ENFP

ENFPs as They Typically Are

ENFPs are spontaneous individuals who tend to approach things with a sense of excitement and glee. They are attuned to what is going on around them and see the potential for things to develop in unexpected and exciting ways. They tend to be very adaptable in their thinking and are often good at getting others on board with issues and causes, and getting them to contribute to these in any way that they can.

However, they tend to be better at motivating others rather than rallying, leading, or instructing them. This is because ENFPs usually dislike currying favor for the sake of currying favor or having to express emotion appropriately or as a facade.

ENFPs tend to be more sensitive than they appear. They can often seem excitable and passionate but underneath, they like to keep how they are really feeling to themselves. They are somewhat private about their emotions and can get defensive at times if they feel like somebody is intruding on them or being insensitive to their values or something they care deeply about.

ENFPs are often idealistic and care deeply about the world and people, and they will often undertake a crusade in order to help the marginalized or the underdogs in society. The ENFP will naturally see things from the point of view of the outsiders and seek to champion their cause. ENFPs tend to be incredibly accepting of people, even accepting of those who may have drastically different stances on things than they do. This tolerance tends to be a result of their 'live and let live' attitude where they just want everyone to get along and lend a helping hand to the unfortunate. They aren't as interested in social structures as they are in community, that is to say, in making sure everyone feels like they are a unique individual who is appreciated and has something valuable to offer.

With all of the energy ENFPs tend to spend on motivating others, they often need time to themselves where they need to withdraw. While they very much are social people, they can get tired of dealing with people, dealing with their needs, their demands, and the different formalities that others expect. If things get too structured, ENFPs will typically begin to feel constricted, that is, they will feel like they don't have the time and space to be themselves and to be free. They tend to like taking things as they come, and can find repetition and pre-planned structures very tedious and boring.

ENFPs tend to be intellectually oriented and the subject that tends to interest them the most is people. They typically find the world to be a fascinating place and the people who fill it even more fascinating. As a consequence, ENFPs tend to gravitate towards fields such as psychology, sociology, anthropology, and other related fields. They are intrigued by the diversity of humanity in both its ideas and how they are expressed across space and time; about what connects us and also what makes us different. They tend to see multiplicity in everything, where there is no one true way to live, love, or solve a given problem.

In the personal realm ENFPs tend to have a very engaging demeanor where they often make good conversationalists, bouncing around from subject to subject, joking and laughing. They enjoy conversing with others in order to learn what they think, what they are doing, how they feel about some issue, and what is important to them. They will often be highly playful in conversation, coming up with all kinds of wacky ideas and off-the-wall things to do and say, and they may often impress others with how quickly they think.

ENFPs are often restless in life and they tend to not like the thought of settling down or doing anything for too long. They like jobs that challenge them mentally and introduce them to new people whom they tend to see as the carriers of new ideas. They tend to like being the harbingers of meaningful change and often feel an urge to be free to go wherever their fancy takes them.

ENFPs generally make excellent communicators where they excel at an enthusiastic diplomacy. They tend to seem scattered and excitable, but at the same time to come across as bubbly, accepting, and relatable. They are often adept at provoking enthusiastic and heartfelt responses in others, and it is often in this manner that they make for indispensable motivators who are able to get others mobilized and to start paying attention to a problem, while the ENFP creatively adds their own ideas. They get people involved and feeling like they have a stake in what is going on, where their work is valued, and everyone is working towards the realization of a better world.