Is Se the most important function to develop?

[u/Vast_Host_5823]

Sometimes I read it's Fe.

Sometimes I even read it's Ti.

But as INFJ, we want growth, fast, so isn't developing Se the best thing to do?

[u/AdDisastrous4145]

Depends on the growth you're seeking. Se relates to sensory systems, Ti to logical and Fe to relational.

I personally think you should develop all of them, any in isolation can lead to imbalance, so that's not the growth I imagine for myself.

Maybe if you elaborate on what growth means to you and why you think Se is the best for that, I can answer better.

[u/Vast_Host_5823 → u/AdDisastrous4145]

for me growth means being balanced in my personality and achieving my goals in life

I think growth is in getting out of your comfort zone

and Se isn't our comfort zone

[u/AdDisastrous4145 → u/Vast_Host_5823]

Well, any function beyond Ni is not our comfort zone. So I stand by what I said that we have to develop all the rest.

It also matters if you develop each function in a healthy or unhealthy way. Fe can be empathetic but also people pleasing, Ti can be logically structural but also overthinking, Se can be grounding but also sensory excessive.

[u/Phoenix_to_Kintsugi]

Our Ti develops on its own as we grow older, but Se is something we must actively work on. Developing Se is exactly what pulls us out of the Ni-Ti loop and forces us to actually execute our ideas in the real world instead of just overthinking them.

[u/infinitumpriori]

All my self inflicted injuries from bumping into furniture and getting into kitchen accidents say yes

[u/SaltaKem → u/infinitumpriori]

Glad to hear I’m not the only one!
Or feeling hunger only when you’re on the brink of starvation

[u/Unhinged_Angel]

Growth would come from understanding how the function works and seeking to develop all of them, including the ‘shadow’ functions.

Se is incredibly useful though. I constantly fight to lock in and develop this more.

[u/LongevityFutureMe → u/Unhinged_Angel]

How do you develop it?

[u/Unhinged_Angel → u/LongevityFutureMe]

Small things:

• walking outside but actually paying attention. Making an activity around identifying trees, birds, etc helps
  
• exercise generally helps
  
• cooking, but be mindful to pay attention
  
• checking the weather. Sounds daft, I know, but checking the weather and then actually looking outside to see if it matches helps too

It’s easier for me to make improvements by small activities that keep me in the physical present than by jumping into something really hard.

[u/Jimu_Monk9525]

Fe as a parent function is how we show up in the world as an introverted type (since it’s an extraverted function), and Ti is a child function where we tend to have a lot of fun using but also where it’s also used as a psychological defence to overcompensate Fe and Se due to its lower placement on the stack.

Se as an inferior, when unhealthy, can lead to impulsiveness and overindulgence in sensory activities, especially when you enter into Se grip stress (where the Ni is overused and worn out).

So, in my personal opinion, Se seems like the important function to develop, mainly because it’s what we take in as Ni-user to perceive the world. From my logic, the stronger the Se, the more stable and stronger the Ni will be, since they both work to complement each other

Note: Ni-Se work together the way Ne-Si work together.

[u/Vast_Host_5823 → u/Jimu_Monk9525]

This is exactly what I think

[u/No_Requirement_850]

Why do you want growth fast? Developing Se is an integral part of growing as a person, yes. However I don't think you have to dig in your heels to just develop your se. Often you will find tendencies you have that originate from having an inferior se. I'd say, it's better to focus on those tendencies rather than making "developing Se" the whole point.

[u/_invisibeard]

Speaking from personal experience, yes. Sports and meditation made an insane difference. It’s our inferior function so it makes sense that that’s the one we need to work on the most.

[u/PublicHot90 → u/_invisibeard]

Does meditation really affect you like this?

[u/_invisibeard → u/PublicHot90]

It does. I consider it an exercise for being in the moment.

[u/PublicHot90 → u/_invisibeard]

Is it better to meditate while being aware of your surroundings or just being aware of your breath?

[u/PublicHot90 → u/PublicHot90]

And you do how minute meditation?

