INFP Strengths, Talents, and Skills: How INFPs Excel We all have our own unique strengths and special skills which naturally emerge from within us. Some of these strengths might not be ones we expect or ones that are quite as obvious or in your face. While some of these inner talents aren’t necessarily the ones …
Think you're an unhealthy INFP or know someone who is? Discover the signs and traits of an imbalanced or immature INFP in-depth.
The current state of our world is troubling to nearly all of us right now. From inequality to isolation to mass illness, there is a lot of pain and confusion in the hearts of people everywhere. Whether you’re protesting and returning home feeling exhausted, or maybe you’re emotionally drained by the corruption you see everywhere.
INFP Weaknesses, Flaws, and Shortcomings: Where the INFPs Feel Challenged When it comes to uncovering our weaknesses, it can be a bit challenging and sometimes draining. Looking at all of our shortcomings can overwhelm anyone at times, but it can also be helpful in finding ways to improve. In other situations, it isn’t about finding …
They’re capable of being very analytical even when you don’t think they are Their emotions run so quickly and intensely that you could get whiplash INFPs are very elitist about the things they choose...
If you identify as an INFP, I’m sure you’re aware of just how strange we can be. We’re described as highly individualistic, idealistic, and empathetic.
The current state of our world is troubling to nearly all of us right now. From inequality to isolation to mass illness, there is a lot of pain and confusion in the hearts of people everywhere. Whether you’re protesting and returning home feeling exhausted, or maybe you’re emotionally drained by the corruption you see everywhere.
They’re capable of being very analytical even when you don’t think they are Their emotions run so quickly and intensely that you could get whiplash INFPs are very elitist about the things they choose...
The Extrovert INFP Each personality type possesses both introverted and extroverted traits since no person can be all the way on one side of the spectrum. While some people tend to be in the middle, certain types can be hard to really peg based on their introversion or extroversion. INFPs can undoubtedly express very extroverted …
The INFP personality is creative and unique. INFPs possess a rare set of personality traits that allow them to masterfully understand the human experience.
The INFP is one of the rarest and misunderstood personality types in the Myers-Briggs® system. Making up only 4.4% of the US population, you are unlikely to come across many of them in your daily life. They are known for their idealism, passion, authenticity, and commitment to their dreams. Certain other types (ISFPs, INFJs, and
The Idealist: Your Guide to the Infp Personality Type
The Late Show host Stephen Colbert takes an introspective look to answer the question "Who Is Stephen Colbert?" in the first installment of his "who knows
Do INFPs have more emotional intelligence than INFJs? Or is it just a different kind of EQ? This article explores what INFs can learn from each other.
In any romantic or pair bond relationship, there are myriad ways that a couple communicates to each other. Words, actions, expressions, mannerisms… we’re looking for and sending endless signals to and from our mate. And while there are a million things each person says (both verbally and non-verbally) every day, it could be argued that there really is only one thing we’re actually looking for: the answer to the question, “Do you love me?” According to Gary Chapman’s “The 5 Love Languages” we all express love a little differently. In Chapman’s model, the 5 primary ways are: Acts of Service Quality Time Gift Giving Words of Affirmation Physical Touch (For a quick reference listen to the Personality Hacker podcast “The 5 Love Languages.” For more in-depth information, read Chapman’s book of the same title. It’s a great read – we highly recommend it.) These are five very important modalities of communicating love, and knowing which one you and your mate favor can make or break the relationship. That said, while we communicate love in different ways, we are also looking for very specific markers that transcend the form of communication – we’re looking for specific criteria which means love to different types. For example, we might have a “Words of Affirmation” Love Language and we’ll always feel good when someone praises us. But what are they praising us for? Does it match our internal ‘list’ of important things? For example, one woman might be over to moon to hear her husband praise her beauty to his friends, and another woman might feel marginalized. How “Evaluation” Becomes “Love” In our program Couples Mapping we discuss how different personality types both ask the question, “Do you love me?” and how they answer it, “Yes! I do love you!” Here’s where it gets tricky: each personality type asks it in a slightly different way, and concurrently answers it in a slightly different way. A quick refresher on how the 16 Myers-Briggs personality types correlate to their 'decision-making' mental processes: All FJs use the mental process called Extraverted Feeling, or “Harmony” to make decisions. (ESFJ, ISFJ, ENFJ, INFJ) All FPs use the mental process called Introverted Feeling, or “Authenticity” to make decisions. (ESFP, ISFP, ENFP, INFP) All