoing” as violating own conscience
- appreciates people for their tangible contributions
- The conscientious mindset is a transitional stage because it marks a
potential turning point in ego development as people start to realize
that
egocentrism is holding them back in life. People at this stage are
more
likely to exhibit thinking that recognizes a need for personal
responsibility and self-improvement, such that they learn how to
interact
with the world more competently. The conscientious mindset is still
considered egocentric because one remains concerned about ego threats
and maintaining one’s sense of pride, but the positive side is that
one is
better able to choose healthier or more productive methods for
handling
psychological conflicts. Conscientious people have a better
understanding
of themselves in terms of recognizing that they have two “sides” as
found
in their “strengths” and “weaknesses” (whereas there is a strong
reluctance to confront flaws and weaknesses in earlier mindsets). In
cognitive function terms, they are more likely to recognize and
correct for
the flaws of the dominant function, which opens the door for
significant
auxiliary function growth.

Phase II of Ego Development: Release from Ego

- the second phase of ego development involves overcoming egocentrism. This is
accomplished through gradually recognizing the boundary between the
subjective and the objective, and eventually, learning how to bring the two
together properly. As ego fears and insecurities start to subside, people free
up
mental energy to devote to understanding themselves and the world more
deeply. Generally speaking, it isn’t possible to reach this phase of ego
development until at least mid adulthood, and many people never do.

Level 5: Self-Insight Mindset

■ main motivation is working through difficulties

■ pays close attention to feelings of conflictedness
■ preoccupied with paradoxes and contradictions
■ envisions “success” as making sense of complexity
■ self-concept is positive and malleable to change
 ■ uses deep introspection to understand motivation
■ defines “wrongdoing” in terms of psychological causality
■ creates meaningful relationship by appreciating true individuality
- The self-insight mindset marks a significant departure from egocentrism as
people come to realize how deep and complicated identity really is, i.e.,
that it
is not merely about oneself. This openness to exploring identity outside of
the
usual parameters of entrenched ego boundaries is often expressed in a far
greater tolerance for ambiguity, uncertainty, and complexity. The
motivation to
move beyond egocentric concerns allows them to view themselves, others,
and the world at large more objectively, treating each as separate and
distinct
and deserving of appreciation in its own right. In cognitive function
terms,
people with the self-insight mindset become less and less defensive of the
ego
and more aware of their lower functions and how they have often been
misused for ego defense. This creates a desire to optimize dominant and
auxiliary function use and learn how to use the tertiary function properly.
As a
result, they are more likely to express personality traits in positive and
selfless
ways.

Level 6: Authenticity Mindset

■ main motivation is meaningful fulfillment

■ deep understanding and acceptance of all feelings
■ preoccupied with grasping multifaceted reality
■ tries to live life with greater objectivity
■ self-concept recognizes interdependence with the world
■ defines “wrongdoing” as a challenge to learn and grow
■ creates a strong sense of mutuality in relationships
■ People with the authenticity mindset recognize that who one is will always
be
inextricably intertwined with what the world is, i.e., to truly be
oneself is also
to be truly of the world. They understand that the subjective and the
objective are separate and distinct but also interdependent, which means
that the two no longer feel in conflict. In cognitive function terms,
they have
 established a sophisticated relationship between the auxiliary and
tertiary
functions that opens up a bridge to connecting with the inferior
function.
They no longer display development defensiveness and no longer need to
use unhealthy defense mechanisms.

Level 7: Wholeness Mindset

■ main motivation is transcendence of ego conflict

■ able to put all feelings into a larger perspective
■ preoccupied with consolidating inner parts into meaningful whole
■ integration of opposites grants wisdom in decision making
■ self-concept is continuously open to new growth possibilities
■ capable of broad understanding of morality and justice
■ able to articulate complex awareness of self and others

The wholeness mindset is not technically the “highest” stage because there is no
concept of “low vs high” at this point in ego development. Transcending
psychological
conflicts means understanding that opposites are not real but merely constructs of
a
frightened ego. Very few people achieve this mindset, so it has been difficult for
researchers to characterize it in detail.

PART III: TYPE DEVELOPMENT

.1. Personal Growth & Individuation

- Ego development and type development go hand-in-hand to encourage personal

growth. As your ego development mindset evolves, you become better able to
use your cognitive functions optimally. As you use your cognitive functions
more
optimally, your ego development mindset shifts more easily.
- Unfortunately, some people attempt cognitive function development and don’t
realize that they aren’t ready for it in terms of ego development. For
example, it is
very difficult to develop extraverted functions as long as one remains
stuck in the
lowest self-protection ego development mindset. When being irrationally
fearful
 of the world is a severe constraint, attempts at extraverted function
development
are more likely to produce negative rather than positive results.
- Forcing people to confront deeper truths about themselves before they’re ready
to has the potential to cause significant harm to psychological well-being. To
avoid this pitfall, I believe that developing one’s cognitive functions
gradually, in
the order of the functional stack, is a great way to increase self-awareness
safely.
Each step of the functional stack addresses a particular personality problem.
Because the dominant function is the most natural to use, it is easiest to
begin
the development process there. Once a person learns to use the dominant
function in a conscious and healthy way, mental energy is freed up for tackling
the next function in the stack that requires even more energy to develop, and
so
on.
- Being able to use a function with full conscious intent means that the
function
has been successfully integrated into ego identity and serves as a positive
contributor to personal growth.
- However, as long as one remains defensive against developing a function, it
operates rather unconsciously and, more often than not, hinders personal
growth. To be defensive means that you are suffering inner conflict, i.e., the
various parts of you are “fighting” with each other and wasting mental energy.
People in Phase I ego development (most people) are wary of inner conflict and
use various means to avoid looking at it.
- Jung believed that the way you judge others reveals truths about the way you
judge yourself. For example, you wouldn’t judge a personality trait as annoying
unless it makes you uncomfortable to see that trait in yourself. If the
personality
trait didn’t trigger inner conflict in you, you’d be more likely to react with
indifference or not notice it at all.
- And having people around who trigger strong negative reactions in you helps
bring your development defensiveness into the light for closer examination.
- Personal growth is a lifelong process of learning, improvement, and adaptation.
One of the mistakes I often see people make is treating personal growth like a
race. They are eager to “advance”, cross a “finish line”, reach an “ideal”,
“eliminate” something negative, or remake themselves into an image of
“perfection”, etc. This way of thinking is common for Phase I ego development.
It’s important to be completely honest about what your goal is. When there’s
something egotistical buried in your intentions, the results of type
development
are likely to become tainted by it.
- Personal growth isn’t a “destination”. Sometimes, I am even hesitant to call it
“progress”. Personal growth is actually about becoming more aware of who you
really are so that you can be fully yourself - Jung called it individuation.
That’s
why I often say that the goal of type development is to increase self-
awareness.
 With greater self-awareness, you better understand what really motivates you,
what you really need out of life, and where your true potential lies. Then,
you
hopefully make better decisions, realize more of your potential, and live a
more
fulfilling life - a life that is truly, uniquely yours.