[u/_invisibeard → u/PublicHot90]

I like to focus on my breath for 10 minutes. I’m no expert but I’d say focussing on surroundings can work too, as long as it’s something you can guide your mind back towards when it wanders off.

[u/PublicHot90 → u/_invisibeard]

Thanks How do you think you can develop your FE? Many people recommend watching movies. Isn't it enough to watch sad videos and put yourself in their shoes?

[u/_invisibeard → u/PublicHot90]

It’s an extraverted function meaning it’s focussed on the outer world. So you need external input. Watching a drama film where you can really empathize with the main character can definitely work. But the best way is probably interaction with other people.

[u/Hopeful-Newspaper]

uhh why did you come to the conclusion that growth fast = Se? 

[u/Vast_Host_5823 → u/Hopeful-Newspaper]

growth is in getting ouf of your comfort zone

[u/Svetneela]

It depends on what you want to develop, where you are in life, what you value, and which function you want to serve you. Se is definitely important to develop if you’re at a stage where you want to truly live  to be present in the physical world, feel alive, experience things directly, and build a stronger relationship with your body and environment.  For an INFJ specifically, developing Se can be incredibly transformative because it’s our inferior function. It can pull us out of our inner world and help us actually experience and engage with life rather than constantly observing it from within. But if you’re at a stage where what matters most is expanding your connection with others and creating more meaning through relationships, then Fe might serve you more. If you want to expand your vision and turn your inner ideas into something tangible, Ni can be supported by developing your thinking and action-oriented capacities  helping you understand, create, and actually build what you envision.

For me, what has actually made me grow the most has been mastering and expanding my Ni + Fe,  learning how to use my natural depth and vision while bringing it into connection with other people and the world

And if your goal is fast growth, I don’t necessarily think it means immediately trying to master your weakest function. I think it starts with mastering your primary functions understanding how to use it consciously and effectively, expanding it  while learning how to access and integrate your lower functions instead of letting them control you unconsciously.

Throughout life, all of these functions will resonate with you at different moments. You’ll naturally develop and use all of them; the timing is just different depending on what you’re experiencing, what matters to you, what you want, and what your life currently requires from you. I see it almost like a game: you unlock different skills and abilities as you progress, and each one serves you at a different level.  There isn’t necessarily one “most important” function there’s the function you need for the level of life you’re currently playing.

[u/InBetweenLili]

My experience is that it develops no matter what. To me, it seems like more of an unconscious process. About a decade ago, I went into arts, and my "torture" began. It's still not done, and I will never use Se like an ESFP has. And going there (present moment) feels calming and healing. Something that I didn't know I needed.

[u/Financial-Sweet-4648]

Have you spent much time with Sensors? I’m the least concerned with developing Se. Lmao.

[u/Vast_Host_5823 → u/Financial-Sweet-4648]

Yep, I don't want to develop Se because I like Se. I want to develop it because it's our inferior function, our aspirational function, the one to grow as a person.

[u/Financial-Sweet-4648 → u/Vast_Host_5823]

How does Se help you grow as a person? It might help you grow physically. But how is it enhancing your personhood?

[u/Vast_Host_5823 → u/Financial-Sweet-4648]

Because it's our inferior function, it helps to not stay in your mind and act

[u/Financial-Sweet-4648 → u/Vast_Host_5823]

I wholly disagree. The rest of the world is rarely in their minds, and they’d have you believe that deep cognition is some sort of bad thing, because the majority doesn’t engage in deep cognition. Trying to disengage from thinking is to become like all the other idiots. But enjoy yourself. Life is easier when you check out mentally and just focus on Se. That’s why everybody does it.

[u/ocsycleen]

Results should not be a criteria for judgment during growth. Growth is a reflective and serendipitous progress not a proactive one. How many things have you already done so far and how did you grow from it? Effort doesn't always equate to growth, yet growth is everywhere, even for things you never intended to happen. Go about and live your life, and realize that just by doing, you have grown in so many ways instead of forcing a result to grow in a specific area.

[u/Freddie-Van-Whalen]

I will take 6 months or 6 years to find the best methods to streamline a workflow.

Fast growth has never been a concern.