# How to develop Ni?



## Digestive (Nov 13, 2016)

I always have a fairly low N when I test, but I still test as an ENTJ. I definitely have more Ni than Ne but recent life circumstances and needing to be flexible have forced me to develop my Ne a lot to the point I feel like I'm missing that Ni. :frustrating:

How do I develop it again? I hate using more Ne tbh (no offence to you lovely Ne users..) :bored:


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## JaguarPap (Mar 26, 2016)

Direct Ni use:
Think of intense/profound experiences that are personal to you. 
Try to intuitively attach the "impression" of the previous and its personal meanings to a "symbol."
Intuit how that symbol relates to everything.

That is the best way I can explain Ni, and how to develop it.


As far as practical methods and suggestions that may or may not work for you:
- Listen to music. (I find abstract instrumental works trigger Ni the strongest for me).
- Road trips.
- Look at old personal photographs in a series.
- Read your favorite book and personalize yourself as a character in the novel. Then personalize, intuitively, and project the novel onto your own life.
- Star-gazing.
- Listen to a lecture on metaphysics and internalize the concepts, intuitively.

The hardest part is describe how to "use" intuition since it is largely unconscious.


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## myjazz (Feb 17, 2010)

Digestive said:


> I always have a fairly low N when I test, but I still test as an ENTJ. I definitely have more Ni than Ne but recent life circumstances and needing to be flexible have forced me to develop my Ne a lot to the point I feel like I'm missing that Ni. :frustrating:
> 
> How do I develop it again? I hate using more Ne tbh (no offence to you lovely Ne users..) :bored:


ENTJ doesn't seem right.


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## The red spirit (Sep 29, 2015)

myjazz said:


> ENTJ doesn't seem right.


It seemed fishy for me too. Seems like OP is lost in typology.


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## uman (Apr 19, 2017)

Meditate maybe?


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## atamagasuita (May 15, 2016)

I have Ni. I know what you're thinking and i have telepathic abilities and telekinesis i swear.


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## kinkaid (Jan 26, 2016)

Ni is hard to 'develop' in my opinion but the critical thing is not drowning it out. I am Ni dominant so it's like a second person in my head, but Ni doesn't shout and it doesn't like to repeat itself. It's like a whisper that will get lost in distraction.

Just observe the world around you and let the thoughts flow. Don't reject or accept anything that comes to mind, just let your mind focus on whatever is happening. 

Thats the best I can do.


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## jetser (Jan 6, 2016)

Read books, see movies, go to a museum.


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## halfamazing (Oct 13, 2014)

Digestive said:


> How do I develop it again? I hate using more Ne tbh (no offence to you lovely Ne users..) :bored:


Well, you have to decide if you want to develop you Ni for real world use or simply to articulate Ni for the sake of MBTI posturing. As an ENTJ, you have to employ more discipline in your quest due to your scatter brain issues.

The problem with MBTI is that everyone is so great at articulating function stacks but can never give realworld examples to help others. Ni is internally processing external perceptions on a subconscious level. Meaning, it is relative to the person processing this information and their own experiences. Ni is big picture and seeks patterns, which often comes naturally. Again, these patterns are interconnected based off of one's own previous experiences. Therefore, my Ni function is different to everyone else's in terms of what is processed, but works the same way for all- internally processing external perceptions on a subconscious level.

The way to develop your Ni is to literally expose yourself continuously and make notes of your observations. While doing so, remain keen in limited areas of processing- don't be scatter brain during this training. You will then naturally be able to connect dots. Concentrate on one area like people, places, trends, etc..

A real world example of mine- I can see a person walking past me. And based on that moment, I will quickly scope him/her from head to toe. I will observe his/her mannerism, bodily features, and speech. I will then internally process this information and match it with others who have looked similarly- all this is done on a subconscious level. I can do this because I have been exposed to so many different people in so many career fields, with different personalities, and in different countries/states (remember, there are only but so many human templates). From there, I will will proceed to interact with them based off of my previous perceptions/experiences. If the experiences is new or has any additional elements, all that is processed for the next time I come in contact with someone similar.

Ni has the uncanny ability to store and regurgitate. If you are a socially awkward introvert, who has limited life experience in dealing with many personality types, you Ni also becomes limited. *But remember, the KEY TO ALL OF THIS IS PURPOSE.* Ni is purpose driven as it is pattern seeking- it is resolute. If you are not trying to resolve any complex issues, or into figuring certain things out, Ni may not be as consistent.


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## VagrantFarce (Jul 31, 2015)

Imagine your inner world on a continuum, like you're stepping out of time and you can see it all laid out in front of you
Notice how things "just converge", as if guided by invisible hands
Disengage, then allow things to impress upon you their "global" or "cosmic" significance
When something happens, take it as a sign of something greater
Pay attention to the undertow, rather than the waves crashing on the surface - the periphery, rather than what's in front of your nose
Embrace your inner "black hole" or "crystal ball"
Be a cryptic, indecipherable little shit that no one has any patience for
Meditate on it
Sleep on it
Don't force it, just ask for it and be open to it


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## Digestive (Nov 13, 2016)

myjazz said:


> ENTJ doesn't seem right.





