I’m currently trying to figure out my Hedgehog Concept.
The Hedgehog Concept comes from Jim Collins’ book Good To Great. His book explains how good businesses become great businesses. However, his idea is exactly what INFPs need to achieve personal success.
The Hedgehog Concept
Our Hedgehog Concept is what we should be doing.
In the parable of the fox and hedgehog, the fox goes from one thing to another, trying new ways to try to catch the hedgehog. He attempts to catch the hedgehog with different tricks without success. Meanwhile, the hedgehog does the one thing that it excels at. It curls up into a ball, pointing all its quills outward. The hedgehog knows what it’s good at and sticks with it.
INFPs behave like foxes. We go from one shiny thing to the next. If we don’t succeed on our first try, we find another passion. We never become as successful as those who stick to their Hedgehog Concept.
Our Hedgehog Concept must meet three requirements:
1. something we’re passionate about
2. something that we can be great at
3. something that drives our happiness engine
Why passion alone isn’t enough
General career advice says we should do what we’re passionate about. This advice assumes that what we are currently passionate about today will continue to be what we’ll be passionate about tomorrow.
Life shows this to be untrue. INFPs change majors frequently. We graduate only to go back to school. We lose our passion after working in our field. We become disillusioned, disinterested or just bored and our passion wanes until we latch onto our next passion.
I’ve spent large parts of my life changing my mind. I latch onto a passion and set goals. At first, the goals are new and exciting. It’s all I think about. I forget to eat regularly. I fall asleep thinking about reaching my next goal. After a few months, I develop a comfortable routine. Then as I move closer, I start realizing that reaching my goals will not be as perfect as I imagined. That’s when I lose interest and begin looking for a new passion.
What it means to be great at something
To be great as something requires 10,000 hours of deliberate practice. Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers, a book about success, cites a study by psychologist Ander Ericsson that concludes that it requires 10,000 hours to become an expert in any field. 10,000 hours is an average of 2-3 hours a day for 10 years.
The Beatles became experts playing in Hamburg. Where most bands got an hour or two of stage time periodically, the Beatles played 5-6 hour sets almost every night for 2 years. When the British Invasion came, they were the experts having performed 1200 times in front of a live audience.
Bill Gates had access to a terminal that connected to the local university computer at his school in the 60′s. He had daily access to program where most university professors didn’t have that type of access. Between the 8th grade and high school, Gates was programming 20-30 hours a week. So when the first personal computer arrived in 1975, he was an expert that could write an operating system for a personal computer.
The 10,000 Hour Rule has three important ingredients:
1. Ability
I’m never going to be a doctor. My brain doesn’t have the capacity to process and retain the sheer amount of information required for medical degree. We can’t all become Olympic athletes with just practice. There’s a level of genetics that determines athleticism and recovery time needed for Olympic level training.
However, most endeavors requires hard work over aptitude. Aptitude makes learning easier, but not having the aptitude doesn’t mean not having ability.
2. Opportunity
The Beatles had the opportunity to play in Hamburg when other bands did not. Bill Gates went to an exclusive school that had access to a computer. As children, Olympic athletes usually resided around training centers and schools run by former Olympians.
We need the opportunity to put in 10,000 hours and sometimes that’s not possible. It’s hard to become a concert pianist if you don’t have regular access to a piano. However, just because we don’t see opportunity currently in our life doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Opportunities are found if you know how to look.
3. Deliberate Practice
Deliberate means practicing to reach a goal, to purposely become better by the end than we were at the beginning of practice.
Our natural tendencies keep INFPs from systematically practicing out art. We write, paint or play music when we feel like it, when we have an inspiration. Inspiration rarely overcomes expertise.
John Scalzi, a bestselling author and Hugo winner, wrote two novels before he was published. Brandon Sanderson, another bestselling fantasy author, wrote 5 novels before he wrote the one that became his debut novel.
Inspiration doesn’t overcome the perspiration needed to become an expert.
The Happiness Engine
What drives our happiness engine is the single factor that fuels our happiness. Examples of things that drive our happiness engines are:
- helping others
- recognition
- learning
- peak experiences
- building relationships
My happiness engine runs on learning. Even when I’m learning something that I don’t like, don’t care to know and probably will never use again, I’m still happy during the process of learning it.
I like helping others, but sometimes I want a thank you. If helping others drove my happiness engine then never getting thanked wouldn’t matter. Learning is why I’ve been in computers for so long. The industry changes so quickly that there’s always more to learn.
Finding our happiness engine is difficult because lots of things make us happy. We have to comb through our happy experiences to deduce the common factor in those activities. My suggestion is to start by examining experiences where everything went wrong. Nothing happened as you expected, but you were still extremely happy in the end.
All or nothing
If what we do fits into one or two categories, that activity will not be sustainable.
If an endeavor has our passion and drives our happiness engine but we’re not good at it, we’ll stick with it until we decide that we want recognition. Recognition requires expertise which requires 10,000 hours.
When we do work in a passion that that we’re good at, we get recognition in terms of monetary compensation. The top 20% in any given field make 80% of the money in that field. However, if that work isn’t part of our happiness engine than despite the high income, we end up feeling that we should be doing something else.
The Hedgehog Concept buffers us against failure. Failure is not getting a desired outcome.
Passion and expertise at doing something that drives our happiness moves our happiness to the process instead of the outcome. When we fail, we can try again more quickly. Our expertise tells us what we did wrong. Our passion will make us try again harder. Knowing that this endeavor is part of what drives our happiness engine gives us a sense that we are doing the right thing which keeps our passion from waning.
