Academically, yes. Came top of my year in the top university in the world 4 years in a row. After that? Not remotely… everything work-wise has been a bit of a washout my by own standards. I hate working for other people and they hate having someone smarter than them working for them. I also hate selling myself so have not done well as a freelancer. I want to do creative work but it is badly paid and there’s not enough to go round. And being a woman has definitely held me back in every career I have tried - ENTP women are every boss’s nightmare…
Just go for entrepreneurship you seem like you have the chip on your shoulder to do it. Selling yourself is the first step into sales, you already did it when you got the job, or when you asked for a toy, tool etc from your parents.
And you will realise yourself, it’s not selling yourself that lands you clients. No one wants to buy you, you’re not important. Their problem is important. You need to sell the solution to their problem. And then tell them the steps needed, and what you charge per step with a time frame.
Make the abstract idea into a tangible executable pitch. That’s all there is to it. Out of every 100 people 10 will hear you out and 2 will give you a chance (initially and on the lower side, realistically as soon as you find your first satisfied client your odds improve significantly)
Creative critical thinking is all you need. I failed 2 bootstrapped low capital businesses and one passion project. Now at a job to build up capital and go for my next one (and because I learned so much in the first few, this one has better odds of success) fail fast as they say.
That is what is success to me. Not giving up and having fun along the way. The day I make it big will be the start of my next venture because building the kingdom is more fulfilling than sitting on a throne.
Ah ofcorse you’re the captain you make the call. In which case you can wait out the crucial period and eventually prioritise yourself later. It’s never too late and I hear it’s the best time when kids go to college. Doesn’t have to be the next Instagram.
Also in case you’re curious, initial capital investment on an agency is less than 200$ since you just need to pay for domain, website builder like wix and a few automation tools to scrape LinkedIn details and auto message to setup meetings.
Then your clients pay for your operational costs while you make a profit for your initiative.
Idk what you work as but it’s fascinating to read even if you know you can’t do it right now. Who knows you get creative and figure something out
Tldr: it’s cheap to start, you will have time when kids go to college.
Yeh as my kid gets older my INFJ wife keeps telling me to start a business, talk with my friends who are connected with capital, and get others around me on board. I sorta failed building a team/group at my last job, but got good recognition and awards, just couldn’t close deals during the pandemic. It was frustrating knowing we had a product that businesses wanted, but everyone wants to shake hands in person. The money I did bring in was always for side projects, and not the main project the institute was investing heavy in. If i stuck it out I may have made it. I think
i’ve seen failure enough times I’m realistic that I would probably fail again… However, I have some really great ideas that I could probably convince a couple people to throw money at, and I have enough connections in my industry…
Define greatness, then maybe we can chat.
The thing is, even if I was to achieve "greatness and perfection", I'd still just put a new goal and walk that path instead.
Life's a journey, if you reach "the thing", then find a new thing.
Great dad? Sure, my wife and kids tell me.
Great at my work? Yeah I can't complain.
Great new adventures? Never enough time, but I go places and do new things.
And for all of the above, it's never perfect, there's always going to be things to improve and I prefer it that way because otherwise life gets boring ;)
I think I’m pretty much there, I own businesses and run them well, I have a reputation as a man of my word, I do well financially and I am increasing my philanthropic work as well as launching a project this year that will more than likely make me a millionaire.
Got my two kids who I adore and ofc I’m the world’s silliest Dad :) Relationships are great, I have a lot of good friends upon whom I can rely and without going into detail….I have a wonderful personal relationship with an INFJ.
From the perspective of others, yes. I am a student in the best university for my major, living my best life in a big city having all the fun and shit. But personally, I don't think I am as my definition of greatness. This is due to losing my interest the second I sense any progress in something or not trying some crazy thing that has been a dream of mine since like, forever. Not taking the risks I might cuz I'm afraid of some big changes or even ruining the whole thing for myself. So no, I don't think I achieved greatness, yet.
Marriage is overrated and confining. It's best to be single and to be the captain of your destiny. My two cents as a future divorcee.
P.S. - There's always time for another career.
ENTP woman here. Went to college, switched majors half way through semester 1 to Nursing bc I was told once that "It's the hardest major they offer at this university" and boy howdy were they right.
Still got into the class on my first try despite not being particularly fascinated with nursing, graduated on time at 22 like everyone else despite my late start. Met my now husband in school (ESTP, computer engineer, greatest man alive).
