Why am I acting in this way

[thef0x]

I'm a busy guy. I'm a totally inspired guy. I don't act on my ideas.

I'm considered an INTJ according to Myers-Briggs personality types. I think abstractly, with great focus, and my ideas tend to be beautiful, rational, and possible.

But I don't do them. I love to organize the ideas, plan the actions, decide which steps are best and which are worse, and then forget about that folder on my computer and move on to the next thing.

I really want to make a popular film review blog. I own the domain name, I have the blog installed, I even have a few articles written.

But I stall out. I tell myself to wait for something and then leave it.

I have such great ideas for this blog: using a categorized chart to depict what movies entertain which audiences, the different genres to watch, even explanations of plot movement and character development. All these are ideas within my head, but I get caught up because I can't make a graphic I'm pleased with, or I rewrite and rewrite and rewrite the same sentence until I feel my eyes bleeding.

I have these truly beautiful ideas and they just sit, inert, inside of my mind.

I need help. What do I do?

[stephencp]

"I have these truly beautiful ideas and they just sit, inert, inside of my mind.
....But I stall out. I tell myself to wait for something and then leave it."

I too am a crystal clear INTJ. I would assume that it is because you are doing exactly what you want to do which is to generate "beautiful ideas...inside your mind." That in and of itself is what satisfies many INTJ's. You must develop ANOTHER motivation to put the ideas into action. If you want money, you must develop and constantly reinforce the motivation for whatever it is that you want the money for.
Additionally, you must get motivated by the goal of a "successful" blog, not a "perfect" blog.

Stephen
Power-Book Library: Free personal development, success, inspiration and motivational classics
Personality and Growth Bookshelf

[Jill]

I have these truly beautiful ideas and they just sit, inert, inside of my mind.

I need help. What do I do?

You need a business partner. Someone who is a doer. Seriously, it will work wonders. Find someone with the same values as you, but who is a go-getter and will help and force you to get things done.

[bhopkins]

Great post. I have the same problem sometimes and I'm also a INTJ, so maybe this is just part of the personality. I'm fine after I get started and sometimes the ideas just flow and I can't get myslef to shut up and stop writing. What I've been trying to do is when I'm in the mood then I write as long as I can and then spilt up the posts and schedule them to appear over several days. This way I get constantly updated content,but I don't hav eot do it every day.

It nice to know I'm not alone in this.

Bruce

[ahimel]

I haven't taken the test, but from your description, I'm guessing I'm in the same (or pretty similar) classification.

The business partner thing really works. I love planning, but the planning stage really fulfills that deep inner drive, for me. I get all fired up and so excited... but the need, the urge to do something just dissipates once the planning is finished.

Fortunately, my partner hates planning, and would rather just dive right in and do things. He gets really frustrated when forced to sit still. So he's perfectly happy to have me point him in the right direction, and I just let him go. Works out great for both of us.

Now we just need someone who's good at follow-up....

[darkmoon]

This sounds very familiar to me, I guess I'm the same.
Although, once I do get started, I tend to work a bit obsessively

The business partner is a very good idea! I noticed from experience that I stall less when someone is working on the same thing as me, or someone is expecting something from me.

But it's hard to find a good business partner. I can be a bit of a perfectionist sometimes, and not easily satisfied with the work of others. Definitely something to work at!

[Jill]

Originally Posted by darkmoon

I noticed from experience that I stall less when someone is working on the same thing as me, or someone is expecting something from me.

Exactly! It's easy to procrastinate and to talk ourselves right out of doing stuff. But when others depend on you, it's not so easy unless you're a real jerk!

But it's hard to find a good business partner. I can be a bit of a perfectionist sometimes, and not easily satisfied with the work of others. Definitely something to work at!

Yes, it is hard for many reasons. But it can be done, and it's worth the trouble. I've had a number of partners over the years. Some worked out better than others, but I've never regretted having them as we helped each other get done what needed to get done.

The most important thing is to find someone you can trust completely. (Easier said then done, I know!)