The bad news
Finding your Hedgehog concept may take years. In Good To Great, Collins says that the great companies took 2-5 years to figure out their Hedgehog Concept.
In personal development, finding our Hedgehog Concept could take longer. It takes time to know what we can be good at. It takes time to obtain enough education to understand the money, resources, activities and ability needed for those 10,000 hours.
10,000 hours isn’t easy for an INFP. I have 2000-5000 hours in many different things because I never stuck to one thing long enough.
In my 20′s, I thought natural aptitude would somehow circumvent the need for 10,000 hours. So I became a dilettante never deliberate practicing. I never became good enough to understand what it meant to be great. At 40, the 10,000 hours becomes a hurdle because I’ve already built a lifestyle that may not allow me to start over with a new brand new endeavor that I have no hours invested.
The Hedgehog Concept and INFPs
Using the Hedgehog Concepts solves two INFPs issues:
1. Too many possibilities
2. We never seem to get great at anything
INFPs live in possibilities. We tell ourselves that we can do this and this and this, and if we have time left we’ll do this too. What we discover as we try to do everything is that we don’t have time. We have to pick and choose, but we don’t know where to start. Our Hedgehog concept can help us narrow what we focus on.
INFPs tend not to stick with things when it stops feeling right. The Hedgehog Concept keeps us on things that drive our happiness engine. Our happiness engine is where we get the sense that were doing the right thing.
As long as I’m learning something that I can be good at then I will stick with it. This could be writing or computer programming. I’ve been doing both for years. Unfortunately, I’m not sure if I’m passionate about either. I just have a ton of hours into both.
I’ve been analyzing those activities that I’ve gained large amount expertise hours to see if any fit my Hedgehog concept. The difficulty is that I might not see monetary compensation (i.e. I won’t be able to do it for a living) until I’ve put in 10,000 hours. In the meantime, I need to maintain a job, care for family and meet other obligations before I can deliberately practice each day.
Knowing the Hedgehog Concept helps. I stopped wondering why sometimes I like what I’m doing and sometimes I don’t. It’s because some things I do I have part of my concept but not all. The Hedgehog Concept is the starting point for moving a life from good to great.
Loading ...
Victoria
Dec 16, 2010
6:47 pm
I’m 45 and still trying to figure out “what I want to be when I grow up”.
[Reply]
Corin Reply:
December 16th, 2010 at 10:15 pm
I feel like I’m running out of time to figure out what I want to be doing that’s more than what I’m doing now. So instead of rushing into whatever my next project is, I’m taking my time to figure out what’s next.
[Reply]
Hans Reply:
January 12th, 2011 at 2:12 am
Another good article. I’m in the same situation, I only just left a job that was crushing my soul, and am now, despite my wife’s consternation, taking a break and really considering my options so that I don’t find myself caught in some life draining job’s tentacles again.
I’ve wasted my whole life wafting from job to job, interest to interest. I honestly think INFP kids should be recognized early and taught this stuff, or taught to toughen up to cope in the World that is oblivious to daydreams or ideas about how things SHOULD be.
[Reply]
Jesse
Dec 17, 2010
2:59 pm
I completely identify with this article. Thanks for giving me a better way to think about this issue. Recently, I’ve felt the need to narrow my focus in my career for a handful of the reasons that you specified. I can’t say that I feel more passionate yet about narrowing my focus (because I’m happy learning about pretty much anything as well), but am feeling compelled to try it out for a while. This seems like a key concept– to try in steps/phases and reevaluate.
[Reply]
Beniy
Dec 17, 2010
6:34 pm
Wow. Once again, you have hit the nail on the head. I face this problem in so many ways every day of my life. I’ve moved from music (trumpet to clarinet to french horn to guitar to tin whistle to banjo, ugh! ; ), to art, to woodworking, to metal working, to teaching, to writing; and of course, each time I move on to the next thing I don’t drop the other goals. I just keep adding up the pressure to do it all, and then do nothing but fiddle around until the current focus gets hard. Then I move on to the next interest, or back to an old one…etc, etc…
I have gone through the process of figuring out the one thing, over and over. I would love to figure it out once and for all. But maybe that’s it. I keep thinking I need to find “the right” thing, as if there were only one right choice. I think that are many right choices, and it comes down to making a decision among many right choices. It’s a case of opportunity cost — I can’t do it all. I have to be willing to give up the other opportunities, if I am ever going to get the experience of becoming really good at one thing.
That’s where I have difficulty. I don’t want to give up my other passions. But, I know I would benefit if I did and focused on one passion more exclusively.
And, that also means facing down the challenge of those 10, 000 hours, and being patient. Seeing all three facets together helps me a lot. I think I need to paint a poster or something to help me remember.
Thanks, Corin!
[Reply]
Angela
Dec 21, 2010
7:15 am
I’m actually in the midst of this perpetual struggle at the moment. There are so many things that I’m interested in but nothing that makes me feel overly passionate. I appreciate reading something like this, it can help me to gain a better perspective on focusing on something for the long-term rather than just the short-term of “when I feel like it” or when something is the most interesting and then switching to the next thing a week or so later. I do have multiple interests that even though I take breaks from them, I tend to go back to them at some point and re-consider their “rightness” so perhaps I’ll focus on one of those things.
Right now I’m slowly putting my home dark room together so I can get back to working on my photography as I used to really enjoy it and spent many hours on it. I would have to agree; however, that most frequently what I enjoy is the act of learning something new itself.
[Reply]
Corin Reply:
December 21st, 2010 at 4:50 pm
Other things in my life fit my hedgehog concept, just not work. For example, raising my children. It’s something I’m passionate about. It’s something that I’ll put 10,000 hours into. And it fits my happiness of engine of learning because it’s constantly a learning experience.