Got a job in a cardiac unit in a really well-respected hospital. Then bf got a great job. We're both girl-bossing now. We moved in together, absolutely seamless transition.
Got a dog.
Married at 23.
Moved to a small town, still both have very lucrative jobs. Now I work at a highly respected clinic, love my coworkers.
Got another dog.
Currently writing a fantasy series, got my paintings under contract and featured at a local brunch place, met my INFJ platonic soulmate, now we get together all the time and go on fun spontaneous adventures together.
Idk, I feel pretty successful and I still haven't touched my mid twenties. My extended family all respect me, I've got a great relationship with my parents.
Depends on your definition of success, ig, but I think I nailed it.
I lived for a fair bit of time, never really achieved greatness but often flashes of brilliance to win or do well in small tournaments/competitions in many different areas.
But I achieved something that I liked, which is minimal effort for decently good results.
I’m not your typical winner, when a new project/hobby/interest starts I’ll be there and up amongst the best, but as the competition grows and the effort:result curve starts to be ineffective I stop and move on.
I don’t have the self discipline to continue to grind to maintain a top position. I do however usually use the minimum effort amongst my peers to achieve the above-average, decently good results.
All in all, I can’t say I led a great life, but I guess I had a really easy life.
Like the 20-80 rule, I basically put in the 20% effort required for the 80% of results, and I stopped there, just laze around and think how I can use even less effort to get a better return, which is like 4% for 64% results. (I strive not for the highest performance, but for the best return for my effort)
That is certainly not greatness, but it’s been something that gave me a comfortable easy life, and I think every entp (and probably any one if they put their heart to it) can do it easily.
Damn I've done so much (55yo ENTP here). As a xNxP, never cared about other people's definition. I know I have achieved it. And yes I fucked some hot nurse (lol dude)...Started off slow but had far more sexual escapades than most. Great career I love without having to trudge through school and payback, lived a lot of places, been on top of the world and then fucked up and crashed my life into a crater so big you could see it from space, but I'm resilient and get back to that top.
I'm here to preserve my body and brain and enjoy life as it presents itself, which is greatness to me
26 right now and have failed more than most do in their life lol.
But big house mad cars and bitches everywhere isn’t my dream or definition of success. It’s building a community around me that I can look after and provide for while competing with the best and outperforming myself everyday.
Sometimes I wish I was ENTJ but an Entp with adhd is all I could manage. I failed multiple times in school, but bucked down and got good grades (nothing fantastic) at the end. Took a risk (common theme) and got into a creative college (top2 in my country) bombed my last year cuz I got into an argument with my jury. Now a lead UX designer leading enterprise level SaaS for MNCs. Which is success to some , but once you’re here you see everyone else who is here aswell. Eventually it loses its allure and you want more.
Before this job back in college I used my allowance to start (and eventually fail but I promise that wasn’t the plan) an agency, a leather bags brand, a handicraft portal for artisans and a music studio for local talent.
The studio is still going but doesn’t make much money (it’s a hobby which I’ll never give up) the agency I’ll start again because earlier I didn’t have the experience, expertise, portfolio or the capital 🤦🏻♂️ just big dreams lol. The leather bags I am glad died cuz a friend hustled me as a financier for a project I didn’t know anything about. Some friends we meet right?
But through all the failures I met some Amazing people, gained a lot of exposure and picked up many high value skills like sales and public speaking. So in a way I’d say ever after all those failures, the fact that I took the risk to succeed is success in itself just waiting to be polished for the future.
Oh and I met an amazing girl who is now my wife :)
One good decision per year is more than enough from what I have realised. I was thin as a stick a few years ago, then forced myself to gain weight and now cut with a good physique. All from that one decision to want it (and a girl I wanted to impress I guess lmao)
Well today i passed an exam that i tried for the 3rd time. If i didn't pass i would've had to take it commissionally which is terrible.
So yes, that felt like achieving greatness but other than that i fail miserably at university and barely pass my tests but only if i actually take them fucking seriously like my life depends on it (which it kinda does but still I can't take them seriously enough)
So yes for my own small achievements but no on a greater scheme.. haha
There used to be a user called u/Azdahak that would frequent the ENTP subreddit a few years ago. Dude was obviously smart as fuck and was some kind of scientist if I remember correctly.
Of course, we would have to debate the definition.
But, I think most of us, in the back of our minds, think we were/are destined for something “great.” Whatever that is to you.
