#i have my own weaknesses n shortcomings but my intelligence is a strength

[mbti-notes]

Hi. I'm a software developer. I like thinking up clever algorithms, ways so solve problems and so on, and I'm not bothered by complexity. My weak side is implementation: I literally get hung up on bringing ideas to life in this world because of arithmetic and similar "low-level" stuff. When working in team, taking charge, managing people and solving problems with no known solution is easier than implementing what is known. How do I overcome this downside? My type is xNTJ.

I have discussed these learning issues before because this is a common problem for Ns, see the section on Learning & Study. When learning, the typical N relies heavily on intuition to get by, for example, through: being a good guesser; only remembering information long enough to pass and/or practicing just enough to pass; believing that grasping the "gist" is good enough; only attending to information as long as it keeps one's interest; only performing as well as is necessary to look good in comparison to others; etc. In essence, they don't realize that their way of learning is very superficial and leaves them lacking a strong foundation of knowledge.

Not until they are properly put to the test is it revealed that they: have many gaps in knowledge; have a poor grasp of basic details/skills; don't know the methods/procedures inside and out like they should; have no reliable way to structure information and retrieve it quickly; don't know how to apply ideas and concepts; often waste too much time reinventing the wheel; etc.

A smart person should heed these warning signs and work to correct the N-S imbalance by better integrating the S function into their learning process. When you mentioned "low-level stuff", did you say it with a tone of impatience or disdain (as many Ns would)? If so, it might be revealing a bias against S-related learning.

Unfortunately, in reality, many people also have ego development issues exacerbating their learning problems. For example, some Ns get arrogant because they receive praise or feel rewarded for their bad learning habits. With unearned confidence, they double down on their bad habits. Experiencing multiple failures might push them deeper into denial of their shortcomings. Denial might lead them to stick to situations where they can show off their strengths and avoid situations that would expose their weaknesses.

This behavior reveals that they don't really care about real mastery but only the appearance of it. In the workplace, as long as they can keep weaseling their way into a better position, they can keep telling themselves that they don't have a problem. Having curated a false self-image over many years of being "quick", "intelligent", "insightful", "creative", or being "above mundane tasks", etc, they fear what might happen if they were to take the mask off. I am not saying you have this problem. I only mention it as a common obstacle to be aware of.

If you want to be an effective learner, you have to get rid of your bad learning habits, whatever they are. To really know your stuff seems like the harder path to take (that's why many choose to fake it instead), but the pay off is huge when you're eventually able to handle and adapt to any situation with ease. Personal growth is its own reward. It's important to note that the best learners care about personal growth and understand that humility and curiosity are vital to learning. Humility is necessary for acknowledging the full extent of one's ignorance. Curiosity is necessary for doing what it takes to fill in those gaps. This means arrogance and stubbornness are two big no-nos.

It sounds like, for reasons you should reflect on, you've put the horse before the cart. Learning is a complicated process. It needs to follow a particular sequence in order to maximize intellectual growth. But many people are impatient and want to do higher order tasks without properly mastering lower order tasks first.

For instance, the problem of "application" can be broken down and understood like this:

You don't possess enough foundational knowledge because you didn't put enough effort into memorizing all the important details, ideas, concepts, principles, etc.

You don't have a deep understanding of the subject because you didn't "make it your own" by taking the necessary steps to organize information properly into a comprehensive and coherent structure.

You can't apply ideas well because you don't have detailed knowledge of methods and procedures and/or you haven't put in the many hours necessary to practice and learn from practical mistakes.

There are several possibilities. It's possible that only #3 is the problem. It's possible that #3 is a problem because of #2. It's possible that #3 is a problem because of #2 AND #1. Whatever the problem is, go back and fix it.

#intuition #intuitives #intj #entj #infj #enfj #infp #enfp #intp #entp #learning #study #application #mastery #arrogance #growth #development #ask