The red spirit said:


> It seemed fishy for me too. Seems like OP is lost in typology.


Gotta laugh at those weird PerC trolls who think they can type people they don't know online off a few sentences  Given how little I wrote in OP, you must literally be assuming that someone who uses a lot of emoticons/is polite can't be my type, which is not worth me wasting further time responding to. 

I've always tested as ENTJ. Seems like you guys are lost in MBTI stereotypes. 



halfamazing said:


> Well, you have to decide if you want to develop you Ni for real world use or simply to articulate Ni for the sake of MBTI posturing. As an ENTJ, you have to employ more discipline in your quest due to your scatter brain issues.
> 
> The problem with MBTI is that everyone is so great at articulating function stacks but can never give realworld examples to help others. Ni is internally processing external perceptions on a subconscious level. Meaning, it is relative to the person processing this information and their own experiences. Ni is big picture and seeks patterns, which often comes naturally. Again, these patterns are interconnected based off of one's own previous experiences. Therefore, my Ni function is different to everyone else's in terms of what is processed, but works the same way for all- internally processing external perceptions on a subconscious level.
> 
> ...


WTF is MBTI posturing? Nobody I know IRL does that and I barely spend any time on Perc.

Agree with the rest of your post though.


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## Digestive (Nov 13, 2016)

JaguarPap said:


> Direct Ni use:
> Think of intense/profound experiences that are personal to you.
> Try to intuitively attach the "impression" of the previous and its personal meanings to a "symbol."
> Intuit how that symbol relates to everything. That is the best way I can explain Ni, and how to develop it.
> ...


Great post, thanks - always been into symbolism. Also agree about it largely being unconscious - hopefully removing some recent life stresses will help w/getting back to normal again.



uman said:


> Meditate maybe?


That's a good shout roud:



kinkaid said:


> Ni is hard to 'develop' in my opinion but the critical thing is not drowning it out. I am Ni dominant so it's like a second person in my head, but Ni doesn't shout and it doesn't like to repeat itself. It's like a whisper that will get lost in distraction.
> 
> Just observe the world around you and let the thoughts flow. Don't reject or accept anything that comes to mind, just let your mind focus on whatever is happening.
> 
> Thats the best I can do.


I see what you mean - it's not a very "obvious" function. I'll try spending more time observing etc. Thanks! roud:



jetser said:


> Read books, see movies, go to a museum.


Thanks! Been very busy lately but this would definitely help. Reckon I also need more time off..



VagrantFarce said:


> Imagine your inner world on a continuum, like you're stepping out of time and you can see it all laid out in front of you
> Notice how things "just converge", as if guided by invisible hands
> Disengage, then allow things to impress upon you their "global" or "cosmic" significance
> When something happens, take it as a sign of something greater
> ...


Love this one :tongue: but seriously, great suggestions thanks! I also agree that you can't force Ni to a large extent. roud:


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## The red spirit (Sep 29, 2015)

Digestive said:


> I've always tested as ENTJ.


That makes me even less sure about ENTJ


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## Messenian (Jan 22, 2017)

Digestive said:


> I always have a fairly low N when I test, but I still test as an ENTJ. I definitely have more Ni than Ne but recent life circumstances and needing to be flexible have forced me to develop my Ne a lot to the point I feel like I'm missing that Ni. :frustrating:
> 
> How do I develop it again? I hate using more Ne tbh (no offence to you lovely Ne users..) :bored:



Not sure if my advice is right but I'd suggest that your read books (fiction or non fiction, but if non fiction it would probably have to be something that explores some abstract issue and not some DIY guide on how to build or do this or that. Not an outright practical guide book of some sort, that is, but, say, a book on religion, history, philosophy, sociology, the soul, politics, strategy, anything that seems meaty and abstract and appeals to you). 

Poetry, too. Or , if you are into drawing or sketching, draw some symbols or other abstract images that seem to relate to you or to issues you are interested in or troubled by. 

Ni functions by observing something, somehow, and then spending time to reflect on that something, on what it could mean, on where it could lead you, or the world. What it initially observes or notices is merely the starting point for a lengthy and deep mental exploration of its origin and meaning, and then those origins' origin and meaning, and so on. 

This activity may be hard to undertake for ENTJs because they tend to be very focused on how to use something in their plans, and may therefore tend to see this type of Ni-focused metareflection as 'time wasting'. I remember once an ENTJ friend saw me read some book on the development of secularism through the ages and his first and immediate reaction was "but what are you reading this book for? What do you want to DO with it?" He thought that because I was an economist and worked in finance, I should only be spending time to read financial and economic books that could be of some use to me in my profession or vocation. His field were computers so he only read computer science and related books. It hadn't occurred to him at the time that some books you read not because you want to do something with them, but because you want to see what they do to you. In other words, what new mental horizons and concepts they might reveal to you and what unexpectedly important mental wondering they might lead you into, that is unrelated to the confines of your existing practical and intellectual endeavours. 

