Creative and sensitive; these two words describe the INFP personality type in the best way possible.
But the question is, what is the INFP personality?
One of the sixteen Myers-Briggs personality types, INFPs combine introversion, intuition, feeling, and prospecting as their dominant traits. This group is the most idealistic of all the MBTI types.
INFPs are prone to finding comfort in their inner world. These “mediators” and “healers” of the world carry an ideological mindset that wants to take up every opportunity for growth. All the while circling the paths of personal values and human emotion.
Sound familiar? Then chances are that you might be an INFP as well!
Taking an INFP personality test would make you know for sure. Or you may learn that you may have a completely different personality type too! After all, there are 16 of them.
Characteristics of The INFP Personality Type
Because of the interaction between the four personality dimensions, an INFP holds many traits that differentiate them from the remaining fifteen Myers-Briggs personality types.
Let’s talk about the strengths and weaknesses INFPs that make them who they are.
INFP Strengths
The single trait that sets INFPs apart from the crowd is their ability to accept others. Even if they sense a difference in values, they waste no time providing comfort and validation to others. For INFPs, it's crucial to ensure that everyone feels heard.
Such an ability to validate stems from an INFP’s empathetic nature, which may be one of the reasons they are referred to as healers. They can easily understand what a person is feeling and are effortlessly able to relate. Such a trait allows them to provide undivided support to the individual in need.
Simply put, they mediate a person’s negative emotions.
Along with these traits, the INFP personality type also holds the strength of being motivating. Their focus on the “bigger picture” allows them to look for the best in people while encouraging them to attain their goals.
Despite being private individuals, INFPs tend to speak up for the right thing. They believe that everyone and everything has the potential to make the world a better place. And if they see that potential in jeopardy, they do not hesitate to fight for it.
Hence, they are loyal to the people they care about and are passionate about their conscience and moralistic creativity.
INFP Weaknesses
One of the main weaknesses of an INFP is their habit of trusting others too much. Their unrealistic expectation of finding good in everyone usually disappoints them.
Such a situation often leads to INFPs being at a standstill. With their perfect vision of the world and other individuals falling apart, they start self-isolating.
Despite the MBTI label of Mediator, people with this personality type tend to self-isolate when in contact with a conflict. Their stress levels increase, and they lose their focus. All because their perfect idea of social and personal harmony gets disrupted. Such instances also make INFPs highly self-critical and ignorant of the little details of a situation.
At the same time, they are also prone to absorbing too much negative energy in the name of empathy. Because of this, INFPs tend to be more susceptible to stress than the other MBTI personality types.
How An INFP Communicates In Different Relationships
INFPs hold high expectations from the people they know. They set the other person on an invisible pedestal without communicating much about it. However, sometimes it is difficult for the person to stay on that pedestal.
Such a dynamic also plays a role in conflicts. If you have a partner who scored high on an INFP personality test, chances are they hate disputes. Therefore, communicating in disagreements becomes tedious.
INFPs tend to avoid conflict as much as they can; therefore understanding what personality types they are compatible with is crucial. Be it in relationships that are romantic or platonic. Their inability to focus on the details of the repair makes it quite hectic to find a solution. They focus more on their negative emotions than on finding a way out of the dispute.
However, this happens when the conflict involves them.
When it comes to resolving conflicts that involve others, INFP individuals are nothing less than pros. They responsibly provide support and assistance. Therefore, INFPs are known to be good listeners and dependable individuals.
Mediators know how to stand their ground for things that matter.
Because of this, they prove to be good parents. They pass on their passionate views of the world to their children, allowing them to be open-minded and generous with their ideas. INFP parents instill deeply embedded moral values in their kids.
Tips For Interacting With An INFP
Just a few pointers to keep in mind if you have a family member, friend, or co-worker who is an INFP:
- Be clear with them about what you are capable of so they do not create high standards
- Respect their privacy and values
- Do not take advantage of their loyalty and advocacy
- Do not make personal attacks on them in a conflicting situation - instead, guide them through it to find a solution
INFP Interests and Occupations: Mediators and Healers
Scoring high on an INFP personality type test means being extremely creative and resourceful. Because of this, INFPs tend to lean towards hobbies and careers that allow them to help others. While both INFP-Ts (Turbulent) and INFP-As (Assertive) share these core values, they may gravitate toward different career paths based on their unique traits. INFP-Ts often seek emotionally fulfilling roles in counseling or social work, while INFP-As may pursue creative or educational professions that align with their confident and independent nature.
Mediators value trying to make the world a better place. The Healer is often drawn to helping professions.
INFPs are hence interested in fields associated to:
- Mentorship and counseling
- Teaching
- Mental health
- Social work
- Literature
- Law
All these fields allow INFPs to widen their horizon and do what they find value in.
If you want to learn more about jobs that would be the best fit for your personality, the Holland Career Interests assessment is a great place to start.
Are You in the Same Group as These INFP Personality Type Celebrities?
One way to get a better “feel” for Myers-Briggs personality types is to look at who models it in real life.
Here are some famous people with the INFP personality type. We can see many famous names at the top of the list:
- William Shakespeare — the author who changed the world with his morally expressive pieces of writings that truly stir human emotions
- Princess Diana — also known as the People’s Princess, played a significant part in her role as a humanitarian who strived to improve the world through love and kindness
- Audrey Hepburn — the graceful actress and humanitarian who won hearts because of her kind and generous nature
Other well-known INFPs include Johnny Depp, J. R. R. Tolkien, William Shakespeare, Bob Ross, Keanu Reeves, and John Lennon. Such famous people with an INFP personality have four things in common:
- They value the peace of their inner world greatly
- They stay true to their social and moral values to a mesmerizing extent
- They channel their values to create an everlasting impact on all times to come
- They care greatly about human emotion and try their best to be an example of empathy, kindness, and generosity
INFP personality-type celebrities stand out from the crowd. They value personal privacy and try to spread goodness and joy around them.
INFPS also exist in the fictional world — Frodo Baggins from The Lord of the Rings, Anne from Anne of Green Gables, and Sybil Branson from Downton Abbey — just to name a few.
By the way, the creator of the MBTI, Isabel Briggs Myers, was an INFP. She’s in good company with the late Albert Einstein and Joan of Arc.
Find out if you’re “keeping company” with these celebrities with INFP personality type!
