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[ENFP] ENFP Strengths?: What Are The Best Things about Being an ENFP

Esoteric Wench

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Now I'm curious... At which areas do you think INFPs generally trump you ENFPs? Sounds like you've got 'em all down pat... :thinking:

infps i find are way more patient. they also put a lot more thought into what they say and have cooler tempers.

I'd agree with Lady X, here. INFPs seem much more patient to me. They are much more willing to sit back and watch people's personalities unfold. I am much more engaging of other people. What I mean is that I tend to interact / confront / enter into the fray more than INFPs. So rather than watching other people's personalities unfold from a safe distance, I figure out people's inner machinations by interacting with them. I don't think one way is necessarily better than the other. But perhaps in certain situations the INFP's generally more reserved stance causes wayyyyy fewer problems for them. I've learned to hold back a little from my INFP friends and it has served me quite well.
 

Esoteric Wench

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I think one of the best things about being an ENFP is that I don't tend to hold onto hurts very long. In other words, it's really, really hard for me to stay mad at someone. Some types I know can hold a grudge for years. Egad! I can't remember what I had for breakfast today much less how someone wronged me six months ago.

Of course, taken to an extreme, this ENFP trait can get ENFPs into trouble, too. In fact, with life experience I've learned to temper my "forgive and forget" worldview a little bit by consciously trying to remember past wrongs so I can protect myself better from future re-offenders.

Nonetheless, not getting bogged down by the past is a pretty great ENFP trait, I think.
 

Viridian

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infps i find are way more patient. they also put a lot more thought into what they say and have cooler tempers.

I'd agree with Lady X, here. INFPs seem much more patient to me. They are much more willing to sit back and watch people's personalities unfold. I am much more engaging of other people. What I mean is that I tend to interact / confront / enter into the fray more than INFPs. So rather than watching other people's personalities unfold from a safe distance, I figure out people's inner machinations by interacting with them. I don't think one way is necessarily better than the other. But perhaps in certain situations the INFP's generally more reserved stance causes wayyyyy fewer problems for them. I've learned to hold back a little from my INFP friends and it has served me quite well.

Hey, good points, thanks! :yes:
 

Kitsune413

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Feb 11, 2012
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59
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enfp
That'll drive any S or T type INSANE (and especially the super-realist STPs)!

It does. I've had two pretty close Isfj friends and even they can get pretty unhinged by it.

I've heard enough of "ENFP Wannabe." Can't you just be glad you have Ne and move on?

It is human to be impressed by another human. When one becomes interested in type then your perspective changes. All of a sudden that 'Hero' you had is a type of person that you cannot be. An ENFP cannot be a strong silent type. As much as we wish to be.

So why wouldn't the strong silent type envy the audacious talkative ones?

It makes sense that an ISTP would be startled by something wishing to be something that it is not. But it is also courting conflict to step into an enfp topic and perhaps unsympathetically talk down to a dreamer.

J.K. Rowling: "Unlike any other creature on this planet, humans can learn and understand, without having experienced. They can think themselves into other people's places." from a supposed INFP.

I wouldn't fret. I imagine that every type wishes that they could be some other type. Everyone is searching for Individuality. But ENFP's seem to be looking harder than everyone else. This thread isn't promoting ENFP's above other types. This thread is a response to ENFP's struggle with existentiality. It is a difficult type to be. Without inspiration we struggle with depression and obsession. When we are inspired we could easily take on the world. But when we are not we wonder who that Champion was. What happened to them? Why we cannot be them. Other inspirations will come and other defining moments. But when they are gone we are left with a person who knows that they have been great. But cannot understand why we cannot always be so.

It is important for us to celebrate the gift of intuition. Even though it sometimes walks in dangerous places. There is more than one way to be a realist.

"Of melancholy is a fearful gift;
What is it but the telescope of truth?
Which strips the distance of its fantasies,
And brings life near in utter nakedness,
Making the cold reality too real!"

- Lord Byron - The Dream
 

Kitsune413

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I think one of the best things about being an ENFP is that I don't tend to hold onto hurts very long. In other words, it's really, really hard for me to stay mad at someone. Some types I know can hold a grudge for years.

It isn't so much that I can't remember why I'm mad as that I cannot keep myself from understanding why I am mad. Food is boring so I'm not going to remember what I ate the other day. But I can't not empathize with another person. I see their argument as much as I see my argument.

Have you ever tried to stay mad? I swear at my best I cannot hold a grudge longer than thirty minutes. It takes serious amounts of willpower to convince myself that its worth being irrational for even minutes.

I dont' have to concede my point of view, or change it. But uninformed hatred is also... not very interesting.
 

