Myers-Briggs “ENFP” http://www.personalitypage.com/ENFP.html
As an ENFP, your primary mode of
living is focused externally, where you take things in primarily via your
intuition. Your secondary mode is internal, where you deal with things
according to how you feel about them, or how they fit in with your personal
value system.
ENFPs are warm, enthusiastic people, typically very bright and full of potential. They live in the world of possibilities, and can become very passionate and excited about things. Their enthusiasm lends them the ability to inspire and motivate others, more so than we see in other types. They can talk their way in or out of anything. They love life, seeing it as a special gift, and strive to make the most out of it.
ENFPs have an unusually broad
range of skills and talents. They are good at most things which interest
them. Project-oriented, they may go through several different careers
during their lifetime. To onlookers, the ENFP may seem directionless and
without purpose, but ENFPs are actually quite consistent, in that they have a
strong sense of values which they live with throughout their lives. Everything
that they do must be in line with their values. An ENFP needs to feel that
they are living their lives as their true Self, walking in step with what they
believe is right. They see meaning in everything, and are on a continuous
quest to adapt their lives and values to achieve inner peace. They're
constantly aware and somewhat fearful of losing touch with themselves. Since
emotional excitement is usually an important part of the ENFP's life, and
because they are focused on keeping "centered", the ENFP is usually
an intense individual, with highly evolved values.
An ENFP needs to focus on
following through with their projects. This can be a problem area for some of
these individuals. Unlike other Extraverted types, ENFPs need time
alone to center themselves, and make sure they are moving in a direction which
is in sync with their values. ENFPs who remain centered will usually be quite
successful at their endeavors. Others may fall into the habit of dropping a
project when they become excited about a new possibility, and thus they never
achieve the great accomplishments which they are capable of achieving.
Most ENFPs have great people
skills. They are genuinely warm and interested in people, and place great
importance on their inter-personal relationships. ENFPs almost always have a
strong need to be liked. Sometimes, especially at a younger age, an ENFP will
tend to be "gushy" and insincere, and generally "overdo" in
an effort to win acceptance. However,
once an ENFP has learned to balance their need to be true to themselves with
their need for acceptance, they excel at bringing out the best in others, and
are typically well-liked. They have an exceptional ability to intuitively
understand a person after a very short period of time, and use their intuition
and flexibility to relate to others on their own level.
Because ENFPs live in the world of
exciting possibilities, the details of everyday life are seen as trivial
drudgery. They place no importance on detailed, maintenance-type
tasks, and will frequently remain oblivious to these types of concerns. When
they do have to perform these tasks, they do not enjoy themselves. This is a
challenging area of life for most ENFPs, and can be frustrating for ENFP's
family members.
An ENFP who has "gone
wrong" may be quite manipulative - and very good it. The gift of gab which
they are blessed with makes it naturally easy for them to get what they
want. Most ENFPs will not abuse their
abilities, because that would not jive with their value systems.
ENFPs sometimes make serious
errors in judgment. They have an amazing ability to intuitively perceive
the truth about a person or situation, but when they apply judgment to their
perception, they may jump to the wrong conclusions.
ENFPs who have not learned to follow through may have a difficult time remaining happy in marital relationships. Always seeing the possibilities of what could be, they may become bored with what actually is. The strong sense of values will keep many ENFPs dedicated to their relationships. However, ENFPs like a little excitement in their lives, and are best matched with individuals who are comfortable with change and new experiences.
Having an ENFP parent can be a
fun-filled experience, but may be stressful at times for children with strong
Sensing or Judging tendencies. Such children may see the ENFP parent as
inconsistent and difficult to understand, as the children are pulled along in
the whirlwind life of the ENFP. Sometimes the ENFP will want to be their
child's best friend, and at other times they will play the parental
authoritarian. But ENFPs are always consistent in their value systems, which
they will impress on their children above all else, along with a basic joy of
living.
ENFPs are basically happy people.
They may become unhappy when they are confined to strict schedules or mundane
tasks. Consequently, ENFPs work best in situations where they have a lot of
flexibility, and where they can work with people and ideas. Many go into
business for themselves. They have the ability to be quite productive with
little supervision, as long as they are excited about what they're doing.
Because they are so alert and
sensitive, constantly scanning their environments, ENFPs often suffer from
muscle tension. They have a strong need to be independent, and resist being
controlled or labeled. They need to maintain control over themselves, but
they do not believe in controlling others. Their dislike of dependence and
suppression extends to others as well as to themselves.
ENFPs are charming, ingenuous,
risk-taking, sensitive, people-oriented individuals with capabilities ranging
across a broad spectrum. They have many gifts which they will use to fulfill
themselves and those near them, if they are able to remain centered and master
the ability of following through.
