Since this is the ENTJ board, let talk about our professional pursuits.
I'm curious to see what the rest of us are doing with themselves.
I'm going into my second year of law school.
I plan on doing one of three things with my J.D.
1) Go into the private practice and start my own firm focused on litigation
2) Work for the state to be a criminal prosecutor
3) Become a judge eventually
4) hold elected office
I'm a student at a crappy college in my small city. I'm studying computer science. I hope to be an entrepreneur one day, and a politician later.
I started my first successful business about 4 years ago, made some money and bought partnerships in 4 more, and trying to start another. So far all of this has been in commercial real estate. That means I took a decent hit in this market downturn, but I'm still doing pretty good, knock on wood.
The downturn taught me that:
1. Money isn't as important as I thought - i.e. I don't really need a lot of money to be happy, and since I'm a productive person, I'll always know how to make more than what I need.
2. I've been aiming too low - I need to aim bigger to get back the same excitement I had when I quit a deskjob 4 years ago.
So whats next.... not sure yet. I'd say my aspirations are to do something that is somewhat timeless - i.e. rather than be a major developer, to make a unique contribution to the world: maybe a work of art (movie?), maybe a concept, or an intensely disrupctive business/ technology (I originally have a Computer Science background) - and apply it in my lifetime, etc. I have some ideas, but haven't figured it out yet.
What motivated both of you to become politicians? And for what sort of ideologies/ parties?
Um that's a tough question mango but I'll give it a shot. I think the same personal factor is behind both me wanting to go to law school and wanting to be a politician. Specifically, a deeply ingrained interest in people and what makes them tick. But that's more of a surface motivation because I suspect that this interest in people stems not from any beneficent interest in people but my lifelong attempt to over come my general lack of Fe. More than this, it's my ENTJ drive to give order to systems that pushed me into the law school politician track. In both of these professions one attempts to maximize equity and fairness two concepts that really touch close to home with me.
I'm a libertarian. I was always attracted to the idea that everyone should make their own way and not mooch off the gov't.
I'm a libertarian too - so are at least 3 other members on this board (that I know of). I wonder if thats almost inevitable for most NTs?
I am currently going to a highly ranked business school.
Finance matches my personality and interests well.
You guessed it, I'm also a libertarian, and a very hardcore libertarian at that.
I did a survey on another personality site and it seems that the majority of "NT" types would consider themselves Libertarian or Independent, and I suspect it would have been almost everyone if it had just been ENTJs. I found another website, politicaltypes.com/content/view/24/56/ that also confirms that "NT" types are more likely to not be one of the two major parties. Libertarian answers always leave you with test scores that are a bit on the conservative side when taking tests that evaluate you on liberal vs conservative, and ENTJs were not only least likely to be liberal (modern liberal - democrat; classical liberalism is libertarianism, just to clarify), but ENTJs were also one of the least likely to be democrats out of any of the types.
There is another test I took called "Locus of Control" test which basically measures how much you view success to be a product of luck versus a product of hard work and smart thinking. Naturally, I was extremely in favor of the free will option over luck, which lines up with libertarian ideals nicely.
I currently work for a large corporation as an IT analyst. My aspirations are currently undergoing some changes, as I'm propelled into a new direction rather quickly. We'll see.
I'm a psychotherapy student/SAHM. I'm also head of a spiritual federation - not paid work, but a place to put my leadership abilities to a test. I look upon it as a learning experience, so I don't mind not being paid. My husband provides for me for the time being, so I have the luxury to do whatever I find meaningful. I do want to earn "my own" money quite soon, just have to finish my education and find out how I would like to combine my skills.
Being a therapist is interesting, but I would like to also do some management and teaching if possible. I also like to lead rituals (weddings, funerals etc.) :think:
I'm an engineering student in a really sweet program, and am considering coupling that with a law degree. I'm not completely sure which way I want to go about it all but I'm definitely interested in project management type roles or consultation. I guess this all makes me a stereotypical ENTJ.
Why do you guys do what you do? Is it a default career path, are you trying to maximize your income, or do you have different motivations?
DiscoBiscuit explained his motivations - I was curious about the rest of you guys...
For a living: Leadership, Management and Project Management in technology field.
Aspirations: Good question. This is getting boring and not holding as much challenge as it once did - so am considering future options/directions.
Compensation: Not a big motivator anymore - mostly it's a sense of accomplishment at the conclusion of a project on the part of a team.
Default career path? Not sure what this means. I now manage technical staff who have the same degrees I have. But I'm no longer 'technical' (which I really don't miss).
I am a college student, Im going for a degree in Marine Systems Engineering. Thatll put me in a licensed officers position in the engine room for commercial shipping. Good money, interesting work, travel, leadership opportunity. Probably when I give up on sailing i'll go back to school for something more office oriented.
i am the senior designer at a mechanical engineering company.
i enjoy the position, so i would like to keep things how they are.
that's the plan, for now.
I'm (25) a law graduate, and finishing a post-grad studium on business management (thesis on strategic marketing management). I work now in a law firm as a "manager" as marketing specialist, HR consultant, strategy consultant, business development consultant. I do that, becuase I got hooked into management in the last year of my studies. Fortunately, I've worked for 3 years as a legal assistant and it get me bored.
What drives me is my presonal development (and professional development is a part of it),esp when I realize that I've reached another level in some field, l and there is still more to go for 
Foreign languages for me are a real pain for me - so many of them, so little time 
Currently, with my private career coach I develop "F" which results in amazing outcomes in my private and professional relationships. I encourage any ENTJ to do so, and not to wait till the foruth chapter of personality 
I'm a respiratory therapist. Currently, I'm focusing on pediatric and neonatal intensive care. I'm kicking a couple of plans around at the moment, as I'm unlikely to stay in this capacity. Not quite convinced that I want to put in the time it would take to go to medical school (I'm 35, now), but there are a couple Physician Assistant programs that look promising...
I started out as a free ride Premedical student when I was a kid, but at the time I was also a budding musician/singer/songwriter. Was having moderate success, and at 18-20 I was finding free beer and sex far more interesting than studying. I dropped out to pursue the more entertaining option. I'd be lying if I still didn't find the notion of being a World Famous (Insert Whatever Here) appealing.
Anyway, then Life Happened.
Went back to school about six years ago, and I've been working the new career field for the past three or so. Enjoy it, certainly, but I have too much of an ambition itch to stay put for too long.
I am an IT consultant but I also have a small business of my own, just in case. My own company gives me a great deal of pleasure and I get to be creative. I also like performing ceremonies as a Justice of the Peace. Running for office in my town was interesting and a great learning experience. Everyone should become more involved in politics as it is much more exciting than sports. Have never been able to understand organized sports and what it all meant to 'win'. Who cares there is nothing to win.
i am currently changing careers, i did enjoy running three nurses registry for the past 20 years, but it no longer holds my interest. i am entering into a masters program at a university to get a degree in IAPD interior architure and product design. It runs in our family and ive always been very good at it, enjoy it, get charged about it. Taking this on for me is exciting, something new to excel in.
Everyone seems to be interested in continuing their learning and having interesting work. Once there is a large measure of success, it becomes time to move to the next challenge regardless of what floats your boat, it is the challenge.