2. Improving Function Awareness

- Cognitive functions aren’t skills, rather, they are psychological frameworks

that
influence what information you prioritize and how you assess situations.
Therefore, function development is about becoming more aware of how you
use your functions poorly, to negative effect, in terms of prioritizing the
wrong
information and assessing situations in the wrong way. Once you’re aware of
misusing a function, you create an opportunity to learn more effective ways
of
using it.
- To use functions as they are meant to be used takes some effort to figure
out.
- If Ni wants purpose and direction, how does one avoid lack of presence
and
always losing happiness to the future, as Se gets shut down?

- You will certainly make mistakes in life as you prioritize some functions
over
others. However, the key question is: Do you learn from your mistakes? If you
prioritized the wrong function with negative consequences, do you understand
the mistake and are you willing to learn the lesson and do things
differently? Or
do you form a pattern of making the same mistake over and over? Mistakes are
necessary in the learning process. Learning what NOT to do is just as
important
as learning what to do. If you care about personal growth, cultivate the
attitude
of treating difficulties, challenges, obstacles, missteps, mistakes, and
failures as OPPORTUNITIES to learn, rather than occasions to beat yourself
up. Mistakes inform you about how you have misused or misapplied a function,
which means that you have a chance to learn how to use the function better.
- When you resist function development, you are in fact resisting personal
growth,
fighting against yourself by pouring gasoline on your simmering inner
conflicts. It
seems like a rather nonsensical thing to do once your ego development mindset
evolves and you realize what you’ve been doing, how you’ve been the one
holding yourself back all along. This is why resistance against function
development manifests as counterproductive or self-sabotaging behavior
- resisting Se: “not today” -> wasted life
- resisting Fi: “can’t be weak” -> harsh and unforgiving
- resisting Ni: “don’t overthink it” -> giant messes
- resisting Te: “screw the system” -> can’t succeed
 - The key to function development is to lower resistance or defensiveness.
This can be done by appreciating the good that can come from using the
function well.
- . Your functions are communicating important messages to you about how to
realize more of your potential and live a more fulfilling life.
- Ni: care for the future; live for a greater purpose
- Se: appreciate the now; don’t defer happiness
- Fi: put faith in goodness; honor authenticity
- Te: take the lead; be responsible for all you do
- When you finally learn to appreciate a function that you were once
demonizing,
a whole new world opens up because: 1) you are no longer blind to that
aspect
of reality, and 2) you become more accepting of that aspect of yourself,
which
calms your inner conflict and frees up mental energy to thrive instead.

ii) Improving Ni Awareness

Cognitive functions are multifaceted, which means that they can be expressed in a
variety of ways depending on the person’s level of self-awareness (ego
development),
e.g

■ destructive Ni expression: I superimpose my beliefs/ideas onto the world

because I do not require any evidence to know that my gut feelings are
fundamental truths.
■ unhealthy Ni expression: I can only see what is lacking/wrong in life and
it
renders me impotent/cynical.
■ immature Ni expression: I am insecure and avoidant because I fear not
living
up to imagined ideals and having my expectations dashed.
■ weak Ni expression: I have difficulty making wise decisions because I do
not
pay enough mind to clarifying my thoughts and caring for a positive
vision of
my future self.
■ healthy Ni expression: I live my best life because I prioritize well, set
meaningful long-term goals to guide me, and possess good focus for
gradually working towards my aspirations.
 ■ optimal Ni expression: My hard-won depth of insight helps me accurately
visualize future potential and I derive a sense of purpose from
successfully
actualizing it.

Cognitively, Ni encourages you to reflect on implications and how they impact the
meaning and direction of your life. Work on understanding why Ni is important and
what
benefits it can bring you. Three important points for raising Ni awareness are:

1) Accurate Interpretation of Implications: Without observing patterns and spending

time
to interpret what they mean, you will not understand how past, present, and future
are
connected and then be more prone to choosing the wrong paths. People with
underdeveloped Ni often act imprudently because of only taking details at face
value,
never inquiring into the deeper meaning/purpose/importance/significance of their
decisions and where they will lead. Powerful Ni connects ideas, delving into the
underlying interrelationships between things that seem unrelated on the surface,
thereby able to visualize multiple possibilities for how events might evolve.
Powerful Ni
understands implied meaning and knows how to use past knowledge to fill in the
blanks
of new situations. To understand the world is to realize that there are often
multiple
factors that have led up to the events of today, so Ni seeks to understand what
they are
in order to achieve an accurate vision of what is to come

■ Thus, to develop Ni: Take time to dig deeper, question why things happen,
question why things are as they are today, and inquire into what today’s
events mean for future developments. Practice your speculative ability by
trying to visualize what will happen next, e.g., in life, a social
situation, a
movie, or a novel. Reflect on how the past motivates your behaviors today
and whether those behaviors will lead you into a positive future. Heed
feedback or criticism that you receive about being more thoughtful,
introspective, and prudent.

2) Meaningful Development: Without prioritizing meaningful development, it can be

hard
to reach your potential, so you will likely end up living a mediocre and humdrum
life.
People with underdeveloped Ni often have difficulty visualizing a better life for
themselves, so they do not realize how much more they could be capable of if only
they
changed or improved some of their thoughts, habits, or behaviors. Powerful Ni
attends
to longer term outcomes in visualizing good goals or ideals to strive for such that
higher
potential is realized in due time. Powerful Ni understands that what you do today
determines your future, so it seeks to grasp exactly which actions will lead to the
best
outcomes, applying predictive patterns to one’s own actions in order to increase
the
chances of future success. Ni secures a better future by visualizing it and moving
resolutely towards it.

