Oh Great. I might be an ENFP. Not an ESFP. Oh Sh*t. Help!

[Ming]

Yes, it's fine to leave it for now if you aren't sure. Plenty of people change their minds about their types after spending some time here, and some seem to be chronically unsure of their type, or don't care. There's really no need for the panicked tone in the thread title.

In the meantime, you might also read up on extraverted sensation (dominant function of ESFPs) and extraverted intuition (dominant function of ENFPs), and see if there's one that you relate to particularly well. You can also pay attention to ENFPs' posts, and see how well you relate to their thought processes, etc. It would be hard to do the same with ESFPs though, since there are so few of them here.

Since you are so young though, it might help more to think of what you were like growing up. Here are some links to information about ENxP and ESxP children:

Portrait of an ENP Child

Portrait of an ESP Child

I've looked at both of them; and they both have things that I agree and disagree; for example ENFP 'likes to be leader, resist following' -> Not really.
ESFP 'loves to participate in sport' -> Nope.

The rest of the traits basically are the same...

 

[Kasper]

Which makes more sense?

Extraverted Sensing occurs when we become aware of what is in the physical world in rich detail. We may be drawn to act on what we experience to get an immediate result. We notice relevant facts and occurrences in a sea of data and experiences, learning all the facts we can about the immediate context or area of focus and what goes on in that context. An active seeking of more and more input to get the whole picture may occur until all sources of input have been exhausted or something else captures our attention. Extraverted Sensing is operating when we freely follow exciting physical impulses or instincts as they come up and enjoy the thrill of action in the present moment. A oneness with the physical world and a total absorption may exist as we move, touch, and sense what is around us. The process involves instantly reading cues to see how far we can go in a situation and still get the impact we want or respond to the situation with presence.

Extraverted iNtuiting involves noticing hidden meanings and interpreting them, often entertaining a wealth of possible interpretations from just one idea or interpreting what someone’s behavior really means. It also involves seeing things “as if,” with various possible representations of reality. Using this process, we can juggle many different ideas, thoughts, beliefs, and meanings in our mind at once with the possibility that they are all true. This is like weaving themes and threads together. We don’t know the weave until a thought thread appears or is drawn out in the interaction of thoughts, often brought in from other contexts. Thus a strategy or concept often emerges from the here-and-now interactions, not appearing as a whole beforehand. Using this process we can really appreciate brainstorming and trust what emerges, enjoying imaginative play with scenarios and combining possibilities, using a kind of cross-contextual thinking. Extraverted iNtuiting also can involve catalyzing people and extemporaneously shaping situations, spreading an atmosphere of change through emergent leadership.

 

[gigi_xo]

I've looked at both of them; and they both have things that I agree and disagree; for example ENFP 'likes to be leader, resist following' -> Not really.
ESFP 'loves to participate in sport' -> Nope.

The rest of the traits basically are the same...

I dont like leading either


and I'm Ne through & through lol

ask yourself- what feels right?


are you trying to decide your type basing it off all the details
or are you ignoring the details and seeing if it just "fits"?

 

[Xenon]

I dont like leading either
are you trying to decide your type basing it off all the details
or are you ignoring the details and seeing if it just "fits"?

Yeah, don't stress over details too much. Most people can't relate to every point in their type descriptions. I can't. The INTP description isn't a perfect fit for me, but it is better than the other 15.

Is there one that fits better overall? When you read the descriptions Trinity posted above, is there one that sounds more like you?

 

[ragashree]

I would feel too restricted in one sense. If someone was too say that, it'll feel like I have to fill into a 'mould' to be a certain person.

My P wouldn't agree with it! But at the same time I'd like to settle down into one type, and get deep into who I am. I'd like to experience what is to be strictly one thing.

I'd go with ENFP from your answer then, just maybe not with a particularly strong N preference. (My methodology is rather intuitive, I won't do a long- winded explanation right now, it gets boring ) The bolded bit might possibly explain why you were drawn towards ESFP, because maybe you have the belief that a sensing preference might give you a stronger and more stable sense of who you are? If so it's more likely partly an age and experience thing, and partly something that developing your secondary Fi more would help with.

 

[Amalie]

I just want to say..

Ming. No matter which type you find yourself to be now you have been a long time. If you find out what you are on the 'paper', it doesn't change you as a person.
I see how you can look at the 'problems' of the type you find out you are and work on it, but you don't necessarily need it to work on it. The best is to know yourself as well as you can, not to find your MBTI type.