I’m simplifying my life and trying to get evaluate my activities to see if they fit my Hedgehog Concept. My objective is to make sure that the activities that fill my Six Critical Needs fits my Hedgehog Concept.
[Reply]
Victoria Reply:
December 22nd, 2010 at 4:11 am
I’m glad you mentioned conscious child-rearing; I do have one constant passion that I’ve stuck with for 25 years! Helping my five children grow into themselves has been a most fulfilling learning experience. I’ve grown and expanded myself along the way. In many ways, giving myself the nurturing and self-acceptance that I didn’t experience as a child.
[Reply]
Michael
Dec 23, 2010
7:15 am
A nice piece of work you wrote there Corin. I think this could work for me. Not only because of being an INFP, but I actually am studying International Business and Management.
Interesting to connect to this concept I think is the vision you have on your own life after “X” amount of years. I would say 3-10 years when relating to the Hedgehog concept. “Where will I be in 5 years. Will I have children? Will I have my degree? Will I have a great love life, friendships, a great job?” I think the happiness engine is that vision. That which makes you happy is that what you want to work towards to. The driver of my happiness, and consequently of my success. As you can see I have a lot to do, as my vision is still VERY much materialistic!
[Reply]
BB
Dec 23, 2010
10:12 am
I was wondering if any people reading this site would like to set up and join a mastermind group via telephone. I am a businessman with many interests. I would enjoy talking with other infps that own businesses or are freelancers and battle the distraction of always looking over their shoulder to what they believe is a greener pasture instead of shipping as seth godin puts it
[Reply]
pebbie
Dec 23, 2010
11:53 am
thanks for listing me in the infp twitter list. as i was reading this post i was wondering why i didn’t found your blog sooner. it’s really helpful. thanks again
[Reply]
Lauren
Dec 26, 2010
11:34 am
This so fits me! And, like you, I love to learn. I would truly like the recognition that comes from writing and publishing, but, because of other issues that I’m resolving, I haven’t done anything in that area. I mostly stick to creating poetry for family. “Ability, Opportunity, and Deliberate Practice” have always been sticking point with me. I like the Hedgehog concept, too. When I’m just doing housework, if I don’t pin myself down(rather like a cloud sometimes) to what I’m doing, I tend to start doing other things. Like I said, now that I’ve resolved and continue resolving other issues, I find myself enjoying life as an INFP and exploring ways to bring my major passion-writing poetry and fantasy-to life. Thank you.
Love and Light on a Prosperous New Year,
Lauren
[Reply]
Connie
Dec 27, 2010
9:52 pm
What a great article, and one I relate to so well. I would love nothing more than to be a bestselling author, master visual artist, famous singer/musician/songwriter, to name a few, but guess I can’t do all of these in just one lifetime and be really really great.
Thanks for reminding me of the hedgehog concept. I’m passionate about helping people through coaching and writing, so to be great I will buckle down and start stacking my 10,000 hours.
[Reply]
Amanda
Jan 2, 2011
7:02 pm
Corin…I am impressed that you’ve stuck with this blog for some time now. It’s self-reflection, which of course we INFPs are doing a lot of anyway…but in the structured, disciplined format of this blog, it’s sticking to something you’re good at and adding onto your hours! It seems that, as you’re becoming more and more aware of your nature, you’re attempting different ways of trying to work with it and grow yourself into more of who you wanta be.
This is, to my mind, what we as humans are here for. To grow in awareness and selfhood. To grow spiritually and as human beings here for a brief time on earth. All in all, one way I look at it is….it’s an awesome opportunity for trying stuff out on this surprisingly interesting temporal plane. As I get older I’m mostly trying to do the best I can with day to day survival stuff while…
1.trying out ways to have better/more fun experiences with other people
2. attempting to be impeccable at my job (I haven’t gotten there yet, but it’s a goal…)
3. reminding myself to be authentic– AND kind and compassionate
4. keeping a sense of humor
5. forgiving myself for being so far from “my ideal”
6. accepting and appreciating ng other people
( even though THEY’RE so far from my ideal)
My greatest challenge is to keep my focus even when I start to “go INFP” and get bored. Sometimes I just need to reinspire myself by talking with a creative thinking friend–or listening to passionate music or an inspiring podcast…Gotta just pump some life back into the passion-center to find the energy to keep racking up those experience hours…. Competence is its own reward, as long as we can keep re-invigorating the work with personal meaning…
Again–Thank you for sharing your reflections. You are helping to reinvigorate and reinspire many of us!
[Reply]
Corin Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 12:32 am
Writing this blog fills 3 of the 6 Critical Needs that I write about. It provides Growth, Uncertainty and Contribution. I have to learn new things to write about. I don’t know what I’m doing. And it’s nice helping people look at things in a different light.
I’ve been doing self-help for 20 years and if I were as organized and disciplined as an ESTJ, everything I’ve learned would have gotten me much closer to my ideal than where I currently am. This blog is helping me sort out what is and isn’t working because of some of the more interesting behavior preferences our personality type exhibits. My hope is to do more of what is working and less of what isn’t working.
Thank you for reading.
[Reply]
Amanda Reply:
January 6th, 2011 at 5:47 pm
Yeah but…if you were an ESTJ you’d have no interest in self-exploration. Everybody’s got their challenges. Meanwhile, it’s mostly great to be INFP!
