seeking a career based in one's Super-Id functions

[pianosinger]

I realized something interesting the other day, and wondered...

It took me a long, long time to finally decide on a career for myself. I finally settled on something that is mostly centered on my Dual-Seeking Si.

So now I have a theory that oftentimes people will choose a career based in the Super-Id functions, because it is something that is valued, and also something that they perceive as a challenge and an opportunity for growth.

wdyt?

[Pa3s]

A LII who's looking for a career focused on and/or ? No, I can't imagine that.

[Jarno]

So now I have a theory that oftentimes people will choose a career based in the Super-Id functions, because it is something that is valued, and also something that they perceive as a challenge and an opportunity for growth.

wdyt?

yeah, but they'll likely crash and burn.

You need to find something for your ego functions. Even Jung himself pointed that out already.

[Nowisthetime]

It took me a long, long time to finally decide on a career for myself. I finally settled on something that is mostly centered on my Dual-Seeking Si.

So what do you do now? I would be interesting to hear.

I kind of agree. But it is important that the job is primarly about ego functions. I know for example that ILEs are often interested in bio sciences. biology, bio chemistry, bio technology. I think there is a Ne-Si connection in these fields.

I was in academics for a long time. Or I tried to do it. I now see it as some dual seeking confusion. I got my degree but to have it as a job, it just didn't work out.

[pianosinger]

yeah, but they'll likely crash and burn.

You need to find something for your ego functions. Even Jung himself pointed that out already.

okay, how about this...

I am going to be a personal trainer. I hope to someday have my own business, focused on working with pregnant and post-partum women.

So, primary concerns-- health (Si) and people (Fi).
Secondary concerns-- organization (Te) because I will have to be organized to run my own business, and keeping my clients' interest in maintaining their workouts and other lifestyle changes (utilizing a little Ne).

Hmmm. Yep. Looks just about perfect

[tcaudilllg]

Keep running along these lines. Dual-type theory is already way ahead.

[Nowisthetime]

okay, how about this...

I am going to be a personal trainer. I hope to someday have my own business, focused on working with pregnant and post-partum women.

So, primary concerns-- health (Si) and people (Fi).
Secondary concerns-- organization (Te) because I will have to be organized to run my own business, and keeping my clients' interest in maintaining their workouts and other lifestyle changes (utilizing a little Ne).

On a functional level it sounds to me more like Si is in the background setting the theme for the activity and you use other functions to reach the goal. But that's probably good for a Si seeking person.

[golden]

This is a really interesting thread so far--thanks, Pianosinger.

Whichever Beta NF I am, superego is Se + Ti.

Frankly, I'm not sure I know what an Se career would be. Anyone want to give me ideas on that?

In its most ideal form for me, being a book editor is about a whole lot of things. I droned on about in tinychat once when tcaud was there, and he saw my perspective on it as ENTp-ish. Which made sense.

The aspects of it that resonate with me: creative expression, teamwork, unlocking the potential of the word, intellectual stimulation, contributing to the world of culture/ideas, project organization, legal/business/marketing concerns, having an enriching effect on readers, making a thing of beauty, connecting on a meaningful (sometimes lifelong) level with authors, helping writers realize their dream.

But I'm not sure I can easily narrow that down to one or two functions. What I suppose I have stood for as a person is guiding and motivating authors and teams, perfecting and clarifying the text, and packaging a manuscript visually into a book that pleases the senses. I could see some Se and Ti in there, certainly. (As Se to me is very much about aesthetic impact, even if Si more often gets linked to the aesthetic domain.)

And relative to Ashton's comments on the Jung, I did make a deliberate choice to get out of performing arts (very much Fe/Ni for me) in order to be a more balanced and functional person. (Still workin' on it, *sigh*.)

Last point--I know several IEIs who work in academics and are way into Ti. Still not sure about where the Se comes up in that for them, though.

[tcaudilllg]

If you seek a career based around your super-id functions, then that means your EM type is strong in those functions.

[Creepy-male]

I was in academics for a long time. Or I tried to do it. I now see it as some dual seeking confusion. I got my degree but to have it as a job, it just didn't work out.

Interesting. Considering I'm likely going to wind up in research science, this is pretty relevant to me, I think.

And also, what did you wind up doing?

[Slacker]

My sister is an EII nurse, which is a caretaking job. I think people can choose careers for a lot of reasons, and one might be because they value the super-id functions. Another might be just money and job availablity. Also, men are traditionally pushed toward some jobs, women toward others. And people often pick jobs that their parents or someone else in the family has, of that education is easily availble for. And obviously people might choose jobs their ego functions would naturally point them to as well.

So that could be one reason, but there are so many reasons people choose jobs that it's hard to say if it's a common one.

[Creepy-male]

Which one? I might see you there, the research science community is pretty small in Australia... unless you're sensibly going overseas.

Really don't know, and I try hard to not think about it. I'm studying physics and will probably wind up with CSIRO doing something or other, probably working on sustainable energy or the like.

The only thing I've specifically vowed to forever avoid is any form of education.

[tcaudilllg]

Career =/= occupation.

[pianosinger]

Career =/= occupation.

^ this.

