Exploring the quirky nature of the ENFP personality type
What is the ENFP personality type like?
The ENFP personality type is an outgoing enthusiast who is usually described as so lively and energetic that their energy rubs off on other people. They are the ones to motivate the entire team to endure a long workweek or sit through lengthy meetings, so they are often called the Champions.
Everyone usually loves having an ENFP in their lives since their outgoing and friendly nature brings out the best in people. These individuals are friendly, like to mingle with people, and need to connect with others on a deeper level. Besides, since they are rather open-minded, they will always accept people and all the differences they come with.
Words to describe the ENFP personality
- Enthusiastic
- Friendly
- Creative
- Compassionate
- Idealistic
- Spontaneous
- Warm
- Empathetic
- Expressive
- Passionate
- Dreamy
- Adventurous
What does ENFP mean?
What does ENFP mean?
Their Extraverted trait means that an ENFP is a real people person. Their lively and upbeat approach to life makes them the life of any party. While they appreciate some alone time occasionally, they function great when thrown in big crowds.
The Intuitive trait means that people who have it like to use their imagination while looking for new ideas and experiences. They seek deeper meaning in everything, which is why they sometimes lack practicality.
The Feeling preference makes ENFP males and females prone to going through life wearing their hearts on their sleeves. Sometimes, they might not even realize that they are following their hearts without listening to reason. Their virtues and personal beliefs are of utmost importance to them, but they can still accept another person’s point of view.
Finally, the Perceiving orientation signifies that planning isn’t their strong suit. ENFPs are very flexible and spontaneous, which can make them seem flaky. As they aren’t very organized, these people are certainly quick to jump the gun and get distracted by another project or idea before even completing the ones they have already started.
ENFP stands for:
- - Extraverted
- - Intuitive
- - Feeling
- - Perceiving
How to recognize an ENFP
ENFPs are easily recognizable, due to their unparalleled enthusiasm for life and imaginative nature. Being quirky is one of the many reasons why others find them charming and alluring.
Some of the tell-tale signs on how to recognize an ENFP are the following ones:
Vivid Imagination
ENFP females or males can be recognized by their sparkling imagination and belief in things that cannot be explained rationally. They often find themselves on the lookout for the magic of everyday life.
Living in the moment
ENFPs are also prone to seeking and enjoying small pleasures, so you’ll spot them by paying attention to those individuals who stop to admire the sky or smell the grass. They are always in pursuit of happiness and inspiration, which, for them, comes from mundane things.
Idiosyncrasy
ENFPs can read into people’s actions; however, their wild imagination may result in them seeing things that aren’t always there. Some personalities might find ENFPs behavior a bit peculiar, however, that’s just a huge part of their charm.
ENFP-A vs. ENFP-T
There are two subtypes of the ENFP personality type—ENFP-A and ENFP-T. The A in ENFP-A stands for assertive, and the T in ENFP-T stands for turbulent.
ENFP-A
ENFP-As tend to be more confident and bold than ENFP-Ts. The former is more likely to materialize all the ideas that come to them, while the latter is more likely to live in their fantasy world instead of taking action.
ENFP-T
ENFP-Ts are more pessimistic than ENFP-As, as even a small inconvenience can seem like a huge disaster to them. On the other hand, ENFP-As are some of the happiest and most optimistic people you will ever come across.
How rare is the ENFP personality?
ENFP is the tenth-rarest personality type, as 8.1% of the general population is believed to have these traits. As many as 9.7% of women in the world are ENFPs, while 6.4% of men identify as having this personality type.
How are ENFPs perceived?
ENFPs are perceived as quirky, charming, and easy-going people. They are seen as warm and good-willed but also overwhelming at times. Not everyone can match their energy or feel comfortable with it, but generally, people consider them communicative and authentic.
What do ENFPs value?
ENFPs value their feelings and personal beliefs over anything else. They are authentic, so they know how to appreciate this quality once they see it in others. Moreover, this personality type has clarity of purpose. It is their goal to leave the world a better place than they found it, and they value people who have the same intention.
Interesting fact about ENFPs
ENFPs are believed to be a personality type that’s most likely to believe in karma.
“It’s the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting.”
Paulo Coelho
ENFP cognitive functions
Cognitive functions are components that define how each personality type perceives the world and makes decisions.
Here are the four primary cognitive functions of the ENFP personality type:
Dominant extraverted intuition (Ne)
This function makes ENFPs focus more on abstract ideas rather than concrete things and are very likely to focus on the future rather than on the present moment.
Auxiliary Introverted feeling (Fi)
This function is responsible for turning ENFPs into authentic people who have strong values.
Tertiary extraverted thinking (Te)
ENFPs can tap into this function once they mature. It teaches them how to follow through with their plans and brings some structure into their lives.
Inferior introverted sensing (Si)
This would be their inferior function and, therefore, the weakest one. It is because of this function that they can focus on details and even tap into their past experiences when faced with a new experience or challenge.
Famous ENFPs you might know
Jennifer Aniston
Everyone’s favorite ‘Friend,’ Jennifer Aniston, oozes warmth and good energy. She is also great at transitioning between projects, making her the ultimate ENFP celebrity.
Gwen Stefani
As eclectic and emotionally expressive as she is, Gwen Stefani shows all the typical features of this personality type.
Charles Dickens
His style of writing is a dead giveaway of his personality type. Furthermore, he loved people and always looked for deep connections.
Sandra Bullock
This A-list actress is passionate and creative. Besides, she is always juggling between a few projects, as she’s so inspired that it’s difficult for her to focus on one thing only.
Jim Carrey
There aren’t many actors who are more creative and imaginative than Jim Carrey. His ability to take on different roles and manifest many personas makes him the perfect representative of the ENFP personality type.