You share a basic personality configuration with Harry Kim.

People like you are generally highly creative, eager to challenge themselves, and quick-witted. You're charming and enthusiastic, full of questions and very friendly. You enjoy dealing with things directly, rather than manipulating others, and you love to brainstorm, especially with others who are equally creative and ready to take on complex problems. Your imagination, not your cunning, is your great strength.

You're somewhat irreverent, which can cause you to say things you shouldn't at the wrong time. When challenged, you can be downright unpredictable, but you're logical and analytical by nature. You thrive on success, and while you're discouraged by failure, you're flexible and energetic, and will soon work your way back into an advantageous position.

You respond best to people who understand and appreciate your perceptiveness and original insights, as well as to people who like friendly and open debates. You don't like to be nagged about small things, but you love to be dared with both mental and physical challenges. You love adventure.

You're quite image-conscious and probably a snappy dresser.

Your primary goal in life is being creative, seeing possibilities, and always having new challenges. Your reward is becoming famous and/or powerful yourself.

Good careers for your type include being an entrepreneur, investment banker, Voyager's operations officer, marketing consultant, radio/TV talk show host, strategic planner, motivational speaker and advertising creative director.

ENTPs are most likely to find interesting and satisfying those careers that make use of their breadth of interests, their grasp of possibilities, their use of logic and analysis, and their adaptability. ENTPs are found in a variety of careers that reflect their diversity of interests, but the fields in which they work typically allow them to engage their inventive and analytical minds. Their creativity, comfort with the abstract, and problem-solving abilities often attract them to careers in the fields of science, communications, and technology. They are almost driven to start new projects or envision new ways of doing things, and because they are so stimulated by complexity and new problems to solve, they are often found in careers where trouble-shooting plays a part. In addition, whatever career they choose must provide them with a stream of new challenges, whether that career is in the sciences, journalism, or elsewhere. ENTPs are not inclined to sit still for long.

For ENTPs the job search can be an opportunity to use their energy, creativity, and flexibility. They can usually imagine a wide range of possibilities, analyze what needs to be done to maximize their chances in the job search, and enthusiastically market themselves. Their enthusiasm, ingenuity, and thoughtful adaptability will usually be communicated to others in the job search. Potential drawbacks for ENTPs in the job search include inattention to the facts and details of jobs or of the job search, inattention to the emotional climate of interviews, and a tendency to allow opportunities to pass by due to lack of decision-making or follow-through activities. Under stress, they may become withdrawn and listless, or they may become inappropriately concerned with the details of the job search. They may find it helpful to objectively analyze the realities of their situation and to understand the necessity of taking a measured approach to the job search process.

Examples of careers often chosen by ENTPs include photography, marketing, public relations, journalism/writing, engineering, computer sciences, life and physical sciences, construction, consulting, acting, arts and entertainment, and law.

ENTPs are found much less often in careers that require a great deal of pragmatic personal care or the fostering of relationships. For example, they are found much less often in careers in childcare, teaching younger students (pre-school through grade 12), nursing, or careers in the field of religion.

ENTP's can succeed in a variety of occupations, as long as the job does not involve too much humdrum routine. At this point, they become restless. If a project in which they are engaged is no longer challenging, they tend to lose interest in that project and fail to follow through -- often to the discomfort of colleagues.

Seldom are ENTP's conformists. ENTP's enjoy outwitting the system and use rules and regulations within the system to win the game -- whatever it may be. They understand well the politics of institutions and deal with these realities very well, always aiming to understand the people within the system rather than to judge them. ENTP's are good at innovative projects and can administer them well if dull routine is not involved. They usually are outstanding teachers, continuously devising new participative ways to make learning exciting for the students. As an employee, an ENTP may work against the system just for the joy of being one-up. For ENTP's to be taken-in, to be manipulated by another, is humiliating; this offends their joy in being masters of the art of uneupmanship. ENTP's are the natural engineers of human relationships and human systems. Their good humor and optimistic outlook tend to be contagious, and people seek out their company.

