As someone with the Myers-Briggs (MBTI) personality type INTJ my dominate function is introverted intuition (hereafter Ni). In MBTI typology intuition is a high level perception of patterns. Simply put it is all about pattern recognition. In fact it is not just that there are patterns, but there are patterns to the patterns. Even the patterns to the patterns have patterns.
According to Personality Hacker, 25% (1/4) of the population uses some form of intuition. Intuition comes in two forms - extroverted intuition (Ne) and introverted intuition (Ni). These similar but different types of intuition are perceiving functions that are the pathways by which someone learns about the world around them. For INTJs the perceiving function (Ni) is introverted, therefore external observations are plugged into the internal wiring and structure of the mind and is concerned with reconciling and the patterns of the "outside" world with the model that exists in the mind. These patterns are used to speculate about the future.
Those like myself who use intuition are interested in patterns. Even the patterns have patterns. There are patterns to patterns to patterns to patterns. The simple observation of two people walking down the street holding coffee cups in the their hands to many casual onlookers might conjure up the idea that they are just two people walking down the street enjoying a cup of coffee. This may well be the case, however to the intuitive its more than that.
The pair walking down the street likely came from the coffee shop on the corner. If they are walking side by side not speaking to each other, they could be looking for a place to sit down. If they are holding hands, perhaps they are on a date. What are the expressions on their faces? Maybe one is giving emotional support in the other's time of need. Or maybe it turns out to be just one person. What are they thinking about?
A friend and I sat outside of a Starbucks observing people. As people walked by we would make up stories about them. We speculated about where they were going after visiting and getting their coffee. The fictional tales were mostly absurd, and I enjoyed a good laugh over some of the stuff we came up with, but were a good exercise in intuition.
When at its best intuition analyzes patterns and makes sense of where those patterns will eventually lead to. It is a perceiving process that is not concerned with the goings on of the present moment, but with the future. As its focus is entirely future oriented it uses real time and past data to assess what is going to happen. This is sort of like a skeet shooter at a gun range. In order to successfully shoot the clay target as it is moving through the air, the shooter must watch the target and aim ahead of the target. This method is similar to the intuitive cognitive process analyzing the future. Intuition users are naturally curious about what the future holds and are willing to forge into the unknown.
This process of seeing into the future makes those who use intuition difficult to understand.
Sometimes, the high level of pattern recognition is worrisome to others. The 75% of people who are not intuitive (sensors) may view intuition users as odd, strange, hard to understand, and even arrogant at times. We must understand that users of intuition are not the lofty, cognitive vagabonds that they often times appear to be. The different wiring has given them a different set of gifts and skills that have their niches.
Often we may find those with intuition working in technology and various scientific disciplines. They are likely book worms and some have attention spans that can enable them to discuss complex topics for many hours until every stone and pebble has been thoroughly examined. Among the intuitive book worms are your INFPs, INTPs, INFJs, and INTJs.
Unfortunately intuition users can be seen as arrogant. This could not be further from the truth! It is much too simplistic, and unfair, to say that they are arrogant (although INTJs and INTPs have been known to be easily tempted into a superiority complex.) Much more accurately intuitives who have developed and regularly tap into their intuition have also developed a healthy self esteem and confidence. This should not be punished or misinterpreted as arrogance - as odd as it can be to see an intuitive in their "zone." Instead we ought to value the insights and perspectives that intuitives bring to the table whether they are our coworkers, family members, or friends.
Here is the best part about intuition. We all have it to a degree.
In MBTI it is easy to get stuck in the dichotomies of introvert vs extravert, intuitive vs sensing, thinking vs feeling, judging vs perceiving. In order to have a healthy psyche we need to have both extraverted and introverted cognitive functions. To be a complete introvert or a complete extravert would be for one to be a neurotic mess at best or a psychopath at worse. So each person has perceiving functions (intuition and sension) and judging functions (thinking and feeling), and during late childhood into adolescence (my observation: age 12-18) these functions develop into their dominant, auxiliary, tertiary, and inferior positions. INTJs lead with a dominant Ni, then have auxiliary Te (extraverted thinking), tertiary Fi (introverted feeling), and inferior Se (extraverted sensing).
Did you notice the pattern? The cognitive functions for INTJ are Ni, Te, Fi, Se. Note that what is introverted and extraverted seem to alternate to make sure the psyche is well balanced. If you label dominant, auxiliary, tertiary, inferior positions as 1, 2, 3, 4 respectively you will notice that what is introverted in position 1 will be extraverted in position 2. If your dominant function is extraverted, then position 1 will be extraverted and position 2 will be introverted. The high level of pattern recognition of Ni is guided by the logical analysis of Te. Te is a safeguard to make sure the INTJ is not completely stuck in their head (even if we just want to live in abstract land!)
There is much more that can and has already been written about intuition, but this will serve a primer to hopefully grow the seed of interest to take the plunge and discover not only more about intuition, but to learn about your own internal wiring.