[Reply]
Katrina
Jan 3, 2011
8:28 am
I always have an aha moment everytime I read your blog, but this time, I seriously took it into consideration. That’s why, I’m now starting to accumulate 10,000 hours in writing, even if its far from what I’m supposed to be doing (I’m studying Accounting). Why I ended up in that field is another story, but because as an INFP I have the tendency to jump from one thing to another when I get bored or uninspired. I hope I can pull off this new little project of mine. Thanks Corin! It was just the perfect boost that I needed to pace up my game and do what I have always wanted
[Reply]
Corin Reply:
January 5th, 2011 at 12:10 am
I think the most important thing about the 10,000 hours is you learn to spot opportunity in your area of expertise. It’s like rock climbing. To an expert, what may look like nothing to a novice is a firm hold that the expert can use to move upwards.
[Reply]
Spring
Jan 19, 2011
3:14 pm
I love your blog and the organization and quality of information is superb. It really does speak to the amount of work you put into it.
My husband is an ENTP and he introduced me to the hedgehog concept years ago. He even came up with his own formula for finding satisfying work. Like all INFPs, I can’t stop seeing the possibilities in everything. Although, I tend to lean more toward the arts and humanities.
I have probably accumulated close to 10,000 in art, especially graphic computer stuff. It’s hard for me to let the other stuff go, but the possibility of being able to focus my attention on something and get really good at it is also appealing. I will stay the course. Apparently, I’m going in the right direction. I think
[Reply]
Corin Reply:
January 20th, 2011 at 2:29 am
I look back at all the years and I have 2,000-6000 hours in many different things, but then I see opportunities where I think that if I only had a few more years under my belt that opportunity would be perfect for me.
There’s a saying that I love that goes: Overnight success takes 10 years.
It takes 10 years to get those 10,000 hours. Everyone else sees a success who made the most of an opportunity, but they overlook the 10,000 hours it took for that person to have the skills to do something with that opportunity.
[Reply]
Quiche Loraine
Feb 7, 2011
10:31 am
I am a Graphic Design major for the first time at age 42, but have been an artist since I could first hold a pencil and went one year of college at a traditional art school. Before deciding what it was I wanted to major in, I was doing Open Source Graphic Design for the past three years, and so it seems that consistent interest in a particular field of study, a running theme, or the interest one inevitably returns to would be a good gauge as to what one would enjoy as a career. I turned down a few music scholarships (a violinist) to pursue art school. I am realistic in my expectations of the job. Obviously, most of the day to day projects on the job will be rather rote, but with that “cause-oriented” mentality, there is nothing that says I cannot do some freelance, even charitable design work to promote the causes that I support, and as a personal cause, I realize with my talent I can earn a good living and help support my talent. Being very perfectionistic, and taking what I do seriously, I approached my Open Source Graphic Design as if I were a highly paid professional, did design for free, gave myself design challenges and imaginary projects with deadlines, constantly “one upping” myself, and worked at being ever efficient at designing a vector or typeface, eliminating redundant steps, move through the indecisiveness, and wouldn’t allow for something to go unfinished, and “churned” them out, so to speak, as quickly as I could. Practice makes perfect thinking.
Two things we have in our bag of tricks as INFPs that are to our benefit in a career path are that we are self motivated starters, and as Spring said, we can imagine the possibilities, ie., we can find meaning and purpose in things that most everyone else considers mundane. I have observed that the truly successful people, the most innovative, before-their-time greats simply did not care that other people considered their ideas crazy, impossible, much too innovative, or theoretical and believed wholeheartedly in what their purpose was and what they were doing and saw it through to the end. INFPs are capable of that, and I am sure we have all been perceived, since childhood as stick-out-like-a-sore-thumb weirdos (whether you were trying to be inconspicuous or not), daydreamers, “out there”, the oddball, rare personality (I wear it with pride), so since that is a give in, what is left or stopping us but ourselves? There are no wall flowers in the bunch (:
I LOVE your blog! Low barriers to self-publication my a**, it is brilliantly written, full of interesting information and from a refreshingly uncommon perspective…I might be a tad biased, but your blog is a new favorite!
[Reply]
Nick
Feb 23, 2011
10:49 am
I think as INFPs we should go live in a small community somewhere. That way we get to get to fulfil many roles. The places where one person is the mayor, the firefighter, the soccer coach, etc….
As for 10,000 hours theory its right that 10,000 hours can make a difference, but it does not make it a guaranteed success. The gate holders are the TJs of this world.
Take for example acting write a list of actors who in your opinion have best acting ability, then take a look at the top ten grossing actors. Guess what they probably aren’t the same. You’re telling me that actors like Sylvester Stallone are better actors than someone who has put in 10,000 hours at the local dramatic society?
From a sampling I did, one-third of actors are Jewish (the religion is not important in my example), so all these actors put in 10,000 hours to get their lucky break? Or is it just that the majority of producers, casting agents, and money behind the industry happens to be Jewish. Connections? What I’m really trying to say is that (commercially) rather than trying for 10,000 hours, try to find out how a industry really works (its more along the TJ-lines). Once you know that you will focus your energies better and realise that you may have to do things you are not comfortable with to succeed in a certain industry. Most businesses, at the end of the day, are risk-averse because they are run by risk-averse people.
[Reply]
Corin Reply:
February 23rd, 2011 at 11:14 am
I’ve always felt that being an actor and being a Hollywood actor are two different things. Sylvester Stallone struggled for years in the Hollywood system until he wrote Rocky, went door to door begging for a studio to pick it up and get it made. He put in his 10,000 hours in the Hollywood system. None of the local dramatic society actors have put in their 10,000 hours of going to thousands of auditions, taking bit parts for years in the Hollywood system. Also being an actor in Hollywood is different than being a star in Hollywood and comparing the highest paid actors in Hollywood with the highest paid stars in Hollywood is comparing apples to oranges.