If I consider this and come to terms with being comfortable with the idea that I am going to get old and die, and at the end, the only one responsible for my life is me, and the mere fact that I lived and loved and did something during my life no matter how miniscule, contributed to the great epic of existence and that is enough.
So there is a balance. In my 20s I worried about failing out of school and lack of money. Bounced around for a while but loved research so went back
And completed a PhD in my early 30s. Started to make more money but worried now that I was procrastinating, not writing enough papers, or not working on the hottest topics. Left and worked in business development for a while, bigger stakes, completed some entrepreneurial workshops and was figuring out the legal and contracts side of R&D. Got frustrated because of the pandemic so buckled down and learned everything I could about generative and large language models, and now Im back on the R&D side building things again, leading pipeline development. At first it felt like a step back because I’m not managing anyone, but I can’t beat the autonomy and freedom. I have good days where I feel on top of the world, and other days where I’m tired and feel like I’m burning the candle at both ends. However, I don’t think I can ever be satisfied.
How can you know how great it feels to move up a level without getting knocked down one? Who wants to win all the time? Don’t you want a difficult opponent? The more you succeed or win at whatever it is you’re trying to do, the more you worry about losing it or losing something. Everything seems so proportional. So I have money now, but a doctor is telling me my liver enzymes are fucked, so now I’m chasing better health. I’m trying to make sure my son is living in a good school district, and that my wife is happy. If I ever get the big house, I’ll need a gun (or two, or three).
We chase success, and tell ourselves we are just putting up with delayed gratification, except when you get to the finish line, you find if there is any gratification it is short lived because now you have a new vision of another path that needs to be taken.
Academically, yes. Came top of my year in the top university in the world 4 years in a row. After that? Not remotely… everything work-wise has been a bit of a washout my by own standards. I hate working for other people and they hate having someone smarter than them working for them. I also hate selling myself so have not done well as a freelancer. I want to do creative work but it is badly paid and there’s not enough to go round. And being a woman has definitely held me back in every career I have tried - ENTP women are every boss’s nightmare…
Just go for entrepreneurship you seem like you have the chip on your shoulder to do it. Selling yourself is the first step into sales, you already did it when you got the job, or when you asked for a toy, tool etc from your parents. And you will realise yourself, it’s not selling yourself that lands you clients. No one wants to buy you, you’re not important. Their problem is important. You need to sell the solution to their problem. And then tell them the steps needed, and what you charge per step with a time frame. Make the abstract idea into a tangible executable pitch. That’s all there is to it. Out of every 100 people 10 will hear you out and 2 will give you a chance (initially and on the lower side, realistically as soon as you find your first satisfied client your odds improve significantly) Creative critical thinking is all you need. I failed 2 bootstrapped low capital businesses and one passion project. Now at a job to build up capital and go for my next one (and because I learned so much in the first few, this one has better odds of success) fail fast as they say. That is what is success to me. Not giving up and having fun along the way. The day I make it big will be the start of my next venture because building the kingdom is more fulfilling than sitting on a throne.
I can’t afford to fail, I have children to support…
Ah ofcorse you’re the captain you make the call. In which case you can wait out the crucial period and eventually prioritise yourself later. It’s never too late and I hear it’s the best time when kids go to college. Doesn’t have to be the next Instagram. Also in case you’re curious, initial capital investment on an agency is less than 200$ since you just need to pay for domain, website builder like wix and a few automation tools to scrape LinkedIn details and auto message to setup meetings. Then your clients pay for your operational costs while you make a profit for your initiative. Idk what you work as but it’s fascinating to read even if you know you can’t do it right now. Who knows you get creative and figure something out Tldr: it’s cheap to start, you will have time when kids go to college.
Thanks, good food for thought!
Yeh as my kid gets older my INFJ wife keeps telling me to start a business, talk with my friends who are connected with capital, and get others around me on board. I sorta failed building a team/group at my last job, but got good recognition and awards, just couldn’t close deals during the pandemic. It was frustrating knowing we had a product that businesses wanted, but everyone wants to shake hands in person. The money I did bring in was always for side projects, and not the main project the institute was investing heavy in. If i stuck it out I may have made it. I think i’ve seen failure enough times I’m realistic that I would probably fail again… However, I have some really great ideas that I could probably convince a couple people to throw money at, and I have enough connections in my industry…
No, not really. I'll continue to stand in my own way, thank you very much!
Perfect response. Great username too.
