# (INFP) Are there any careers for me?



## nyugalom (Mar 21, 2014)

I am in college doing general ed because I cannot decide on anything. I'll spend hours searching just to find that there's nothing right for me. I like writing and music, but that doesn't equal a high guaranteed paycheck, which I need. My career needs to not be too stressful (due to depression and anxiety I have no tolerance for stress), have a high pay (80k/year or higher), and not require grad school (maybe a master's but a PhD would be way too long). This pretty much narrows it down to finance, but I hate math. What can I do? I would like to be an Optometrist but college is already really difficult and I'm only in my second semester, how the heck will I do med school? Plus it takes too long to be an optometrist. I want to work in healthcare but it all requires too much school. What can I do? I'm starting to feel hopeless like there's nothing for me.


----------



## alexibaka (Feb 13, 2014)

Wow I am dealing with almost everything you just said. 

Here is INFPs problem with careers
- Fear of failure so dont want to try anything new
- No motivation to do anything (life has no meaning, worlds too materialistic...)
- Want to explore all the options but never pick one
- Changes mind every 5 seconds about everything
- The world doesnt deserve my work...
- Wondering if clouds have emotions isnt exactly a well paid job
- Fear of further anxiety

I found that the busier we are the more we are able to do more things (if that makes any sense). Therefore, If optometry is really something you have a passion for I would suggest pursuing that or youll spend your whole life regretting it. I would advise against writing or music because most writers and musicians are not paid well and if you are unsuccesful your low INFP self esteem will become even worse. At least if you have a good job, you will have somewhere to get your confidence from and sometimes good jobs can require writing and music too!
Hope I helped... 
Gotta help myself too


----------



## nyugalom (Mar 21, 2014)

alexibaka said:


> Wow I am dealing with almost everything you just said.
> 
> Here is INFPs problem with careers
> - Fear of failure so dont want to try anything new
> ...


I'm glad someone can relate. INFP is the worst personality type ever. For now I'm thinking of becoming an optometrist and working really hard, because I really want to be one. I hope thinks work out for you. If you're like me you're going to want to get involved in something calm that helps others.


----------



## The Hungry One (Jan 26, 2011)

alexibaka said:


> I found that the busier we are the more we are able to do more things (if that makes any sense).


 This is so true! I thought it was just me! 

Last semester was my "easy" semester and I did terribly despite it. This semester I took three jobs and five classes (three really hard classes) and I'm doing relatively better! Very weird!


----------



## alexibaka (Feb 13, 2014)

The Hungry One said:


> This is so true! I thought it was just me!
> 
> Last semester was my "easy" semester and I did terribly despite it. This semester I took three jobs and five classes (three really hard classes) and I'm doing relatively better! Very weird!


Ya as INFPs once we get out of our heads sometimes, its surprising how much energy we actually have

Just curious whats ur major?


----------



## The Hungry One (Jan 26, 2011)

alexibaka said:


> Ya as INFPs once we get out of our heads sometimes, its surprising how much energy we actually have
> 
> Just curious whats ur major?


 Neuroscience!  Are you collecting INFP majors?


----------



## alexibaka (Feb 13, 2014)

The Hungry One said:


> Neuroscience!  Are you collecting INFP majors?


Haha yeah I am!

I love neuroscience! that is my ideal field! But I'm a little afraid it will be too much work
Right now Im majoring in psych and doing premed courses


----------



## crystal19 (Feb 14, 2014)

Something social work or counseling?


----------



## Angina Jolie (Feb 13, 2014)

Why do you guys need such highly paid jobs? There must be some backstage desire. Wanting money just to have it doesn't seem very INFP.


----------



## Swiftstar (Dec 29, 2010)

To OP:

If you're that stressed out about school and thinking about your career, perhaps you should sort out your depression and anxiety issues because it seems like all of what you want to do requires some hard work and effort. I'm not saying that hard work and effort = stress (and if you can manage your time and work well, you won't get too stressed), but if your depression and anxiety cripples you from doing work, then that will cause problems. The whole school seems difficult bit sounds like your depression and anxiety are affecting you from doing well. I say this because I was in a similar boat my second year, but I did much better my third and fourth years, which were considerably tougher in terms of material and the amount of work I had to put in.

Alternatively, the tech field (e.g. computer science) is pretty lucrative, provided you have the appropriate skills. I think they tend to be pretty laid-back most of the time.


----------



## Father of Dragons (May 7, 2012)

Asking for 80k a year without grad school and especially without getting stressed at all is pretty ambitious depending on what you are interested in. If you just want to get in, get out and be guaranteed solid money then some options are: 

-engineering
-accounting
-nursing 
-trades*

Of the 3, nursing and the the trades are likely the most stressful, but you can get paid a very good salary depending what neck of the woods you are in. The trades really depends on where you live... I live in an area with a labour shortage so plumbers, carpenters, engineering technicians can make great money right out of school. Regarding engineering and accounting, you would need a lot of experience or to score a lucky job to make 80k. It's realistic I would say 5-10 years in, again, depending on where you live.

If you want to have your cake and eat it to, you have to be realistic. You aren't going to get a cushy, high-paying job without working your ass off and accepting that you might be in school for a while. The medicine specializations take a long time and are notoriously competitive to get into. That being said, if you are willing to work you could definitely do it. Something like pharmacy might be something to consider because it is not a super fast-paced job, and it typically doesn't take so long to get out of school. Your grades will have to be godly though to get accepted.

