# The Contemplative 459/549/945 tri type: What do you guys do with you lives?



## Bohemianmystic (Aug 1, 2014)

Hey there, 
I'm an INFP 4w5, 5w4, 9w1 sp/sx and I was wondering if there are any of you out there similar to my type. If not still feel free to include some info. about yourselves. I wanted to get a better idea of who is out there such as your possible career path, interests, outlooks on life, and your blessings/troubles from being a triple withdrawn, etc. 

I'll start by giving some info. about myself: Right now I'm at a bit of a crossroads about the career path I want to take. I love the social sciences and currently study Psychology at university, but I could see myself going into Philosophy and idealize about being a musician/writer. 

I'm interested in nature, so lots of backpacking, hiking, camping, and pretty much else anything else that'll get me outside. Typical Bohemian interests like living naturally, simply, and philosophical or reason-back unconventional lifestyle choices. I like the arts, especially music and poetry. I love spending nights with close, philosophically-inclined friends to talk about the greater questions and mysteries in life. 

Don't get me wrong I usually love being a 459 type, but I have an extremely hard time connecting to our most influential reality at times. This usually subjects me to being slothful, indecisive, unproductive, and confused about my meaning or purpose in life. Almost like I am in a "trance" for the majority of the time with sporadic spurts of lucid connections to reality. Sometimes I feel like I should be depressed for the amount of alone time I have by reading, thinking, daydreaming, etc. but I'm neither up nor down, just content with that state. Making it hard for me to contribute to society sometimes. 

Any thoughts? Comments? Feel free to share!


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## Ardielley (Aug 4, 2013)

Yep, I'm the same way. I especially connect with the "slothful, indecisive, unproductive, and confused" part since that's both the product and result of my stagnancy and hesitancy to get out of my shell. I graduated high school last month, and I'm apprehensive about college because I still haven't figured out exactly what I want to do in life - as a result of that, I feel a bit lost and purposeless. I think you probably know as well as I do that 459 is an extremely difficult tritype to be, especially since we're so in our heads like our "Contemplative" title suggests. All this thinking about the future but none of the action to make any of it happen.

Welcome to PersonalityCafe, by the way!


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## Golden Rose (Jun 5, 2014)

Can another indecisive sloth weigh in?

Right now I'm basically what they call a NEET (a person not in education or training) and I'm just floating by, completely clueless about where the future will lead me or what to do with my life. I'm a little bit embarrassed since I'm probably older than both of you by a shot and I hope it goes more smoothly for you because I've basically changed about 4 (or 5 majors?) before retreating, I've tried to work but it felt suffocating and nothing like me, like where I wanted to be. Now I'm considering going back to college as soon as I can and I'm still unsure about what to pursue, I love art and music (and idealize both fields), I love literature and writing, I love science and psychology and the oddest thing is that I've studied all of the listed yet every time it felt like it wasn't the right thing. I wish there was a way to be free to pursue whatever you want, anytime you want, with your own pacing, without having to be tied down by bureaucracy or any kind of system. I feel extremely spacey and disconnected from the outside world it's ridiculous, I should be bothered more by this but meh. Life will find a way, I'm resilient. And I'll probably wind up in some kind of Liberal Arts college again <3


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## Bohemianmystic (Aug 1, 2014)

Yeah I can definitely identify with you going off to college, Ardielley. That was kinda tough changing around my path quite a few times. I felt like psychology gave me a good launch pad for a practical career since most psychology work is interacting with people which tires me out at times, but it's one of the easier things to do if I have to do anything. Deep conversations are both drain and energize me if I can give another viewpoint or help them by sharing some of my possible wisdom I guess. I can always go other directions too if I want. I plan on taking time off after school to think about what I want to do, maybe move to another place to do something different. I feel like changing my environment is great for growth and new integration with peer and community groups that align with my interests.

Both of you should keep thinking about stuff you want to do and trying new things. I'm sure you'll find something you love to do and since you think so much and likely have expansive knowledge you'll be successful at whatever really "draws you into reality". If you find something that siphons your complete focus to take you out of the "triple withdrawn haze", then you know there is something special you connect with. I would always love bridge my daydreamy, contemplative, and withdrawn nature with something connecting to this world, but I'm not 100% sure what that would entail.