ENTP's are likely to have all sorts of hobbies and to be experts in unexpected areas, but they are not apt to share these hobbies with their mates or children in the sense of teaching them. In fact, ENTP's may be very inconsistent in the attention given to offspring. Usually, it is feast or famine. ENTP's have a lively circle of friends and are interested in their ideas and activities. They are usually easygoing, seldom critical or nagging. At their worst, they can show undependable, fickle characteristics and may be rather easily discouraged.

As mates, ENTP's tend to create a lively living environment. They are gregarious, laugh easily and often, and are typically in good humor. Orderliness in the routines of daily living is not apt to inspire them; they usually solve this problem by mobilizing those around them. Tom Sawyer illustrated this talent when he solved the problem of getting Aunt Polly's fence whitewashed. Life with ENTP's is likely to be a daring adventure; they can lead families to physical and economic dangers. ENTP's improvise to remain unaware that they do not have the necessary knowledge of the situation to ward off such dangers.

If the mate of an ENTP is not competitive, he or she is likely to find the one-up/one-down transactions somewhat wearing. If the mate is competitive, the result might be conflict. Although usually good providers of economic necessities, ENTP's at times engage in brinkmanship with their careers, placing them in jeopardy and behaving as if unaware of the consequences; they may thus offer unnecessary challenges to those who have power over their professional success. When challenges elicit negative responses from superiors, ENTP's are apt to react with delight at having an opportunity to improvise a solution to the crisis and, more often than not, they succeed in doing so.

At midlife ENTP's can allow their tendency to experiment recklessly to get out of hand and may destroy or discard the work of half a lifetime, both in personal relationships and in careers. Energy spent in sorting out priorities and values may be a good investment at this time. Developing an increased awareness of emotional reactions and expanding the intensity and range of these through self-development work may be something ENTP's might want to consider at midlife. An increased repertoire of introverted-type activities; for example, gardening, painting, or reading may be a source of pleasure to ENTP's

Both NTs and introverted NFs tend to develop intimate relationships rather slowly; intellectual development seems to proceed at a faster rate than does social development. For both NTs and NFs, communications sent through the physical relationship are apt to become more and more complex over time, with their approaches to the sexual encounter threaded with subtleties and symbolism. The sexual act is usually given meaning beyond mere release from sexual tension. Sexual contact for the introverted NT may be less frequent than for the extraverted NT. Routines of daily living, such as working -- especially if these daily routines are fraught with conflict -- can be quite repressive to the emotional and sexual readiness of the NT, especially the introverted NT (as well as the introverted NF). NTs may engage in the sex act as a profound expression of love, or, at the opposite extreme, as an act of self-humiliation and self-denigration, resulting in disgust for self.

NTs usually take family responsibilities seriously, particularly their own responsibility to members of their family, including their parents. They are, however, often perceived by members of the family as having more psychological distance between themselves and others than do other types. The NT tends not to "own" the behaviors (or body) of his mate as might other types. The errors of others, whether family members or not, are not the NT's errors, and are handled objectively. The NT's own errors are those which are inexcusable, and unforgiveable. Parenting is usually a pleasure, therefore, for an NT, who seems to watch the growth of children (and a mate!) with joy but as somewhat of a bystander.

ENTPs are inventors, innovators, explorers, entrepreneurs, and visionaries. ENTPs are always looking over the next horizon, trying to push the edge of the envelope, and trying to do what other people say can't be done. What is -- is never good enough. ENTPs have a vision of what could be and a powerful drive to turn their visions into reality.

ENTPs value progress and change, both in their personal lives and in the world as a whole. The idea of a static, unchanging life -- appealing to some SJs -- is abhorrent to an ENTP. ENTPs are always seeking out new experiences, new ideas, and new achievements. While other types may worry that the world is changing too fast, ENTPs are more likely to be frustrated that the world isn't changing fast enough -- in the direction they want it to move.

Like other NTs, ENTPs tend to have a rational, empirical view of the world and often have a strong and early interest in science and technology -- but this worldview and these interests are expressed differently in each of the types.

