How Intuitives Experience Travel, Nature and Make Decisions
Over the years, most of my clients have been iNtuitives on the Meyers Briggs (16Personalities) Assessment. Recently I’ve decided to work exclusively with iNtuitives in my coaching and training and groups because they are so fun, deep, creative, and brilliant!
What Is An iNtuitive?
iNtuitive (N) as opposed to Sensing (S) is one of the four dichotomies found in the Meyers-Briggs Personality Theory.
In the Myers-Briggs Personality Theory, iNtuitives are individuals who prefer to focus on abstract concepts, possibilities, and future-oriented thinking rather than relying heavily on concrete, factual information. They are often seen as imaginative, innovative, and open to new ideas. Intuitives tend to trust their gut feelings and hunches, valuing creativity and looking for the underlying meaning and patterns in the world around them.
We usually relate to and use analogies, metaphors, symbolism, and seeing how they apply to our lives. We are prone to interests in spirituality, psychology, self-help and self-improvement.
While iNtuitives have a lot in common, we aren’t all the same. There are other factors that play into our personalities. This preference for intuition is one of the key dimensions that, along with other dimensions such as Extraversion/Introversion or Thinking/Feeling or Perceiving/Judging, contributes to the 16 distinct personality types within the Myers-Briggs framework.
A Marriage of ENFP and INFJ
For example, my husband Dave is an ENFP (Extraverted, iNtuitive, Feeling, Perceiving). Whereas I am an INFJ (Introverted, iNtuitive, Feeling, Judging). If you’ve met Dave even briefly, you can easily pick up that he’s an Extravert. He never meets a stranger and never lacks for anything to say. T-shirts and hats are not simply apparel, they are conversation starters!
While Dave is chatting away with someone next to us on a plane, I’ve got my earbud music on, reading a book.
I’ll talk more about the differences between extraverts and introverts in another article, but what I’d like to focus on in this article is the Perceiving vs Judging (the last letter in our types – ENFP vs INFJ)
- Perceiving (P): Individuals with a preference for Perceiving are often characterized as spontaneous and adaptable. They tend to be open to new information, enjoy exploring different possibilities, and may have a more relaxed approach to planning and decision-making. Perceivers like to keep their options open and are comfortable with last-minute changes.
- Judging (J): Those who prefer Judging are known for their structured and organized approach to life. They like to have a clear plan, make decisions promptly, and tend to be goal-oriented. Judgers are often seen as responsible and reliable, valuing order and stability in their lives.
Please note that everyone has perceiving and judging traits to some extent. It’s really a scale and the free assessment at 16Personalities can help you find out which preference is more dominant for you and what percentage you have of Perceiving or Judging.
Perceiving and Judging Making a Decision
So how does this show up in someone’s life? As I said, Dave is dominant Perceiving, and I am dominant Judging. He is much more spontaneous about life and can be tossing out more possibilities even after a decision has been made. For example, we could be walking in a restaurant about to be seated, and he could suggest that we go to another restaurant. I made that decision long ago and there’s no turning back unless the restaurant looks really bad.
Making last minute changes stresses me out – especially if I’m the one responsible for the logistics. Dave is the king of last-minute changes. I make my peace with that by never getting attached to any one outcome and letting him manage the logistics. I will say that if I really want to do something and convey that to him, if at all possible, he will make sure it happens. He loves seeing me happy and will go to great lengths to make sure I get to do something I want to do.
Perceiving individuals suffer more from FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) than Judging folks do. This means Dave will second guess his decisions more than I will. One choice means the death of the other choices.
Having a clear, decisive choice made helps me (as dominant Judging) move forward into action and accomplish my goals. Unfinished projects are like the Sword of Damocles for me. I like to finish things because I relish the sense of accomplishment on the other side.
Perceiving Dave is less concerned about the destination than he is about enjoying the journey. If I start a project, I want to complete it while the momentum is flowing. Dave could do 90% of a task, decide that’s enough for today and stop. I’ll push myself, even if I’m exhausted to wrap up that last 10%.