[alsy]

Sounds to me like perfectionist tendencies, which can keep one in a never ending loop of “it’s not perfect enough yet” because “I see the big picture of the outcome. I clearly see the details and intricacies. I have a sense of perfection and completeness in all its glory, but the how it is right now, does not match the perfection I see. I return to my idea and see it perfectly in detail. If only I could get it like this right now. Its not like that right now. Its not good enough yet“
That is the sort of thing I have been through in my life.
Well if it’s not good enough, bring your standards down just a little. Down into the stratosphere at least. Get out of your head a bit and move the body. Hey, I say this and I am reminding myself at the same time. I have come a long way, but I still keep an eye on myself. I have progressed by starting to be a bit more physically focused rather than get caught up in mind loops. I don’t spend too much time on ideas any more. I set the intent, and at a later time when the inspiration comes to me, I enter into a visual journal. It’s more efficient and keeps me less in an endless loop which only brought self doubt and no action in the end. Believe me, if you wait for it to be perfect it will never get done. If you can see it’s not perfect, but its good enough for now, and it can evolve to something better over time then you are getting into the momentum.
If you are into books, you may like to check out one called “the life you were born to live”. Generally we have potentialities for the same thing, but each one of us has certain tendencies that lean to specific potentialities, of which this book helps identify, understand and how to move in harmony with it.
It helped me identify many tendencies I noticed about myself (some of which you mentioned) which I noticed but could not understand why I was doing that, but no one else seemed to.
Your vision can be an inspiration, but if you don’t bring your high minded ideals down into the stratosphere at least, then it may never take form.

[thef0x]

I need to bring my idealism down to pragmatism, while keeping the image in my mind.

So you guys are right. I need to be okay with where I am now, and figure out a reasonable step of where I can go (on the way to my ideal).

[cybersphere]

I'm also a classic INTJ who can sometimes suffer from idea overload, attention deficit and unconscious multi-tasking.

It sounds like you are procrastinating, possibly because you consider the task to be too large and overwhelming. Try to break it down into small chunks, and set yourself a deadline for achieving each chunk.

Try and motivate yourself by giving yourself a small reward once each chunk of work is complete.

[AdamKayce]

I'm an INFP, in case that matters...

Steve's got an article called "Triple Your Productivity", and another called "Do It Now." Both are excellent, and I think would benefit you a lot.

Re: the partner thing -- sure, if that's what you need. It may just be support, from an honest group of peers. I have a MasterMind group, and it has been a key factor in my business.

I also wrote an article about this, that just might help... http://monkatwork.com/articles/sumo.htm

[Dating Specialist]

Originally Posted by cybersphere

I'm also a classic INTJ who can sometimes suffer from idea overload, attention deficit and unconscious multi-tasking.

It sounds like you are procrastinating, possibly because you consider the task to be too large and overwhelming. Try to break it down into small chunks, and set yourself a deadline for achieving each chunk.

Try and motivate yourself by giving yourself a small reward once each chunk of work is complete.

Sounds so much like me! I don't give myself any rewards each time a chunk of work is completed, hence I felt so overwhelmed at times, even to the point of feeling slightly "depressed" when something is finally done ha!

Got to learn to do this boy.

[tc33]

Another INTJ here...interesting trend

As a fellow perfectionist/engineer-minded type, I find the fun to be within the formulation phase rather than the execution phase. Combined with a fear of success, I agree that it's a challenge to move to the execution phase and remain passionate. As Karl von Clausewitz said: "The greatest enemy of a good plan is the dream of a perfect plan." No solutions here, just sympathy

[Keith]

I find that "plan then do" is a trap. I find that what propels me on is being in the middle of something. When you finish a plan, your mind goes "Done." and moves onto the next thing.

I find 'the trick' is to start working on your project while you're planning. That may seem inefficient, but it's actually not - it informs your plans and makes them more accurate.
And even if you have to rethink at points it's certainly more efficient than not starting!

I think you'll find it a lot more motivating once you're actually in the middle of doing your project.

P.S. I find that I use the expression "I find" a lot.

[ABlix]

Could you enchance your risk/value matematical skills?

[Sunnett]

Same here.

About that partner thing, there are a lot of things where you can't have a partner, you are the one who needs to do things. But even if you could, then there is a whole another problem of finding one.

More interesting is this tip

I find 'the trick' is to start working on your project while you're planning. That may seem inefficient, but it's actually not - it informs your plans and makes them more accurate.

This sounds pretty simple but at the same time complicated. Could you write something more about this subject and maybe give some of your examples? Again it sounds very simple but like many things, it's easier said than done.

Thanks.

[Cassie]

I'm an INFP too, Adam.

Perfectionism quite frankly sucks. It's self-defeating, and the only perfect thing about it is it's the perfect way to sabotage yourself. I suffer from it horribly, but I force myself to complete projects anyway.

[thef0x]

Originally Posted by Cassie

I'm an INFP too, Adam.

