INTJs & Overanalysis - A Few Helpful Tips

One reader recently voiced the frustration experienced from over-analysis and perfectionism, which are two INTJ qualities than can be debilitating if taken too far. Here is the original comment to my post titled INTJs Love a Challenge, but Not for Ego. My analysis (no pun intended) and a few tips to cope with this are below.

 

Well... I know it feels good trying to keep with our high standards (sometimes excessive that we hardly achieve them).

But speaking about ego, I think I'm experiencing what people refer as ego diffusion... People say that INTJ take thorough and consider multiple aspects before making their decision. And I think I take too much of them... It's like I'm overwhelming with tons of perspective from different sources & aspects. I, then conclude that everything is just relative; there is nothing absolute. That kind of thought leads me to horrible performance of my life, and suddenly I feel like I don't have any worthy goal... I lost my will to achieve my own standards. I know it's freaking pathetic & useless thought, but I just can't get rid of it. It's been 2-3 years and I'm still drowning into such subconscious thoughts.

Do you have any suggestion about how I can kill or control of this? Seriously, I really want to stop thinking, stop analyzing things, stop planning, then enjoy and live my life... 

Understanding INTJs Natural Inclination to Overanalyze

I understand the frustration of this reader as I have had many periods of inertia due to over-analysis in the past few years myself.

The good news is the ability to analyze things in different ways is one of the best qualities of INTJs it is what makes them open minded and visionary. However, as you and I have both experienced, INTJs have an almost obsessive quality of gathering and analyzing information and issues. This can lead to procrastination and loss of self esteem (ego diffusion). The reason for this is because while our close relatives, INTP also like to gather information, they like to gather information and look at issues for the sake of just learning. While we, INTJS love to learn, we are also pragmatic systems people in that we gather and analyze to make decisions, create solutions and applications. Thefore, we require closure. I have found myself analuzing issues and gathering information for days, weeks and even months. While on one hand I see this as increasing knowledge, it does leave me feeling a loss of self esteem because I have nothing concrete to show for it. Herein lies that need for closure and application.

It is interesting that you write this comment to me now, as I have started to make small behavioral changes in my life in the past few weeks to combat this inertia and loss of self esteem. I have found that since as a true and extreme INTJ I analyze everything down to my toothpaste and when choosing to donate an item of clothing, I need to put limitiations on what I focus my mental energy on. Although I am sure we have both tried to, the truth is that it is virtually impossble to focus your mental energy on every issue. It is especially hard for INTJs are we are perfectionists and cannot rest until an issue or activity has been thoroughly analyzed or pefected. However, trying to apply these high standards to a numberous amount of issues and activities just leads to your mental focus being streched thin, and you not being able to truly accomplish anything.


 So, I employed a few tactics (below) that may help you as well.

Some Possible Solutions

• I made a list (INTJs love lists, don't we) of things in my life that I have been focusing my mental energy on. 

• Then I made another list of goals that I want to achieve in the next 5 years.

• I then streamlined my 5 year goals to just 3 goals.

• Lastly, I looked at the activities on my first list and decided what were aiding my goals and what weren't. I have decided to cut out or cute down on the ones that do not. 

• If your issue is analyzing your thoughts, which I also struggle with at times, I would recommend that you do meditation.  Meditation may be difficult for you at first as we have active brains, and it is hard to slow down or ignore the thoughts as meditation requires. However, mindfulness meditation is a bit easier to do as you focus on your body and your breath. It also helps you to live in and focus on the moment, which can help aid in releasing your active thoughts for a few minutes, so they are not constant and making you feel neurotic or stressed.

• If meditation is difficult, yoga is a great alternative because while you are doing poses, you are forced to focus on what you are doing and not to analyze it or do anything else. Otherwise, you will fall off the pose. It forces you to be present and to release your analyzing, which has been very good for me. I don't do yoga as much as I should with my overactive mind, but whenever I am feeling especially stressed or tense, I try to do it. You can do it at a studio or with a video. Both work for me. 

• Taking walks in nature is also a great way to release the stress and over-analysis. Focus on beauty of the trees and the fresh air.

I think the hardest thing is breaking old habits, but it can be done as you become aware of them. For instance, I have spent a lot of time DIYing in the last few years as I love being creative. However, I also write, which is creative and more in line with my goals. So, I am in the process of de-cluttering my fabric stash and kitchen gadgets.

I also like looking at blogs and collecting pictures on minimalist interiors and fashion because I am intruiged by the idea of creating an effect with less. However, this is not in line with my goals. I also like to research music, bands and artists, and figuring out their influences and genre, but I can get carried away with spending too many hours analyzing this as well. So, I try not to do this at all or to no more than three hours a week. It has not been easy at first, but I find that turning off the computer is key for me.

I also love the History Channel, National Geographic and the Travel Channel, but I now limit myself to just a few shows, rather than keeping the TV running most of the day.

Your challenges and activities will be different, but you must figure out where you are spending your time, and what is worthy of your mental energy. While we INTJs think everything can benefit from analysis, it does not always translate into success and self-esteem. So, we need structure and limitations on what we analyze as we will naturally analyze every thought and thing that crosses our path.

Most of all, remember that although as INTJs we may believe otherwise, in reality, it is impossible to be perfect in everything you do. This is something that I have had to come to terms with. So, since INTJs can't help but wanting to do things perfectly, cutting down your activities or the things that you are focusing on allows you to try to dedicate your time to doing a few things extremely well. 

As I give you this advice, I am also employing these tactics myself, so I know it is not easy to change habits or to cut out things that you enjoy, but all things that are worth it take time and effort. I will share more tips on my blog about this, so please stay tuned. Also, let me know your progress and any tips that you may have as well.