I can be taught though. Thanks to Dave, I’m learning to break my tasks down into smaller bites, so I don’t have to work myself to exhaustion to finish a big project at one go. I get my sense of accomplishment and completion from mini-goals that are building up to larger goals.
Perceiving and Judging Taking a Trip
Perceivers are all about experiences, and they love to leave their options open. I’m convinced Southwest Airlines and their flight change policy was invented for Perceivers. When I purchase a plane ticket as a Judging individual, it’s set in stone. I don’t make changes to it unless there’s some kind of crisis. Dave, on the other hand, may book and rebook and rebook a travel itinerary. For him, plane reservations are placeholders for the moment. It’s like he put a pin in one possibility for travel to hold it until a better possibility comes along.
If I had to go through the hassle of changing a flight itinerary after it was booked, the details would overwhelm me. I’d be too afraid I’d mess up something that was already “good enough.”
Although… I have noticed Dave isn’t his usual chipper self while making flight changes. This is probably because iNtuitives aren’t usually wired for logistical detail work. We like big picture, visionary, conceptual, inspirational stuff. His spontaneous and adaptable perceiving side must be leading his iNtuitive side down a trail it wouldn’t normally travel.
Perceiving and Judging in Nature
As a perceiving individual, Dave is spontaneous and open to new experiences. In nature, he enjoys exploring without a strict plan, taking in the beauty of his surroundings, embracing the freedom to go with the flow. He might stumble upon a new plant, tree, or path and inquisitively follow it to see where it leads. Nature is a place to unwind and be in the moment, allowing the natural world to guide his adventures.
As an iNtuitive Judging individual, I enter nature prepared. I have my little backpack stocked with my journal, pens, phone, camera, snacks, bottled water, gloves and any tools I think I might need. I’m going out to intentionally experience something. I might be setting out to journal in nature. Or I’m going out to photograph flowers (so I need my macro lens). Or I’m going out to do some birding (I need my telephoto lens).
Perhaps I’m joining Dave in the field to assist on some project he’s working on. In this case, he does carry his necessary tools, but he frequently forgets to take any water or snacks like I would.
I might be going to the field to “Interview the Goldenrod” or to identify medicinal plants. In this case, I make sure my phone has an adequate charge so that I can use PlantNet to identify and research my finds.
When I look at nature, my iNtuitive Judging side is looking for patterns and symbols and extrapolating meaning and metaphors for my life. I’m usually percolating a blog. Nature has a “purpose” for me as dominant Judging. It is fodder for writing or a future epiphany. It’s food to eat, medicine to research, beauty to photograph. It’s a giant classroom of learning. Oh, how I LOVE LEARNING! And, sometimes, with intention I set out to specifically experience deep joy and peace.
For Dave as iNtuitive Perceiving, he may be going out to plant pawpaws or water the fruit trees — which is most definitely a purpose — but his favorite thing is to simply BE in nature and to immerse himself in the joy of the experience. This is why, if he gets too scientific or functional with nature, something feels seriously off for him. Nature is about the joy, the love, the wonder, the awe, the gratitude and feeling close to God and his Grandma Bertha who first immersed him in the wonders of nature.
As I mentioned before, we all have a spectrum of Perceiving and Judging, so Dave is rubbing off on me. I am much more likely to follow a random trail or stop to explore a caterpillar or count the dragonflies. Being in nature for the sheer joy of the wonder of it all is a “purpose” my Judging nature can get behind … because I know it pays great dividends in my frame of mind, my emotional well-being, my peace and more! My Judging nature is seeing the value in Perceiving. So, perhaps I haven’t shifted along the spectrum at all! I’m still me being me, learning a new system or process!
What about you? Are you an iNtuitive? If so are you Judging or Perceiving? You can take the assessment for free at 16Personalities.com. I’d love for you to comment below and share your results!
If you are an iNtuitive who is ready to make progress on your creations in a way that feels natural for you, let’s talk!