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## suicidal_orange (May 6, 2010)

Not sure if I am this tritype (not even convinced tritype is a valid theory) but if you're setting up a club for those who just float through life I should definitely be in it.

I enjoyed hard science (especially chemistry and computing) at school so continued to study these in college (didn't know what i wanted to do, this was the easiest path) but chemistry turned out to be a lot more learning by memorising than by experimentation which didn't hold my interest. Computing was the only thing I did reasonably at, so despite getting crap grades at college I was accepted to uni doing computing. Again I passed but my grades were still bad so employers didn't knock on my door. Qualifying in a fast moving field is pointless unless you get a relevant job straight away - I'd now may as well not have bothered.

Instead I've wasted the last 8 years working in payroll and am now an integral part of the department who's underpaid and underutilised. I'm too opinionated/critical of management to get a sneaky backhand promotion and can't take interviews seriously when they depend on hitting keywords as my thoughts are much clearer in my head than in words, so I'm going nowhere. The only consolation is that I am free for about 70% of my working month to exercise my creativity in the realm of reports and spreadsheets which do anything from automating the checking of 50,000 line reports to enabling the constant stream of poorly trained newbies to send out accurate contracts with no knowledge of the rules behind them.

Running away from everything is the best option but there are people here who rely on me and the only thing I can pride myself on, being as I can't be bothered to make a positive contribution, is that I'm not a negative influence on those around me. Except this week I find out my colleagues all think I'm negative anyway - if only they knew how hard I was trying to hide it :dead:

I would love something or someone to come along and imbue my existance with meaning but as a scientist I'm a nihilist at heart - I'll be dead and forgotten soon enough, what's the point trying to make a mark which will be washed away in the tides of time.


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## username123 (May 21, 2013)

I'm a psych major, too, but not sure what I'm gonna do with it. I wanted to be a therapist, but that's way too heavy for me with all my own emotional baggage. Eventually I really want to go back to school for interior design. It's kind of weird because I was dead set on being an interior decorator when I was little. But I feel like designing areas (well, for now, decorating) satisfies my creativity and my orientation to fantasy, but also this desire to make things emotionally harmonious through changing the environment. I guess it makes me feel inspired and like I'm also in control. Well, I guess I feel in control when I'm inspired, anyway, because I start actively doing something instead of sitting with my thoughts. But for now I definitely relate to the "slothful, indecisive, unproductive, and confused about my meaning or purpose in life" part. I don't like to make decisions because it's stressful, and I don't think I'm any good at it, so my philosophy is to just float through life and let the wind take me where it may...which is all fine and dandy until I graduate in not too long. But for now that's what I'm doing. I guess you could say I'm sort of a slacker, but my grades are alright because I'm smart, so ehh.


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## kittenmogu (Jun 19, 2014)

Ah I'm currently an illustration student. 4w5 9w8 5w4 sx/so here.

I love art more than I love most things. But I don't make enough. I'm almost afraid of making anything sometimes, because I have all these things I'd like to be able to do, and the expectations I have for myself manifest in self-defeating anxiety and procrastination. I'm also uncertain of where I would like to start my career, where my art is headed, what sort of effect I want to create, and what it means to me... I spend a lot of time thinking about it when it would really be solved by making more art. I know this and yet... It's like I'd easily figure out what it is that I want to create most if I just went ahead and did it. But here I am, thinking about it.

I want to be involved and proactive but it's not in my nature. It takes a lot of effort. Of course I'm willing to put in the effort for the things I truly care about, and that's how I know I made it this far. 

I like video games, because I'm the main character and a spectator at the same time. I also like anime. I spend a lot of time just thinking, to be honest. College has been helpful because it's given me a lot of experiences to reflect on (relationships, friendships, jobs, classes, etc.), like new material for my brain to work with. In high school because I hadn't experienced as much, I reflected too much on too little and came to the conclusion that life was pointless. It's different now, but I still spend too much time in my head when I don't have anything that truly engages my interest in the present physical reality.

I am just the laziest potato


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## Saldron (Apr 21, 2012)

Bohemianmystic said:


> Hey there,
> I'm an INFP 4w5, 5w4, 9w1 sp/sx and I was wondering if there are any of you out there similar to my type. If not still feel free to include some info. about yourselves. I wanted to get a better idea of who is out there such as your possible career path, interests, outlooks on life, and your blessings/troubles from being a triple withdrawn, etc.
> 
> I'll start by giving some info. about myself: Right now I'm at a bit of a crossroads about the career path I want to take. I love the social sciences and currently study Psychology at university, but I could see myself going into Philosophy and idealize about being a musician/writer.
> ...