TJs use the mental process called Extraverted Thinking, or “Effectiveness” to make decisions. (ESTJ, ISTJ, ENTJ, INTJ) All TPs use the mental process called Introverted Thinking, or “Accuracy” to make decisions. (ESTP, ISTP, ENTP, INTP) The “decision-making” mental processes (Harmony, Authenticity, Effectiveness, Accuracy) are ways we evaluate the world and determine their rightfulness, truthfulness and importance to us as people.Every personality type has a tendency to overvalue their criteria, and unless you understand the concept of different types it’s very easy to assume others are using the same criteria to make evaluations and decisions. That is, if you’re an Effectiveness person it may be very difficult to understand another person who is using, say, Accuracy. When they come to a conclusion that favors conceptual analysis over what works, the assumption is that person is being short-sighted, and somewhat stupid. Since we all do this (to some extent), in a romantic relationship this can be disastrous. On some level we ‘get’ that other people see the world differently than we do, but without a solid model these differences end up becoming gender stereotypes. “Women just want men to listen to them and not solve problems,” or “Men just want to be alone in their ‘man cave’ when they have problems.” Since there is definitely a gender skew in personality types, these stereotypes play out often enough that we take them for granted. Real trouble surfaces when we’re a personality type not common to our gender but we’re still expected to play out the normal ‘script’. When our mate can’t ‘read’ or ‘predict’ us (or vice versa!) it can become a serious issue. It’s a frustrating exercise trying to communicate love (and look for markers of love from your mate) only to watch the attempts fall flat. In most things to ‘fail again, fail better’ is a noble pursuit, but in love if we believe the answer to our question “Do you love me?” is “No” or “I’m not sure” too often, you can do real damage to your own heart and your mate’s. Knowing your own decision-making process and your lover’s is a much easier way of being able to say clearly, “When I look for love, this is what I’m looking at.” How “Harmony” asks “Do you love me?”Myers-Briggs types: ENFJ, INFJ, ESFJ, ISFJ Do you feel connected to me? Will you check in and make sure I’m okay? Will you acknowledge and take care of my needs? Am I safe with you? Do you accept and approve of me? How “Harmony” answers: “Yes! I love you!” I will meet your needs before I meet my own. I will check in regularly and make sure you’re okay. I will do my best to keep morale up. I will show you appreciation in whatever way I’d like to be shown appreciation. How it can be misinterpreted by other types: Smothering, intrusive. How “Authenticity” asks, “Do you love me?”Myers-Briggs types: ENFP, INFP, ESFP, ISFP Do you think I’m being real with you? Do you trust my motives and my intent? Will you support me no matter what – do you have my back? Will you give me space to be “me?” How “Authenticity” answers, “Yes! I love you!” I will be patient with your honest expressions. I will honor your feelings and identity, even if it’s a struggle for both of us. I will hold space for you, and give you alone time when you need it. I will have your back no matter what the fight is. I will trust you have my best interests at heart. How it can be misinterpreted by other types: Passive, self-absorbed How “Effectiveness” asks, “Do you love me?”Myers-Briggs types: ENTJ, INTJ, ESTJ, ISTJ Will you handle things – can I rely on you? Will you make my life easier, can I relax knowing you’re “on it?” Will you support my career and/or goals and be self-sufficient? Are you loyal? How “Effectiveness” answers, “Yes! I love you!” I will be endlessly loyal on principle. I will educate myself on you and learn how you operate. I will take pride in you, boasting about your accomplishments even before my own. I will protect you. I chose you. I continue to choose you. Case closed. How it can be misinterpreted by other types: Controlling, distant, “unromantic” How “Accuracy” asks, “Do you Love Me?”Myers-Briggs types: ENTP, INTP, ESTP, ISTP Do you think I’m totally competent? Are you impressed with my performance? Do you trust that I’m not lying to you or B.S.’ing you in any way? Does it make sense that you love me? That you stay with me? How “Accuracy” answers, “Yes! I love you!” I will be rigorously honest with you. If I have a ‘wandering eye’ I will tell you, and provide a solution. I will gift you with my precision. I will learn you and give high performance at all levels. I will protect you from others, but not from yourself. I will never judge you. Instead, I will be there for you when things go bad, no matter why they went bad. How it can be misinterpreted by other types: Harsh, insensitive, cold Did this resonate with you and what you know of your type? Were you able to spot your lover’s decision-making criteria, and how can it help you communicate to them that you love them in a way that’s meaningful to them? Let us know! Leave a comment and share your experience. -Antonia Interested in gaining deep insight into how you and your lover operate within your relationship? Want to get to the next level of intimacy on a deep, cognitive level? This article is just a taste of our full course “Couples Mapping: Personality Types in Marriage & Relationships.