Perfectionism quite frankly sucks. It's self-defeating, and the only perfect thing about it is it's the perfect way to sabotage yourself. I suffer from it horribly, but I force myself to complete projects anyway.

I think we just need to make our ideas reasonable.

But I hate it, I love thinking to extremes.

I should write an article on this so I'm forced to think about it.

Anyway, my little emotional outburst turned into a great discussion, pounds to everyone.

Cheers

[Logodae]

thef0x,

I definitely have a similar issue. Ideas are fun to play with, and they're "ideal" -- you never see the imperfections until you start trying to bring them into reality. And then it's all too easy to get distracted by newer and better ideas.

My (attempted) solution is to throw my hat over the fence. I've quit my job, with enough savings to get my small business up and running... as long as I stick with the plan and don't switch tracks halfway through. I've also picked a field that should give me the opportunity to explore new ideas within it. And I'm trying to accept that my first attempts aren't going to be perfect in reality as they are in my head. Experimentation and failure is part of the creative process. Perfectionists like us want to skip that part, but we can't, not if we want our ideas to see the light of day.

Perfection doesn't exist.

[Camilla]

I used to be a perfectionist too, until I discovered something very disturbing about perfectionism (my own at least):

When perfectionism keeps you from executing ideas it is really all about fear.
As long as you keep projects to yourself with all kinds of explanations/excuses to why it can't be finished, you are avoiding the moment of truth where other people get to have an opinion on your work.

Running my own business (shop design) I've learned, that everybody has got an opinion on everything from the business name to the actual services, and if you ask enough people theres going to be pros and cons to every little thing you decide to do or not do.

Basically nothing is ever goint to be perfect or please everybody, so at the end of the day, the only thing that matters is if you believe it's worth the trouble to realise an idea.

- Camilla

[jpfieber]

Originally Posted by stephencp

Additionally, you must get motivated by the goal of a "successful" blog, not a "perfect" blog.

I didn't know their was a name for it until now, but I'm a INTJ as well. In the blogging area, I love coming up with ideas for sites and building them, but when it comes time to actually USEING them, my interest falls off. I'd rather find ways to improve the layout, or add another plugin, than actually sit down and generate content. I love the quote above, it's something that I finally came to realize, not that it's changed my life, but it's good to understand that I'm not going to have the perfect blog, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't even try then. In the end, the thing that seems to modivate me the most is seeing my traffic increase. When I see that people like what I'm providing, it encourages me to produce more.

[Keith]

Originally Posted by Sunnett

More interesting is this tip

This sounds pretty simple but at the same time complicated. Could you write something more about this subject and maybe give some of your examples? Again it sounds very simple but like many things, it's easier said than done.

I can give personal examples, but I don't know how applicable they'll be.

For example, when I first discovered Steve's site, I developed a spreadsheet that listed all the areas of my life I wanted to improve, the level I currently ranked them, the level I wanted them to be, the date I wanted to achieve X by, etc. etc. And, with that done, I looked at it and went "Holy crap, look at how totally screwed up I am!" and drifted away to do something else.

So next time I picked an area (my weight & health) and dived in - I started a 30 day trial to do at least 20 minutes on the exercise bike every day and to watch my calories. As I learnt more about health I added stretches and resistance exercise to my cardio, and realised that the type of calories I ingest also matter. But had I tried to work that all out in the beginning I would've become overwhelmed and lost interest.

Then, with my revised exercise and food intake a habit I moved onto other goals, such as reducing the time I spent in front of the TV and using the internet.

A lot of issues on my original spreadsheet still haven't been dealt with, but some of them have. And that's a step in the right direction that I wouldn't have made if I was trying to follow my original plan.

[pi11]

Originally Posted by Jill

You need a business partner. Someone who is a doer. Seriously, it will work wonders. Find someone with the same values as you, but who is a go-getter and will help and force you to get things done.

Jill, just out of curiosity, what one of the Myers-Briggs personality would a doer be?

BTW, I am another INTJ! I just did the test for the first time.

[Jill]

Jill, just out of curiosity, what one of the Myers-Briggs personality would a doer be?

Unfortunately, I'm not familiar enough with the Myers-Briggs tests to know this. I could give the test to some particular people I know with that trait and see what they come out as though!

For the record, I'm an INTP last time I took it. (Was an online version, I don't know if it's the same as taking a real one however.)

[Still Growing]

You said you like to create ideas but you never follow through on them, is that correct?

Well first of all, not everyone can come up with good ideas but guess what. Even fewer people actually follow through with ideas.

