Integrating the inferior also requires letting go of the need to constantly cont

rol the future. In trying to control the future, we burden ourselves with anxiet
y and set ourselves up for disappointment. Since Intuitive types have a stronger
future-orientation, such a relinquishment can prove especially difficult.
As the most otherworldly of the types, Introverted Intuitives need to be especiall
y careful in their selection of career, partner, and lifestyle.
Regardless of whether one is a Myers-Briggs Judging or Perceiving type, integrat
ing the inferior requires relinquishing some degree of control. This includes lo
osening our attachments to our historical identity and mode of operating.
One facet of courage is developing the ability to stand-up for oneself and one s c
onvictions. This push toward personal authenticity is founded on a platform open
ness and honesty. Self-assertion can be especially challenging for Introverts, p
articularly IPs, who may feel they lack the strength or confidence to hold fast
to their convictions. It can be easy for them to lose confidence in the face of
external resistance. This may cause them to start seeking answers outside themse
lves, which often furthers their doubt and indecision. This is why knowledge of
typology can be so helpful, encouraging, and inspiring, providing an objective m
ap of what authentic functioning looks like for each type.
At the same time, we must resist the temptation to control or make excessive de
mands of the future. We need to do our best to live authentically, while finding
ways to release our concerns about tomorrow. Such is a life of faith, faith in
the ultimate value of an authentically-lived life, without demanding anything in
return.
Introverted Intuitive types easily gloss over facts and details in their everyda
y behavior but can be hypersensitive about this. When they become aware that the
y have made a Sensing mistake, or an error of fact is pointed out to them, they ar
e likely to become annoyed and defensive. Like their Extraverted Intuitive count
erparts, they may compensate for their uneasiness in this area by becoming exper
t in some highly specific area.This can sometimes resemble a fetish. An INFJ who
had little interest in most aspects of housekeeping knew all the ingredients of
different household detergents; an INTJ was pleased with his ability to identif
y any kind of cloud formation.
In the next chapter, we will discuss how Introverted Sensing types worry about d
ire possibilities occurring in the future. In contrast, Introverted Intuitive ty
pes focus on relentless realities in the present. They have a readiness to distr
ust the outer world and to assume that the environment, things, or people will f
ail them. An INFJ dreaded an impending vacation trip because she was sure the hi
ghway signs would be inadequate or confusing.
An INTJ father prepared to teach his daughter long division because he was convi
nced that her teacher would not instruct her correctly. Another INTJ questioned
whether the electrician installing new wiring at his office had used the proper
grounding. To deal with these kinds of concerns, INTJs and INFJs may acquire det
ailed knowledge about the issue at hand carefully studying highway routes, modern
arithmetic teaching methods, electrical wiring, and so on.
Discomfort with the environment can also be seen in an overconcern with keeping
track of things. One INTJ reported having to check his pocket two or three times
to be sure his keys were there.
For Introverted Intuitive types, relaxing their dominant and auxiliary functions
may occur through such sensual pleasures as eating, exercising, and gardening.

Eruptions of Inferior Extraverted Sensing:

When one or more of the preconditions for eruption of the inferior function are
present, Extraverted Sensing appears in its more exaggerated, disruptive form.
.
Typical Provocations or Triggers:
Dealing with details, especially in an unfamiliar environment, can trigger infer
ior Extraverted Sensing in Introverted Intuitive types. In fact, these types fre
quently mention that feeling overwhelmed by details often provokes characteristi
c inferior function reactions. They describe being provoked by such things as cr
owds; people overload; noisy, busy environments; feeling that their personal spa
ce is being invaded; and frequent interruptions. When faced with such provocatio
ns, they retreat inside themselves and become intolerant of intrusions by others
.
Triggers and Stressors at Work:
Work settings that do not permit sufficient autonomy or that offer few opportun
ities to work alone and intensively, and that do not provide the opportunity to
be creative, think independently, and accomplish goals, are extremely stressful
and undesirable for Introverted Intuitive types.
.When persistent stress causes them to be chronically in the grip of inferior Ex
traverted Sensing, they are likely to lose touch with their natural confidence a
nd pleasure in their Intuition and come across as picky, fault-finding, narrow-m
inded, and unimaginative.
As dominant Introverted Intuition loses its position of primacy, INTJs and INFJs
start to lose their characteristic wide-ranging, global perspective. Their fiel
d of operation narrows considerably, and their range of acknowledged possibiliti
es becomes limited and idiosyncratic. They may make more factual mistakes and be
come careless with spelling and grammar.
As their hold on their dominant and auxiliary functions further diminishes, the
qualities of inferior Extraverted Sensing manifest in an obsessive focus on exte
rnal data, overindulgence in sensual pleasures, and an adversarial attitude towa
rd the outer world.
Sensing (obsessive focus on external data, overindulgence in sensual pleasures,
and an adversarial attitude toward the outer world) in the following comment:
What the introverted intuitive represses most of all is the sensation of
the object, and this colours his whole unconscious. It gives rise to a compensa
tory extraverted sensation function of an archaic character. The unconscious per
sonality can best be described as an extraverted sensation type of a rather low
and primitive order. Instinctuality and intemperance are the hallmarks of this s
ensation, combined with an extraordinary dependence on sense-impressions. This c
ompensates the rarefied air of the intuitive s conscious attitude. (p. 402)
Obsessive Focus on External Data:
Effective dominant Extraverted Sensing types are open to the widest variety of i
nformation from the environment the more the better for them. Fully experiencing t
he outside world is their greatest pleasure. For an INTJ or INFJ in the grip of
inferior Extraverted Sensing, data from the outside world can seem overwhelming.
Facts and details in the world demand the attention of the Introverted Intuitiv
e type in the grip, so he or she obsesses about them. An INFJ described her obse
ssiveness and withdrawal from her usual interests this way: I stew about what s goin
g on. I can t sit still and am restless. I am mentally fatigued and find myself co
mpulsively putting things in order and trying to control everything around me.
Often the external input that becomes the object of obsession is something someo
ne said or even failed to say.When the last client on an unusually busy day left
without saying her usual See you next week, an INTJ therapist became convinced sh

