When I found out I was an ENFP, I was upset. I thought I was unique but not so much. It took me a few weeks to get over it and embrace that others are like me... and I will always have my strengths and weaknesses.

How about you?

No, I didn't get mad. I accepted that I was like that. I even felt that the sun was more shiny, because there were other people that felt the way I feel.

I thought it was pretty cool. I think it's so intriguing that there's this core of how you perceive the world and react to it that's similiar in everyone of a certain type regardless of how unique you are... I guess it kind of plays into the whole manipulative aspect of the ENFP. I can use that information to my advantage. >.> It makes me giggle with glee when I can diffuse tension between types by acknowledging something about each that the other didn't understand. I've always been good about reading people and their motivations, but it gives me a whole extra layer of knowledge.

>.> Although.... I will admit that it did upset me when I realized some of my negative traits were part of my personality... I've tried to be better about cleaning....and being on time....and resist my compulsions... -sigh- Self-awareness does not always lead to changing one's behavior. I just figured out how to use other people to manipulate me... >.> "If you don't clean your room, *I* will, and you never know what I might decide is trash."

When I read we can be manipulative....I thought HOW DARE THEY!!! It took me some time to wrap my head around what I can do/have done and not even know it...then, after some serious face pulling huffs at the producers, I thought, oh yeh, I like to reject myself sometimes and play pleasing for acceptance/love. I never thought that was manipulative, I always thought being manipulative meant getting what you want rather than what both parties want. But the rest of the definition was OK by me.

i was happy and sad...coz i want to be uniqeu but then i thought, its a nice thing to know i'm not the most scatterbrained person on the planet! lol!! my parents had a hard time with me, i embarassed them i think

I laughed and was amazed. For so long, I had tried to define myself - to see how I fit in to society. I was different from everyone I met, and often wondered why I was the way I was. I wondered why I was such a procrastinator and even saw a counselor about it and after one session I didn't have an answer and it just wasn't quick enough for me. Reading the ENFP description from the computer was a great revelation and I was glad to find out there were others like me.

Are ENFP's not unique or something?

Posted By Shenanigans on 05 Dec 2009 10:37 AM
Are ENFP's not unique or something?

Of the sixteen MBTI "types," ENFPs are overrepresented.  100% / 16 = 6.25% average versus the 8%+ of the population who's ENFP.  Of course, MBTI types are just one aspect of personality, and I wouldn't derive my whole sense of self from four letters any more than I would identify myself by the color of my car or how much I can bench press.  Just because you're in a large "group" doesn't necessarily mean that you're not special.

But aren't we about the 4th smallest group or something? Or am I saying things I don't know?

From what I've read, they're overrepresented in literature--they're very dynamic characters simply because they're so curious about everything, are genuinely likeable/relatable when well represented through text, and their motivations are understandable/expansive enough so they can be used to make dramatic changes in the plot. Then again, I can't think of any books off the top of my head that use ENFPs. I don't know, I think it'd make sense.

I was kind of relieved -- all the wackiness wasn't fault, I was just being myself. Plus it promised that I'd meet other people like myself.

Nope. I was suprised. I kinda laughed about it.

From what I've read, they're overrepresented in literature--they're very dynamic characters simply because they're so curious about everything, are genuinely likeable/relatable when well represented through text, and their motivations are understandable/expansive enough so they can be used to make dramatic changes in the plot. Then again, I can't think of any books off the top of my head that use ENFPs. I don't know, I think it'd make sense.

Romance novels. They are chock-full of female (and a few male) ENFPs. Elizabeth Bennett in Pride & Prejudice is an *NFP....it's tough to say I/E for sure because of the time period and expectations of women. I would lean more toward ENFP personally because she's got the immediate jump to "you don't like me, that makes you bad" rather than "what did I do to offend him without even saying anything? ><" - and she clings desperately to her poor opinion of Mr Darcy until she really doesn't have a choice but to accept that he's a decent person....even if he sucked at his first proposal. >.>

I talked to a psychology professor about MBI typing - and she said she has her students complete the long test every semester. Without fail two or three students are strongly negative about their "types" and make big commotions about it. Can you guess which types? (Rationals - who are annoyed they can be "typed" and Guardians - who are annoyed their type sounds "boring") She didn't mention Idealists being disappointed or upset - and I've never noticed that to be true either.... but to each his/her own.

