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Type and the hidden agenda
by Sergei Ganin
Every person has a hidden agenda. This agenda often governs one's intentions and behaviour. People are often unaware of its origin, but can always feel its significance. Some people are more affected by it than other people. Every type requires an optimal condition in which it can function properly. If such ...
condition does not exist, a person will normally attempt to create it. However, due to the nature of the hidden agenda, if and when the optimal condition is reached, the person will occasionally put themselves in a situation where the stability of this condition is threatened.
There are eight such agendas/optimal conditions:
ENTp, ESTp => to be loved
INTj, INFj => to be healthy
ESFj, ESTj => to be perfect
ISFp, INFp => to understand
ENFj, ENTj => to be wealthy
ISTj, ISFj => to believe
ESFp, ENFp => to know
INTp, ISTp => to love
The ability to recognise these hidden agendas in people is quite helpful in type identification. Moreover, these agendas are also directly connected with some personal problems an individual might have.
Where there is a problem, there is a solution. The following audio sample is taken from David J. Lieberman's audio book entitled "Get Anyone to Do Anything and Never Feel Powerless Again". If your type is ENTp or ESTp, you will want to listen to this audio sample:
C1 'If your type is ENTp or ESTp, you will want to listen to this audio sample' I don't know why you say this. It made it sound as if it was only about that and I nearly didn't listen to it. -- RubyENFP
C2 to the author: could you expand on these hidden agendas in greater detail? perhaps some ways in which they come to play in real life situations and/or how one can become more aware of them so as to deal with them more effectively? -- Anonymous
C3 I can see that my comments have already been mentioned. -- Anonymous
C4 infj, the being healrhy thing, im not so sure about that -- Anonymous
C5 Being an INTj (INTP / LII / [Ne]) I can say that my agenda (to be healthy) sounds right - I have a great desire to be healthy, but for me (mentally, anyway) it falls under the category of 'optimisation'. I subconsciously want to optimise myself and any system I care to think about, including my health. -- RawB
C6 I was noticing that ESFj's hidden agenda (to be perfect) is considered by most people to be humanly impossible! Of course, "perfection" can mean that the ESFj seems to fit a role or be exactly the kind of person they feel is most valued in a certain circle. But true perfection, including even this one kind of perfection-"conforming absolutely to the description or definition of an ideal type" (from dictionary.com, reliable probably)-is impossible to attain around the clock. Nevermind that it's undesireable or unwholesome or IMPERFECT(!!!) to try to live like someone who's not you! Anyway, my point (in sooo roundabout a way!) is that can't all of the types' hidden agendas be considered humanly impossible when defined by any number of infinite personal meanings of love, belief, etc.??? What is true wealth??? Even health, which seems simple enough, is potentially slippery when considering people's varied individual perceptions of it. And what is really the value of total mental and physical health if it means neglecting or avoiding other pursuits that might make a person more wholesome or well-rounded or well-lived or HEALTHY? Those same pursuits may seem "unhealthy" to some overly careful person. The hidden agendas all potentially pointless, unattainable, worthless hidden agendas. Of course, I have considered before that every type, in following his hidden agenda, is neglecting his/her strong point which would most likely lead him/her toward the same end more, but more completely. For example, INFp will understand (her hidden agenda) some things better intuitively than she could ever understand logically or by amassing some large number of facts or skills, etc. -- learning
C7 I actually have change all of these hidden agendas, based on the mobilizing function. Yours don't seem precise enough. Not to criticize but to better clarify, the mobilizing function corresponds to how realistic answers may negatively affect each personality pair's secret problem. It could reflect something that was taken from one at an early age and are subconsciously trying to regain. This is my way of seeing type and the hidden agenda: ENTp, ESTp => to be respected INTj, INFj => to be innovative ESFj, ESTj => to be eccentric ISFp, INFp => to be levelheaded ENFj, ENTj => to be involved ISTj, ISFj => to be creative ESFp, ENFp => to be organized INTp, ISTp => to be confident -- Ryan K
C8 Is there any way we can still hear the audio link you posted? -- Anonymous
C9 Fixed. -- Anonymous
C10 As it is my type I'm interested in the hidden agenda of ISFj. Does "to believe" also approximately mean "to be more confident" in his/her own abilities (for instance)? -- piccolo_michel
C11 haha...the audio extract is hilarious as well as informative. I love the seriousness of Dr. Lieberman when explaining "the rebound effect". -- Anonymous
C12 @C1: I think Ganin makes the added comment that the audio might interest ENTp/ESTp since it has a lot of examples relating to dating, love, etc which he sees as the hidden agenda of these types. As an ENTp I think he is spot on. Without realising it, this is,retrospectively, exactly what worked for me. I am in a loving and deep relationship with another ENTp who, I think used most of the same techniques mentioned, without relaising it. -- Anonymous
