The Importance of Identity Choices [Fi and Ti]

In Jungian Psychology, all of humanity is made up of eight core functions. More specifically, each person's individual consciousness is made up of four. The eight functions are as follows:

The Observers

Ne - Extroverted Intuition

Ni - Introverted Intuition

Se - Extroverted Sensing

Si - Introverted Sensing

The Deciders 

Fe - Extroverted Feeling

Fi - Introverted Feeling

Te - Extroverted Thinking

Ti - Introverted Thinking

In this post, I am going to discuss the importance of only two, Ti and Fi. Both are introverted decider functions, meaning they hold the identity of the individual that they are present in. Now keep in mind, EVERY SINGLE HUMAN ON EARTH has at least one of these functions. This applies to everyone and could help anyone figure out more about themselves and how they function. 

Because of the introverted nature of Fi and Ti, they operate independently of external stimulation. This means that each person's internal decided function can and will look very different from that of another. Another tricky thing to keep in mind is the placement of the internal decider function in a person's stack. For example, someone who leads with Fi will look very different from someone who has Fi last in their stack. BUT even if the internal decider is last, it still very much exists. 

Fi or Ti is where a person generates their identity. It's something that is very hard to change and it's very difficult for external information to enter the space of the internal decider. 

We make these, what I call, "Fi or Ti Identity choices", and while they make us feel unique and genuine, they are sometimes out of our control. Let's take a look at how our Fi and Ti identity functions in the basic sense. 

Fi and Its Identity Choices

I always say Fi is a tricky function. The identity choices made by an Fi users can seem random or not grounded, especially to a Ti user. Fi will make a choice before logic surrounding it is discovered. They appear to like (or hate) things "just because", and it's harder to explain why for the Fi user. 

The "Fi Identity Choices" can also subsequently affect someone's life in a positive or negative way. 

A positive example might be “My Fi identity says that I must keep the peace.”

A negative one could be “My Fi identity says that I don’t have to answer to authority.”

The key is that it’s a personal identity that can’t be influenced by outside sources...so if it’s negatively affecting a person's life, change must come from within.

Ti and Its Identity Choices

I believe Ti has a little bit of an easier time than Fi because it's backed by logic and reasons. A "Ti Identity Choice" has reasons upon reasons for the choice itself and can be persuaded, given the right "reason" to research and process that particular choice.  

Ti favors the truth and understanding, so it typically digs deep into it's identity choices, organizing the choice as logical and part of a universal truth. However, this does NOT mean Ti always knows what is right. Because of the tendency to discard details that do not fit into the identity, Ti can sometimes dig deep into things that are not logical or useful and fail to recognize possibilities. 

Ti users can become frustrated if the world does not follow their logic or identity because they will typically see their identity as universal. 

Struggles of the Internal Deciders

Each person's internal decider can be hurt very badly by negative thoughts or feedback from the world. A lot of times, depression or anxiety can come from an injured internal decided (for example: negative identity choices from an Fi perspective or conflicting worldviews from a Ti perspective). 

It's important to know where your identity comes from, whether it be Fi or Ti. Your internal decider quite literally holds the key to your identity. 

If you don't know to apply this knowledge, here's what to do. First and foremost, figure out your personality type. I recommend checking out Objective Personalities on YouTube. It provides more insight on functionality than any test could ever tell you.

Next, once you know whether you have Ti or Fi and what place it presents in your type, make a list of your identity choices. That will not be easy for everyone. If you have your internal decider lower in your stack, it may actually be quite difficult.

Just knowing where your "Identity Choices" come from and what they are will give you so much perspective and help you recognize the problems you are facing in life. It may not fix those problems, but it will give you a powerful tool to help you fight.