On a personal note - I do not think that your MBI type has anything to do with your "uniqueness". There are plenty of dull Idealists, in my opinion. The worst are those who think being an Idealist (or any MBI type) alone is interesting enough to warrant anything. In other words, I will not hire you/date you/respect you/hang out with you just because you are a certain type. I might factor it in, somewhere... but keep in mind, ENFPs run the full gambit of other human "types" - bitchy, selfish, entitled, paranoid, cruel, whiny, rude, misogynistic, spineless, megalomaniacs, cry-babies... these types can belong to everyone. Rambling here - I suppose I meant to say what makes you unique in life are your actions. What good is abstract thought if you can't express it.

On a personal note - I do not think that your MBI type has anything to do with your "uniqueness". There are plenty of dull Idealists, in my opinion. The worst are those who think being an Idealist (or any MBI type) alone is interesting enough to warrant anything. In other words, I will not hire you/date you/respect you/hang out with you just because you are a certain type. I might factor it in, somewhere... but keep in mind, ENFPs run the full gambit of other human "types" - bitchy, selfish, entitled, paranoid, cruel, whiny, rude, misogynistic, spineless, megalomaniacs, cry-babies... these types can belong to everyone. Rambling here - I suppose I meant to say what makes you unique in life are your actions. What good is abstract thought if you can't express it.

I completely agree with you.

When I first read the description of the INFJ personality type I was upset...but for a different reason to the OP. I was upset by how "rare and unique" we are. I was still at school, peer pressure was rife and I felt like a freak. I didn't fit in with my family either. I wasn't a loner or anything, I was never short of company....but I still felt so odd and out of place. So I took "rare and unique" in the wrong way. I felt like it was saying that I was in fact a total freak and there was even a psychological theory to back it up. Gosh, what a big silly

I think it is important to remember that MBTI is just a tool. I always feel that my type is INFJ, but I'm not an INFJ. I'm Holly, and I'm unique in my own Holly way...and that it perfectly fine.

I wasn't upset, I was actually happy that I finally found a good description of myself. It made me realize why I do certain things the way I do them.

I was shocked, I grew up thinking I just "didn't get anything." It seemed that everyone I knew just operated on an entirely different wavelength than I did.
Turns out, the way I think isn't only natural, but there are tons of other people who think like I do. I was so happy and excited when I read that!
After that I dove right in to all this MBTI theory stuff, and I pretty much immediately tried to get all of my friends to take the quiz so I could try and understand them

I was actually pretty pleased when I found out, sometimes on a bad day I look up the description and read all the good things it has to say about us ENFP's and without fail it always cheers me up

I was really excited! I never fit well with my family though we are very close. My mom is an ISFJ and as such, could be quite severe (there is only ONE right way to do anything and she knows what it is). And, I felt for a very long time through school and several jobs that no one ever quite "got" me. Reading the description of ENFP behavior and the chapters in "Please Understand Me" about Idealist children made me finally feel I wasn't "bad" just unique. I am what I am and it is ok. But I also agree with those of you who point out how little of what you ARE is defined by your personality type. Personality typing is very important though for me to understand that my brain just works a certain way and others' work a different way and we are oriented toward the world in different ways and all of that is FINE and valuable for perspective.

I must say though that my Guardian mother and other Guardians I have known seem the most likely not to value the different ways of thinking since they often seem to feel that their way is the right/correct/moral way and there can be no other alternative! LOL

(I love my mom dearly by the way. we have learned to laugh at each other finally)