Is it just me, or is it because I am an introvert

Hi,
As I stated in the intro section, I am a newly discovered introvert trying to get a full grasp on it. I have several questions about it and things that happen to me and need some perspective to sort out some chaos in my life.

My question here is about work. I am a system admin and I feel that I am very good at what I do. I think I like what I do, but I just do not particularly like doing what I do where I am. So, I struggle a lot in coping with my job.

Hopefully I can articulate this the way I need too, if not, maybe some of you fellow introverts can grasp what I am getting at.

I get accused a lot and even sometimes getting reprimanded about me being uncooperative. I do not feel that is the case at all. For instance, a coworker asks that I write them a program, or buy them a piece of technology, etc etc etc to help them do their job better. No problem, that's my job. But where the problem comes in is that I feel most of the time my coworkers are just trying to dump things on me that they don't feel like doing themselves(this brings up another point for later). I know this is not always the case and it is just that they do not understand the specifics that I must adhere to myself to do my job effectively and to get my coworker what they are wanting. Its mostly education on their part, just like I may not know all the ins and outs to do their job. BUT; other times my coworkers suggestions sounds like hairbrained knee jerk reactions to problems they are having and just spurt out the first thing that comes to mind that sounds good. So, when I sense this my first reaction is NO. I dont say no to them because I do not want to help them or I am lazy, I want them to put some more effort into researching and brainstorming ideas on possibilities to make their job easier, instead of saying they want the first thing that comes to mind and for me to actually read their mind and try to figure out what they are really wanting.

Another source of contention that is a problem for me is that I feel people just do not read and repeatedly ask me for help. For example, an error message pops up on their computer screen and they have to call me down to their office for me to see it and tell them what to do. This is fine as well, its my job. BUT; my coworkers tend to only see a box that pops up on their screen and freak out. When I get to their desk, I ask myself "why the hell did you call me down here for this?" Especially the ones that only give you the option of "OK" and nothing else to choose from. Another aspect to this is that they just do not read. A lot of times those error messages tell the user exactly what to do, but they just dont read it. They call me to walk them through deciding whether or not they want to "cancel" or "continue" what they were trying to do. Just read, people. I do tend get a little short with people at times.

These sort of things have drained me, I have been at my current employment way too long. I have to drag myself out of bed every morning to go to work, I am lucky to make it in by nine. My job is no longer a challenge for me anymore and I just despise coming into the office.

My feelings on this is that I love to help people when they need it or want it. I never impose myself upon other people, too each their own is my philosophy. But my expectations for people when they want my help is that they must help themselves first. I know this can apply to anything besides just work. I expect that if people want me to help them then they must put forth some effort to show that they really want what they are asking for and so that I dont waste my time doing something for them that ends up not being what they really wanted or needed. I just want people to care as much as I do and put the effort in it as I do when they want something.

Is this part of being introverted, or am I really just crazy?

Originally Posted by Skewed

Hi,
As I stated in the intro section, I am a newly discovered introvert trying to get a full grasp on it. I have several questions about it and things that happen to me and need some perspective to sort out some chaos in my life.

My question here is about work. I am a system admin and I feel that I am very good at what I do. I think I like what I do, but I just do not particularly like doing what I do where I am. So, I struggle a lot in coping with my job.

Hopefully I can articulate this the way I need too, if not, maybe some of you fellow introverts can grasp what I am getting at.

I get accused a lot and even sometimes getting reprimanded about me being uncooperative. I do not feel that is the case at all. For instance, a coworker asks that I write them a program, or buy them a piece of technology, etc etc etc to help them do their job better. No problem, that's my job. But where the problem comes in is that I feel most of the time my coworkers are just trying to dump things on me that they don't feel like doing themselves(this brings up another point for later). I know this is not always the case and it is just that they do not understand the specifics that I must adhere to myself to do my job effectively and to get my coworker what they are wanting. Its mostly education on their part, just like I may not know all the ins and outs to do their job. BUT; other times my coworkers suggestions sounds like hairbrained knee jerk reactions to problems they are having and just spurt out the first thing that comes to mind that sounds good. So, when I sense this my first reaction is NO. I dont say no to them because I do not want to help them or I am lazy, I want them to put some more effort into researching and brainstorming ideas on possibilities to make their job easier, instead of saying they want the first thing that comes to mind and for me to actually read their mind and try to figure out what they are really wanting.

Another source of contention that is a problem for me is that I feel people just do not read and repeatedly ask me for help. For example, an error message pops up on their computer screen and they have to call me down to their office for me to see it and tell them what to do. This is fine as well, its my job. BUT; my coworkers tend to only see a box that pops up on their screen and freak out. When I get to their desk, I ask myself "why the hell did you call me down here for this?" Especially the ones that only give you the option of "OK" and nothing else to choose from. Another aspect to this is that they just do not read. A lot of times those error messages tell the user exactly what to do, but they just dont read it. They call me to walk them through deciding whether or not they want to "cancel" or "continue" what they were trying to do. Just read, people. I do tend get a little short with people at times.

These sort of things have drained me, I have been at my current employment way too long. I have to drag myself out of bed every morning to go to work, I am lucky to make it in by nine. My job is no longer a challenge for me anymore and I just despise coming into the office.

My feelings on this is that I love to help people when they need it or want it. I never impose myself upon other people, too each their own is my philosophy. But my expectations for people when they want my help is that they must help themselves first. I know this can apply to anything besides just work. I expect that if people want me to help them then they must put forth some effort to show that they really want what they are asking for and so that I dont waste my time doing something for them that ends up not being what they really wanted or needed. I just want people to care as much as I do and put the effort in it as I do when they want something.

