I wanted to write a post outlining ten of the core gifts of introverted thinkers. I write because I find that there are many stereotypes and generic statements about introverted thinkers that lack scientific validity and meaningfulness. People often describe introverted thinkers as bright, gifted, and genius level thinkers. Well, that’s just not true.
Not that it’s necessarily wrong either. The problem is that many people see intelligence as a cognitive function, when intelligence is a gift many types can possess, not just introverted thinkers. Introverted thinking is one of the core eight intelligences. One of the eight jungian cognitive functions. The gifts of introverted thinkers are many and not at all limited to science or academia, but many different fields. It even has uses in many social situations and in coaching, anywhere where you can use rules and logic to provide helpful solutions to issues.
The stereotypes that INTPs are the inventors are also, more often than not, wrong. A codecracker is someone who works better at customizing a system or an already developed invention. They’re the hackers, the fixers, the customizers. They fine-tune and tinker to create the perfect solution to everything.
Introverted thinking is analytical intelligence, and your analytical compass, or how you explain and understand and test what’s the right or wrong approach to the situation you’re currently facing. Introverted thinking is a top-down, technical, and reactive process. Learn more about introverted thinking here.
The ten gifts of introverted thinkers
1. You understand the system
You break down the systems and the rules around you into formal, logical codes. And you could call them impromptu rule assessments. The rule that best fits the situation or the occasion. The key idea or logic that drives every action. Introverted thinkers come up with explanations for every flaw and every decision. If people generally order three cookies, not four, you create boxes with three cookies each. Your issue here is that not everything appears to be logical, and that frustrates you to no end.
2. You break down the rules
The process of understanding the system is based on coming up with impromptu rules. These rules are devised purely in the situation. Ideally, a codecracker wants to have a grasp of why everything around them is happening. What logic drove someone to make the decisions they made? The goal is to understand what is the most important in every situation and what actions seem to give the best success.
3. You excel at breaking the rules, too, you cheater!
By knowing what the rules and strategies of the people around you are, you can make subtle changes to throw them off their game. Introverted thinkers change and break the rules, cheating the system to get the advantage everyone seems to value the highest. Now, it should be noted, most introverted thinkers have a great deal of respect for the system, and cheating is only a means to expose it’s flaws so that the system can be improved. This really is one of the more positive gifts of introverted thinkers.
4. You excel at giving people technical feedback
If someone’s strategy isn’t working correctly, you can alert them to how they can improve or fix their flaws. You can spot immediately if someone is doing something the wrong way, and you can give them quick feedback on how exactly they could change to get the goals they desire. What are the secret tricks to success? What are the smaller nuances that separate the winners from the losers?
5. You’re good at repairing systems
If an entire system is starting to break down, perhaps because of you, you can give quick feedback on how it could be reconstructed to be more sustainable. What small changes could be done to a project or a system to avoid the disasters you created? How can people protect themselves from your hacking skills in the future? Apparently, the gifts of introverted thinkers is to 1. Trash and 2. Fix everything everyone does.
6. You’re awesome at customization
The problem with a system is that it’s not fine-tailored to every individual. A system is just a one-size-fits all solution based on what generally, pragmatically speaking, seems to work best for every person. Well, your skill, as a codecracker, is to fine-tailor solutions for every persons niche needs. If something that usually works for others isn’t working for someone, you can re-tailor it to fit their needs.
7. You know how optimal the system is
You’re somehow able to figure out exactly where something could be improved or exactly what could be improved and how much it could yield people to make the changes you’ve suggested. While you’re not the best for designing a system for scratch, once a system has been set up, you can see how the edges could be fixed. You think that something that works 60% of the time, can be redesigned to work 80% of the time. You’re great estimating how much it works, and how much it could work.
8. Maintenance and repair
When things have stopped working, people come to you. Your passion is to fix things. You always have a technical solution to every problem. You’re blessed with the gift of always knowing why something is broken. Generally, you always consider things that others tend to miss. Because you look at the nuances of technology and the more subtle workings of things, you can spot errors that many would miss to check, because they’re more focused on the general level.
9. Testing & Double-testing & Triple-testing
Introverted thinking types rely on frequent reboots– which is when they shut down and restart their mind to make sure it works properly. This can be great to double test a conclusion. Will I arrive to the same answer if I redo the entire process from a clear head? Codecrackers are constantly re-investigating old theories, over and over. They “forget” the theory, to redo the process, to make sure they arrive at the same conclusion.
10. Being nerdy
When an introverted thinking type cares about or likes something, it becomes super nerdy about it. It knows everything about you, your quirks, and how you work. It knows all your subtle codes, flaws, and has counters to your every retort. Or when an INTP loves comics, they know everything about their superhero and how they would do in various endless scenarios.
They’ve memorized every procedure perfectly. They always have a logic explanation for why they like something. It’s like, when you feel something, you need to make sure that it’s rational to feel that way. And logic helps you figure out why you feel the way you do.
The gifts of introverted thinkers are as you can see many. These are just ten of them! Are there any you don’t relate to? Let us know in the comments below.