While an INTP may be content to design a system or even just prove it is possible to design a system -- ENTPs want to design and build the system and see it working with their own eyes. In this way, they resemble INTJs in their goals -- but not in their approach toward achieving those goals. INTJs tend to work carefully and methodically with a detailed plan of action -- ENTPs are more likely to have bursts of inspiration that are translated into reality through intermittent periods of extremely intense activity.

ENTPs tend to be sociable -- they enjoy interacting with interesting people and doing interesting things with others. The key word is "interesting". ENTPs have a low boredom threshold, and unlike EF-types, they have little desire to be around other people simply for the sake of being around other people.

More than other NTs, ENTPs value intense experiences -- including emotional experiences -- and are less likely than other NTs to attempt to suppress their emotions. When ENTPs are up, they're on top of the world, facing unlimited possibilities, unbounded horizons, and an exhilarating future. When ENTPs are down, the universe lacks any redeeming qualities, whatsoever.

ENTPs are risk-takers -- flying, skydiving, scuba diving, hang gliding, mountain climbing, and fast cars all have a strong appeal for ENTPs. Unlike STP risk-takers, however, ENTPs are less likely to become experts in a particular activity, and more likely to sample a wide variety of different experiences.

ENTPs have little respect for rules that fail to serve a useful purpose. Rules that significantly inhibit the ability to get things done will be changed, finessed, or simply ignored.

While ENTPs value their personal relationships, they find it easier than some other types (in particular, NFs and SFJs) to leave those relationships behind. An ESFJ, for example, might be terrified by the thought of leaving all of their friends behind and moving alone to a new city. An ENTP in the same situation may miss those friends, but at the same time be looking forward to the new people, new places, new experiences, and new opportunities they may find in their new environment.

It is so natural for Inventor Rationals [ENTPs] to devise gadgets and mechanisms that they start doing it even as young children. And they get such a kick out of it that they really never stop, though in the workplace they will turn their ingenuity to many kinds of organizations, social as well as mechanical.

There aren't many Inventors, say about two percent of the population. They are intensely curious and continuously probe for possibilities, especially when trying to solve complex problems. Such curiosity can be inspiring to others, who find themselves admiring the ENTP's insatiable hunger for knowledge. Inventors are also the most reluctant of all the types to do things in a particular manner just because that is the way things have been done. They are always on the lookout for a better way, always eyeing new projects, new activities, new procedures. ENTPs are confident in their inventiveness and display a charming capacity to ignore the standard, thetraditional, and the authoritative. As a result, they often bring fresh, new approaches to their work and their play.

Inventors are keenly pragmatic, and often become expert at improving relationships between means and ends. Where the Architect Rational [INTP] sees design as an end in itself, the Inventor sees design as a means to an end, as a way of devising the prototype that works and that can be brought to market. To these Inventors, ideas are valuable when and only when they make possible actions and objects. "It can't be done" is a challenge to an ENTP and elicits a reaction of "I can do it." They are not, however, the movers or mountains as are the Masterminds [INTJs]. Rather, Inventors have faith in their ability to come up with solutions to problems, and they display an extraordinary talent for rising to the demands of even the most impossible situations.

With their innovative spirit, Inventors make use of whatever or whoever is at hand, counting on their capability to solve problems as they arise, rather than making a detailed blueprint in advance. A rough idea is all they need to feel confident and ready to proceed into action. Because of this tendency to rely on their ingenuity, ENTPs may, at times, neglect to prepare themselves adequately for a task. Even after repeated failures, they will develop ways of avoiding the task rather than resort to more thorough preparation.

Inventors can succeed in a variety of occupations, as long as the job does not involve too much humdrum routine. They make outstanding teachers, continuously devising new and intriguing ways to get to their students involved in learning. They make good leaders on pilot projects that test their ingenuity. And they are skilled at engineering human relationships and human systems, quickly grasping the politics of institutions and always aiming to understand the people within the system rather than to tell them what to do. Indeed, they will direct activities only when forced to by circumstances.