■ Thus, to develop Ni: Reflect on the trajectory of your life and whether you
are headed in a direction that allows you to better yourself and your
conditions. Reflect on what you can do to create a better life for
yourself and
seek out those opportunities. Examine the standards or values that you use
to evaluate “success” and whether achieving them will actually lead to
spiritual fulfillment, and if not, change course. Listen to your needs and
intuitions when they tell you that something is missing/lacking in your
life and
use it as a springboard to open up a new chapter, learning period, or life
quest.

3) Depth of Vision: Without depth of vision, you will not possess the wisdom that
is
necessary to live your life in the most meaningful way possible. People with
underdeveloped Ni do not know how to examine themselves closely, to look deeper
into
their own motivations, to gather multiple possibilities about how to live life, so
their
decisions are often too focused on immediate gratification or material rewards
while
neglecting the spiritual side of life. Powerful Ni sees the value of spiritual
fulfillment even
when it is hard to define, even when it seems out of reach, even when feeling lost
in life.
Powerful Ni always feels as though there is a higher purpose for oneself and seeks
to
understand what it is, and while it seeks and investigates every nook and cranny of
the
world, it will slowly accumulate the knowledge and experience necessary for making
the
best decisions possible. The wisdom of life is found through the journey of life,
so Ni
never stops moving forward, never stops seeking for the best self that one can be,
never stops visualizing how things might be better.

■ Thus, to develop Ni: Journal about your deepest desires, hopes, dreams,
and aspirations to see where they take you. Put your life into a big
picture
perspective by reflecting on whether your life goals serve a
greater/higher
purpose than mere personal satisfaction. Try to look at things from
multiple
angles in order to deepen your appreciation of them. Make sure that you
hear every side of an argument by taking time to consider minority, taboo,
or
unconventional opinions. Collect information/feedback from wise and
knowledgeable people about how to live a meaningful and purposeful life so
that your mind opens up to greater possibility. Take time to fill in gaps
in your
knowledge, especially if those gaps affect your ability to live life well.
Engage
in creative or artistic activities that take your mind to a higher or
deeper level
of insight. Take time to unravel complex problems/issues instead of
dismissing them as unimportant or pointless “overthinking”. Reflect on how
to bring all the fragments of your life together into one unified vision
of who
you want to be in this world and what legacy you want to leave behind.

iii) Improving Se Awareness

■ destructive Se expression: I do whatever feels good in the moment,

consequences be damned.
■ unhealthy Se expression: I have poor focus/direction because I am very
easily diverted into indulging trivial matters.
■ immature Se expression: I am insecure and hasty because fear of missing
out or fear of being blindsided drives me to make rash and/or reckless
decisions.
■ weak Se expression: I am often apathetic/absentminded and have difficulty
responding appropriately to things because I do not pay enough mind to how
much I impact and am impacted by my surroundings.
 ■ healthy Se expression: I consistently perform well in my activities because
I
am fully present, actively engaged, and enthusiastic about
learning/exploring
new things.
■ optimal Se expression: I always make the most of what comes my way
because I appreciate that time is limited and good opportunities are rare
and
should not be wasted.

1) Flexibility for Engagement: Without flexibility to engage with life, you cannot
be open
to adventure or live life to the fullest. People with underdeveloped Se often limit
themselves to spectating or speculating or imagining, sitting on the sidelines,
making
assumptions about how the world works without fact checking, talking themselves out
of
action, and never getting to see or feel firsthand what the world really has to
offer and
just what they are capable of achieving. Powerful Se combats apathy,
impracticality, and
mental detachment by forcing you to confront the world directly and experience
everything fully so that you never get trapped in your own head. Powerful Se allows
you
to see what is of interest in the world and creates the strong desire to interact
with it,
never missing a beat, never shrinking from life, always welcoming and embracing
life’s
changes and challenges.

■ Thus, to develop Se: DO more, move more, engage more, initiate more,
participate more. Look for interesting activities or opportunities to
learn
through hands on experience. Have fun with learning by trial-and-error or,
even more exciting, trial-by-fire. Apply your ideas in real-life
situations and
accept objective feedback. Don’t try to stop or run from change but rather
try
to adapt to what happens. Learn to enjoy the excitement of experiencing
surprises or causing change. Heed feedback or criticism that you receive
about being more realistic, proactive, open, fun, or easygoing.

2) Grasping Opportunities: Without grasping opportunities, you will continually

miss out
on things, feeling as though life is passing you by or living in regret. People
with
underdeveloped Se often spend too much time overthinking, hemming and hawing,
hesitating, procrastinating, keeping oneself “above the fray”, avoiding before
knowing,
judging before trying, deferring decisions until it is too late. Powerful Se
combats inertia
and boredom by keeping you in touch with how short, fleeting, and unpredictable
life
really is, filling you with a greater urgency and motivation to pursue your goals
and
desires, always ready to pounce on new details. Powerful Se pays attention to
change,
alert and ready to move, able to accept things exactly as they come instead of
getting
stuck on what they might mean or could be or should be or would be if only easily
letting
go of old baggage to have the presence of mind to grasp new opportunities

■ Thus, to develop Se: Be brave to say YES, accept invitations, volunteer

yourself, and initiate activities more often. Be more willing to try to
see what
happens. Simplify your life by doing things purely because you want to or
will
enjoy it rather than having to concoct complicated justifications. Do not
default to “no” or “we’ll see” or “let me think” or “it’s stupid”… but
rather be
open, trusting, and commit yourself to experiencing what the world offers
up
to you so that you don’t have to feel passed by.

3) Living in the Present: Without appreciating the positive aspects of life as they
exist
RIGHT NOW in the present, you are much more likely to become cynical, ungrateful,
entitled, nihilistic, or depressed, feeling as though your life is empty because of
always
judging the present state of affairs as mundane or lacking. People with
underdeveloped
Se often spend too much time thinking only about future outcomes instead of
enjoying
the process of living and learning, often missing out on great experiences because
of
only seeing the negative of how things “don’t measure up” to some perfect ideal or
final
result. Powerful Se is optimistic and cheerful, a real force of nature that
motivates and
inspires people to worry less and enjoy more, spreading positive energy with its
effortless trust and openness to living.