I didn’t say that putting 10,000 hours will give you a lucky break at the end. I said you need the 10,000 hours in order to make the most of a lucky break should you get one. In order to get that break, you should read my post on Rediscovering Our Luck.
Also with the advent of distributed content via Internet, gatekeepers have a diminished role. You don’t have to find a publisher to actually publish a book. However, this means that all the work that was done by the gatekeepers now has to be done by the content creator. Of course, content creators are always saying they’re artists and not salespeople. Well, you can’t have it both ways.
[Reply]
BC
Mar 24, 2011
3:15 pm
I have been searching for my hedgehog concept for close to a year now (well actually for longer than that in a vague scattered sort of way but much more actively since being laid off last spring) and I keep going around in ever more frantic circles like a mouse in a drum as the benefit deadline approaches. I have stuck it out in mind-numbing nowhere jobs for long periods of time (twice for over ten years) where I was not suited for them at all but afraid to take the chance of leaving them to try to get the training to find something better and too run down to retain much while actively employed. Sometimes it would seem as if time just jumped ahead with a fuzzy routine being the only sign of it passing and nothing really to show for it (depression and stress contributed a lot to that as well as the nowhere job). While stress is still building I am pulling out of the fuzz finally and scrambling to find a direction and career path that does not lead back into the trap I was in for so long. Your article helped me focus and sort things out a little and put a name to what I am doing. Now I need to get collected enough to find a job that leads in the right direction.
[Reply]
Oliver
May 5, 2011
1:34 am
This might be JUST what I’m looking for! I saw your link on PerC in the ‘All jobs are dead end jobs’ topic and thought: “Hey this is cool! Never read a blog before but yeah!” XD I’ve just read this article and this confirms some naggling thoughts I’ve been having lately. I’m only 17 right now and just graduated from high school, taking a year off before going to study Graphic Design at university. But ever since a small child I’ve been in love with food and was thinking of being an apprentice chef, and THEN I took Psychology last year in high school and I found that really interesting too. These are the three main things that I’m trying to decide between and I’m worried the one I choose won’t be my ‘Hedgehog Concept’. I think I will really need to research more and ask about how those particular industries are going right now and y’know, what will happen in the future and what it means for me.
Also after thinking about other things, I’ve noticed that throughout my life I ‘have’ been jumping around in my hobbies, never being an ‘expert’ in any. For example I play the guitar, but I never put in the dilligent practice and 10,000 hours required to become an expert at it, I only do it ‘when I feel like it’, and this leads to, well I don’t know, a form of stagnation in my ability as a guitarist.
Yeah… indecisiveness is a real problem for me, and also this ‘trying to do everything’ err, concept, phenomenon? Anyways, yeah this just really explains a lot of things that have happened in my life and I’m really glad I discovered your blog today.
[Reply]
bitsticky
May 23, 2011
12:34 am
I come here often as I feel like someone is writing whats I my head! Reading this blog is like reading myself on a piece of paper. I absolutely love the suggestions put forth by Corin and all the commentators. This hedgehog concept is very helpful and worth a try, but like Corin points out 10,000 is not easy for a INFP!
I believe we need to do some soul searching using the hedgehog concept as the base and also try to get some input from the Holland’s Code (for cross verification). I’ve done a little soul-searching myself and have come out with a few ideas. Hope this helps my fellow INFPs out there.
The search for the “right job” for “our type” of people never seems to end. I’ve tried my hand at I.T., medical transcription, sales…but nothing seems to hit the nail. Like someone here pointed out, sometimes it is more because of the surroundings and the people around me, that drive me to quit the job. I too have been fishing around for “the best job” for months now…all the while assimilating, processing, comparing the facts, re-experimenting (thank God for my engineering degree). To make a long story short, it seems like I’ve arrived at a few conclusions/opportunities for our kind of people. I thought it might you guys. Anyway, do let me know what you think about my ideas.
Psychologist:
I have a strong feeling that being a psychologist might be a better career for an INFP, as it offers an opportunity to deal with new people everyday. And we will have learned a set of result-oriented skills that can be used over and over again…without having to update frequently. Neither do we need to compete with someone else. The other side of this career is that we might be bogged down by all the caring we might need to provide. Counseling is one thing, but having to be a “shoulder to cry on” for months on end might really give us a nervous breakdown. We need to learn 2 things here if we’re going to stay in psychologist’s profession:
1) Never get too emotionally involved with the client. We being known for our sympathetic ears are prone to identify and “over-care” for our clients way beyond the professional code.
2) After the office hopurs, we need to find a way to let our hair down every once in a while, if not everyday. Maybe we need to learn to loosen a bit by hanging outdoors with our friends/spouse/stranger-at-the-bar, in short anyone who can put our minds off the clients problems. I specifically wrote “outdoors” (away from home), because I think hanging out indoors(home/ regular place of stay) could set in a certain kind of monotony and we are sure to catch ourselves thinking of the client’s problems. Being outside provides more information for your senses to process and make you want to share those feelings with your mate.
Physician/ Family Doctor:
Well, again you get to see different people…no need to frequently update your knowledge (unlike I.T. where you need to reinvent yourself with the latest technology every 6 months!) BTW, a physician gets a lot of attention/dates/respect. I personally know a few physicians who are not really that good at their profession, but just the word “doctor” seems to recreate an amicable self. But, this would be a job to enjoy and help…especially if you are qualified in the alternative therapy system of medicine.