Everyone gets down in the dumps from time to time, but coping mechanisms may differ from person to person. Here is a look at how each MBTI personality type may deal with their emotional distress.
Have you ever wondered if certain personality types are smarter than others? While I'm pretty strongly against 'type-ism' or praising one type over another, there are certain types of intelligence that each type brings to the table. We're going to start by talking about the extraverted intuitive personality types, or NPs for short. All four
ENFPs are known as the most introverted extroverts.
How Approachable Each Personality Type Actually Is Some people are not afraid to make the first move, and will initiate contact without fear. Others prefer to be approached in order to make new friends- but sometimes their outward expressions are not all that approachable. Here is how approachable each personality type most likely is. INFJ …
Think you're an unhealthy INFP or know someone who is? Discover the signs and traits of an imbalanced or immature INFP in-depth.
They’re capable of being very analytical even when you don’t think they are Their emotions run so quickly and intensely that you could get whiplash INFPs are very elitist about the things they choose...
Right now the world is in a stage of panic and anxiety. Everyone is having a really rough time trying to stay calm. If you’re stuck in your home with a significant other or family member that you dearly love, but is starting to lose their cool in a way that confuses you, here are
“And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: it is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye.”– Antoine de Saint-Exupery, an INFP INFPs are some of the most complex individuals you will ever meet. On the surface, they may seem quiet and unassuming,...
Have you ever noticed that the things that scare some people hardly ruffle the feathers of other people? Personality type can play a part in what people fear and today we're looking at the top fears of the INFP personality type! 10 Things That Terrify INFPs - According to 301 INFPs Fear can be an
“And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: it is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye.”– Antoine de Saint-Exupery, an INFP INFPs are some of the most complex individuals you will ever meet. On the surface, they may seem quiet and unassuming,...
Have you ever wondered how you can get better at achieving the objectives you set out for yourself? Do you ever feel like if you had a different personality type it would be easier? Today we’re going to look at some of the strengths and weaknesses each Myers-Briggs® type experiences when they set goals and
Today we're going to take a close look at the four personality types characterized by their use of Extraverted Intuition (Ne). These personality types are known for their innovative ideas, big picture vision, and ability to see connections between random events in the universe. Next week we will discuss the Intuitive Judging personality types (INFJs,
In the personality community, there are a lot of myths and stereotypes related to both sensors and intuitives. Some people perceive intuitives as wrapped up in fruitless fantasies, and some intuitives perceive sensors to be dull or unimaginative. Let's take a look at how you can REALLY tell if you're a sensing or intuitive personality
Not sure what your personality type is? Take our new personality questionnaire here. Or you can take the official MBTI® here. ISTJ - How to Be Careful, Yet Confident ISTJs have a steady, focused determination to do what they believe is important. You don't flinch when roadblocks get in the way of your plans, instead,
INFP children are some of the most emotionally rich, creative individuals you'll ever meet. Their strong personal values, philosophical nature, and insightful way of viewing the world make them stand out from the crowd. They are seen as sensitive souls and are often more on the quiet side as children. Myers-Briggs® expert David Kiersey calls
'I feel everything. I feel emotions that aren't even mine. It's exhausting' 'I don't do emotions. I do logic. Emotions are stupid.' 'Nobody understands what I feel inside. Why can't they appreciate my values?' As an MBTI® practitioner, I hear lines like these daily. Differences in emotional processing can create rifts in relationships and damaging
I've been asked over and over again if there is any scientific evidence for the MBTI® or psychological type. I usually direct people towards the work of neuroscience expert Dario Nardi or the numerous scientific studies done on extroversion and introversion. But today I thought I'd put together a quick-and-easy read to show you some
What are the cognitive functions? Find out in this in-depth article that will explain Fe vs Fi, Te vs Ti, Ne vs Ni, and Se vs Si
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® is an assessment that aims to sort people into one of 16 different personality types. The indicator is derived from the work of Swiss psychoanalyst C.G. Jung, who first wrote about psychological type in his groundbreaking 1921 work, Psychological Types. The MBTI® assessment is used by 80 percent of the Fortune...
What makes each of the 16 Myers-Briggs personality types obnoxious? Find out in this revealing look at the types at their worst!