- Thus, to develop Se: Be present in everything you do and with the people
around
you. Take time every day to express gratitude for what you already have and
 what you’ve been privileged enough to experience. Be generous in helping to
make life fun and enjoyable for others. Spread positivity by nurturing a
trusting
and encouraging attitude. Focus on the good things in life and put the
negative in
proper perspective instead of allowing it to consume you.

vi) Improving Fi Awareness

■ destructive Fi expression: I am imprisoned by negative feelings and my own

misguided value judgments.
■ unhealthy Fi expression: I do whatever I feel so long as I can avoid feeling
bad.
■ immature Fi expression: I am insecure and unstable because I fear losing
myself if I do not do whatever my feelings urge me to do.
■ weak Fi expression: I have difficulty acting in ways that promote emotional
well-being because I do not pay enough mind to my feelings and values
when decision making.
■ healthy Fi expression: My moral instincts are very reliable in helping me
channel my identity, feelings, values, or passions into fruitful and
beneficial
activities.
■ optimal Fi expression: I feel deep empathy when I see people suffer and
work to ensure that every person has the freedom to be authentically
themselves.

1) Unconditional Acceptance of Feelings: Without being in touch with how you feel,
it
becomes very difficult to act in ways that promote proper self-care and
psychological
well-being. People with underdeveloped Fi are often resistant to reflection and
have
difficulty acknowledging and accepting raw/vulnerable feelings, which may
eventually
lead to unhealthy, immoral, or self-destructive behaviors. Powerful Fi combats lack
of
self-knowledge by always touching base with feelings and using them as a reliable
indicator of personal limits and boundaries, thus promoting unconditional self-
respect
and self-acceptance. Powerful Fi knows that feelings and emotions provide very
important information about the relationship between oneself and the world, always
making sure to protect or care for oneself whenever necessary. When you don’t know
how to process your feelings and emotions and accept them, they remain unresolved
and drain your mental energy, producing negative unconscious behaviors, so Fi seeks
to always be in touch with oneself in order to lessen the impact of negativity.

■ Thus, to develop Fi: Listen to your feelings and emotions, where are they
coming from, what are they telling you about how you’re faring in the
world?
When you have a strong reaction to something, heed that feeling and what
it’s telling you instead of brushing it aside or always “powering through”
without any introspection. Your feelings are good indicators of your
weaknesses, limitations, and unmet needs, so use them as a means to
honor your personal boundaries and prevent yourself from overextending
past your limits. Accept that you are human and have feelings, journal
about
them daily or weekly in order to stay in touch with them. If you have
trouble
accessing your feelings, engage with art or situations that provoke strong
emotional responses for self-observation. If you experience
breakdown/burnout, reflect on how it happened and come up with healthy
ways to prevent those conditions from occurring again. Do not allow
negative feelings and emotions to fester unresolved by denying,
suppressing, or resisting them, and if necessary, share them with someone
to release their power over you. Improve your emotional awareness through
studying emotional intelligence and building your vocabulary for
expressing
your feelings accurately.

2) Congruency and Integrity: Without maintaining congruent values and acting with
personal integrity, it is very hard to find the right moral direction in life.
People with
underdeveloped Fi are often too easily taken in by superficial rewards or immediate
results because they are not in touch with what kind of person they want to be.
Powerful
Fi knows that maintaining personal integrity means acting with moral integrity,
because
whenever you do anything that is detrimental to emotional well-being (either to
yourself
or others), you start down the road of becoming a corrupt and inauthentic version
of
yourself that in turn creates a corrupted and harmful environment for everyone
else.
Powerful Fi knows that the values of “the system” are not always set up to respect
the
needs of individuals, so it is necessary to have your own set of moral values to
follow,
such that you feel personally invested in making sure that the world is a moral
place.
Every person has their own unique experience of the world and Fi knows that a good
system should ensure everyone’s right to express themselves freely and
authentically.
 ■ Thus, to develop Fi: Learn to see the value in self-expression so that you
can contribute something unique to the world around you. Engage in
creative activities that allow you to express your likes, feelings,
values,
interests, and passions into the world. Do something to make the world
around you more just. Reflect on your moral beliefs and values, where they
came from, and whether they result in decisions that make the world better
or worse off. Reflect on your values for defining self-worth and personal
success, where they came from, and whether they will result in you being a
good person and living a life that you can feel genuinely proud of. When
you
make decisions, always ask yourself whether you are being true to who you
really are and what you believe is right, if not, is it worth it to
continue? Ask
yourself whether you sacrifice something important (i.e. “sell your soul”)
whenever you are chasing a goal or validation, and if you are, reflect on
what kind of person you will become by giving up the best parts of you so
easily. Ask yourself whether your behavior is conducive to good emotional
health and well-being, and if not, is the resultant pain and suffering
going to
be worth it?

3) Sensitivity and Empathy: Without sensitivity and empathy, the world would be a
rather harsh and unforgiving place, especially for people who do not have the means
to
protect themselves from being exploited. People with underdeveloped Fi often have
difficulty empathizing or being sensitive to the needs of others because of being
out of
touch with their own needs and feelings. Powerful Fi knows that the values you use
to
judge yourself are the values you will use to judge others, therefore, if you
cannot
accept your own weaknesses and vulnerabilities and even treat your own feelings as
illegitimate, you will never be able to honor the experience and suffering of
others, thus
prone to behaving callously. Powerful Fi listens to pain and suffering and treats
it as
important for catalyzing positive change, thereby able to empathize with anyone who
suffers, often compelled to help alleviate suffering whenever possible. Sensitivity
to
oneself breeds sensitivity to others and Fi accepts the burden of this sensitivity
as an
important driver of moral action.

vii) Improving Te Awareness

 ■ destructive Te expression: I abuse my power/position to get what I want
and/or believe that the weak get what they deserve.
■ unhealthy Te expression: The problems in my life are caused by others
being incompetent.
■ immature Te expression: I am insecure and controlling because I fear
ambiguity, powerlessness, and/or the impotence of not measuring up.
■ weak Te expression: I have difficulty getting my life organized because I do
not pay enough mind to structuring my thoughts, setting good goals, and
planning out my activities.
■ healthy Te expression: I know how to reach my goals efficiently because I
try
to be strategic in my every action and build confidence by learning
quickly
from mistakes.
■ optimal Te expression: I am a competent leader and a good role model
because I know the right approach and attitude to achievement,
accomplishment, and success.