So if you attempt any of the above-mentioned activities, try to remind yourself that this is not wasting time. This too, is work


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## Digestive (Nov 13, 2016)

Messenian said:


> Not sure if my advice is right but I'd suggest that your read books (fiction or non fiction, but if non fiction it would probably have to be something that explores some abstract issue and not some DIY guide on how to build or do this or that. Not an outright practical guide book of some sort, that is, but, say, a book on religion, history, philosophy, sociology, the soul, politics, strategy, anything that seems meaty and abstract and appeals to you).
> 
> Poetry, too. Or , if you are into drawing or sketching, draw some symbols or other abstract images that seem to relate to you or to issues you are interested in or troubled by.
> 
> ...


Sorry for the late reply, great post ty. I'll definitely try this out, as a strong Te user with not much time to "waste" recently I've been letting the Ni-reflection down but some time to spend on reading, etc. is definitely required.


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## Kitsune Love (Jul 8, 2014)

I don't necessarily think functions are something you can "develop" unless you don't naturally have them.

I'm an INFJ so Ni, Fe, Ti, Se are natural processes for me and I do it all automatically. Ne and Si are sometimes required for work related purposes but it's ok because Ne is basically just reverse Ni. Si is only easy for me because I'm surrounded by ISFJ in my personal life and I've adapted to their ways.

I can tell you how to _engage_ what you already have.

If you are an ENTJ your Ni should manifest in you being resolute, goal oriented, focused on the path towards a solution. I would suggest focusing on where you're going in life, what is the point of what you're doing, and the outcome/results you want, even in everyday tasks.


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## jetser (Jan 6, 2016)

I was in a wine cellar recently and I thought about this thread. I definitely felt some sense of history coming through the bottle of wines from all ages, gathered from around the world.
I think that was Ni (not Si, as it was not concrete knowledge). I recommend to visit a museum or some art exhibition where you can sense and spot history.


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## Retrospectacles (May 11, 2017)

The first thing I thought when reading this post was that, like many others, you really don't seem like an ENTJ to me--regardless of stereotypes. Purely the fact that you said you score low on intuition, and are struggling to develop Ni which I think is one of the more innate, natural functions. Also, naturally, you do not seem to me like an ENTJ based off of the way you write and your interactions with others in here. However, don't consider this to be an attack, please!! I was so excited to see this question asked and I admire your inquisitiveness. :smile: I think it would be a good idea to explore more types, though, maybe make a post in the typing subforum and asking for their opinion.


JaguarPap said:


> Direct Ni use:
> Think of intense/profound experiences that are personal to you.
> Try to intuitively attach the "impression" of the previous and its personal meanings to a "symbol."
> Intuit how that symbol relates to everything.
> ...


This was my favorite post here! I love the specific ideas you suggested--they resonate in me a lot and are great as far as materializing something as abstract as Ni. It felt like poetry to read, for me. I'm saving this. However, I am curious about the photograph one. This sounds like more of an Si activity to me and I am intrigued to hear how this activity invokes Ni in you.


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## JaguarPap (Mar 26, 2016)

Retrospectacles said:


> However, I am curious about the photograph one. This sounds like more of an Si activity to me and I am intrigued to hear how this activity invokes Ni in you.


I should have specified to use intuition to abstract the photograph's "meanings" into personal symbols. A fictional example would be Batman, looking at enough family photos, would start to attach the symbolic personal meanings to bats and their symbolic significance to the greater world around him and its future. For Ni doms this process becomes obsessive.


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## stathamspeacoat (Dec 10, 2016)

kinkaid said:


> Ni is hard to 'develop' in my opinion but the critical thing is not drowning it out. I am Ni dominant so it's like a second person in my head, but Ni doesn't shout and it doesn't like to repeat itself. It's like a whisper that will get lost in distraction.
> 
> Just observe the world around you and let the thoughts flow. Don't reject or accept anything that comes to mind, just let your mind focus on whatever is happening.
> 
> Thats the best I can do.


I agree with this - I think it's more learning to "hear" it and understand that _that's_ what it is. I'll try to explain without sounding like I'm going to ask you about buying crystals or developing your chakras. 

I do so by giving it "free reign," even when it's being kind of a pest. I would describe it as subtle but can be quite persistent, especially when it keeps finding/developing/realizing more connections. There are times when it wants to drift off/go on a tangent and focus on/obsess over something dumb or simply at a bad time. Example: someone in a meeting will say something or I'll see something and that starts a Ni chain reaction (that is not related to the meeting, of course.) I'm trying to listen and focus on what's going on in the meeting but Ni now has so much momentum that it can be hard to ignore. And honestly, many times it's way more interesting than what I should be doing.

I will "let it off the leash" while I'm washing dishes or some other mundane task. Just let it be its random ass self. At work, I tend to stare at my whiteboard or the ceiling in my office and let it, for sake of illustration, "show and tell." I do this when I get frustrated while consciously trying to solve a problem - I'm stuck but I know there is a solution. 

I think after you can identify it easily, it's easier to use/understand.


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