Is this part of being introverted, or am I really just crazy?

Well most of the stuff you talk about is more NP than introversion. Not saying that some of it is not I. Like all the stuff you want to say but don't I feel is introversion. Being unchallenged at your job and not wanting to go is your P aspect. I think you don't understand them and they don't understand you cause many of the guys might be Sensors. It is your job to do the stuff you do and that's why they give you the work. I think you might be in the wrong job personally. INTPs don't really enjoy "working for the man" and you probably lack being able to think outside of the box where you are.

These are just a few thoughts on what you said. I get bored easily with writing replies so I tend to skip stuff.

Yes you are an introvert but in the 2 posts you made today you lumped all your problems on that fact. That is only 1/4 of it.

An INTP Profile

Is this you?

This is me.

Things you say sound like me.

It's probably you :)

I said INTJ in your other thread, but my INTP ass only really read the first few posts.

Whadya think?

Originally Posted by TreeBob

Well most of the stuff you talk about is more NP than introversion. Not saying that some of it is not I. Like all the stuff you want to say but don't I feel is introversion. Being unchallenged at your job and not wanting to go is your P aspect. I think you don't understand them and they don't understand you cause many of the guys might be Sensors. It is your job to do the stuff you do and that's why they give you the work. I think you might be in the wrong job personally. INTPs don't really enjoy "working for the man" and you probably lack being able to think outside of the box where you are.

These are just a few thoughts on what you said. I get bored easily with writing replies so I tend to skip stuff.

Yes you are an introvert but in the 2 posts you made today you lumped all your problems on that fact. That is only 1/4 of it.

You are good!!! I too question whether I am doing what I really want to do. The problem is, I dont really know what I would like to be doing. I feel that I can do anything I want, but I just dont have that piece of paper for everything that I can do well. I am mostly self-educated. I guess you could say that I am fortunate in one aspect, I can learn to do anything well because I have been subjected to many different things in life. I am a jack of all trades and have no problems in learning to do new things. I am a handy person to have around, I can work on your car, I can do home repair(my dad is a builder), I can sew a button on, I can fix your leaking water faucet, I can cook you dinner, etc etc....I think all of that boils down to me being so independent that I find ways to be as self-supportive in my needs and avoid getting people to do things for me when I can just do them myself.

You are also correct in that I do not like working for the man, mostly because it puts too many restraints on me that I just do not need to get things done. I do think out of the box and thats what causes me problems, because others seem to think that my ideas wont work either and they seem to think my solution is just "way over the top", and I do have many opportunities to say "I told you so", but saying that used to give me some satisfaction, now its just a source of frustration and I no longer have any joy in saying it. But what really drives me bonkers is when the director says. "lets do what the benchmarks are doing." That really bothers me more than anything. I say screw doing what the benchmarks are doing, why dont we become the benchmark for others?

BTW: Feel free to point me to any reading material when it appears that I may not totally be grasping something. My thoughts are moving a mile a minute and I am all over the place so this is only to put this into some sort of order, so bear with me while I get all of this sorted out.

I just see INTP all over the place.

And I DID point you to some reading material.

An INTP Profile <<<<<<<<<<<<<<see? It's the best INTP description on the internet that I've seen. Didjya get a chance to lookit this one yet?

Originally Posted by Kevinaswell

I just see INTP all over the place.

And I DID point you to some reading material.

An INTP Profile <<<<<<<<<<<<<<see? It's the best INTP description on the internet that I've seen. Didjya get a chance to lookit this one yet?

Getting there.

Originally Posted by Skewed

Getting there.

Yeah that is a good start. I lot of what you are going through is the iNtuitive process in you. It is really tough for some Sensors and iNtuitives to work together. I find government/office work to be filled with Sensors, not to mention the monotony of doing the same tasks all the time due to restrictions of burocracy. My INTP friend is miserable working as a civil servant. I think programming might be suitable for you, just not in an environment where you have to constantly conform. Maybe you need to do more design work, writing programs? This way you have a chance to experiment a bit and actually "break out".

Originally Posted by TreeBob

Yeah that is a good start. I lot of what you are going through is the iNtuitive process in you. It is really tough for some Sensors and iNtuitives to work together. I find government/office work to be filled with Sensors, not to mention the monotony of doing the same tasks all the time due to restrictions of burocracy. My INTP friend is miserable working as a civil servant. I think programming might be suitable for you, just not in an environment where you have to constantly conform. Maybe you need to do more design work, writing programs? This way you have a chance to experiment a bit and actually "break out".

I am a programmer/web guy/computer fixer just about anything computer related is what I do. I just dont seem to be able to get to do it the way I like to.

Originally Posted by Skewed

I am a programmer/web guy/computer fixer just about anything computer related is what I do. I just dont seem to be able to get to do it the way I like to.

Yes I understand you are. I see you working more for a computer/applications design type area where you have more freedom to experiment. Not confined to a cubicle (your description seems office like). I think Google or one of those big companies might suit you.

Originally Posted by TreeBob

Yes I understand you are. I see you working more for a computer/applications design type area where you have more freedom to experiment. Not confined to a cubicle (your description seems office like). I think Google or one of those big companies might suit you.

I agree, but I dont have that damn piece of paper saying that I know what I am doing. Nobody gives people chances any more to prove themselves, unless they have a piece of paper that says they were taught everything they need to know about how to do things by the book and to hell with what happens in the real world. I taught myself everything I know about computers and programming, but nobody sees that.

I am in a cube farm.