1) Decisiveness and Competency: Without being decisive and competent, it is very

difficult to feel confident let alone accomplish anything, so you will be more
prone to
suffering from low self-esteem or passively accepting your bad circumstances.
People
with underdeveloped Te don’t have a good understanding of the rules and standards
that must be followed in order to be successful, or worse, they don’t want to
follow those
rules out of spite or a misguided sense of rebellion. Powerful Te knows what needs
to
happen in order to get the job done and possesses the will to follow through until
the
end. Powerful Te is confident in making decisions because of being certain that
one’s
actions will produce the desired results; it understands the rules of the game and
uses
that knowledge to strategize accordingly, setting a clear objective and
implementing
linear plans to get there. No pain, no gain, so Te puts out exactly as much effort
as
needed to get the desired result, never wasting energy on superfluous or frivolous
issues, thus able to make the best use of time and energy.
 ■ Thus, to develop Te: When you’re not sure what is required of you on a job,
ask and clarify, and write it down. When your direction is muddled, set a
clear goal, make a plan, and follow it. When you meet a problem, solve it
quickly rather than letting it fester or get away from you. Nurture an
objective
attitude, don’t unnecessarily turn practical problems into personal
problems
that affect your emotions. When you meet an obstacle, remove it yourself
or
get help from someone who knows how (and can teach you) rather than
complaining or whining about it. When you meet a challenge, face it head
on
and learn what you need to in order to overcome it, so that you are better
for
having experienced it. When you don’t know where to start, break the task
or
problem into steps/parts and tackle each systematically, one by one, one
step at a time. Always supplement your decision making by doing an
objective pro/con or cost/benefit analysis so that you can be on top of
every
important variable that influences goal achievement.

2) Good Results and Outcomes: Without caring about results and outcomes, you are
more likely to flail about willy-nilly with no idea what you are doing and why.
People with
underdeveloped Te have trouble making decisions, finding ambition, and setting
goals
because they don’t know what they really want to accomplish and/or what they want
to
accomplish is unrealistic/unreasonable. Powerful Te acts to assure good outcomes,
always directing attention and effort efficiently rather than wasting time with
wishful
thinking or procrastination. Powerful Te does not like the idea of wasting time and
always aims to be purposeful. Idle hands are the devil’s workshop, so Te keeps busy
by
making everything in life into a challenging game to be won and conquered.

■ Thus, to develop Te: Remove distractions that prevent you from being
productive. Whenever you do something, ask yourself whether it is useful
for
reaching your goal, and if not, why do you feel compelled to do it (i.e.
what
other reward are you after and is it worth the time spent)? When you need
to
do a task or reach a goal, plan out a linear route from A to B, write out
everything that you need to travel the distance, and prepare contingency
 plans for things that are likely to go wrong. Always have a plan B. When
you
have a lot on your plate, make a to-do list in the order of most to least
important and tackle them one by one. Schedule regular breaks for yourself
to recharge properly. Prioritize and learn to postpone or delegate tasks
logically. When your goals are fuzzy or poorly defined (e.g.
“self-improvement”), then make a checklist of concrete criteria or
quantifiable
standards that must be met in order for you to feel satisfied that you’ve
accomplished what you’ve set out to do. If a life goal seems far and
distant,
have self-compassion and allow yourself to baby-step towards your
destination, as making constant small victories makes you less likely to
quit
or feel discouraged. If lack of skill is holding you back, learn what
needs to
be learned to achieve your goal. If you need encouragement and support,
broadcast your plans and ask people to help keep you on track, download
an app with regular reminders, and keep your ultimate goal on the wall to
motivate you every day. If poor organization/time management skills are
holding you back, get expert advice and learn better self-management
strategies and habits. When you feel frustrated or disappointed by a
setback
or challenge, allow yourself time to blow off steam and then quickly get
your
head back into the game. Heed any feedback or criticism that you receive
about how to be more productive, efficient, and useful.

3) Responsibility and Work Ethic: Without a sense of responsibility and good work
ethic,
it is hard to persist and get back up when you fall down. People with
underdeveloped Te
are more likely to shirk responsibility or rationalize away their laziness, making
excuses
for failures instead of working hard to improve their performance with each step.
Powerful Te owns up to mistakes and doesn’t take failure personally (and thus
doesn’t
feel bad about it), and failure is used as a springboard for improvement so that a
person
is judged not by their failure but rather how they come back from it to emerge the
victor.
Powerful Te knows that a sense of power and mastery comes from observing bad
results and using a different approach when necessary, redoubling efforts to tackle
a
problem, again and again, until it is resolved.
 ■ Thus, to develop Te: Take a more assertive, problem-solving approach to
life
instead of running from difficulty. Brainstorm ideas to solve a problem
instead of complaining or panicking. Figure out the exact source/cause of
the problem and tackle it directly. Improve your critical thinking skills
so that
you can break down problems/obstacles quickly (lots of courses/books out
there about this topic). Reflect on your past mistakes and work on
improving
any personal flaws, shortcomings, or weaknesses that produced them. Use
your talents and skills in tangible and productive ways to feel more
useful
and confident. Develop a sense of purpose by doing work that challenges
you to be better and sharper. Nurture a responsible attitude by using your
knowledge/skills to solve problems for people in need of help. Take on
leadership roles to regularly exercise your knowledge and expertise. Avoid
self-pity or self-flagellation when you fail and, instead, think on how to
do
better the next time around.