Jungian functional preference ordering for ENFP:
Dominant: Extraverted Intuition
Auxiliary: Introverted Feeling
Tertiary: Extraverted Thinking
Inferior: Introverted Sensing
Keirsey “NF” The Idealist Portrait http://www.advisorteam.com/keirsey_idealist.html
All Idealists (NFs) share the following core characteristics:
Idealists are enthusiastic, they trust their intuition,
yearn for romance, seek their true self, prize meaningful relationships, and
dream of attaining wisdom. Idealists
pride themselves on being loving, kindhearted, and authentic. Idealists tend to be giving, trusting,
spiritual, and they are focused on personal journeys and human potentials. Idealists make intense mates, nurturing
parents, and inspirational leaders.
Idealists, as a temperament, are passionately concerned with personal growth and development. Idealists strive to discover who they are and how they can become their best possible self--always this quest for self-knowledge and self-improvement drives their imagination. And they want to help others make the journey. Idealists are naturally drawn to working with people, and whether in education or counseling, in social services or personnel work, in journalism or the ministry, they are gifted at helping others find their way in life, often inspiring them to grow as individuals and to fulfill their potentials.
Idealists are sure that friendly
cooperation is the best way for people to achieve their goals. Conflict and confrontation upset them
because they seem to put up angry barriers between people. Idealists dream of
creating harmonious, even caring personal relations, and they have a unique
talent for helping people get along with each other and work together for the
good of all. Such interpersonal harmony might be a romantic ideal, but then
Idealists are incurable romantics who prefer to focus on what might be, rather
than what is. The real, practical world is only a starting place for
Idealists; they believe that life is filled with possibilities waiting to be
realized, rich with meanings calling out to be understood. This idea of a
mystical or spiritual dimension to life, the "not visible" or the
"not yet" that can only be known through intuition or by a leap of
faith, is far more important to Idealists than the world of material things.
Highly ethical in their actions,
Idealists hold themselves to a strict standard of personal integrity. They
must be true to themselves and to others, and they can be quite hard on
themselves when they are dishonest, or when they are false or insincere.
More often, however, Idealists are the very soul of kindness. Particularly in
their personal relationships, Idealists are without question filled with love
and good will. They believe in giving of themselves to help others; they
cherish a few warm, sensitive friendships; they strive for a special rapport
with their children; and in marriage they wish to find a "soulmate,"
someone with whom they can bond emotionally and spiritually, sharing their
deepest feelings and their complex inner worlds.
Idealists are rare, making up no
more than 8 to 10 percent of the population. But their ability to inspire
people with their enthusiasm and their idealism has given them influence far
beyond their numbers. The four types of
Idealists are: Healers, Counselors, Champions, and Teachers.
Keirsey “ENFP” The Champion http://www.advisorteam.com/keirsey_idealist_champion.html
Like the other Idealists,
Champions are rather rare, say two or three percent of the population, but even
more than the others they consider intense emotional experiences as being vital
to a full life. Champions have a wide range and variety of emotions, and a
great passion for novelty. They see life as an exciting drama, pregnant with
possibilities for both good and evil, and they want to experience all the
meaningful events and fascinating people in the world. The most outgoing of
the Idealists, Champions often can't wait to tell others of their extraordinary
experiences. Champions can be tireless in talking with others, like
fountains that bubble and splash, spilling over their own words to get it all
out. And usually this is not simple storytelling; Champions often speak (or write)
in the hope of revealing some truth about human experience, or of motivating
others with their powerful convictions. Their strong drive to speak out on
issues and events, along with their boundless enthusiasm and natural talent
with language, makes them the most vivacious and inspiring of all the types.
Fiercely individualistic,
Champions strive toward a kind of personal authenticity, and this intention
always to be themselves is usually quite attractive to others. At the
same time, Champions have outstanding intuitive powers and can tell what is
going on inside of others, reading hidden emotions and giving special
significance to words or actions. In fact, Champions are constantly scanning
the social environment, and no intriguing character or silent motive is likely
to escape their attention. Far more than the other Idealists, Champions are
keen and probing observers of the people around them, and are capable of
intense concentration on another individual. Their attention is rarely passive
or casual. On the contrary, Champions tend to be extra sensitive and alert,
always ready for emergencies, always on the lookout for what's possible.
Champions are good with people and
usually have a wide range of personal relationships. They are warm and full of
energy with their friends. They are likeable and at ease with colleagues, and
handle their employees or students with great skill. They are good in public
and on the telephone, and are so spontaneous and dramatic that others love to
be in their company. Champions are positive, exuberant people, and often their
confidence in the goodness of life and of human nature makes good things
happen.