C13 @C7 intp's was rather fitting as "to love" sure we could use a little confidence.. but that doesnt always matter to us. that voice in the back of our head that always says "your wrong" is quite useful sometimes. - and i cannot describe how much an intp feels the need to love, we often project perfect personalities onto people who look good, and fall in love with fake people because real ones just arent as appealing. -- intp
C14 INTp here. The "to love" thing is very accurate. Although, the ENFjs I know aren't very concerned with money. Perhaps, "family wealth" could be implied? Does that even make sense? -- Dawg
C15 haha...the audio extract is hilarious as well as informative. I love the seriousness of Dr. Lieberman when explaining "the rebound effect". - Anonymous
C16 INTp here. I really didn't know that my hidden agenda was to love... I just can't believe it! I'm sure that my objective is to be perfect! And I'm sure I'm a INTp! I think you came to a wrong conclusion because you order the functions differently for introvert types! -- mark
C17 original post - spot on about entp intp entj intj esfj c7 - also seems to ring true, but almost as if it's the second most important hidden agenda item for each type pair. maybe there is a slight split due to the 2ndary function, and further subdivision is needed? as in 16 agendas? lol -- entpeanut
C18 c16- i am also an INTp, but i am realizing there are inner types that are related as a reaction to your parents. i grew up with an Ej and this make me feel guilty about my innate p qualities and become introverted. as i have 'come into myself' , one might say, i have embraced my more E side– something i could only do when i felt comfortable with my p. so what im saying is that once you feel comfortable with your p, you'll be less concerned with appearing perfect (as i was for many years) and realize that you want to make others feel loved and be loved in return– not on the condition of perfection but unconditionally. being types that are not easily prone to value strong emotions, this can take many many years to realise (foolishly). -- Anonymous
C19 Intp here. I also find 'to love' very accurate as it perfectly balances all the efforts in the other areas. Compared to seeking perfection, this finding is in many ways much more relieving and satisfying. Best luck with further research! -- Anonymous
C20 My comments are already mentioned here, i agree -- Anonymous
C21 C7, I really like your additions to ALL the hidden agendas. Brava! But I have to say, I disagree with your assessment of ESFj/ESTj. Being eccentric does one no good unless one has someone to truly appreciate those eccentricities. There's a real vulnerability to ESFjs. They may not show it very often, but it's there and very much alive. -- ISTp91
C22 oh my hidden agendas, i shall keep them hidden, buhuallaha -- wizard
C23 I have a question. I match the physical appearance of ENTp's (And it was shockingly surprising how close I resembled the physical appearance of and ENTp. right down to buttons falling off all the time.) and match mostly the actual qualities the letters represent however some vary slightly so that I contain most of the opposite qualities as well. I was wondering why this is and should I be concerned. Such as under thinking vs. feeling I'm classified as a thinking (which is extremely accurate) but I also express a number of the feeling characteristics. I. e. I'm not cold or unemotional but pay great attention to love and passion. And under P vs J I also don't like unanswered questions. -- Scipio_X
C24 I really do like the cognitive functions explanations better. Thing is, there are inborn (that define your basic type) and learned functions and as a person grows as an individual, with experience and age, new functions surface, ones you may like to use. As a rule better liked functions (the ones you prefer to use in daily life) may not be the ones you're best at. And this is how ENTp's can have feeling qualities, ENTj's could actually know how to dress properly and so on. On an upside though, usually extroverted thing is connected with not showing feeling. The thinking function of ENTp's is the introverted one which can be romantic. -- Nordon
C25 C7 - i'd disagree with the majority of that. i'd say they were fine the way they were, and the wikisocion website can further describe the hidden agenda if you think this website didn't do it justice. the only thing i don't know whether to agree with you or not is ENFj/ENTj because i know very few of them. and i guess i could see why you would say ESFp/ENFp's is to be organized, because they could probably use it.. (apologies to any EXFp's that may feel offended...) but if you really know any of them they are true renaissance men, thus "to know" suits them well. -- Anonymous
[Ne]) I can say that my agenda (to be healthy) sounds right - I have a great desire to be healthy, but for me (mentally, anyway) it falls under the category of 'optimisation'. I subconsciously want to optimise myself and any system I care to think about, including my health. -- RawB
INTj, INFj => to be innovative 
ESFj, ESTj => to be eccentric 
ISFp, INFp => to be levelheaded 
ISTj, ISFj => to be creative 
ESFp, ENFp => to be organized 
INTp, ISTp => to be confident 
-- Ryan K