Glossary of Defense Mechanisms

- As personality solidifies through life experience, a person develops

emotional
triggers where certain kinds of thoughts, feelings, impulses, people,
objects, or
events are perceived as undesirable or unacceptable because they threaten
the
boundaries of the ego. When this happens, a person will unconsciously engage
in self-defense or self-protection. Sigmund Freud pioneered the study of
defense
mechanisms in an effort to explain the many strategies that people use to
cope
when reality unfolds contrary to expectations.
- Defense mechanisms are attempts to counter psychological stress or negative
emotions and, since they are usually deployed unconsciously and habitually,
it is
difficult to know exactly when and why they are being activated.
- long term reliance on them can ruin your ability to adapt well in life
because they
distance you from crucial self-knowledge, eventually fragmenting the self.
Therefore, the high cost of using a defense mechanism is a corresponding
decrease in self-awareness and emotional intelligence.
- Generally speaking, the lower a person’s level of ego development, the more
unconsciously and automatically they use defense mechanisms. Defense
mechanisms are labeled as unhealthy when they produce dysfunctional
 behaviors that lead to negative, harmful, or destructive consequences. By
contrast, healthier defense mechanisms are considered less harmful because
they tend to be employed more consciously and maturely, and they can
sometimes produce positive consequences if used appropriately.
- Learning about defense mechanisms allows you to: 1) become more aware of
when you are using them inappropriately in terms of producing more harm than
good, 2) exercise greater will and flexibility in choosing the coping
strategy that is
most appropriate for the situation at hand, and 3) gradually dismantle your
system of defense mechanisms when it interferes with achieving your goals,
having healthy relationships, or pursuing self-improvement. Examine, as
honestly
as you can, any past instances in which you used a defense mechanism to poor
effect, look for habitual or long running patterns. Get some idea about the
kinds
of people, events, or situations that easily trigger you to activate a
defense
mechanism and reflect on whether there is a way for you to stop using it
when it
prevents you from living life smoothly and successfully. Since defense
mechanisms are generally activated by negative emotions (especially fear,
shame, guilt, anger), it is advisable to work on improving your emotional
intelligence so that you can deal with emotions directly instead of
defending
against them

Unhealthy Defense Mechanisms

Acting Out: Manifesting extreme and/or dysfunctional behaviors, usually because of

not
being able to utilize normal means to process feelings of frustration, anger,
dissatisfaction
Avoidance: Trying to avoid or escape from situations that cause anxiety or stress,
often
because of perceiving oneself as incapable of confronting a problem directly.
Harmful
because problems are left to fester, multiply, or worsen over time, lowering self-
esteem
to the point of helplessness or hopelessness. Common in Ps who are prone to
procrastination, Fs who are prone to conflict-avoidance, Ns who do not want to deal
with
facts and details, Introverts who want to shut out the world, and Extraverts who
want to
avoid self-reflection.
“Black and White” or “All or Nothing" Thinking: Oversimplifying an issue in order
to avoid
thinking more deeply about it, usually through refusing to consider other
perspectives,
alternatives, or hidden factors that are highly relevant to understanding the
situation fully
and accurately. Harmful because the failure to consider nuance or context often
accompanies depression and leads to faulty beliefs, poor problem-solving, or a
callous/dismissive attitude. Common in individuals at low levels of ego
development, Fs
who use their low T function defensively, Ts with a poorly developed F function.
Compartmentalizing: Creating a strict division of one’s sense of self into separate
parts
in order to decrease full awareness and responsibility for one’s actions (e.g.
strictly
separating private life from public persona). Harmful when believing that the
different
roles that one occupies can be used to justify inconsistent, immoral, or
hypocritical
behavior.
Compensation: Trying to counterbalance one’s perceived weaknesses in order to prop
up self-esteem and avoid confronting the negative aspects of oneself, usually by
overemphasizing one’s strengths or relying on actions that can superficially
camouflage
flaws/mistakes. Harmful because a person cannot confront their weaknesses and
shortcomings, thus becoming incapable of real improvement. Common in individuals
who are prone to looping or grip patterns.
Defensive Pessimism: imagining all the things that could go wrong in order to blunt
the
hurtful impact of possible failure. Harmful when it exacerbates underlying anxiety,
insecurity, or fears.
Denial: Conscious or unconscious refusal to accept factual reality in order to
avoid
confronting painful feelings or negative emotions. Harmful because a person becomes
incapable of seeing and solving their problems properly, leading to negative
consequences or a snowball effect
Displacement: Redirecting negative thoughts, feelings, or impulses from the
original
source of frustration onto someone/something that is considered “inferior” or
“safer” to
act upon without garnering severe consequences.
Dissociation: Disconnecting from awareness of a negative event in progress, often
resulting in a person losing track of themselves, the passing of time, or awareness
of
physical surroundings. Harmful when a person cannot heal their fractured sense of
self
upon returning to more normal circumstances.
Fantasy: Using imagination to escape from reality when life is not unfolding
according to
one’s desires, usually by exploring alternative yet unrealistic realities or
engaging in
wishful thinking, thereby avoiding feelings of failure, grief, or disappointment.
Harmful
when fantasy is used in lieu of taking effective action to improve oneself or life
conditions, thus getting stuck in a rut.
Idealization: Creating a perfect ideal in order to focus on the positive aspects of
a
situation and avoid confronting the negative aspects. There is a negative form of
idealization in which a person evaluates the world in terms of how things fail to
measure
up to imagined perfection, thus producing a mindset dominated by cynicism and/or
perfectionism. Harmful because a person (repeatedly) sets themselves up for
disappointment through unrealistic expectations, eventually becoming rigid,
delusional,
and/or emotionally fragile.
Identification: Identifying with or mirroring the characteristics of people who are
perceived as threatening, often as a means of gaining social acceptance or avoiding
social punishment. Harmful when one avoids taking responsibility for perpetuating
abusive, manipulative, exploitative, aggressive, or violent behavior.
Intellectualization: Overemphasizing thinking/reason/logic in order to deny the
human or
emotional context of a situation, usually as a means to distance oneself from
undesirable feelings, emotions, impulses, stress, or threats. Harmful because
emotions
are repressed and then drive behavior unconsciously, or because “pure logic” can
lead
to lack of empathy or insensitivity to suffering.
Introjection: Unconsciously internalizing beliefs, values, attitudes, or behaviors
from the
surrounding social environment as one’s own in order to reduce cognitive
dissonance.
Harmful when a person loses oneself or becomes more susceptible to delusional
thinking, groupthink, or mob mentality.
Isolation: Separating memory and emotion in order to avoid the stress or anxiety
that
recalling/reliving a negative situation can produce. Harmful because failure to
acknowledge emotions prevents a person from achieving closure for a negative past
experience. Common in individuals who have experienced trauma as well as
individuals
with a poorly developed F function.
Passive Aggression: Using passive or underhanded means to express
(unacknowledged) feelings of dissatisfaction towards a person/object/event, often
because one cannot handle the social repercussions of being assertive and truthful.
Harmful because the behaviors make intimate relationships impossible, and because a
person is more likely to develop a reputation as being inauthentic or untrustworthy
(since passive aggression is easily detected by others).
Projection: Attributing one’s undesirable characteristics, weaknesses, thoughts,
feelings, or impulses to another person who does not factually suffer them (due to
lack
of insight into oneself). Harmful because it produces gross misunderstandings that
destroy relationships, and because denying personal weaknesses makes
self-improvement impossible.
Rationalization: Reframing or reinterpreting the reason/explanation for a negative
event
in such a way that one can avoid taking responsibility for one’s role in causing it
(aka
making excuses). Harmful because a person cannot learn from their mistakes and will
likely repeat them. Common among individuals who are prone to looping, individuals
with poorly developed judging functions, and individuals who misuse their N
function.
Reaction Formation: Converting unwanted thoughts, feelings, or impulses into their
opposites, sometimes as a means to avoid them being detected by others (e.g. being
extra nice to someone you intensely dislike). Harmful because it results in lack of
integrity and negative emotions like guilt, shame, or self-hatre
Regression: Reversion to earlier states of psychological development when
overwhelmed by stress or negative thoughts/feelings. Harmful because a person’s
immature or childish behaviors can result in negative adult consequences. Common in
individuals who suffer trauma as well as individuals at higher levels of ego
development
when under prolonged stress.
Repression: Unconscious attempts to forget or block out thoughts, feelings,
impulses, or
memories that are perceived as threatening or undesirable. Harmful because one’s
sense of self becomes fragmented, and because not acknowledging facts leads to
faulty
beliefs or ineffectual action.
Resignation: Accepting existing problems or negative circumstances as being
inevitable
or unchangeable in order to reduce anxiety/worry. Harmful because one remains in
unhealthy, threatening, or dangerous situations, becoming passive and helpless.
Self-Handicapping: trying to minimize the hurt of a future failure by concocting
“reasons”
that can be blamed for the possible failure, thus saving face and relieving oneself
of the
responsibility to make an effort or take responsibility for any negative outcome,
e.g.,
chronic underachieving, purposely lowering expectations, predicting/imagining the
worst
case scenarios, creating unnecessary obstacles to goal completion, criticizing
oneself
before others do. Harmful because it is a form of self-sabotage.
Self-Serving Bias: Exaggerating one’s importance, achievements, or positive
qualities in
order to deflect or avoid confronting criticism for negative qualities. Harmful
because it
makes intimate relationships impossible, or because it leads to more serious
narcissistic
behavior.
Social Comparison: Comparing oneself downward to someone who is perceived as
“worse off” or associating oneself upward with someone who is perceived as “better
off”
in order to artificially bolster self-esteem. Harmful because it leads to a weak
sense of
self and prevents a person from developing genuine self-confidence and a realistic
self-image.
Somatization: When psychological stress becomes physical ailments or complaints,
often because of putting off dealing with stress or negative emotions for too long
or not
knowing how to verbalize/articulate emotional distress, perhaps even done as a way
to
garner sympathy from others. Harmful because a person becomes incapable of
identifying the real source of their problems.
Suppression: Conscious attempts to get rid of undesirable thoughts, feelings,
impulses,
or threatening psychological states. Harmful because it does not work and can
instead
lead to feelings of failure, guilt, shame, or self-loathing.

