10 Things That Excite the INFJ Personality Type
For upon |If you’re an INFJ personality type, chances are you’ve had a few “fish out of water” moments. In a world predominantly made up of other types, sometimes your interests and joys can fall flat for other people (or their interests can fall flat for you!). Here are a few things that INFJs find extremely stimulating and energizing.
#1 – Complexity
Ever wonder why you see so many INFJs in online-type communities? That’s because these types FEED off of complexity – especially psychological complexity. INFJs are the most frequent visitors to Myers-Briggs® websites because they love digging into the theory of personality (as well as many other theories) as deeply as possible. The more unknowns they find, the more excited they get. If a concept is too one-dimensional they are usually disappointed.
#2 – Vision
Neuroscience expert Dario Nardi has found that Ni-dominant personality types (INFJs and INTJs) enter a “flow” like state when they envision or imagine how things will play out in the future. In fact, INFJs and INTJs naturally use their mental energy to imagine distant future possibilities and conclusions. They get a thrill from tinkering with ideas of what might happen in 20, 50, or 100 years. It’s a plus if they can do all of this in a quiet, peaceful environment without extraneous distractions.
#3 – Psychology
INFJs are extremely idealistic, empathetic personalities. They yearn to understand human nature and the essence of who everyone is. They enjoy understanding the complex reasons why people think, process, and behave the way that they do. This is likely why INFJs are over-represented among counselors and psychotherapists* (MBTI®Manual – 3rd Edition).
#4 – Intellectual Conversation
INFJs enjoy deep conversations with intellectually curious individuals. They enjoy talking about philosophy, psychology, religion, and a lot of the “taboo” subjects that many other people avoid. They enjoy asking questions, looking for answers, and understanding how other people see the world.
#5 – Being Alone in Nature
INFJs find themselves refreshed and inspired by being alone in nature. The peace and quiet of the mountains, the lakes, and the forests all calm their busy minds and help them to focus and meditate on all that is possible and true, and beautiful in the world.
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#6 – Silence
While INFJs enjoy companionship and music, they also find themselves mentally enlivened by moments of silence. In fact, moments of complete sensory deprivation can cause their intuition to work with extra clarity and power. Many times INFJs get their clearest, deepest “aha moments” in periods of stillness, darkness, and complete solitude.
#7 – Adventure
Reading about INFJs you might expect them to stay holed up in a dark corner all the time. However, it’s important for INFJs to take occasional breaks for adventure. Their inferior function, Extraverted Sensing (Se) is all about experiencing the external world in high definition. When INFJs don’t “appease” Se they can become poorly developed and out-of-balance. Taking occasional breaks to do something thrilling and interactive can inspire them and give them a burst of energy. This can be anything from deep-sea diving to trying a new food or traveling to a new part of the world.
#8 – Reading
Most INFJs are major book lovers. In fact, in a study I conducted comparing type and reading, INFJs came in 2nd place, averaging a total number of 67 books read per year! Reading stimulates their imagination and opens their mind to new possibilities, universes, and emotions.
#9 – Raw, Intimate Conversation
INFJs enjoy delving into rich human experiences and shared feelings. They love authentic conversation where both they and the person they are speaking with are able to divulge their fears, weaknesses, joys, ideas, failures, and successes. They want to travel the emotional pathways others have trod and understood them on a meaningful, core level.
#10 – Creativity
INFJs are usually creative and innovative. They like to do things in new ways and they enjoy expressing their ideas through artwork, music, writing, and more. Many famous authors and artists have been INFJs and even actors/actresses like Benedict Cumberbatch, Cate Blanchett, and Daniel Day-Lewis. INFJs should try to engage in at least one creative activity every day! You can find some creative ideas specifically for INFJs here.
The article was originally published here.
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