Kitsune413

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enfp
Now I'm curious... At which areas do you think INFPs generally trump you ENFPs? Sounds like you've got 'em all down pat... :thinking:

We don't know. They do it on their own and it must be beautiful.

I think that an ENFP spends their whole life trying to be an individual and trying to be themself. But we're looking in the wrong place. We put things outside ourselves and strive towards that ideal. When we're younger we think people 'have' something we don't? That we're missing some vital part of ourselves. But I think maybe we're always going to look towards other people to try and find it.

INFP's are the ones that probably truly stand a chance of being themselves.
 

animenagai

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I think introverts tend to have better focus, being used to being completely in their own minds. ENFP's particularly get sidetracked way too much.
 

DisneyFanGirl

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Mar 1, 2012
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sx
I agree, introverts are way more patient. That's one thing that clued me in as to my actual type. I'm so ADD and I'm always in need of something else to entertain me. My mind can be very entertaining but I use too much Ne to be able to stay entertained for long.

I'm getting sidetracked. I like being an ENFP because I'm unique and I have a personal style. I don't know or care about what's popular with people my age. I love my friends dearly and I do love making new friends and finding similarities with people I've just met. I can almost always find a common ground with most people. While I get really nervous when I'm first meeting new people, I warm up to them very fast unlike my best friend, who's an INFJ. I also enjoy being unique and having people point out my uniqueness is pretty awesome!! I also love being an ENFP because I am so very people centric that I do enjoy TV and I get really invested in the characters. There are so many things to enjoy about being an ENFP!!!

I used to think I was an INFP but now I've figured out I'm an ENFP, I like it better!!
:D
 

Thinkist

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It makes sense that an ISTP would be startled by something wishing to be something that it is not. But it is also courting conflict to step into an enfp topic and perhaps unsympathetically talk down to a dreamer.

This topic was posted in a place where everyone can post. I also have no intention of talking down to the so-named champions that are ENFPs, just getting a little more even with them.

Awwww. You're taking this thread too literally.

Darn right I am. Ne is an SP's weak point, so be nice to your fellow SPs!

OK, I'm done here with my S-flavored Ti, your weak point.
 

Kitsune413

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This topic was posted in a place where everyone can post. I also have no intention of talking down to the so-named champions that are ENFPs, just getting a little more even with them.

I meant more towards the infp. I meant the warning because of the fact that if someone is mean to me I may get upset but I'll still try to mediate out of conflict. But if someone is mean to someone else I can get pretty nasty. I'd assumed that was an enfp thing. I guess this is a good place to ask.

Do other ENFP's get dangerous when someone is being mean to someone else? But not to you?
 

Lady_X

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oh for sure...when it comes to me i can just let things roll off my back or agree to disagree because i don't really care a whole lot what others think but it's some odd almost mama bear type reaction when it comes to others. i don't know where the hell this comes from or the reasoning behind it.
 

Thinkist

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I meant more towards the infp.

I read INTP, not INFP.

oh for sure...when it comes to me i can just let things roll off my back or agree to disagree because i don't really care a whole lot what others think but it's some odd almost mama bear type reaction when it comes to others. i don't know where the hell this comes from or the reasoning behind it.

I'm not sure this is just ENFPs. It could be NFs, feelers in general, or it could even be typeless. Although it kinda gets scary when that ol' Fi-influenced Te is thrown in my face.

Do ENFPs ever take anything literally? Can they draw upon their inferior Si without seeming depressed, or overly concerned about right and wrong? If so, then they'll be characters of awesomeness, and sensing types will love ENFPs even more.

Of course, that doesn't mean ISTPs will always go along smoothly with ENFPs. After all the cognition is totally different.
 

UniqueMixture

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I would say enfps can be pretty exciting, open to new experiences, good dancers, good at reading people/creating the kinds of relationships they want, good at sales, optimistic, good at self development /continual achievement throughout life, getting people to open up, etc
 

Lady_X

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ha..i just caught myself interpreting that question...do we ever take anything literally...um..yes of course..i think..what the hell do you mean!? and i don't think i become depressed when drawing on my si...i'm more nostalgic...usually...and overly concerned with right or wrong?? by who's standards? and...is it funny? because funny usually wins.
 

Thinkist

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Funny... I just :yim_rolling_on_the_'d a bit at your above post
 

Istbkleta

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ENFPs have amazing sex drive!
 

Ethanescence

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Feb 5, 2010
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INFP
ENFPs I know treat everyone like individuals. They rarely stereotype, and are good at giving people chances. I find that admirable. And they always relate the most interesting part of their lives in conversation, and don't talk about mundane things. Unless they're ranting about mundane things, and then they somehow make it entertaining.
 

Qlip

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My resilience and ability to find hope in almost any situation has served me very well in adversity. The ENFP thing has worked out for me.
 
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