Healthier Defense Mechanisms

Altruism: Using kindness, positivity, empathy, or service to others as a means to

diffuse
the negative aspects of a situation. Can be harmful if done at the expense of
personal
well-being.
Assertiveness: Using a direct and firm yet respectful manner to communicate one’s
needs, thoughts, or feelings in order to ensure personal well-being. Can be harmful
if it
inadvertently garners negative social consequences or produces conflict, especially
when confronting unstable people
Anticipation: Inferring what will/may happen in the future in order to mentally
rehearse or
psychologically prepare oneself for any stressful or negative circumstances. Can be
harmful if it leads to paralysis in decision making, catastrophizing about the
future,
undue pessimism, or inability to take effective action due to anxiety or
overthinking.
Humility: Lowering expectations or downplaying one’s sense of self-importance in
order
to save face, fit in, accommodate others, ameliorate unhappiness, or encourage
harmony/cooperation. Can be harmful if done unconsciously and leads to denying
personal needs or low self-esteem.
Humor: Looking for the funny or absurd aspects of negative or stressful situations
in
order to lighten the mood or improve one’s attitude. Can be harmful if done
unconsciously and used in lieu of properly addressing the original source of
stress.
Sublimation: Channeling unacceptable thoughts, feelings, or impulses into a more
acceptable and productive medium (such as work, art, humor), thus using
psychological
energy positively as opposed to reinforcing negative cognitive-behavioral patterns.
Can
be harmful if done in lieu of addressing the original source of discomfort.

https://www.typeinmind.com/nite

- Thinking and Feeling are used to make decisions, while iNtuition and
Sensing are used to process information
- Each type is referred to by their top two functions. Internal functions are
the ones you use in your head, and external functions are the ones you
use to interact with the world around you.

1. Ni - internal iNtuition
- Ni is like a background processor that can compute and process information
without
needing to consciously work through each part of the thought.
- It’s easily able to see ten steps ahead and predict what might happen in the
future
because.
- Ni-dominant types are able to access many parts of their brain at once to
find an optimal
solution to new problems.
- Because Ni is the NiTe’s main function, everything else is said to serve it.

2. Te - external Thinking
- Te allows NiTe’s to operate efficiently in all areas of life.
It is the NiTe’s primary decision-making process, which means that if a
decision is
needed in the moment, they will rely on what makes the most sense
objectively.
Because Te is the primary external function, it is usually the first thing
other people will
notice about NiTe’s.
3. Fi - internal Feeling
- Fi is the NiTe’s third function. It is the NiTe’s secondary decision-making
process and can
take longer to come to a conclusion than Te does
- . Because it’s an internal process, it likes to mull over all the details
before deciding.
- Fi is what tells the NiTe how they feel or how others might feel about a
particular thing.
- It can act as a warning system when Te thinks a decision makes sense but Fi
knows it’s
a bad idea.

4. Se - external Sensing
- Se is the NiTe’s last function. As a last function, it is inherently not as
strong as the other
functions.
- Se is the NiTe’s more concrete side that lets them connect to the world
around them.
- Having Se last means that NiTe’s can easily get drained if they have to
actively engage
with the people or the world around them for long periods of time.