Updated on 4/17/2023 When it comes to conflict, each personality type has their own set of strengths and weaknesses. Some of us are good at peacemaking, but on the flip side, we might make peace too soon and leave things unresolved. Some of us are good at recalling facts and specifics, but we might overload
Did you know that each personality type experiences time in a slightly different way? Some types are more likely to revisit the past while others are more likely to stay tuned into the present or future. Knowing how each individual experiences and manages time can help you to avoid conflicts. Many times fights and arguments
Have you ever felt like the veritable “ugly duckling” in your family? It might feel like everyone else fits certain criteria, but no matter how hard you try fitting in it still seems like an exercise in futility. Perhaps you get along great with your family, but there’s a sense that you’re all living in...
An INFP needs variety and personal autonomy. Don't confine them to a box and force them to live and work the same way, every day.
The INFP can feel like a walking paradox. Why is this? It’s because the INFP's cognitive functions often contradict each other.
Find out which of the 16 personality types fits you best with our personality test. Discover more about your Myers-Briggs & Enneagram types!
-Constant reminders that their partner is still interested -Need to be able to openly talk to partner -An emotionally deep partner -A partner who doesn’t take silence as a yes, because INFPs have a...
INFP: The Healer 2021 Update: HEY Y'ALL! This post has been working its way through the world since 2015. Since then, I wrote a book! It ...
INFP vs INFJ: These two personality types can be difficult to tell apart. This personality type showdown outlines 5 surprising differences.
So, first of all, it should go without saying that not all of this is going to be applicable to every INFP's situation, right? So, if a few aren't relevant, it doesn't discount your whole life or mean anything about your identity. These suggestions are based on a pretty broad swath of INFPs I have known, both personally and professionally, and the struggles that seem to be most common. 1) Stop being so hard on yourself, INFP! You are never going to be perfect. Perfection isn't even a thing. You're going to make mistakes (plenty of them) and accidentally hurt people's feelings and do the wrong thing and generally make a mess sometimes, and it's okay. You don't need to hide in the corner and self-flagellate when you do. You don't need to spiral into a pit of despair. It is entirely possible - and much healthier - to address whatever happened, apologize or clean it up, and move on. You're never going to be perfect, but you're good enough. I promise. 2) Repeating: who you are is completely, totally okay. You may feel like you have no defenses in this cruel, cold world, but don't hide who you are. You may feel almost like there's something fundamentally wrong with you; you're so sensitive and have so many feelings. It can be overwhelming and you may want to hide it, but I would argue that we really need people like you, so let us see you. The world needs people who are soft and tender-hearted and gentle and who accept others in all their quirky ways. Hold that kind of space for people; that's your gift. I know you aren't going to be able to let everyone in indiscriminately, but trust that there is value in exposing your truest self to the ones who matter. 3) Practice using words when you need to withdraw. Tell the people around you "I'm feeling overwhelmed and I'm going to need some time to myself" rather than just disappear on them and cause worry. Use words to say "I feel depressed" or "I am sad" or "This hurts me" instead of pretending like you're fine but suffering on the inside or worse, shutting down and being unreachable. When you do it this way, the people who love you worry about you. They worry they did something wrong, or that you don't love them, or that there is something terrible ailing you. But sometimes it's nothing, right? You just need to be alone for a while. Say that. Let people know you. Teach people how to treat you, and what you need, and how you are. 4) Work on not taking everything so personally. Sometimes criticism, while hard to hear, is helpful; it's how we grow. It rarely means anything about who you are as a person. It is rarely an indictment of your character. When you feel criticized or hurt, think through what the person meant by it, what their intentions were, whether it's something to be upset about. Think about whether they might actually have a point, and then use the feedback to make some changes. But skip the part where you absorb the criticism and feel unnecessarily bad about yourself for having stuff you need to work on. We all do. 5) On the other hand, related to the previous suggestion, you can also practice using words to say when something feels bad to you instead of pulling inward to lick your wounds. Just say "That hurt my feelings". This one is particularly hard for male INFPs, because of course we socialize men to be tough and whatnot. INFP dudes, here's the thing: you ain't that tough, and that's perfect. That is exactly right. You don't have to be tough in the traditional hyper-masculine ways the world expects. You march to the beat of your own drum anyway, so you can be revolutionary when you set an example for other men in your life that it is safe to be emotional, to be sensitive, to say "that hurt my feelings" instead of resorting to the anger or stonewalling we have come to expect from men. 6) You are very slow to make decisions, presumably because you want to make sure you have all the information you need, but the byproduct of this is that you almost always wait too long to do something you know needs done. You are likely to languish in bad relationships far longer than you should or stay at that job you hate because you are afraid to do the wrong thing, or of being hurtful, or you aren't positive you did every single possible thing that you could to make the situation work. I get it. The problem is though that you sometimes drag your feet even when you really do know what to do. It doesn't serve you. It just wastes your time, and other people's time. 7) Sometimes you take too long with decision-making because of fear of failure. To this I say: fuck it. You're going to fail sometimes. That's fine. You can handle whatever comes next. See #1. 