e had made a mistake during the psychotherapy session. She spent many hours goin
g over the content of the session. She felt the only reason the client had not t
erminated therapy that day was politeness, so as not to hurt the therapist s feeli
ngs.
Overindulgence in Sensual Pleasures:
In effective dominant Extraverted Sensing types, the enjoyment of sensual pleasu
res is natural, spontaneous, and quite consistent with their focus on the realit
y of the immediate environment.
In Introverted Intuitive types in the grip of inferior Extraverted Sensing, this
quality takes the form of sensual excess rather than sensual pleasure.
Overdoing gratification of the senses is a commonly mentioned behavior for INTJs
and INFJs in the grip of their inferior function.They may overeat or binge.They
see themselves as obsessively doing harm to their bodies. A typical tactic is to
overindulge compulsively and immediately thereafter if not during the episode berate
themselves for their uncontrolled, shallow, destructive behavior.
Adversarial Attitude Toward the Outer World:
Effective dominant Extraverted Sensing types approach the outer world with eager
anticipation of all the wonderful experiences awaiting them. For Introverted In
tuitive types in the grip of inferior Extraverted Sensing, the immediate reality
of the outer world spells difficulty and danger.They expect obstacles and probl
ems to plague them as they move through a strange and potentially hostile enviro
nment. An INFJ said she becomes suspicious. Usually I m tolerant, curious, and comp
assionate, so out of character for me means I m unaccepting and frustrated with the
world. Anticipating the worst can often elicit anger and blame in INTJs and INFJs
. I m moody and gloomy, with sudden deep anger, said an INTJ. An INFJ also describes
experiencing deep anger: I am emotionally aroused and am terribly critical of ot
hers. I accuse people of never helping me. I become dogmatic and blast people wi
th facts. If no one is around to attack, I write a scathing letter to someone.
Obsessiveness about details in the form of micromanaging others both at work and
at home may cause great distress to other people in these environments. Irration
al accusations by the INTJ or INFJ can alienate others, causing them to avoid the
person or attempt to remove him or her from a position of authority.
Return of Equilibrium:
Introverted Intuitive types need space and a low-pressure environment to regain
their dominant Intuition and auxiliary Thinking or Feeling function. INTJs and I
NFJs agree that a period of solitude and silent, nonintrusive acceptance from ot
hers is important in their return to equilibrium. Sometimes removing all stimula
tion helps the most.
All types engage in self-criticism at some point during or after an episode of
the inferior function.However, the focus of that criticism varies according to t
ype. Introverted Intuitive types are especially hard on themselves, later viewin
g their obsessive concerns or angry intensity as a sign of unacceptable personal
imperfections.
Some examples of methods Introverted Intuitive types use for returning to normal
include submerging themselves in peaceful, quiet, natural surroundings, being o
utdoors and looking at nature, canceling activities, lightening their schedules,
making more space for being alone, and taking time out to recharge and sort thing
s out.
Auxiliary Feeling helps INFJs by encouraging acceptance of their less serious si
de. They can then give in to the urge to cry during trashy movies. Or they can rea
d bad novels and recognize that doing so is normal and acceptable.

Summary:
In the grip of inferior Extraverted Sensing, Introverted Intuitive types obsess
about details in the outside world, overindulge in sensual pleasures, and extern
alize blame to outside objects. Their auxiliary Thinking or Feeling can be the v
ehicle through which they regain equilibrium. INTJs develop a strategy for analy
zing what they are experiencing, achieving distance and objectivity from it, whi
le INFJs examine the important meanings and feeling connections involved and are
therefore able to regain their normal wide-ranging perspective.
As a result of important inferior function experiences, Introverted Intuitive t
ypes may become better able to adapt to changing surroundings, incorporate sensu
al experience into their lives in a satisfying way, and moderate a perhaps overl
y ambitious, visionary stance into one that is more realistic and possible.

nvisioning a more ideal world isn t necessarily bad or unhealthy for INFJs. The fa
ct is that they wouldn t be INFJs if they didn t routinely receive new impressions a
nd visions. The issue is not with their dreaming per se, but with the degree to
which they become attached to or insistent on the perfect materialization (Se) o
f their ideals (Ni). This is where INFJs perfectionism comes to the fore.
All dominant Intuitives can be perfectionistic, driven to see their N ideals per
fectly translated into S reality. The issue of quality is extremely important to
INFJs, which is why they can be so particular about the things they buy or the
way their work is done. Some INFJs may sacrifice everything, even their own heal
th or sanity, to ensure their vision finds a perfect incarnation. They can be ob
sessive and in the grip, locked into a narrow mode of existence they cannot readil
y escape. In such a state, any deviation from their ideal may feel like the end
of the world.
As dominant Intuitives, INFJs are naturally lured by their inferior function, Ex
traverted Sensing (Se). While Se can take a variety of forms, it can be broadly
understood as relating to material or physical reality (as opposed to the metaph
ysical nature of Introverted Intuition (Ni)).
INFJs who are unduly controlled by their Se might make securing beautiful or la
vish surroundings as their primary aim. Or, they might do something like work in
the culinary arts to apply their interest in Se tastes. Either way, this would
involve ceding undue control to their inferior function.