There are so many people who dream but not nearly as many people who do...

Give me someone with a half ass idea who will do and keep doing and they will usually be more successful then someone who never follows through.

Sure you like thinking of things... Doing them seems like work.

My father use to point out ideas that he had come up with first before other people did them. I use to think he was brilliant. Maybe he is but he's really more lazy than brilliant.

A perfectionist, people say here; I say fear of failure is what I call it.

You probably are a very bright person with great ideas. Jump in there and give some of these ideas a try and then if you're really a perfectionist you won't stop until you perfect your idea.

Give your next idea a try. As a matter of fact, start on that website you mentioned. You can do it! And if you fail then you still did it.... Because doing is so much more important than half baked ideas with no follow through.

[Dwane J.]

Originally Posted by Still Growing

Give your next idea a try. As a matter of fact, start on that website you mentioned. You can do it! And if you fail then you still did it.... Because doing is so much more important than half baked ideas with no follow through.

I second what Still Growing said. I was in your shoes a year ago, I had an idea and for whatever reason I always stalled but then I started taking action. Within 6 weeks I had my first site up and running, you can see it in my sig.

I now have a total of 4 sites going, including a blog. I never could have done this if I hadn't taken action a year ago.

A suggestion is for you to start timeboxing (say 2-3 days per task)your efforts. This will give you some momentum and build up your confidence in getting things done.

Don't get caught in the manusha of planning, just start taking action now!

[The Probabilist]

Hi to all fellow INTJs!

About partnering up: Very good idea, but kind of tough to implement. Why? Because we're one of the most independent and perfectionist people who are cautious of letting others do something we've pictured out in our minds. This is a tough barrier to break through until you realize the beauty of the MBTI working model, that everyone has strenghts to input into a bigger goal that is waiting to be fulfilled.

So who do you want to find? I'm thinking two people in particular. As mentioned earlier there are the doers - Sensory. There's plenty to go around since they amount to about 80 % of the population. But you don't find many of them over at forums like this one. The other person I'm thinking of is the inspirer - ENFP. This is the kind of spouse you want to find for yourself.

About the suggestion to synchronize planning and doing: An excellent idea. This is what Steve is saying with the Ready - Fire - Aim approach as opposed to the Read - Aim - Fire approach that is extremely fatal to INTJs (I now know why Steve talks about it). I took it by heart and just bought a domain, installed WP and went from there. I just let my plan form along with my own advancement of knowledge of what was possible to create. However, there's sometimes a part of me thinking that I should've first read through lots of blogs, looked around for information, content, advice and all such before embarking on the same journey. I then say to myself that if I'd done that I might never have started out in the end.

About making changes happen: It flows in three phases. iNtuitive people like to create innovative ideas in their minds, Judging people like to organize the overall implementation of them and Sensing people dislike all things related to change so they insist on putting them to action so that things work by routine again - for a while until the iNtuitive leader is again hatching a crazy idea that improves the system and process the people are working on.

Read my article on the MBTI for some further insights or a crash course on what it's about.

[Eternal Wayfarer]

Well, If you really want to do something, you will do it. Even if many help is offered and you don't even help yourself, all of it will still be dumped along with your collection of inspirations.

When a tree falls in a forest and there is no one to hear, its as good as it made no sound at all.

Dream, dream, dream... You have the choice to make them a reality you know. Take one and see through it.

[Isis Kali]

Originally Posted by Eternal Wayfarer

Well, If you really want to do something, you will do it. Even if many help is offered and you don't even help yourself, all of it will still be dumped along with your collection of inspirations.

When a tree falls in a forest and there is no one to hear, its as good as it made no sound at all.

Dream, dream, dream... You have the choice to make them a reality you know. Take one and see through it.

It's not that easy for perfectionists and people that get stuck in thier head, though. There have been so many times where I just hit a wall and did nothing. I mean, hit a wall so hard that I couldn't do anything more than sit at my computer and read celebrity gossip, because the things in my head were so much bigger than what I could possibly handle.

Heck, I just hit that with my blog. I've been published in every blog carnival that I've entered, I'm getting more and more readers, I have ideas for more sites, I'm learning XHTML and CSS so that I can customize my site...but I don't do it. I avoid it. Same with my debt. I avoid it. It seems so huge and unmanageable.

If only it were as simple as, "Oh, well, you're just a dreamer! Go on and get up off the couch!"

Oh...and I'm an INTP. Boy, oh boy...lots of intuitive thinkers here. Big shock!