Another INFP 459 sx/sp here...
I'm studying philosophy in college - (interesting how everyone does philosophy or psychology.

and what do I do with my life? Well, I love many things. Now it's summer and I returned from a wonderful trip - I also love nature, traveling and backpacking, suddenly life becomes interesting and meaningful --- and have nothing to do... most of the time I'm just reading, listening to music, watching films and wandering around my city thinking... ideally I would be writing much more than I am. 
At the same time sometimes I feel I don't like anything, that nothing is enough to satisfy me...

Hey, it would be fun to organize a chat for this tritype someday... if enough people want to!


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## Bohemianmystic (Aug 1, 2014)

I'd love to start up a chat for this tritype, anybody else on board?


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## Draki (Apr 4, 2014)

Hello,
I'm probably a 5w4 4w5 9w1 INTP (sp/so).
I study Computer Science and it includes learning foreign languages as well. I like to discover other cultures and to live in another country. In my life I would like to discover the world and I like to write down my observations. 
I'm often contemplating about all kind of problems. 

I'm actually curious how much I can relate to other 459 tritypes. 
I think for example INTP 5w4 and INFP 4w5 are very different.

I don't like to express my emotions, I kind of ignore them. I'm an observer and like to analyze things. I want to be objective and like to think logical. Nevertheless I think I have a strong Feeling function because I mistyped myself as an INFP. 
I actually came to this tritype because I wasn't sure in the beginning if I'm a 5, 4 or 9. 
First I thought I'd be a 5, then I kind of noticed that I also have much of a 4 and a 9 (but not the basic fears and desires, at least not so strong like my core type). The other types don't fit. Thought about being 541 or 593 but I think I'm more of a 4 instead of 3 and more of a 9 than a 1).

In the end I'm a 5 as a core with the basic fear of failing, not being competent enough and the desire to understand the world and being an expert in my field. 
My 4 wing adds a certain beauty to that. I often see beauty in symmetrie or if a word is just perfect. I'm always searching for the most elegant solution. I'm also daydreaming a lot, or I feel very individualistic. I'm rather going my own way and am true to myself. I'm very introspective and want to learn more about myself. I often want to fit into a group but I never really fit, so I kind of get this type 4 feeling "it must be so". However I never really feel shame or that others have something which I don't have. 
The 9 in my tritype is probably my habit to be passiv-aggressive and I'm conflict avoidant. I would like to see a united world in which all people understand each other and see that we're all humans and equal. 

Would like to hear more from you all ^^ How much can you relate to my last paragraph. And how do you differ?


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## Saldron (Apr 21, 2012)

Draki said:


> Hello,
> I'm probably a 5w4 4w5 9w1 INTP (sp/so).
> I study Computer Science and it includes learning foreign languages as well.
> 
> ...


About the chat it will be hard, but we could organize a day in skype, or make a "permanent" chat in tiny chat or open a room in some chat-room ...


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## Draki (Apr 4, 2014)

> I don't like to express my emotions, I kind of ignore them. I'm an observer and like to analyze things. I want to be objective and like to think logical. Nevertheless I think I have a strong Feeling function because I mistyped myself as an INFP.
> *Here is the main difference, well, if you're talking about expressing emotions to others I doubt any 4 does that unless it's a very, very close person (then they can express a lot of emotions) but I imagine you don't like to express your emotions even to yourself (main difference between 4s and 5s)*. *I usually constantly analyze things also, but emotion/feeling is always more important*.


emotions/feelings in general are uncomfortable for me^^ I never really understand them. I probably try to ignore them and once a year they want to come out and then I'm crying but don't know why... 