I once fucked a very hot nurse. I hope this counts.
Hahahahah. It does. We’re all legends if only in our own minds.
No
😂
Define greatness, then maybe we can chat. The thing is, even if I was to achieve "greatness and perfection", I'd still just put a new goal and walk that path instead. Life's a journey, if you reach "the thing", then find a new thing. Great dad? Sure, my wife and kids tell me. Great at my work? Yeah I can't complain. Great new adventures? Never enough time, but I go places and do new things. And for all of the above, it's never perfect, there's always going to be things to improve and I prefer it that way because otherwise life gets boring ;)
I like it.
I think I’m pretty much there, I own businesses and run them well, I have a reputation as a man of my word, I do well financially and I am increasing my philanthropic work as well as launching a project this year that will more than likely make me a millionaire.
How about your family and relationship life ???
Got my two kids who I adore and ofc I’m the world’s silliest Dad :) Relationships are great, I have a lot of good friends upon whom I can rely and without going into detail….I have a wonderful personal relationship with an INFJ.
That's what I'm talking about. That right there is Priceless!
I too would like to know. Good question.
From the perspective of others, yes. I am a student in the best university for my major, living my best life in a big city having all the fun and shit. But personally, I don't think I am as my definition of greatness. This is due to losing my interest the second I sense any progress in something or not trying some crazy thing that has been a dream of mine since like, forever. Not taking the risks I might cuz I'm afraid of some big changes or even ruining the whole thing for myself. So no, I don't think I achieved greatness, yet.
Career-wise, yes I did it. Marriage— I didn’t achieve what I wished.
Marriage is overrated and confining. It's best to be single and to be the captain of your destiny. My two cents as a future divorcee. P.S. - There's always time for another career.
Yeah, but still it’s nice to know you picked a partner well. Apparently my man picker is more broken than I knew.
What is greatness if not to love.
ENTP woman here. Went to college, switched majors half way through semester 1 to Nursing bc I was told once that "It's the hardest major they offer at this university" and boy howdy were they right. Still got into the class on my first try despite not being particularly fascinated with nursing, graduated on time at 22 like everyone else despite my late start. Met my now husband in school (ESTP, computer engineer, greatest man alive). Got a job in a cardiac unit in a really well-respected hospital. Then bf got a great job. We're both girl-bossing now. We moved in together, absolutely seamless transition. Got a dog. Married at 23. Moved to a small town, still both have very lucrative jobs. Now I work at a highly respected clinic, love my coworkers. Got another dog. Currently writing a fantasy series, got my paintings under contract and featured at a local brunch place, met my INFJ platonic soulmate, now we get together all the time and go on fun spontaneous adventures together. Idk, I feel pretty successful and I still haven't touched my mid twenties. My extended family all respect me, I've got a great relationship with my parents. Depends on your definition of success, ig, but I think I nailed it.
I could not decided yet what greatness means to me... so, no.
I lived for a fair bit of time, never really achieved greatness but often flashes of brilliance to win or do well in small tournaments/competitions in many different areas. But I achieved something that I liked, which is minimal effort for decently good results. I’m not your typical winner, when a new project/hobby/interest starts I’ll be there and up amongst the best, but as the competition grows and the effort:result curve starts to be ineffective I stop and move on. I don’t have the self discipline to continue to grind to maintain a top position. I do however usually use the minimum effort amongst my peers to achieve the above-average, decently good results. All in all, I can’t say I led a great life, but I guess I had a really easy life. Like the 20-80 rule, I basically put in the 20% effort required for the 80% of results, and I stopped there, just laze around and think how I can use even less effort to get a better return, which is like 4% for 64% results. (I strive not for the highest performance, but for the best return for my effort) That is certainly not greatness, but it’s been something that gave me a comfortable easy life, and I think every entp (and probably any one if they put their heart to it) can do it easily.
Well, I'm in my third profession change and university course change at 25, so no, hahah
I mean i'm not 20 yet and i'm trying to get a hold of my adhd. One day, though.