No matter what their occupation, however, Inventors are usually non-conformists in the workplace. If their job becomes dull and repetitive, they tend to lose interest and fail to follow through -- often to the discomfort of colleagues. To stave off routine, ENTPs will try to outwit the status quo and use the rules and regulations within the institution to give themselves room to be creative. They may even work against the institution just for the joy of holding the upper hand. Inventors have also been known to engage in brinkmanship with their superiors, placing their own careers in jeopardy and behaving as if unaware of the consequences. Thus they may create an unnecessary crisis on the job, just to give them an opportunity to come up with a solution -- which, more often than not, they succeed in doing.

Inventors often have a lively circle of friends and are interested in their ideas and activities. They are usually easy-going, seldom critical or nagging. ENTPs can be engaging conversationalists, able to express their own complicated ideas and to follow the ideas of others. When arguing issues, however, they may deliberately employ debate skills to the disadvantage of their opponents, even when the opponents happen to be close associates and valued friends. Quick and agile of mind, they respond immediately to their opponents' shifting position in an argument. Often they are several jumps ahead. To be sure, Inventors are the most able of all the types to maintain a one-up position with others, while to be taken-in by another can severely hurt their pride.

Their home environment also tends to be full of life. Inventors like people, laugh easily and often, and are typically in good humor. Although usually dependable providers, life with Inventors can be at times an adventure, and they can navigate the family into dangerous economic waters. Orderliness in the routines of daily living is not a big deal to them, and they usually let their mates pick up after them. Inventors like to spar with words, and if their mates are not intellectually competitive they are likely to find such one-up/one-down transactions somewhat wearying. If the mate is competitive, however, the result can be delightful give-and-take.

Inventors tend to have all sorts of hobbies and to be experts in unexpected areas, but they are not apt to share these hobbies with their mate or children in the sense of teaching them. As parents, ENTPs may be very inconstant in the attention they give to their offspring. Usually, it is feast or famine, wonderful warmth and affection when they are with their children, but also benign neglect when they are engrossed in their many outside interests. In particular, Inventors have little time for the everyday tasks of caring for and disciplining their children, and if possible will leave such concerns to their mate.

As an ENTP, your primary mode of living is focused externally, where you take

things in primarily via your intuition. Your secondary mode is internal, where you deal

with things rationally and logically.

With Extraverted Intuition dominating their personality, the ENTP's primary

interest in life is understanding the world that they live in. They are constantly absorbing

ideas and images about the situations they are presented in their lives. Using their

intuition to process this information, they are usually extremely quick and accurate in

their ability to size up a situation. With the exception of their ENFP cousin, the ENTP has

a deeper understanding of their environment than any of the other types.

This ability to intuitively understand people and situations puts the ENTP at a

distinct advantage in their lives. They generally understand things quickly and with great

depth. Accordingly, they are quite flexible and adapt well to a wide range of tasks. They

are good at most anything that interests them. As they grow and further develop their

intuitive abilities and insights, they become very aware of possibilities, and this makes

them quite resourceful when solving problems.

ENTPs are idea people. Their perceptive abilities cause them to see possibilities

everywhere. They get excited and enthusiastic about their ideas, and are able to spread

their enthusiasm to others. In this way, they get the support that they need to fulfill their

visions.

ENTPs are less interested in developing plans of actions or making decisions than

they are in generating possibilities and ideas. Following through on the implementation

of an idea is usually a chore to the ENTP. For some ENTPs, this results in the habit of

never finishing what they start. The ENTP who has not developed their Thinking process

will have problems with jumping enthusiastically from idea to idea, without following

through on their plans. The ENTP needs to take care to think through their ideas fully in

order to take advantage of them.

The ENTP's auxiliary process of Introverted Thinking drives their decision

making process. Although the ENTP is more interested in absorbing information than in

making decisions, they are quite rational and logical in reaching conclusions. When they

apply Thinking to their Intuitive perceptions, the outcome can be very powerful indeed.

A well-developed ENTP is extremely visionary, inventive, and enterprising.

ENTPs are fluent conversationalists, mentally quick, and enjoy verbal sparring

with others. They love to debate issues, and may even switch sides sometimes just for the

love of the debate. When they express their underlying principles, however, they may feel

awkward and speak abruptly and intensely.