> I actually came to this tritype because I wasn't sure in the beginning if I'm a 5, 4 or 9.
> First I thought I'd be a 5, then I kind of noticed that I also have much of a 4 and a 9 (but not the basic fears and desires, at least not so strong like my core type). The other types don't fit. Thought about being 541 or 593 but I think I'm more of a 4 instead of 3 and more of a 9 than a 1).
> In the end I'm a 5 as a core with the basic fear of failing, not being competent enough and the desire to understand the world and being an expert in my field.
> My 4 wing adds a certain beauty to that. I often see beauty in symmetrie or if a word is just perfect. I'm always searching for the most elegant solution. I'm also daydreaming a lot, or I feel very individualistic. I'm rather going my own way and am true to myself. I'm very introspective and want to learn more about myself. I often want to fit into a group but I never really fit, so I kind of get this type 4 feeling "it must be so". However I never really feel shame or that others have something which I don't have.
> *Sounds like 5w4. Also 4s feel they have something others don't have, it goes both ways... we're actually for the most part really egocentric and at the same time hate ourselves.. very contradictory. Nowadays though I rarely hate my self, I'm a lot more in the individualistic/loving my self side...*


Interesting, I often feel different from other people and that I have something what others don't have but I'm kind of indifferent to it. Perhaps it's an NT (and NF?) thing because we are not that common in real life. I also don't identify a lot with the "romantic" side of the 4's. Or that they secretly want to connect to people. Just reading this description: 4 - Enneagram Type Four: The Individualist


> While it is true that Fours often feel different from others, they do not really want to be alone. They may feel socially awkward or self-conscious, but they deeply wish to connect with people who understand them and their feelings. The “romantics” of the Enneagram, they long for someone to come into their lives and appreciate the secret self that they have privately nurtured and hidden from the world.


I probably should analyze type 4 more because it seems to be a big part in myself. But I'm sure my core is 5.
I would also like to hear a 945 or 954 to discover the 9 fix


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## Lovebeam (Feb 17, 2014)

4w5 - 5w4 - 9w1 here.

I'd been sad about feeling detached from reality all day, and felt like I was incapable of taking part in the world because my own being is so hazy and transparent. And then I see that you're all saying the same thing, and then proceed to describe my feelings to a T. It's nice to know I'm not going crazy. I'd tried to make my mark on the microcosm that is my house by cleaning and arranging things, which I rarely do, because I felt such an urgency to _do_ things and not just be a brain.

Normally those feelings are not a problem, but today they are. But it's uplifting to hear that you're feeling good yourself, despite describing the same trance.

I'll write a nicer post tomorrow.


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## slothpop (Mar 19, 2014)

I am in this triad. I have bounced back and forth between 5w4, 4w3/5, and 9w1. My 5w4 and my 9w1 are so even that I'm basically drawing a tie right now. I am an INFP.

Right now, I am interested in cognitive science and neuropsychology, as well as foreign language learning, creative writing, and human-computer interaction.

I can relate to the feeling of sitting around and being a brain. Lately, I have been so focused on studying German that I haven't been talking to people. I can't help but feel unproductive, even though I'm learning and absorbing information. Tomorrow, I am going to visit my boyfriend for the first time in a few weeks. That'll be good for me, because it gets me out of the house.


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## Draki (Apr 4, 2014)

slothpop said:


> I am in this triad. I have bounced back and forth between 5w4, 4w3/5, and 9w1. My 5w4 and my 9w1 are so even that I'm basically drawing a tie right now. I am an INFP.
> 
> Right now, I am interested in cognitive science and neuropsychology, as well as foreign language learning, creative writing, and human-computer interaction.
> 
> I can relate to the feeling of sitting around and being a brain. Lately, I have been so focused on studying German that I haven't been talking to people. I can't help but feel unproductive, even though I'm learning and absorbing information. Tomorrow, I am going to visit my boyfriend for the first time in a few weeks. That'll be good for me, because it gets me out of the house.


oh oh human-computer-interaction, don't say it again. I had to write about 30 pages about this topic in a foreign language last week. I'm glad it's over ^^
And I'm German btw ^^ is it hard to learn for you? What's the most difficult about it? 

and @Lovebeam I'm curious to hear more from you (today!) 
and from the others as well.


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## slothpop (Mar 19, 2014)

Draki said:


> oh oh human-computer-interaction, don't say it again. I had to write about 30 pages about this topic in a foreign language last week. I'm glad it's over ^^
> And I'm German btw ^^ is it hard to learn for you? What's the most difficult about it?
> 
> and @Lovebeam I'm curious to hear more from you (today!)
> and from the others as well.


Wow! 30 pages in a foreign language? Was this in German?

For me, grammar was the most difficult part of German. This is something that gets easier if you read more. I think that this is true for most foreign languages.