Now for the downside of being a physician. You need to be in your office every working day. Unless you really love this commitment, you can’t enjoy the job. Some of the INFPs I know don’t really like a 9-5 job whatever the job be! (more so if the job doesn’t let you out of the cubicle). You might sometimes have to work late, miss being with your spouse, kids, parties, friends, life-that-you-thought-you-could-enjoy. The process of turning into a physician is time consuming, requiring anywhere between 4-10 years of dedicated studies. If you are already in the 30-40 year age group, you might not really want to put in all the hard work, though you might really love the idea of seeing yourself in a helping profession.
Yoga Teacher:
While I could label the above as “Personal Trainer”, the reason I labelled it as “Yoga Trainer” is because yoga stands for a certain kind of intellectual and spiritual pursuit, that a gym-trainer job doesn’t provide you with. Do you know that not every yoga pose suits every person! And neither is yoga just a series of stretching/ therapeutic postures…these are just the by-products of your inner-development, your search for your true self. Now, I personally feel that this job appeals to my sense of work. I get to heal and guide people gracefully. Yoga doesn’t push or hurry people into a certain pose in a certain amount of days. Every ones constitution is different. While one day is all it takes for one to do a pose, a week isn’t sufficient for another! Again, you don’t need to sell something or compete with anyone here. All you are doing is helping them to find peace, harmony, and health, and if you are being paid for that, would it get any better?
Now the downside. There is fierce competition already. Almost every street seems to have a yoga studio! And I believe the pay isn’t much. There are new yoga teachers hopping onto the bandwagon everyday, so you might find yourself replaced with a cuter and younger teacher in a few years! (unless you manage to carve a name for yourself who guarantees results enough to make the studio run on your name alone!)
There are a few other ideas, but it seems like I have already written my best ideas. Let me give you two more ideas.
Entrepreneurship:
Produce/Buy and sell your products online/offline.
Internet Marketing:
Copy writing, Affiliate Marketing, SEO, CPA, etc, kind -f jobs. You can choose to work either at an agency or set up your own home-business.
Thanks for reading. Share your ideas and thoughts. Each of us INFPs have enough bad experiences in the corporate rat-race, and each of us is creative enough to think out of the box and find some adorable jobs. Lets pool our thoughts and ideas here and each of us can walk away with what appeals to our unique selves….remember though we all are INFPs, each of us have unique experiences in life and so are prone to take a liking for slightly different jobs…like if one starts to strive to a physician, yoga might appeal to the other, yet another finds his/her dreams come true through web marketing!
[Reply]
Stacy
May 28, 2011
2:48 pm
Stumbled upon your blog post via another blog. I enjoyed it and agree. Yet, like similar career articles/posts about INFPs and career, the advice tends to be focus on something and stick to it or put in the work rather than waiting for the inspiration. Isn’t that like saying “yes, you’re an INFP, but you need to be like a INFJ/INTJ to be successful”. In other words, go against your natural personality. Thoughts?
[Reply]
Corin Reply:
May 28th, 2011 at 8:57 pm
Here’s the thing with inspiration. It’s fickle. You don’t always have it. The great artist can create without inspiration.
Most people want a career where they can actually make a living from it. Making a living requires creating enough value for another person to pay you to do what you love. In order to be able to create value, you need to be good at something. In order to be good at something, you need to put in your 10,000 hours. Inspiration does not produce ability to create value. Unless you have the knowledge and ability to create value and connect to those people who value what you create then who exactly will pay you to do what you want to do? Is inspiration automatically going to somehow magically connect you to people who would be willing to pay you for the stuff you create?
And what does being INFP have to do only having the ability to create better when inspired? Everyone creates better when inspired. The ones who make a living at it can do it on purpose. And learning to create on purpose instead of waiting for inspiration requires learning to do it which requires sticking to something.
I’ve read several books written by famous authors about writing. Basically, they say that if you’re waiting for inspiration in order to write then you’re not cut out to be a writer.
[Reply]
bitsticky
May 29, 2011
12:46 am
Yeah, I understand what it is to wait for inspiration!! Loving your job is good, but being paid for loving what you do is better. For me, it took years of drifting around jobs, times when I was throwing up into many things at once…only to end up with none. After reading this article on “Hedgehog Concept”, it just dawned on me what I did wrong all those years. Fortunately, I seem to be moving through my 10,000 hours in my life now. As for the “inspiration part”, I set aside 2 hours a day to dabble in whatever catches my fancy at that time. Over the years, I have observed that this pursuit never ends. We are constantly dreaming that that pursuit is the destiny of our lives…only to lose interest after a few months/ years. So, I’ve taken up a job that I love and set aside 2 hours for whatever that interests me. This seems to work for me, and I’m doing fine.
[Reply]
Aelisha
Jun 9, 2011
8:54 pm
I’m 20 years old, and I’ve heard that it takes 10,000 hrs to become an expert at something, but it never really dawned on me until now. I’m currently in college for film and I’m about to go into my third yr. I haven’t quite settled on what area of film most interests me despite pressure from my professor and my parents. I was very near falling in that trap of being inactive due to lack of inspiration and motivation; however, I am now realizing that in the end, I am only hurting myself. I believe it helps me to become motivated when I think about the way I will mentally torment myself if I don’t end up with that loft apartment, nice car, and financial freedom I’ve always daydreamed about (I’m only 20, I’m sure these priorities will shift as I age). No one can make me feel worse than I can make myself feel. I don’t want to meander from thing to thing my entire life. I want to be an expert at something, so I guess my 10,000 hrs begins now. Thank you for saving me from a fate that I know is far worse (to me) than forcing myself to push through a little lack of inspiration. I hope this works. I will keep reading your blog for support.
