BEDA #10: A Lil' Myers-Briggs, Yo.

ENFP - EXTRAVERTED INTUITION WITH INTROVERTED FEELING

The Inspirer, The Advocate, The Visionary, The Champion, The Reporter.

INFO I FOUND THAT’S TRUE FOR ME:

• As an ENFP, your primary mode of living is focused externally, where you take things primarily via your intuition. Your secondary mode is internal, where you deal with things according to how you feel about them, or how they fit with your personal value system.
• ENFPs are warm, enthusiastic people, typically very bright and full of potential. They live in the world of possibilities, and can become very passionate and excited about things. Their enthusiasm lends them the ability to inspire and motivate others, more so than we see in other types.
• They can talk their way in or out of anything.
• They love life, seeing it as a special gift, and strive to make the most out of it.
• Since emotional excitement is usually an important part of the ENFP’s life, and because they are focused on keeping “centered”, the ENFP is usually an intense individual, with highly evolved values.
• An ENFP needs to feel that they are living their lives as their true Self, walking in step with what they believe is right.
• They see meaning in everything, and are on a continuous quest to adapt their lives and values to achieve inner peace.
• They’re constantly aware and somewhat fearful of losing touch with themselves.
• ENFPs have an unusually broad range of skills and talents. They are good at most things which interest them.
• Project-oriented, they may go through several careers during their lifetime.
• To onlookers, the ENFP may seem directionless and without purpose, but ENFPs are actually quite consistent, in that they have a strong sense of values which they live throughout their lives. Everything that they do must be in line with their values.
• An ENFP needs to focus on following through with their projects. This can be a problem area for some of these individuals.
• Unlike other Extraverted types, ENFPs need time alone to center themselves, and make sure they are moving in a direction which is n sync with their values.
• [ENFPs] may fall into the habit of dropping a project when they become excited about a new possibility, and thus they never achieve the great accomplishments which they are capable of achieving.
• Most ENFPs have great people skills. They are genuinely warm and interested in people, and place great importance on their interpersonal relationships.
• Sometimes, especially at a younger age, an ENFP will tend to be “gushy” and insincere, and generally “overdo” in an effort to win acceptance.
• However, once an ENFP has learned to balance their need to be true to themselves with their need for acceptance, they excel at bringing out the best in others, and are typically well-liked.
• They have an exceptional ability to intuitively understand a person after a very short period of time, and use their intuition and flexibility to relate to others on their own level.
• They place no importance on detailed, maintenance-type tasks, and will frequently remain oblivious to these types of concerns. When they do have to perform these tasks, they do not enjoy themselves.
• An ENFP who has “gone wrong” may be quite manipulative - and very good at it.
• The gift of gab which they are blessed with makes it naturally easy for them to get what they want.
• Always seeing the possibilities of what could be, they may become bored with what actually is.
• ENFPs are basically happy people. They may become unhappy when they are confined to strict schedules or mundane tasks. Consequently, ENFPs work best in situations where they have a lot of flexibility, and where they can work with people and ideas.
• They have the ability to be quite productive with little supervision, as long as they are excited about what they’re doing.
• Because they are so alert and sensitive, constantly scanning their environments, ENFPs often suffer from muscle tension.
• There are two major trends in the occupations that are most popular with ENFP s. Most of the popular occupations involve working with people by providing counseling, personal or spiritual services, or teaching, or by helping them feel or look better.

INFO I FOUND THAT’S FALSE FOR ME:

• ENFPs almost always have a strong need to be liked.
• Most ENFPs will not abuse their [manipulative] abilities, because that would not jive with their value systems.
• They need to maintain control over themselves, but they do not believe in controlling others.
• They dislike of dependence and suppression extends to others as well as to themselves.
• Friends are what life is about to ENFPs, moreso even than the other NFs.
• They can’t bear to miss out on what is going on around them
• Some have real difficulty being alone, especially on a regular basis.
• They spend many hours wondering and discussing with friends whom they will marry, where they will live, what their children will be like, and what work they will do.
• They leave no option or possibility unexplored and find it difficult to see themselves in any single job or career.