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## Draki (Apr 4, 2014)

slothpop said:


> Wow! 30 pages in a foreign language? Was this in German?
> 
> For me, grammar was the most difficult part of German. This is something that gets easier if you read more. I think that this is true for most foreign languages.


It was in French, but there were a lot of screenshots, too. Not 30 pages text. (that will probably be the case in my Bachelor Thesis ...)

I was always good in grammar but whenever I speak I do everything wrong xD
But I know German grammar is much more difficult than English. French is equally difficult than German. 

Do you learn it for fun or do you have to learn it in school? And what would you like to do with it in the future?


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## cognitiverecipe2 (May 30, 2014)

studied psychology. though most of my studies ive continued on my own.

-worked as a residential counselor and supervisor for at risk troubled youth for a year and a half. very stressfull, and dysfunctional place ironically i had a lot of freedom and did a lot of creative projects all to improve and tie the program more to fit the mission to bring out the best in hurt kids , who all can be awesome when you treat them the right way.

-before that i worked with adolescents on the autism spectrum doing behavior modification and functional supports.

now im going back to school, or at least taking non matriculated masters in social work classes, though ive gone back and worth with that or counseling or psy d and am questioning what i should do anyway given all my own self analysis and realizing i need to step away form dysfunctional environments that can make me too normalized with crazy.

i make jewerly . write poetry. used to be a musician grew up studying piano in a very musical household. 

very similar to your post about what you look for with friends.

love exploring outdoors more for the romantic idea than accomplishing the top of the mountains so to speak.

live in seacoast region of new hampshire which is gorgeous and has the best of every world.

currently not working , moving, and trying to figure out how to balance all the many past selves and qualities i became ,that i hadnt been before.

-still stuck obsessing over my past relationship, which became abusive and i still seek resolve.

-realizing taking adderall for 3 years now has dampened my personality and made me TOO detail orientated (ironic because i WASNT detail oriented before) 

-wishing people like on this forum (so similar) were immediate in my day to day life.


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## sittapygmaea (Aug 24, 2014)

My primary type is 4w5, then 5w4, followed by either 9w1 or 1w9. tritype 451 or 459. sx/sp or sp/sx. INFP or INFJ. I take it all with a healthy dose of skepticism but it can be very illuminating nonetheless. 

I am new around here and find it both reassuring and disturbing to see aspects of my character mirrored so clearly in others. It appears that I am older than most of you (40) but have a surprisingly similar trajectory. In my youth, I always thought I would be a writer. I was a philosophy major at a liberal arts college, but the analytical perfectionistic nature of that enterprise reinforced some of my own worst tendencies. I ended up in a state of neurotic paralysis with terrible writers block and became very uncertain as to whether I should continue with graduate school or abort. I decided to apply in philosophy to 'keep my options open.' My success rate was high and I found it difficult to resist the lure of so much wanting of me, so on I went. I became yet more anxious, and gained more powerful tools with which to ascertain all the inadequacies of my own intellect, writing, and thoughts. This is not to say that I gained no benefits from the process— it sharpened my skills, helped me to buckle down and focus, finish things I started and stop being so dilettantish. I realized how much I like teaching and working with students in small groups (though not in lecture halls). 

It took me 9 years to finish the phd, after which I taught college for a year as a lecturer and then… left the field with an unusual degree of conviction. For the subsequent nearly 9 years I have been comparatively idle, to the point of deliberately avoiding anything serious or constructive and trying to focus my energies and ambitions on concrete, minor and self-contained tasks. This was not entirely successful, although it did keep panic and suicidal fixation to a comparative minimum. A few years ago I finally agreed to try anti-anxiety medication at the insistence of my husband, and that has been amazingly, pleasantly helpful— I now feel like something other than the sum of my neuroses constantly whispering sour nothings in my ear. I feel a restless energy again, instead of feeling resigned to a life of hiding away from the world and myself. I am slowly looking for an outlet, though what that might be, I truly do not know. I don’t believe that there are things that MATTER, but I would still like to invest time in something that matters to me and not consign myself to being quite so inert.


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## Draki (Apr 4, 2014)

I start to feel lonely here as the only INTP xD
wait... ! I summon INTPs 549/594! ^^ 

@Iamtp @wabi sabi @Jennywocky @SpectrumOfThought @Grandmaster Yoda


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