How to distinguish ESFP and ENFP?

[gigi_xo]

ESFP: OMG LET'S DANCE!

ENFP: OMG LET'S PLAY A GAME!

or ESFP: OMG I LOVE HIS EYE COLOR

ENFP: OMG I LOVE THE WAY HIS EYES SEE INTO MY SOUL

 

[BlackCat]

I dunno if this has been posted already, but this is what makes it easy for me. ESFP - ENFP

 

[KDude]

Good point.

In my experience, ENFPs are more likely to be social workers than salespeople, ESFPs the other way around. ESFPs want the interaction, ENFPs want the interaction to serve a greater purpose.

I don't think I lack a greater purpose. And I'm not necessarily inclined to sales. There might be a lot of interaction in sales, but it can be somewhat disheartening to me. If the product sucks, if it doesn't open up any interesting avenues other than profit, if the workplace is a little cuttthroat, compartmentalized, and selfish (which many sales jobs are).. etc., then I will end up making a joke out of it. The joke itself would hold more meaning - because it's fun.

Anyhow...Out of the SP's, I think an ESTP would more enjoy the possibilties and mechanations inherent to a sales job far more than I would.

 

[Heart&Brain]

I don't think I lack a greater purpose. And I'm not necessarily inclined to sales. There might be a lot of interaction in sales, but it can be somewhat disheartening to me. If the product sucks, if it doesn't open up any interesting avenues other than profit, if the workplace is a little cuttthroat, compartmentalized, and selfish (which many sales jobs are).. etc., then I will end up making a joke out of it. The joke itself would hold more meaning - because it's fun.

Anyhow...Out of the SP's, I think an ESTP would more enjoy the possibilties and mechanations inherent to a sales job far more than I would.

I agree about seeking a greater purpose is common for both ExFPs. It's the aux Fi making its judging powers felt in favor of strong internal values for both types.

I know three ESFPs (supposedly) and in all their in-the-momenty natural charm, they are all very much driven by compassion and ethical values.

14 yo female, very popular and always impulsively standing up to defend the less fortunate, the unpopular, the victims of bullying.
27 yo female, very attractive, very extraverted and emotionally hypomanic about own authenticity (of that moment at least ). Soon to be doctor, goes specialising in children's psychiatry.
42 yo male, anthropologist, very confident, genuine and easygoing, bonds and earns trust with all kinds of people in no time. Travels a lot as humanitarian worker, enjoys high action warzones and trouble areas. Fires 100 corrupt local employees if his ethics tells him to, no matter the multiple death threats and himself loosing his job that he knew was to follow from that. Moves on regularly anyway.


While I'm compassionate and ethical through writing, debating, researching philosophy, donating to causes etc., they seem much more hands on, seeking more concrete and impulsive action-outlets for their equally strong (and quite recognisable to an ENFP) Fi-values.

Actually, I can't really see any strong Fi-user enjoying to sell stuff just to get status or attention, earn profits, beat competitors or 'doing whatever'. They would always want their job to be valuable in it self, to serve an objective ethical purpose outside of personal gain. Remember, Fi is a rational function too.

I once heard a Fi user say "I decided already when I was young, that I would never do a job for money which I would not do for free as well." Me like!

 

[simulatedworld]

To grossly oversimplify: ENFPs have no idea what's going on in the real world around them. ESFPs are almost always very aware of it.

 

[sculpting]

To grossly oversimplify: ENFPs have no idea what's going on in the real world around them. ESFPs are almost always very aware of it.

yeah. Although older ENFPs will really start to use the Si and look very practical ISTJ style, especially in the workplace. Kind but pragmatic at 40.

I cant really have great convos with ESFPs until we are drunk, but I do have to say they totally get it when I get emo over something. Otherwise they dress much better than me and surprisingly seem to have more drama. I havent found one who does real well with money-even a very, very clever one I know who is a biochemist. But i likely need to meet some older ones.

 

[Thalassa]

I'm an ENFP. My mom is an ESFP. We seem to share many similar personality traits. Except that she's much, much better with practical, hands-on smarts, and I'm much more theoretical and abstract.

My ex is also an eSFP. People used to tell us that we were too much alike, but in fundamental ways we were too insanely different (of course, that could just be a matter of Fi vs. Fi clashing and not totally Se vs. Ne) but he would get really annoyed with what he called my "overanalyzing" and he is much, much better at paying attention to his surroundings, picking up on visual cues, reflexes, etc.

 

[Thalassa]

yeah. Although older ENFPs will really start to use the Si and look very practical ISTJ style, especially in the workplace. Kind but pragmatic at 40.

