Persuasive, empathic, inspiring, and born to help? You may be a Myers-Briggs ENFJ personality, also known as ‘the Giver.’
Personality is a complex concept. It’s natural to want to use a personality test to glean more insight into the puzzle that is your self. And when it comes to personality quizzes and self-assessments, you have lots of options.
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is one of those options. It’s the popular test behind the four-letter personality types you may have heard about, including the ENFJ personality.
The MBTI is one of the most widely used pop psychology systems, says Dr. Elizabeth Lombardo, a psychologist in Chicago.
“[It] is a self-assessment tool that helps people figure out their personality type, strengths, and preferences,” she says.
Once you take the self-assessment, your results will suggest one of 16 personality types. These types come from the possible combinations between four dominant personality trait scales:
- extroversion vs. introversion (E vs. I)
- sensing vs. intuiting (S vs. N)
- thinking vs. feeling (T vs. F)
- judging vs. perceiving (J vs. P)
While the MBTI is not a scientific or clinical scale, according to
ENFJ stands for:
- extroversion
- intuiting
- feeling
- judging
In other words, these traits are dominant in this personality type.
As the most typical example of a people person, the ENFJ personality is known as the giver or protagonist.
Here’s how the ENFJ personality can come across.
Charismatic
If you’re an ENFJ personality, you may have great people skills, expressing strong empathy for those around you. You may tend to be attracted to a social circle that includes a mix of personalities, easily finding common ground with any of them.
Try to self-validate
Along with your natural charm and good nature, your personality type may slip into validation-seeking or people-pleasing behaviors. As an ENFJ type, you may find it helpful to regularly check in with your own needs and desires.
Altruistic
As an ENFJ, you may feel happiest when you can be of service.
As a natural leader, you’re inspired by your close relationships and motivated to forge a path that offers deep meaning. This is why you may gravitate toward careers in business, law, education, and politics.
Self-care is important
One challenge for the ENFJ is balancing their love of helping others with taking care of themselves. If you’re not careful, you could neglect your own needs or experience burnout. As an ENFJ, you may find it helpful to pencil in time for self-care.
Idealistic
An ENFJ personality strives to make the world a better place and is motivated by a desire to do the right thing. When you see injustice, you may passionately speak up and stand up for others.
Try to avoid self-blame
Alas, sometimes the world isn’t fair. As an ENFJ, you could experience distorted thoughts that may lead you to blame yourself when things don’t go according to plan. You may find it useful to acknowledge that not everyone is ready for change, and that’s OK. Consider balancing self-blame by giving yourself credit where credit is due.
Motivational
The ENFJ is known to be persuasive and inspiring. You have a gift for making other people feel seen and heard, thanks to your compassion and communication skills. With your sensitivity, you may be able to intuit what others most need to hear.
Try to be flexible
At times, you may become rigid in your core beliefs and desire to help. This could lead others to feel misunderstood or pressured by your words. As an ENFJ, you may find it helpful to avoid imposing your opinions on others and to practice the art of compromise.
According to the MBTI, the four dominant traits in the ENFJ personality type suggest that you process information, make decisions, and engage with the world in this way:
Extroversion
The ENFJ personality recharges with regular interaction with others. As a true extrovert, you may tend to replenish your energy and improve your mood by being around other people.
Intuiting
ENFJs are more comfortable with abstract ideas and possibilities rather than analyzing the facts. You may be able to see what’s not yet a reality.
Feeling
The ENFJ personality makes decisions by taking emotions into account. This means you consider both your own and other people’s perspectives. You may prefer the more harmonious outcome over the logical one.
Judging
ENFJs prefer handling fixed decisions, actions, and outcomes. You may be less likely to lean toward options that feel too vague or flexible.
Famous ENFJ personality types
Perhaps you’ll recognize a few of these famous ENFJs:
- Barack Obama, 44th president of the United States
- Ben Affleck, actor
- Bono, singer
- Jennifer Lawrence, actress
- Malala Yousafzai, Nobel Peace Prize laureate
- Martin Luther King Jr., civil rights activist
- Maya Angelou, author
- Oprah Winfrey, talk show host
- Sean Connery, actor
With your big heart and kind nature, you tend to be generous in relationships, according to the Myers-Briggs indicator. You’ll likely be a supportive presence in other people’s lives, encouraging them to achieve their dreams.
If you’re in a relationship with an ENFJ
You may want to try to be aware of their high need for social interaction, especially if you’re an introvert who may stress in this type of situation.
If possible, consider letting them know how much you appreciate their help. You can also offer to give them support, as the ENFJ type might tend to forget that’s an option.
You may also find it useful to remind them that they don’t have to take responsibility for your challenges and assert healthy boundaries.
If you’re an ENFJ
Reciprocity is a key ingredient of lasting relationships. You can try to strike that careful balance of give-and-take, and consider asking for help when you need it.
Also, you may want to take care of your own needs just as much as you take care of other people. You may find it helpful to find some alone time to reconnect with yourself.
If possible, try to be aware that the idealist in you is great at seeing the potential in everyone. At times, this may lead you to feel disappointed. Perhaps you can focus on preferences over expectations. It’s helpful to remember that no one is perfect.
The MBTI isn’t backed up by research, but it may be a fun way to learn and understand certain aspects of your personality.
If your test results indicate you’re an ENFJ personality, you may be best defined as a giver. As you strive to make the world a better place, though, it’s important to take care of yourself, too.