8) ..... The remaining content has moved to a new blog home!!!!!! https://www.patreon.com/posts/874395 2021 Update: HEY Y'ALL! This post has been working its way through the world since 2015. Since then, I wrote a book! It just came out a few weeks ago. You can learn more here or order it here or here. TO READ #8-14 (and tons of other stuff about personality types and love and life and communication and happiness), please go to https://www.patreon.com/posts/8743950 www.patreon.com/amymiller This article's specific new home is: https://www.patreon.com/posts/how-to-be-infp-8743950 Also watch this: https://www.patreon.com/posts/14110909 INFP functional stack: Fi Ne Si Te Here is a post you can share with your partner to help him or her understand you better: http://millercounseling.blogspot.com/2015/02/care-feeding-of-infp.html If you want to talk more about this: www.millercounseling.org
By Dr. A.J. Drenth The INFP does not want just any job or career. INFPs want to do something they love, something they are passionate…
Who doesn't love an INFP? They're sincere, loyal and their heads are filled with love and magic. If there is any doubt as to whether you are one, here is a checklist of 33 signs to consider.
INFP: The Healer 2021 Update: HEY Y'ALL! This post has been working its way through the world since 2015. Since then, I wrote a book! It just came out a few weeks ago. You can learn more here or order it here or here. The most helpful thing to understand about INFP is that they are first and foremost deeply introverted. They are also incredibly sensitive. Some vast majority of their cognitive energy is spent simply feeling their feelings. And they have so.many.feelings. This is actually quite a lot of work on an energetic level, and can be exhausting for the INFP, particularly for INFPs who haven't developed skill or comfort expressing themselves, because then basically their whole life is happening inside their heads. The INFP is private and guarded naturally, so even the well-developed INFP is often reticent to express their deepest feelings. When they do, it would behoove their partner to lean in, get comfortable, and listen carefully. The INFP will clam right back up if they feel remotely judged, criticized, or unheard, and it will be a long while before they try again with you. (If they ever do). It is not uncommon to find INFPs who habitually isolate themselves or push people away, often because they had negative relationship experiences in the past or even just because they fear negative experiences. (Remember they are extremely sensitive, so deep emotional wounds can take a long time to heal). A wounded INFP will protect that rich internal landscape with the tenacity of a pack of junkyard dogs. Admittedly, these self-protective INFPs are hard to build relationships with, but it is not impossible with patience, time, and practical affection. And I will add here that it is entirely worth it, because any INFP is a wonderful partner when you really snag one. They will give you all the space and understanding you need, a quality that is especially valuable if you're a big, weird extravert who struggles to find a partner who accepts you fully. An INFP will embrace your idiosyncrasies willingly; in fact, they tend to prefer "weird" or unconventional people. And once they trust you, they actually like it when you encourage them to get outside of themselves. They can be hilarious, silly, fun, playful partners. They can be wonderful performers and storytellers, in part due to their rich imaginations. They are also great with kids, in part because they are somewhat childlike and innocent themselves. They do well with bright, optimistic, cheerful, peaceful, steady, independent partners who are undaunted by their dark spells. Because INFPs (even under the best of circumstances) are prone to dark spells, depression, and self-pity. They are very hard on themselves and prone to feeling guilty or ashamed and getting stuck in cycles of feeling this way. And they will usually withdraw when they are hurt or overwhelmed. It's just how they are. So a partner of an INFP has to learn to curb the urge to draw them out forcefully, because it won't work. They will actually be most likely to dig their heels in and retreat further if you try to force them to open up when they don't want to or aren't ready. That said, they do need your encouragement to come back from the dark side, especially if you have done or said something to contribute to their shutdown. You will need to gently inquire as to what's going on with them, and what you can do or say to make it better, and wait patiently until they are ready to talk to you about it. I know that sounds confusing. Here's another way to say it: https://www.patreon.com/posts/care-and-feeding-8768336 THE REMAINING PARAGRAPHS (of which there are many) HAVE MOVED TO THEIR NEW HOME https://www.patreon.com/posts/24006613 www.patreon.com/amymiller
