26 THE INVESTOR
SENSING (OBSERVATION)/INTUITING (CREATIVITY):
WHAT PEOPLE PAY ATTENTION TOThis second polarity describes what we pay attention to. Do we
prefer to collect facts through our five senses or to “play” with the
facts in our imaginations? Sensing types are realistic and place their
trust in what they can touch and see. Intuitives get bored with the
details and like to dream up new approaches and new theories.
They enjoy future possibilities more than current realities.
Words that describe each preference are:Sensing (S) Intuiting (N)
Practical Theoretical
Facts Inspirations
Step-by-step Leaps of intuition
Perfecting skills Learning new skillsA famous sensor (S) would be Jimmy Carter, with his engineering
background. His critics used to complain that he was too involved
in the details to see the bigger picture. In contrast, Albert Einstein,
the physicist, was a famous intuitive (N). He once said that “imagi-
nation is more important than knowledge.” His approach to phys-
ics reflected this emphasis on imagination: in his famous “thought”
experiments, he would dream up theories and then “test” them in
his mind. Another famous scientist, Nikola Tesla, is also known
for this mental ability. He would construct experimental machines
in his mind and then let them run until the apparatus wore out!
(The imagined machines, that is, not his brain.) He could literally
test equipment in his mind.
A pair of clear opposites were featured in the entertainment
world’s popular movie and TV series, Star Trek: The Next Genera-
tion. Data, the android, was a perfect sensor. He retained all the
facts and used his computer brain to organize them in perfect lin-
ear fashion. Counselor Deanna Troi, a Betazoid, represented the04 ware 26 1/19/01, 1:02 PM