What is an INFJ?

Myers and Briggs developed the MBTI 16 personalities.

Some times referred to as the counsellor, the INFJ personality type accounts for about 2% of the population and is considered the least common type. None surprisingly, the counsellor type are most likely to cope with stress by seeing a therapist.

Introverted

Intuitive

Feeling

Judging

Life as an INFJ

Intesnesly idealistic, INFJs operate from a heavily considered set of personal values. Meaning an INFJ is adept at imagining a clear, more perfect future. This can lead to harsh discontentment with reality but none the less provides the INFJ with motivation and desire to make the world a better place. Alternatively infj are likely the highest of all types for marriage dissatisfaction for the very same reason.

INFJs seek meaningful and deep connections with others but will often have a select few with whom they appreciate emotional intimacy.

The intensity and depth of an INFJs inner world is powerful which causes them to appear mysterious or private to people the INFJ doesn’t trust or share an authentic, committed connection with.

INFJs are highly perceptive of other people, they are complex individuals who want to help people to achieve understanding. Not fearing complex situations leads to lengthy contemplation and reflection of ethics and ideas about any happenings they encounter.

Because the INFJ is often private, their intensity can be a shock for others when an INFJ feels their values are being called into question. The usual exterior display of an INFJ acts almost like a veil beyond which few are allowed; beyond which vast and intense complexity gives almost a new life to the beast entirely.

Beneath the exterior interactions the emotional, thinking self has already had a thousand thoughts in a short space of time. The INFJ is often surprised to learn that not everyone has a constant stream of thoughts and need for mental material to mull over to avoid looping or becoming exhausted by the old.

An INFJ will refrain from fully engaging with others they feel do not appreciate or understand them. Combining this with the inner world complexity makes an INFJ hard to know.

Because INFJ are deep, quick, constant in their attempts to interpret incoming stimuli from the world around them they may also at times experience phases of rapid development or idea change and be frustrated by others inability to ‘keep up’.

INFJ are fiercely loyal to their own understandings of the world, trusting the rigidity of their beliefs because of the thought applied in establishing them in the first place. As a result they will not be led easily, if at all into anything which does not authentically align with them.

At the point of sensing their values are not being respected or intuiting that someones intentions are not good, the INFJ is likely to withdraw: the INFJ doorslam.

Popular hobbies for the INFJ include writing, art appreciation, cultural events, reading, socializing in small, intimate settings, and playing or listening to music.

Spirituality, learning and serving the community are likely personal values which often underpin careers or interests in religion, counselling, teaching, the arts.

If you’re interested in finding out which personality type you have I would recommend taking tests alone and being as entirely honest with yourself as you can be. I would also reccomend a test, retest approach and record the results each time.