[Reply]
Dano
Jun 24, 2011
4:21 pm
Hi, Just wanted to say I enjoy your blog and why, your words read as though you might appreciate that. Finding the term and definition of INFP was much like the bulls-eye in the picture above. I mean wow! How liberating to be able to define and understand what makes you tick. Just knowing that it IS possible for someone else to actually get me let alone may even function much like me. Learning that other people like me actually exist! Like I said Wow! Focusing on INFP surfers is a good business model for a web site. We want to help you succeed nearly as much as you do.
Part 2 (ok maybe 3)of why. Plain and simple honesty. It seems to me that you write what you actually believe. It comes through in your words and drives me to keep reading here rather than the next google result. So maybe you have found your quills. I do enjoy your writing. If you will allow me to continue writing to you as though we are long friends I would like to suggest you don’t allow perfection to hinder your editing too much. Jab out the words and don’t delete too many sentences you start writing. I often start an idea when I write without any clear direction to where I am going. That would result in a deleted thought and writing in a new direction. Recently I have begun to copy and paste my incomplete thoughts for later dissection and re-thought. Does wonders for my productivity and I can still write about that new thought that turns into an immediate short story. If it works for this INFP maybe it can serve you well. In any event Best of luck! Keep at it, that is my greatest challenge.
[Reply]
Andrea
Jun 30, 2011
10:23 am
I would like to see a breakdown of what occupations INFPs hold.
I am a civil engineer.
…And if you’re wondering why on earth an INFP would ever become a civil engineer, I’ll ask you – have you got a few hours? It’s a long story!!
[Reply]
Luke Reply:
September 12th, 2011 at 11:31 am
I would like to see a breakdown of what occupations INFP’s hold, too.
[Reply]
Heather
Sep 21, 2011
8:02 am
Hi, I just stumbled upon your blog yesterday as I was reading about INFPs. And I really love what you’re writing about.
I know this was posted a while back, but I just needed to respond because I’ve been thinking about the Hedgehog Concept. In true INFP fashion, I’d like to overanalyze why this struck a chord for me:
I’m not sure that I agree entirely with your message about success and expertise. Yes, this could be because I’m protecting my ego from admitting failures, but also because I don’t know that everyone needs to be an expert at something. I haven’t read that particular Gladwell book, so I’m not about to dispute those ideas. But the concept that we could/should all be striving for expertise in some area, and committing 2-3 hours a day for 10 years? Ah! I have a strong aversion to this. Because, I do agree that INFPs will benefit from sticking with a goal, but I don’t know that I’ll ever be an expert at anything. And to equate success in life with expertise, and setting up an end goal like this, it’s very daunting for me! It sounds like a trap, and a recipe for more self loathing or sense of defeat.
So, this topic of the Hedgehog Concept centers on commitment to goals, something the INFPs tend to be averse to. I think something to keep in mind is that our intuition, ability to read/relate to people and their struggles, this may be an inherent “expertise” of the INFP. Something we are born with and continue to hone over the years, for better or worse.
Of course, I’d love to be an expert at something. I’m just worried that it’s not in my nature to strive for, or stick with, these 10,000 hours. I’ve become an expert at thinking myself into inaction and waiting for “the right time” to start something. I’ve had 10+ years at ballet, voice, acting. But I wouldn’t call myself an expert. I never had the drive or self discipline to be great.
And another thought, when it comes to the INFPs desire for recognition: there seem to be many people who have been recognized for their contributions, without necessarily accruing 10,000 hours at their given talent. I’m thinking of vocalists and writers in particular. And what about psychologists who publish great research at the beginning of their careers? Maybe they’ve been honing some of those skills, but not necessarily doing formal psych research for 10+ years?
Anyway, I’m writing too much. But just something to think about. Is it realistic for INFPs to have a Hedgehog Concept plan? Is it OK if we don’t? And simply try to accept our more holistic, expansive view of the world? I’d love to be great at the guitar, but I’d rather spend that 2-3 hrs time reading novels.
Sorry if these thoughts are meandering. I like the way that you talk about the happiness engine. I like much of what you say here, but maybe my ego got in the way of my accepting this Hedgehog Concept. I suppose it wouldn’t be the end of the world if I found a passion and worked diligently. Now if I could only find what that might be!
[Reply]
Corin Reply:
September 21st, 2011 at 9:42 am
For the most part I try to explain concepts and skimp on the methodology or the how. How do you figure out what you’re passionate about which is something I’m trying to figure out for myself now? How do you get 10,000 hours into something you want but don’t have the time or monetary resources? How do you figure out what really makes you have, what drives that engine of your happiness? Methodology is different for everyone so I try not to promote one over another.
The other thing that we need to keep in mind is how we define success. When we define success, are we filtering (limiting what we consider success to protect ourselves) or projecting (defining success by scripts passed on by society, parents or peers). For some people, personal success is making a million dollars. For other success is just living in the moment and being happy with their life. Both of those require expertise because being present and living in the now isn’t something that people do naturally. It takes practice to the point where it’s natural. I don’t know very many people who are present naturally.
It took time, just like it took time for all those “overnight” successes like J.K. Rowling or Stephanie Myers. We just don’t hear about the work. No one just sits down and writes best selling novel. People who write and publish have been doing it since they were a kid. Some people like Miley Cyrus have been singing before they could walk and natural talent accelerates the 10,000 process. Someone talented in a particular area may have a multiplier depending on their talent level, i.e. a x2 multiplier where for every 1 hour they spend, is equivalent to 2 hours spent by a normal person. Overnight success usually takes 5-10 years. The media only reports on the last 2.