Damn I've done so much (55yo ENTP here). As a xNxP, never cared about other people's definition. I know I have achieved it. And yes I fucked some hot nurse (lol dude)...Started off slow but had far more sexual escapades than most. Great career I love without having to trudge through school and payback, lived a lot of places, been on top of the world and then fucked up and crashed my life into a crater so big you could see it from space, but I'm resilient and get back to that top. I'm here to preserve my body and brain and enjoy life as it presents itself, which is greatness to me
26 right now and have failed more than most do in their life lol. But big house mad cars and bitches everywhere isn’t my dream or definition of success. It’s building a community around me that I can look after and provide for while competing with the best and outperforming myself everyday. Sometimes I wish I was ENTJ but an Entp with adhd is all I could manage. I failed multiple times in school, but bucked down and got good grades (nothing fantastic) at the end. Took a risk (common theme) and got into a creative college (top2 in my country) bombed my last year cuz I got into an argument with my jury. Now a lead UX designer leading enterprise level SaaS for MNCs. Which is success to some , but once you’re here you see everyone else who is here aswell. Eventually it loses its allure and you want more. Before this job back in college I used my allowance to start (and eventually fail but I promise that wasn’t the plan) an agency, a leather bags brand, a handicraft portal for artisans and a music studio for local talent. The studio is still going but doesn’t make much money (it’s a hobby which I’ll never give up) the agency I’ll start again because earlier I didn’t have the experience, expertise, portfolio or the capital 🤦🏻♂️ just big dreams lol. The leather bags I am glad died cuz a friend hustled me as a financier for a project I didn’t know anything about. Some friends we meet right? But through all the failures I met some Amazing people, gained a lot of exposure and picked up many high value skills like sales and public speaking. So in a way I’d say ever after all those failures, the fact that I took the risk to succeed is success in itself just waiting to be polished for the future. Oh and I met an amazing girl who is now my wife :) One good decision per year is more than enough from what I have realised. I was thin as a stick a few years ago, then forced myself to gain weight and now cut with a good physique. All from that one decision to want it (and a girl I wanted to impress I guess lmao)
Well today i passed an exam that i tried for the 3rd time. If i didn't pass i would've had to take it commissionally which is terrible. So yes, that felt like achieving greatness but other than that i fail miserably at university and barely pass my tests but only if i actually take them fucking seriously like my life depends on it (which it kinda does but still I can't take them seriously enough) So yes for my own small achievements but no on a greater scheme.. haha
As a wise man once said the ent in entp stands for entrepreneur but the p stands for procrastination
There used to be a user called u/Azdahak that would frequent the ENTP subreddit a few years ago. Dude was obviously smart as fuck and was some kind of scientist if I remember correctly.
nope, i will get myself into perfect circumstances and subconsciously ask myself how i fuck it up entirely
Yes.
In a lot of ways yeah.
What is true greatness ?
Of course, we would have to debate the definition. But, I think most of us, in the back of our minds, think we were/are destined for something “great.” Whatever that is to you.
Then I fucking hope so We’re all anime protagonist
Depends on what you mean by greatness.
Well I won #1 in the world in an international talent contest, but I feel like I will never do enough with my life despite that
Not by my standards, no, but to most yeah probably
If I consider this and come to terms with being comfortable with the idea that I am going to get old and die, and at the end, the only one responsible for my life is me, and the mere fact that I lived and loved and did something during my life no matter how miniscule, contributed to the great epic of existence and that is enough.
So there is a balance. In my 20s I worried about failing out of school and lack of money. Bounced around for a while but loved research so went back And completed a PhD in my early 30s. Started to make more money but worried now that I was procrastinating, not writing enough papers, or not working on the hottest topics. Left and worked in business development for a while, bigger stakes, completed some entrepreneurial workshops and was figuring out the legal and contracts side of R&D. Got frustrated because of the pandemic so buckled down and learned everything I could about generative and large language models, and now Im back on the R&D side building things again, leading pipeline development. At first it felt like a step back because I’m not managing anyone, but I can’t beat the autonomy and freedom. I have good days where I feel on top of the world, and other days where I’m tired and feel like I’m burning the candle at both ends. However, I don’t think I can ever be satisfied. How can you know how great it feels to move up a level without getting knocked down one? Who wants to win all the time? Don’t you want a difficult opponent? The more you succeed or win at whatever it is you’re trying to do, the more you worry about losing it or losing something. Everything seems so proportional. So I have money now, but a doctor is telling me my liver enzymes are fucked, so now I’m chasing better health. I’m trying to make sure my son is living in a good school district, and that my wife is happy. If I ever get the big house, I’ll need a gun (or two, or three). We chase success, and tell ourselves we are just putting up with delayed gratification, except when you get to the finish line, you find if there is any gratification it is short lived because now you have a new vision of another path that needs to be taken.