1. Senses

ISTPs are most focused on the ease and convenience of their experience and the avoidance of unnecessary pain and fuss. Although often coming across as hardy, gruff individuals, ISTPs possess a gentle, sensitive nature that simply wishes to exist peacefully and in harmony with the functioning of their surroundings. Most profound is their awareness of the minutiae of sensory stimuli around them, with ISTPs being able to notice slight changes in temperature, differences in the texture of fabrics and any other subtle information available to them via the five senses. This focus and awareness of their interaction with sense data is most particular to ISTPs, who seek to carefully refine the quality of their experience, reducing flamboyance, pretension or gaudiness for the simple, minimalist and calm, minimising noise and discomfort. For this reason, ISTPs tend to keep away from the disturbances and pressures of others, leading a quiet and individualistic existence. ISTPs are particularly aware of the rate through which one uses up one's energy, knowing the extent to which activities in the present may tire and exhaust someone. As such, they seek to conserve much of their energy, using it sparingly in a manner that fulfils the task at hand to the greatest convenience and the least strain. Many ISTPs tend to enjoy working with their hands, physically putting things together with natural materials of their own finding to create devices that are either useful in the day to day or simply enjoyable to make, often designing with a sense of simplified, non-pretentious beauty. ISTPs may come across to some as lazy or apathetic, but are disposed towards a conservative, contented life of simple, but rewarding tastes and competent, non-strenuous work.

2. Pragmatism

The refined experiences of ISTPs are supported by an ability to handle practical problems in the most convenient and painless ways possible. ISTPs have a good grasp of the processes and methods that can be used to interact with the world around them, allowing them to make sensible and pragmatic decisions to make things work well with their own hands. To feel most comfortable with their environment, ISTPs need to ensure that problems and inconveniences are being handled without fuss and that there is an easy solution to issues that may come up. For this reason, much of the satisfaction that ISTPs draw from their work is in being able to do so independently and self-sufficiently, not having to suffer the interference and meddling of others in their affairs. As such, ISTPs like very much to be able to do things themselves at their own, easy-going pace. They tend to be very capable at fixing things, especially in the form of handiwork. ISTPs are in their element taking apart a broken device, finding out what has gone askew and coming up with a quick solution. Similarly, ISTPs may enjoy tinkering with tools and devices, maintaining and upgrading the quality or efficacy of their possessions while experimenting to find ways of handling issues with even less exertion. They are also able to manage funds and resources sparingly and effectively, in a way that avoids financial hardship and the disruption of their easy-going lifestyles. Such practical skills enable the self-sufficiency that ISTPs most appreciate, not needing others to help an already contented existence, where they are mentally and physically capable of sorting out any problem themselves.

3. Telos

The easy-going lifestyle of ISTPs frees up much time for thought and reflection, with ISTPs usually being able to think ahead and foresee the likely consequences of their actions when needed. ISTPs can take care to apply their prudence, not just in terms of every-day problems but also towards the long-term if necessary. Often this serves to let them know when there is no point getting up to work on something, as a problem will largely sort itself out anyway. Such an approach also allows them to involve a degree of planning in their life-choices, picking a career or livelihood that they know is not just enjoyable in the here and now, but will remain a stable and safe career choice in the years to come. In this way, ISTPs can avoid future discomforts that might befall those who are more short-sighted. However, ISTPs have little appreciation for considering a grander purpose beyond the comfort of their own existence and are unlikely to sacrifice their enjoyments for some higher cause. After all, ISTPs simply want to live their lives in comfort and do not want to be included into higher purposes. The continued need to consider the far-reaching outcomes alongside the short-term can be a strain for ISTPs over time, and they much prefer not having to worry about the tediousness of a singular path to follow. Instead, ISTPs prefer where there are multiple options available and they can pick and choose which ones seem most comfortable in the moment. Freeing up options such as this reduces the tendency to stick to any route and avoid its consequences, allowing the freedom to try something else.

4. Emotions

The need of ISTPs to live peaceful, quiet lives results in little appreciation of the passions and dramas other people may want them to feel. ISTPs tend to be individualistic, living by their internal rhythms and feeling little need to conform or fit in with the rest of society. They much prefer it when their experiences are not tied up with that of people at large and are happy do what they feel like doing, free of social expectation. While they may turn up to functions and events that personally interest them, ISTPs will feel little need to stick around just because everyone else is doing so and are only likely to participate as far as their personal interests go. Furthermore, generating or contributing to group enthusiasm is entirely alien to ISTPs, who are often very sparing in their emotional expressiveness, tending towards reserved and dry factual communication that others may find boring. If there is some great fuss or need that has whipped up others into a frenzy, ISTP may be the complacent voice of calm, wondering what all the fuss is about, while doing little to indulge such passions. Such an approach can be perceived by others as belittling or undermining their struggles and causes, but ISTPs are unlikely to notice or particularly mind, simply preferring for such people to take their noise elsewhere and leave them in peace. Similarly, ISTPs are unlikely to give much regard to how they come across to others and even though they may have good taste in their sensory preoccupations, may dress according to their personal comforts rather than accepted fashions and aesthetics, causing them to come across as eccentric. Despite this, ISTPs often become quite excited about new developments in their own interests and derive genuine enjoyment from doing the things that bring them personal pleasure. It just so happens that such activities are often too offbeat to be embraced by any group or society as something enjoyable to the community.

