Well this email was in big demand, which is not all that surprising since a huge number of my followers are ENTP.
So I apologize that I’ve been feeling a bit shit yesterday and today, and got this out not only a day late… but late the next day.
(Consider it a meta-introduction to the ENTP — we don’t usually do things on time)
Anyway, let’s start by talking about how this type operates.
ENTPs are by nature pattern-recognizers.
Their dominant function is Ne (extroverted intuition), which is a sort of pre-cognitive function. It’s tough to explain… but it basically like seeing into the future… you can tell what will happen if X occurs, allowing you to envision multiple different paths for people and society as a whole.
This function is paired with the judging function, Ti (introverted thinking) — which helps refine Ne. Ti is a logical, system’s thinking function — it judges factors individually based on what is true and what is false. In the case of the ENTP, it makes sure Ne zooms in on possibilities that make the most sense.
This is the core elements of the ENTP: a precise ability to see into the future and anticipate events. It’s for this reason ENTPs are often called visionaries or innovators — or in their less “effectual” state, debaters (they can use this same precognition to anticipate arguments and parry them easier than other types).
This pairing, NeTi, makes up the core of the ENTP.
As ENTPs mature is followed by the child or tertiary function, Fe (extroverted feeling). Fe cares about how other people feel, and is primarily a mitigator of Ti in an ENTPs behavior.
So for example, while a young ENTP might argue with someone about what he thinks will happen just because he wants to express the truth… a more mature ENTP may calibrate that Ti with Fe, shutting his mouth rather than offend.
Fe gives ENTPs a care and concern for others, helping them to direct their ability to predict the future (and thus manipulate it) towards things that will improve the lives of others.(Fe is why I’m here fam).
This is closed out by the inferior function, Si (introverted sensing). Si is the primary conscious battle ENTPs face, as Ne tries to suppress Si. Si is all about past experiences and traditions. Ne tends to prefer the novel unless the tradition is very good… whereas Si prefers to do things that are proven and routine.
This mental combat can make ENTPs unstructured and late (ha), as they underestimate how long it will take them to do things and ignore past memories about how long they actually need.
But Si is very important for ENTPs, because it not only stabilizes the personality type but gives it confidence. Ne requires past data (Si) to make accurate predictions. ENTPs who persist in gaining experience in the world will thus become incredibly successful at navigating it. (My decade of experience coupled with those of my clients — a big database of Si — is why my Ne’s ability to read people and situations has become so precise)
Anyway that’s the “technical” understanding of the type.
But let’s speak more practically.
ENTPs are what I call a “parabolic” type.
By this I mean ENTPs tend to cluster on two ends of the spectrum — failure and massive success.
This is true and business, and with women.
The reason for this is sad but simple to understand.
ENTPs see a million different possibilities for themselves, but lack faith in whether they should commit to any of them.
This means an ENTP might have a great business idea… but will fail to actually launch it.
Or it means an ENTP might meet a good woman… but get distracted by the new girl he also met last week.
More broadly, however, ENTPs tend to get stuck in seeing possible futures instead of creating one.
Which is why ENTPs are commonly found as bullshit artists on cable TV (*cough* Ben Shapiro), talking about what “could” happen in any given scenario. They also find themselves quite commonly in academia or government planning / “think tanks”… talking about ideas and not implementing them.
However while this may seem lame… for most ENTPs these are dream jobs.
Because most have to actually do things in the real world, which means most become failures.
It’s sad to say, but ENTPs have a tendency to waste their talents. They get stuck in their heads and don’t execute, either becoming unemployed or stuck at stagnant jobs that allow them to “get by.”
They’re your barber whose read a millions books and videos and has all sorts of interesting ideas, but is a barber.
I saw a graph recently that showed ENTPs have actually the lowest income of all personality types.
But the graph belies something else also true… which is that if an ENTP can get himself together and execute, he will EASILY outstrip almost all of the competition.
ENTPs include the likes of Steve Jobs, Ben Franklin, Leonardo DaVinci — and personalities more familiar in our corner such as Naval Ravikant and James Altucher.
So, if they execute on their ideas, their ideas change the world. Literally.(And profit accordingly.)
But if not… they end up working at your local McDonalds, about 15 IQ above their coworkers, daydreaming.
So it’s a high-risk, high-reward personality.
Now, talking about it when it comes to women… it’s more or less the same.
ENTPs have a natural gift for reading people, but most are so caught up in “telling the truth” that they turn people off (particularly in their youth). They’re argumentative and “know it alls” who constantly offend and annoy.
As ENTPs get older and more aware, however, they tend to do this much less. But it comes with a risk.
Deceit.
ENTPs know what to say to get what they want from people. And so when they realize saying the “right” thing turns people off… they start to dabble in putting up a front.
This turns ENTPs from being honest to the point of obnoxiousness to being chronic liars.
It’s a trap many an ENTP has gotten into in the dating game.
They can create a whole fantasy with a woman, knowing which buttons to push for her.
And then at the end of it all, leave her lying in the lurch… since he was never anything he pretended to be.
(This was something I struggled with for a while, manipulating girls by “becoming” what they wanted… and then when they got attached to the fantasy, leaving them heartbroken)
Anyway, now that you have all the background… what does it mean for ENTPs in a relationship?
Well, we’ll go into that another time… this email is getting long enough.
But I will say one crucial thing:
You need to let them tell the truth.Indeed — you need to ENCOURAGE them to do so.
If an ENTP has to lie to be around you, he will not feel accepted — because ENTPs don’t have personal “values”… their understanding of truth is what they orient themselves around, and forms the guiding light of their identity.
Anyway, the benefit of this information?
One, if you’re dating an ENTP it gives you a lot of information about how they operate.
(Understanding this is crucial not only to seduce them… but to have a good relationship with them longterm)
But two — if you are an ENTP… it will help you have a good relationship with yourself.
Understand, my client work is based on biology and psychology.
And the external and internal.
I help you to understand how women operate — as a group, and as individuals.
And to understand how YOU operate — as a man, and as yourself.
Knowing your own type helps you understand why you do the things you do.
Why you’re weak in some areas, and strong and others.
And our work will show you how to lean into those strengths and mitigate those weaknesses.
It’s a fast track from growth, in other words.
So you can have the confidence and foundation to understand yourself, and what you want… and then pursue the women you want with competence and ease.
Anyway enough promoting.
The link is here: www.patstedman.com/application
– Pat