I cant really have great convos with ESFPs until we are drunk, but I do have to say they totally get it when I get emo over something. Otherwise they dress much better than me and surprisingly seem to have more drama. I havent found one who does real well with money-even a very, very clever one I know who is a biochemist. But i likely need to meet some older ones.

lol @ "dress much better" ... I totally feel this.

Also, my mom is a *bit* more dramatic than me. I'm just saying.

 

[nynesneg]

We act the same, so its hard.
ESFP's can be flaky and unobservant and miss things, which make us look very un S-like. (I'm not sure why we are this way, I used to think I was an N for this reason.)

I have had this exact frustration with my dear ESFP friend. She's sweet, adorable, spontaneous, and a complete blast to bring to parties with you.

However when as an ENFJ I really need a friend to lean on, she's just not there. If I'm trying to open up and share an emotional experience (which is very difficult for an xNFJ in the first place), she's texting on her phone or on internet and half listening. She's flaked out quite a few times which I've had to come to some rationalization that it's just her personality. For me friendship = dependability among other things. This doesn't even seem to cross her mind as something that matters at all. Basically I can plan on if I need her help with anything that doesn't include fun, it's not going to happen. If it's fun, she'll be there in a heartbeat.


My point is... a dear person, she recently told me she "hopes we remain friends forever". But this is just something that has to be understood with this type - as each has their strengths/weaknesses.

 

[KDude]

I'd like to say I value dependabilty, but I might be a little too one sided about it And as much as I want good vibes between everyone, I might get a little distracted when people are opening up. I'm listening and all that, but they don't always have my undivided attention.

I think I met an ENFP the other day.. Maybe. Anyhow, we immediately hit it off.. Pretty early on, the conversation turned to her joining a roller derby league..which I thought was cool. I just sat and listened though..barely got a word in (not that I necessarily needed to talk). She was super stoked, and started going on and on about what it meant to her, about the people she was meeting, started practicing exercises in front of me.. lol. But at a certain point, I probably didn't look like I was all there. Kept turning my head, looking around, glanced at the TV, gazed across the street, kind of chuckled at what other people were doing, etc.. I WAS hearing everything she said, but it's easy to multitask and distract myself at the same time.

I'm only really mentioning it because this is how a lot of conversations can be with me. It's hard to get my full,undivided attention (at least I think I appear that way from the outside).

 

[Venom]

I can't make this more simple for all of you:

Take two individuals who are being total fuck ups:
--The ESFP is the one who is fucking up because they are having too much fun or being too active
--The ENFP is the one who is fucking up because they are just not too concerned about the future...and swear that they have xyz scheme that will totally fix everything.

If they arent fuck ups yet, just imagine which category they'd fall into.

appendix section: take two individuals who you know are ENF, but you aren't sure if they are ENFJ or ENFP:
--the one who is more ESTP-like at times is ENFJ
--the one who is more ESFP-like at times is ENFP

 

[KDude]

hmm, i'm not all that concerned about the future either. and think sometimes i can figure my way out of things.. and life isn't some constant party for me. so maybe i'm enfp! although i really doubt it. i'm fairly sure i'm a sensor out of all things.

i think the esfp partygoer stereotype is just as simplistic as the isfp hippy or artist stereotype. it's almost impossible to live up to those molds.

i guess i'm just asking if you could be a little more detailed? i'm confused.

 

[Thalassa]

I can't make this more simple for all of you:

Take two individuals who are being total fuck ups:
--The ESFP is the one who is fucking up because they are having too much fun or being too active
--The ENFP is the one who is fucking up because they are just not too concerned about the future...and swear that they have xyz scheme that will totally fix everything.

If they arent fuck ups yet, just imagine which category they'd fall into.

This is a very biased, unhelpful answer.

 

[Moiety]

appendix section: take two individuals who you know are ENF, but you aren't sure if they are ENFJ or ENFP:
--the one who is more ESTP-like at times is ENFJ
--the one who is more ESFP-like at times is ENFP

That makes no sense at all. If the ENFJ is being ESTP-like then the ENFP is analogously being ESTJ-like.

 

[Venom]

i think the esfp partygoer stereotype is just as simplistic as the isfp hippy or artist stereotype. it's almost impossible to live up to those molds.

"having too much fun or being too active" doesnt have to mean partying. I didnt say partying. It could just be they are waking up, smoking a bowl and watching TV all day. Or they could be completely straight edge and it could mean they are reading a book, going to dinner and then say, "eh, Ill do that hw tomorrow"...

This is a very biased, unhelpful answer.

How is it biased? Typology is a categorization of biases! All I did was highlight the two obvious ones pertaining to EXFP. If you want, we can make a differentiation between ESFJ and ENFJ:
If two people are being controlling bastards:
--the ESFJ is obsessively controlling because you aren't fitting into their chosen paradigm of how the world has, does and should work.
--the ENFJ is obsessively controlling because you aren't fitting into their long term vision of where the current paradigm needs to move towards.