INTERNAL WORLD
- They are extremely intuitive and can often see all the possibilities for how
a particular
situation will play out. They are then able to analyze all the options and
refine them down
until they arrive at what they feel is the most likely one. They may even be
able to use
this to predict the future in a sense.
- Some NiTe’s are so involved in their internal world that their version of
the world differs
from what most people would define as reality. This can foster a powerful
imagination
which lets them come up with completely novel ideas because they simply
aren’t tied to
thinking about things in terms of the normal limits others consider. They
may even end
up accomplishing things others would deem impossible. However, this
imagination also
has the ability to be detrimental if they become isolated from input. They
need feedback
from others to help determine when their ideas are genius, and when they are
just a little
too far out there.
- A common strategy that can be especially helpful for NiTe’s is to create a
stripped down
beta version of their idea and then get it out there to see how people
respond. If all goes
well, they can start adding on more of the features and incorporating other
ideas they
had. Otherwise, they may want to go back and work on the base concept again,
or try a
different idea entirely.
- NiTe’s really like improving things. They tend to enjoy work where they get
to combine
their ability to see ten steps ahead with their drive to make things better
and more
 efficient.
- They can be very all or nothing. NiTe’s tend to be very deliberate about the
choices they
make and they like to do things with excellence when they’re working on
something they
care about. This means that doing the right work, they are extremely
responsible and
determined. With the wrong work, they may get irritable and apathetic about
the way the
job is done, or may focus too much on little details without being able to
see what’s most
 important in the context of the big picture. It’s important that they gain
the self-awareness
needed to know the difference. Figuring this out sooner rather than later can
prevent
years of frustratio
- When it comes to making life transitions, NiTe’s like to think things through
and
implement them one step at a time. This way, if something doesn’t work out
like they
thought it would, they can adjust or redirect the path they’re on to take the
new
information into account. It also might take NiTe’s a little while to process
something
before they really know how they feel about it. Especially with big
decisions, it’s usually
beneficial for them to have at least a day or two to think things over before
giving their
final decision.
- Because Se is last, the NiTe’s ability to just go with what’s happening in
the moment
usually isn’t very strong until they’ve had a chance to develop it more. This
usually
happens in their late 20’s and beyond. Although it’s different for each NiTe,
unpredicted
interruptions can feel disruptive to their flow for the day. They are likely
to get into a
certain state - an organized or a relaxed state for example - and they prefer
to stay in
that flow for a chunk of time rather than switching back and forth between
errands and
relaxing. Being able to stick to the same types of activities for a chunk of
time can help
the NiTe better deal with the external world.
- Because the NiTe’s Feeling is internal, they usually don’t have enough time
in the
moment to know how they feel about it. They may even ignore it completely
because it’s
an uncomfortable situation, and they’re not sure how to respond. In these
situations they
may find that it helps to ask the person a question so that they have enough
information
to feel like they’re on the same wavelength. This can also give them an easy
way to
avoid talking if they’re not sure what to say.
- NiTe’s are quite private and generally don’t show their real feelings often
and are often
accused of not having much empathy or emotion because of their lower levels
of
expression. When they do get emotional, it’s usually because they’re talking
about
something that matters to them deeply. It can be useful for them to take note
of the times
they get emotional or passionate about something, as these can be clues to
their values
and core mission in life.
- At times Ni can get overwhelmingly intense. When it’s stuck in a loop of
examining every
thread of possibility on either a particular topic or simply everything the
NiTe encounters
 throughout their day, they can get really exhausted. They can also end up in
Ni-Fi loops
where they create an entire subjective reality in their mind based on a
fairly small
amount of evidence. It’s important for NiTe’s to have good people around them
to draw
them back into the real world and prevent them from getting too lost in these
kinds of
situations.

EXTERNAL WORLD
- NiTe’s can come across as fairly serious around most people, with the
exception of the
few people they feel close to. They often prefer to be autonomous in their
day-to-day life
and are unlikely to cater their whole life to try and make people happy. They
feel really
 good when they know that they have the option to be completely independent of
other
people and their decisions. However, when it comes to a significant other, they
can be
extremely devoted and loyal as long as their trust isn’t betrayed.
- In casual conversation, they may be tempted to correct what they feel are
inaccuracies
stated by others, or point out information they feel is being left out. They
can usually see
why someone is coming from their own perspective, but they like to bring up
alternative
perspectives so the person can see it from a different point of view.
- They also tend to need to talk through their thoughts or at least externalize
them by
writing them out to feel like they’re fully fleshed out. Generally the thoughts
in their head
exist in a very abstract form, so talking them through or writing them down can
help to
solidify them. They may find it frustrating at times if people assume that the
thoughts
they’re sharing are fully formed and decided on, when often they’re just
talking to work
out a thought and they haven’t quite arrived at a conclusion yet.
- NiTe’s internal world has a certain intensity to it that they may feel is lost
once it’s
brought out through verbal communication. They tend to be more at ease
communicating through images, sound, written word, or some other form of
expression
where they are able to explore the full depth of an idea and expand on it
before
presenting it to public scrutiny. They are also usually more interested in
finding the
meaning behind things than taking them at face value, which means they may take
some
time to process new opportunities or unusual circumstances they find themselves
in.
- It’s important for the NiTe to not spend too much of their day in an
environment that
demands their focus on real world details that don’t have a clear and obvious
structure to
them. They naturally operate well in circumstances where they know exactly what
they’re
meant to do in concrete terms. However, because Se is last while Ni is driving
so to
speak, if they have yet to be trained on exactly how to do something and it’s
not clear to
them intuitively, they may freeze up. This is because Ni can see so many ways
of doing
the same thing that they can struggle to pick one option over the other. As
they age and
develop Te, they tend to get better at just picking an option and going with it
and then
analyzing it afterwards to see if a change needs to be made the next time
around.
- It’s not uncommon for them to have strong abilities that they don’t really show
off to
people.
- Too much time being forced to engage with the real world can get really
exhausting for
 them. Finding ways to minimize this drain is a good way to allow them to focus
their
creative abilities on the things they are best at. One of the biggest drains is
when real
world things are unstable (like not having enough money to pay the bills) and
the NiTe
needs to think about all the little practical details of staying alive, it can
be especially
stressful. Having to actively think about finding work, doing paperwork,
playing the social
games, cooking their food, and making money can get old really fast. Another
common
drain can be having a lot of emotional demands from people around them that
they
simply don’t have the energy to meet.