5. Ideas

ISTPs tend to remain in their comfort zones when left to their own devices and spend much of their time savouring the sensations they already have. Because of this, they rarely give sufficient thought to alternative options and the potential to experience a range of other possibilities in the world. Although able to sufficiently handle a problem in front of them, ISTPs are unlikely to take the initiative to try out new ideas and seek unexplored horizons. As such, their lifestyles can become overly mundane and uninteresting without unusual events to spice them up. However, ISTPs greatly appreciate novelty and ideas of interest when introduced to them by someone else, especially when they can see some use or practical application of said ideas in their lives. ISTPs are largely open-minded in nature, willing to give new experiences and people the benefit of the doubt but simply do not have the initial awareness of potential situations to pursue these new experiences. They also find it highly refreshing to be around people who can allow these opportunities to manifest and be explored, appreciating the intellectual excitement this brings to their lives. ISTPs are largely unsure as to which possibilities carry potential and are usually happy to go along with the insights and impulses of another person whom they have a close bond with. Furthermore, ISTPs tend to be largely humble and unaware of their potential to do things they have not done before. Although largely able to assess the competence and quality with which they have already accomplished tasks, ISTPs largely rely on the experiences they have already had to make decisions and are largely unable to compute unknown variables. Having someone tell them the many things they could possibly do if they tried can be an enlightening experience for ISTPs as they feel the avenues available to them suddenly opening up.

6. Relations

Although disposed to solitude, ISTPs aspire to hold deep feelings of attachment towards individuals and treasure the close relationships they have. ISTPs may be very focused on finding just the right sort of person to spend their time with and may take a long time to encounter the person they feel is good for them. They are usually very accepting of people, willing to give others a chance, yet at the same time, carefully examining others to work out how they feel towards them. Although externally appearing emotionless, ISTPs have a gentle, sensitive centre that needs to be entrusted to a significant other. However, ISTPs largely lack the initiative to go out looking for new people and are bereft of the desire to play themselves up to groups of people to win others over. To ISTPs, the idea of changing how they are to appeal to strangers is tasteless and insincere to their internal values. Furthermore, ISTPs can have a lot of difficulty expressing how they feel to someone they love, opting instead for physical actions of assistance or care. ISTPs lead rather private, reserved lives that can result in social isolation, depriving them of adequate opportunity in finding their special person. While some encounter the good fortune of being discovered by someone genuinely interested in them as a person, others might not find anyone. Several ISTPs find substitutes for human relationships in the form of keeping pets, being able to form a treasured bond with an animal that places no expectations on them to be anything other than themselves. In such situations, ISTPs tend to prefer more independent animals with fewer needs or demands, such as cats. In addition, the personal feelings and values of ISTPs tend to be a major source of development and growth, many becoming rather philosophical over time. ISTPs may intellectually develop the clarity of their conscience, putting together their personal opinions and musings on issues they feel carry moral importance, largely for their own satisfaction, although being flattered should anyone be interested enough to listen.

7. Force

ISTPs are gentle and peaceful in nature, generally acting with great emotional and physical restraint to avoid any conflicts with other people. Fights and arguments are very unpleasant to ISTPs, who dislike aggression and unnecessary drama. As such, ISTPs may be accused of cowardice by others in their tendency to minimise intrusion into the lives of others and their attempts to stop others from intruding into theirs. Nevertheless, such a judgement is often misconstrued, as ISTPs are capable of being very tough when the situation calls for it and their avoidance is simply a means of keeping their experiences peaceful, rather than out of any fear of being threatened. Like much else, ISTPs are rarely hurried or nervous when walking away from a conflict, simply moving calmly off to another patch. Despite their efforts to avoid a confrontation, there may be some that are determined to get a rise out of the ISTPs. However, ISTPs tend to be unflappable, with insults and jeers simply bouncing off them and the fact that they are so unfazed by such assaults can irritate people even further. Nevertheless, when threatened with violence, ISTPs are usually capable of responding with a swift but collected effectiveness, making sudden use of any tactical advantages at their disposal and making people think twice about trying again. Similarly, in emergency situations, ISTPs can jump into sudden activity with a great emission of conserved energy, saving their own lives and those of others in the process. In these situations, a rarely seen aggressive side to ISTPs can be seen, which fades away once the danger has passed.

8. Laws

Although individualistic and largely removed from societal obligations, ISTPs can be rather orderly in their approach to their own interests. ISTPs tend to have certain structures to their work and leisure, with everything of theirs tending to have its place. They are usually very good at noticing where something is out of place in a pattern or ordering and are capable at fixing such inconsistencies, so things can function without incident. Capable organisation and the careful filing of bits and bobs in the right folders and drawers tends to be crucial to the detailed and meticulous activities ISTPs tend to perform, as well as a certain neatness and consistency. Similarly, ISTPs tend to work to a particular order or routine of their own creation, rarely changing this order because often it is ideally tailored to their personal needs and conveniences. Similarly, ISTPs are often well-reasoned, level-headed individuals with a good sense of their priorities in life, allowing them to be of counsel to others seeking help. However, any structures they may create are seen more as guidelines for prudent living and keeping their lives in a generally peaceful order, rather than any absolute commitment and certainly not laws for others to follow or obey. ISTPs have little patience for allegiances or commitments to ideologies or the submission to any legal system. In such scenarios, they are inclined to hold a form of pragmatic, logical relativism, thinking that in some cases this might be true, but in other scenarios, a largely different position may be equally as valid. As such, orderly ISTPs can quickly eschew any attempt to impose order that in any way feels harsh or impractical to them. ISTPs may be inclined on occasion to detract any process away from a set order to a steady tinkering with different influences and available methodologies, finding ways that feel right to the occasion and adapting to changes, rather than resisting them. In addition, they may be very loose and open to spontaneous breaks and changes in a routine, being happy to go with the flow of those they trust.