Now that you understand how we could levy this against any type, how is differentiating EXFP flakiness different than differentiating EXFJ controlling-ness?

That makes no sense at all. If the ENFJ is being ESTP-like then the ENFP is analogously being ESTJ-like.

You are being too cookie cutter about it. I didnt attackt this as, "lets move up #3 function of the ENFJ and the #3 function of the ENFP".
I attacked it as, "lets compare the internal judging function of each other", knowing that both can be confused as SP's sometimes...

 

[Thalassa]

How is it biased? Typology is a categorization of biases! All I did was highlight the two obvious ones pertaining to EXFP. If you want, we can make a differentiation between ESFJ and ENFJ:
If two people are being controlling bastards:
--the ESFJ is obsessively controlling because you aren't fitting into their chosen paradigm of how the world has, does and should work.
--the ENFJ is obsessively controlling because you aren't fitting into their long term vision of where the current paradigm needs to move towards.

Now that you understand how we could levy this against any type, how is differentiating EXFP flakiness different than differentiating EXFJ controlling-ness?

You said that ESFPs and ENFPs are "fuck ups" or if they aren't fuck ups YET. You're practically trolling.

I also know for a fact that you dislike ENFPs.

Don't worry - we dislike you too.

You are being too cookie cutter about it. I didnt attackt this as, "lets move up #3 function of the ENFJ and the #3 function of the ENFP".
I attacked it as, "lets compare the internal judging function of each other", knowing that both can be confused as SP's sometimes...

He's right - it doesn't make sense. Especially since our Te is tertiary and your Ti is inferior, I don't know why you'd "often" test as a Ti-aux.

 

[KDude]

"having too much fun or being too active" doesnt have to mean partying. I didnt say partying. It could just be they are waking up, smoking a bowl and watching TV all day. Or they could be completely straight edge and it could mean they are reading a book, going to dinner and then say, "eh, Ill do that hw tomorrow"...

Ah... gotcha Makes more sense.


Personally I'm not offended with the word fuckup. I suppose every type has it's own ways of being one.

 

[Venom]

He's right - it doesn't make sense. Especially since our Te is tertiary and your Ti is inferior, I don't know why you'd "often" test as a Ti-aux.

I actually feel that tertiary vs inferior is a limited difference. Most people barely have their first two functions working great. The tertiary and inferior are often BOTH sort of together in the basement, or on top in a surprise.

Also, I never said "test" about anything! Here, I'll explain it this way to you:

ESTJ archetype is rarely associated with a Te-Ne loop. Everyone thinks of them as being TeSi without a tertiary (not saying this is right, just what Ive noticed).
ESTP archetype is often associated with a Se-Fe schmoozer loop. Everyone thinks of them as operating this way very often (not saying this is right, just what Ive noticed).

Therefore, I think a better way of capturing the ENFP using their tertiary is to compare them to an ESFP, and the better way of capturing the ENFJ is to compare them to the ESTP. The sort of superficial surface of the ENFPs I know equates to ESFP, while the superficial surface of ENFJs I know often equates to ESTPs. There is nothing wrong with that! They are both SPs! how is that offensive to be ESFP-like in this instance?

 

[Moiety]

You are being too cookie cutter about it. I didnt attackt this as, "lets move up #3 function of the ENFJ and the #3 function of the ENFP".
I attacked it as, "lets compare the internal judging function of each other", knowing that both can be confused as SP's sometimes...

Well that's being too left field. It just wouldn't translate to real life. No offense.

 

[OrangeAppled]

My ESFP sister has often tested ENFP, because she is not particularly practical and she likes imaginative/creative things (and MBTI tests erroneously equate this with N at times....).

Many of my ESFP friends are imaginative, creative, and intelligent, and people may think that equals ENFP. The most discernible difference I have noted comes down to two points:

- ESFPs are often annoyed by theory, the hypothetical and anything that seems to them to be "deep" in a contrived or pretentious way. This does not mean they are not smart enough to grasp it, but they may dismiss it because it is not "real". In contrast, the ENFP often enjoys these things, even if the less intelligent ones only grasp it on a shallow level.

- ESFPs notice details more, both with visual observances and in what people say. They are in-tune with what is going on around them at the time, both in their personal life and in the world (I notice they tend to follow pop culture more). ENFPs tend to see potential and have a better foresight. What is current is just fodder for ideas, not necessarily important in itself. Sometimes this means their whimsy carries them away, just as sometimes the ESFP fails to see how a situation can go wrong and acts impetuously in the moment.

- ESFPs tend to seek new experiences and ENFPs seek new ideas/possibilities. Yes, these can cross over, but you have to look for an overall preference and determine the motivations behind the actions.