ENFP Personality Characteristics, Myths & Cognitive Functions

ENFP Personality Characteristics, Myths & Cognitive Functions Theories Personality Psychology Print ENFP: The Champion (Extraverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Perceiving) An Overview of the ENFP Personality Type By Kendra Cherry facebook twitter Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author, educational consultant, and speaker focused on helping students learn about psychology. Learn about our editorial policy Kendra Cherry Reviewed by Reviewed by Amy Morin, LCSW on January 26, 2020 facebook twitter instagram Amy Morin, LCSW, is a psychotherapist, author of the bestselling book 13 Things Mentally Strong People Dont Do, and a highly sought-after speaker. Learn about our Wellness Board Amy Morin, LCSW on January 26, 2020 Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Overview Intuitive-Thinking INTJ INTP ENTJ ENTP Intuitive-Feeling INFJ INFP ENFJ ENFP Sensing-Judging ISTJ ISFJ ESTJ ESFJ Sensing-Perceiving ISTP ISFP ESTP ESFP In This Article Table of Contents Expand Key ENFP Characteristics Cognitive Functions Personal Relationships Career Paths Tips for Interacting With ENFPs View All The ENFP personality type is one of the 16 different types identified by the  Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). People with this type of personality are often described as  enthusiastic, charismatic, and creative. People with this personality type are very charming, energetic, and independent. They are creative and do best in situations where they have the freedom to be creative and innovative.?? An estimated 5 to 7 percent of people are ENFPs. Illustration by JR Bee, Verywell Key ENFP Characteristics ENFPs  have  excellent people skills. In addition to having an abundance of enthusiasm, they also genuinely care about others. ENFPs are good at understanding what other people are feeling. Given their zeal, charisma, and creativity, they can also make  great leaders.People with this personality type  strongly dislike routine and prefer to focus on the future.?? While they are great at generating new ideas, they sometimes put off important tasks until the last minute. Dreaming up ideas but not seeing them through to completion is a common problem.ENFPs can also become easily distracted, particularly when they are working on something that seems boring or uninspiring.ENFPs are flexible and like to keep their options open. They can be spontaneous and are highly adaptable to change. They also dislike routine and may have problems with disorganization and procrastination. Strengths Warm and enthusiastic Empathetic and caring Strong people skills Strong communication skills Fun and spontaneous Highly creative Weaknesses Needs approval from others Disorganized Tends to get stressed out easily Can be overly emotional Overthinks Struggles to follow rules Cognitive Functions Each personality type is composed of four cognitive functions that relate to how people process information and make decisions. It is the first two functions that play the most obvious role in personality. The latter two functions also play a role in personality, although their influence may only arise in certain settings or situations. Dominant: Extraverted Intuition ENFPs generally focus on the world of possibilities. They are good at abstract thinking and prefer not to concentrate on the tiny details.?? They are inventive and focused on the future. ENTPs are good at seeing things as they might be rather than focusing simply what they are. They have a natural tendency to focus on relationships and are skilled at finding patterns and connections between people, situations, and ideas. Auxiliary: Introverted Feeling When  making decisions, ENFPs place a greater value on feelings and values rather than on logic and objective criteria. They tend to follow their heart, empathize with others, and let their emotions guide their decisions. ENTPs have a strong desire to be true to themselves and their values. In an ideal world, their the world would be in congruence with their values. Tertiary: Extraverted Thinking This cognitive function is centered on organizing information and ideas in a logical way. When looking at information, the ENTP may use this function to sort through disparate data in order to efficiently spot connections. For example, an ENTP might think out loud as they are working through a problem, laying out all the information in order to create an easily followed train of thought. Inferior: Introverted Sensing ENTPs express this function by comparing the things they are experiencing in the moment to past experiences. In doing so, they are often able to call to mind memories, feelings, and senses that they associate with those events. This allows the individual to seek patterns and form expectations for future events based upon their previous experiences. ENFPs You Might Know Andy Kaufmann, comedianDr. Seuss, childrens authorSalvador Dali, artistEllen Degeneres, comedian and talk show hostRon Weasley, Harry Potter Personal Relationships ENFPs are  extroverts, which means that they love spending time with other people.??  Socializing actually gives them more energy, helping them to feel renewed, refreshed, and excited about life. While other types of extraverts tend to dislike solitude, ENFPs do have a need for some alone time in order to think and reflect. ENTPs tend to be warm and passionate in relationships. As extraverts, they are naturally upbeat and gregarious. In relationships, they are always seeking growth and ways to make their partnerships stronger. They tend to be attentive and spontaneous. Their willingness to take risks can sometimes be stressful for those who love them. Career Paths When choosing a career path, it is a good idea for people to understand the potential strengths and weaknesses of their personality type. People with the ENFP personality type do best in  jobs that offer a lot of flexibility.?? Because they are empathetic and interested in people, they often do well in service-oriented careers. They should avoid careers that involve completing a lot of detailed, routine tasks.   Popular ENFP Careers PsychologistJournalistActorTV Anchor/ReporterNutritionistNurseSocial WorkerPoliticianCounselor Tips for Interacting With ENFPs Friendships ENFPs make fun and exciting friends. They enjoy doing new things and usually have a wide circle of friends and acquaintances. They are perceptive of other people feelings and are good at understanding other people quite quickly.?? You can help your ENFP friends by providing the emotional support to help them achieve their goals. Parenting Because ENFPs dislike routine, their children may sometimes perceive them as inconsistent. However, they typically have strong, loving relationships with their kids and are good at imparting their sense of values. Parents of ENFP children will find that their child has a strong sense of imagination and a great deal of enthusiasm for life. Your childs energy may seem overwhelming at times, but you should look for ways to help your child explore their creativity. One struggle they may face is with providing structure and limits. While they recognize the needs for such things, they are not always good at setting or enforcing such limitations. Parents of ENTPs should encourage their kids to be creative, but provide rules and guidelines.?? Relationships ENFPs tend to be passionate and enthusiastic in romantic relationships. Long-term relationships can sometimes hit a snag because people with this personality type are always thinking about what is possible rather than simply focusing on things as they are. In order to keep the romance alive, it is important to look for new ways to bring excitement into the relationship.