The Hedgehog concept is just one tool. Your Hedgehog Concept should be able to fulfill at least half of your 6 Critical Needs (another tool) which is why I write about personal development instead of baking. If it doesn’t then we have to re-evaluate our concept. I also think that the Hedgehog Concept has to be incorporated into you creative self-expression (another tool) so it’s not about doing more to get your 10,000 hours, but instead it becomes being more in order to get your 10,000 hours.
Also, how you view the accrual of 10,000 hours is something that should be reflected upon. You see 10,000 hours as long-term goal setting and I don’t. When I write a post, I don’t think about some long-term goal of making this blog huge and monetizing it. My “goal” is to write concisely as possible while trying to convey very vague concepts. I write everyday, not because I set a goal to do it, but because it’s part of my creative self-expression, it’s part of who I am. When I do sit down to write every day, I’m being myself and not accomplishing a goal.
Personally, I don’t think goal-based living works for INFPs. And I’ll be writing about intention based action vs goal based action. I find that intention based living, a more holistic view of living which fits me better then goal based living which only worked to a point and didn’t make me that happy once I went back to reflected on it.
[Reply]
Angela Reply:
November 16th, 2011 at 12:32 pm
Hi,
Do you think it would be practical for every day people to apply the hedgehog concept to their personal lives? We cannot always make a living off of what we are passionate about.
I appreciate your opinion.
[Reply]
Corin Reply:
November 16th, 2011 at 1:19 pm
It’s not about passion. It’s about all three. If you aren’t able to get your 10,000 hours in then you’re never going to be any good at what you’re passionate about. If you’re not any good at it then you won’t be able to monetize it.
Making a living is often narrowly defined as getting a job, i.e. find some company to pay you for work you want to do. I define making a living as monetizing your skill sets. Money comes from other people. So in order to monetize, you have to use your skills sets to create value. If you create enough value, people will be willing to give you money in exchange for that value.
Angela Reply:
November 16th, 2011 at 1:32 pm
I agree, but is it practical to try and apply to a persons personal life?
I’m trying to figure out how I can apply this to my home life (work aside); using the simplicity of the three circles. For example, how could a stay-at-home mom use these principles to make her life better?
Thank you.
Angela
Lauren
Sep 21, 2011
10:24 am
“When I do sit down to write every day, I’m being myself and not accomplishing a goal.” Now this really resonates with me. Goal making has never felt “right” for me, writing has and I am now on my way to a writing career at the age of 54 after shedding a bunch of limiting beliefs and conditionings. I now respect myself and how I do things and find ways to support that self-concept instead of “trying to make” myself do what works for other people. It is so freeing to understand who I am and what I’m capable of doing based on my interests. The 10,000 hour thing could be freeing or feel like a trap. I’m currently on a quest to better my health, as well, and weighing myself once a week is part of my routine. I use this as a “tracker” to keep track of progress, not as a weapon to tear myself down for “failing.” The 10,000 concept reminds me of the 10,000 step program that came out of Japan. It’s great(if it works for you) to keep it mind rather than use it as a rigid framework.
Love and Light,
Lauren
[Reply]
Jack
Oct 4, 2011
6:52 am
Love your blog. Thanks heaps. To your point “I no longer worry about why sometimes I am into something and sometimes not”, I started logging my modes. Paint mode, or corporate mode, as I mostly swing from one to the other, and the modes last anywhere from 2 days to about 50 days, but for some reason I find it helpful logging the modes, and then enjoying the change. Especially when it changes to paint mode and everything looks magical and mysterious and wonderful again!
[Reply]
Krishna
Nov 12, 2011
10:31 pm
Hi
I really enjoyed reading your blog.The 5 stages article was spot on.
I think your article on hedging was real good.I worked real hard to get into a business school and although it is not the ideal one.It is a good one.After i am in the school i realize that i will not be fit for the jobs that are high paying and that i aspire for( And also i am not in a prestigious school that will get me one.so it is very tough for me to get one)now I am torn between thinking of becoming an entrepreneur in the long term(the choice here is unrealistic) and get a position (that align s with my goal) that will help me pay my loans slowly (But not high paying in the long run)
or
Try my best to get a high paying position(realistic)
what do you think
Thanks
Krishna
kran
[Reply]
Corin Reply:
November 14th, 2011 at 8:45 am
I recommend attending the the Millionaire Mind Intensive put on by Peak Potentials. If there’s one in your area, you can get free tickets. That will get you to rethink money and how to save it. Learning the psychology of how to save money is the most important step in personal finances.
I also recommend reading Cash Flow Quadrant by Robert Kiyosaki. That will get you to rethink how money and retirement work. I consider those two items essential in learning how money works in terms achieving financial freedom.
Working because you have to should lead to not working unless you want to. What does it mean to be financially free? What does it mean to not have to work unless you want to? Unless you know the answers and the options to get to there either through a job or a through entrepreneurship then you’ll always be stuck working for money instead of figuring out how to make money work for you.
Once you understand that you don’t have to work for the rest of your life and that financial freedom is viable then it’s no longer a choice between working for money and working at something you love.
[Reply]
Eva
Nov 14, 2011
2:44 pm
Reading all these is like reading myself! I’m lost in the ocean of possibilities and indecision. I majored in English Studies and work as an English teacher in my country but the money I make is little. My interests were always theoretical.. sociology, philosophy, poetry, writing, understanding humanity and expressing emotion. However now I come to realize that appart from the joy of learning and theorizing I’ll also have to pay the bills :/ So I’m considering switching careers into something more ‘practical’ like advertising, marketing, biotechnology or computational linguisitcs. There’s no relation whatsoever among those fields, I may be crazy for considering such diverse options and still not being passionate about any. Hopefully someday I’ll find something to ‘click’ and inspire me…
[Reply]