I would advise you to think more deeply about your career decision though, as making a checklist and checking it off is not necessarily the best way to choose something that you will do for potentially 30-50+ years of your life. I think the people who dislike their careers are often people who didn't do enough soul-searching at the beginning, and didn't weigh their options and consider what they would _enjoy _doing. If there is something that in particular wows you or gets you excited when you think or talk about it, it might be worth extrapolating that into a career and considering what that might look like. Depending on the trajectory of education you take, some degrees or degree combos you might end up with could be very flexible in terms of taking on interesting or uncommon niche jobs.


----------



## CountessAlyssa (Apr 3, 2014)

I'm in a similar situation. I finally received my bachelor's in biology and have an ok job and have been planning on going to dental school for years upon years. I just second guess myself over and over and over. And look up other jobs and make sure that I'm going on the right path because this is my life that I'm dealing with here. Still need to take the test to get in. Anyways... I think that if $$$ money is the issue you have to make a sacrifice unfortunately of either money or increased stress/anxiety and a little extra school. If you are able to handle it it will all be worth it in the end. Especially if you do think that the job will be fitting for you. But you have to remember many health care jobs are very stressful. I would recommend taking some science classes if you haven't yet and making sure you like that field first before delving into it.


----------



## Superfluous (Jan 28, 2014)

I would go to school to be a librarian if I was an INFP.



> "I’m studying to be a librarian."
> 
> "What’s the sexiest part about being a librarian?"
> 
> "I’d say the width of our knowledge. The rest of academia seems to have a rather specific focal point, whereas librarians need to know enough to serve as a guide for researchers of every discipline."


----------



## Tranquility (Dec 16, 2013)

Find something in alignment with your personal values that allows you to see yourself doing noble duties. My mother hates law, but she became a paralegal, and felt like a crusading knight fighting for the innocent.


----------



## HandiAce (Nov 27, 2009)

There are no careers for YOU out there. You have to get good at something rare and valuable in whatever area you find interesting enough. So really, it's what can I offer?


----------



## Takforce (Nov 14, 2013)

I definitely agree that it can be hard to keep motivated with schoolwork as an infp.  What works for me is study buddies. A friend and I literally studied everyday for a week together for a midterm together. It makes the studying fun(which I think is an important part to it--not exactly finding what you enjoy but rather making what you're studying enjoyable). Make sure your study buddy is an xxTJ though so you guys actually study more than procrastinate together haha. 

But for actual career paths, the sky's the limits. Our personality types should by no means limit the number of career paths. It's really how willing you are to do it. And understand that there's no perfect career. So venture out more and discover what you love! Since you're doing psychology, why not counseling?


----------



## Brian1 (May 7, 2011)

No pain, no gain. The world does not adapt to you, you adapt to the world. Sort out your depression and anxiety, drop the ego about how much you'll be paid with just a high school diploma under your belt, take a year off, see if college is right for you, if it is, I would get the Bachelor's in music, and a teaching certificate, and Masters in Music, and become a teacher. Both my aunt and uncle are teachers in music, they love it. Especially if you like writing music. There are promising options if you look.




nyugalom said:


> I am in college doing general ed because I cannot decide on anything. I'll spend hours searching just to find that there's nothing right for me. I like writing and music, but that doesn't equal a high guaranteed paycheck, which I need. My career needs to not be too stressful (due to depression and anxiety I have no tolerance for stress), have a high pay (80k/year or higher), and not require grad school (maybe a master's but a PhD would be way too long). This pretty much narrows it down to finance, but I hate math. What can I do? I would like to be an Optometrist but college is already really difficult and I'm only in my second semester, how the heck will I do med school? Plus it takes too long to be an optometrist. I want to work in healthcare but it all requires too much school. What can I do? I'm starting to feel hopeless like there's nothing for me.


----------



## Inevitable (Mar 13, 2014)

My infp my is study to be a councilor and seems to really enjoy it


----------



## Vermillion (Jan 22, 2012)

nyugalom said:


> I am in college doing general ed because I cannot decide on anything. I'll spend hours searching just to find that there's nothing right for me. I like writing and music, but that doesn't equal a high guaranteed paycheck, which I need. My career needs to not be too stressful (due to depression and anxiety I have no tolerance for stress), have a high pay (80k/year or higher), and not require grad school (maybe a master's but a PhD would be way too long). This pretty much narrows it down to finance, but I hate math. What can I do? I would like to be an Optometrist but college is already really difficult and I'm only in my second semester, how the heck will I do med school? Plus it takes too long to be an optometrist. I want to work in healthcare but it all requires too much school. What can I do? I'm starting to feel hopeless like there's nothing for me.


There's always something for anyone in the world, and yes, even for special INFPs with a lot of inconsistent feelings. What I mean to say is, type has nothing to do with how competent you are or can be when it comes to working and being successful. Everyone who wants the fancy things in life has to work a fuckton to get there, and no one got there by feeling it was a cakewalk. If you're going to get a good job with high pay you will need qualifications and experience, and you do that by staying in school even if it's difficult, and gaining experience even though it's annoying and sidetracking. Success takes time and pain; decide what you want, determine if you really want it, and if you are, be prepared to slog. It can be hard, but it always is. Good luck.


----------



## Superfluous (Jan 28, 2014)

Actually I just want to mention that, enneagram is prolly best for career.
MBTI and careers says, what you can do well in
Enneagram and careers, tells you jobs that will continue to motivate you, and make you feel good!


----------