[Jarno]

Actually, he pointed out that neurosis primarily stems from over-fixation on ego fxns.

I read that people who have a job that not corresponds to their ego function can get sick.

That Jung guy just never makes up his mind what he wants.

[Exodus]

I don't see a huge problem with it. I know an ESE math major, an EII nursing student. Personally I could see myself getting into acting or music in another life. Your career is what you make it; you will find ways to creatively apply your ego functions even if the ambient environment is related to your super-id functions.

For example, John Baez is an ESE mathematician who is famous for his ability to explain stuff to laymen. He writes in a way that is accessible and interesting to a wide audience, which is more than most mathematicians can do.

[tcaudilllg]

John Baez... I'll have to check out if he's written any statistics texts, 'cause I need a good one.

[Exodus]

John Baez... I'll have to check out if he's written any statistics texts, 'cause I need a good one.

Don't think so - he does pure math / mathematical physics.

[April]

John Baez... I'll have to check out if he's written any statistics texts, 'cause I need a good one.

What sort of statistics are you interested in? What do you want to learn?

[Galen]

John Baez... I'll have to check out if he's written any statistics texts, 'cause I need a good one.

At first I read Joan Baez and I was instantly confused: "I didn't know she was into statistics now, what happened to her music?" lol

[krieger]

ESE mathematician

I think it could very convincingly be argued that Si is a more "useful" function in pure mathematics than Ne is. The less connected math gets to real world situations and objects, the more the tendency to interpret (Ne) the symbols becomes a handicap rather than an asset.

I would say my own level of tolerance towards math depends largely on this extent to which there is something behind the veil of symbology to interface with via the interpretative faculties. It's not typically the maximally pure stuff that draws my interest.

[Rick]

The fact is, there are more jobs that focus on things and systems than on experiences and people, so a certain portion of ethical types will have to go into "logical" careers. There just aren't enough performing, televangelist, inspirational speaker, cultural commentator, counsellor, life coach, journalism, and artist jobs for everyone. On the flip side, logical qualities are in less demand outside of work, so many people of logical types end up having to develop their ethical side.

[Exodus]

I think it could very convincingly be argued that Si is a more "useful" function in pure mathematics than Ne is. The less connected math gets to real world situations and objects, the more the tendency to interpret (Ne) the symbols becomes a handicap rather than an asset.

I would say my own level of tolerance towards math depends largely on this extent to which there is something behind the veil of symbology to interface with via the interpretative faculties. It's not typically the maximally pure stuff that draws my interest.

I think I understand what you're saying about needing to see some kind of "meaning" or something behind the symbols, but honestly is pretty useless in math. Sensors are better at paying attention to detail, that's the main benefit, I would say.

At first I read Joan Baez and I was instantly confused: "I didn't know she was into statistics now, what happened to her music?" lol

They're cousins, actually.

[krieger]

The concentration to stick to the practical job and attention to detail. Pretty much what math is all about when you strip it of all of it's fringe aspects.

[Exodus]

The concentration to stick to the practical job and attention to detail. Pretty much what math is all about when you strip it of all of it's fringe aspects.

Not the kind of math I'm used to, hehe.

Actually some of the "detail" aspect might also be .

[Exodus]

For example, John Baez is an ESE mathematician who is famous for his ability to explain stuff to laymen. He writes in a way that is accessible and interesting to a wide audience, which is more than most mathematicians can do.

btw, I now think Baez is actually ILE, not ESE. He has developed his Fe but it is tied very strongly to the Ne (his writing is meant to communicate and get people excited about ideas). There are a few Fe ego mathematicians though: Grothendieck was a clear IEI IMO, and Galois probably EIE.

But in general it seems rare. People almost invariably try to find a way to use their ego functions in their work. If they don't they probably end up being miserable. Einstein said he would have liked to be a plumber but I suspect this is just wishful thinking. He probably would have gotten bored of it.

The fact is, there are more jobs that focus on things and systems than on experiences and people, so a certain portion of ethical types will have to go into "logical" careers. There just aren't enough performing, televangelist, inspirational speaker, cultural commentator, counsellor, life coach, journalism, and artist jobs for everyone. On the flip side, logical qualities are in less demand outside of work, so many people of logical types end up having to develop their ethical side.

I don't quite agree with this -- management and service jobs are primarily about people skills. I think the recent proliferation of middle management-type jobs in the US may actually be a reaction to the increase in technical skill required for modern jobs -- otherwise it would be more difficult for ethical types to compete.

[Raver]

Seeking a career based in one's super id's functions is not ideal as it's best to go for your ego functions after all as you are talented in them and value them. However, it's not impossible to succeed in a career based in one's super id functions because even though they are weak functions, they are still valued functions. This means that over time, the individual will seek to improve their weak functions and develop the skills necessary in order to adapt to the career's demands.

The person will naturally be awful at the beginning and may never be exceptional in that career like someone who is naturally talented in it, but they can become competent in that career with enough practice and effort. They also would likely need assistance from someone who is naturally talented in that career to succeed to help them reach their true potential. The process is long and arduous, but slowly and surely the individual will learn to become proficient in the career as time goes by.