I am an INFP. That’s Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Perceiving on the Myers Briggs Type Indicator. Below are five reasons why it’s great to be INFP. These aren’t based on any kind of formal analysis. They are simply based on my life experience as an INFP.
If you are an INFP, you may often feel as if you are swimming against the current, as if you tend to see the world differently than many other people. And maybe you’ve also wished that you could just “be like everyone else.” Take some time to appreciate your own unique qualities that you possess. And remember what they say (whoever “they” are): it takes all kinds. 🙂
5 Great Qualities of the INFP
Your Vivid Imagination – The ability (and the desire) to sit for long periods of time and imagine things is a favorite INFP pastime. This might make you a good storyteller. Or, you may have a vision of the world, or of your community, or of some aspect of life that you think it is worthy of working towards. Just because you see it in your mind doesn’t mean it will automatically come to pass one day, but having a vision of what could be makes you a powerful force if you choose to act upon it. Just remember, what’s in your mind and what actually is will never quite match, but you can keep working on getting them as close as possible.
Your Depth of Feeling – You feel things a little more intensely than other people. This can be a painful, as events and circumstances that other people wouldn’t notice, the INFP is bothered by. But it can also be a wonderful thing, as the little moments of joy in life don’t pass unnoticed. You may think of yourself as being too sensitive, but, really, you are acutely aware and perceptive of the way it feels to Live, and this makes your experience of life very rich.
Your Relationships – Your desire for connection with other people is very strong. The connections you build have depth to them. You are a very good “bonder.” You are also an excellent friend to have, and despite your (probably) quiet demeanor, many people find it very pleasant to be around you. You make them feel peaceful, but they are not sure why.
Your Perception of the World – You are an observer. A very acute observer. And, things that other people miss, you tend to see. This knowledge of Life at a very subtle level makes you aware of the nuances of living. You can see the experience of life at it’s depths. Being an “observer” is often considered to be not as important as being a “doer,” but your observations are one of your very best gifts. Make sure you share them with others in some way.
Your Dedication to What You Love – You don’t like to do things that you don’t love. This can be painful when you feel like you have to. But, it can also keep you searching when others would have given up. And when you do find something you love, you put your soul into it. There is nothing for you that doesn’t involve love. So keep looking.
Any INFPs around? Agree or disagree? Have something to add? Other types – what are the best qualities of your own type? Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments. 🙂
Photo by Denys Nevozhai on Unsplash
Amanda Linehan is the author of North, about a young woman on the run from her past, the law and an old adversary out to get her. Her newest release is Bored To Death: A Vampire Thriller, about a 300-year-old vampire trying to restore the balance between life and death. She has published five novels.
***Check out my latest release, Productivity For INFPs, now. Available at Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes&Noble.com, Google Play, Kobo and more.
Agree on most part especially imagination – can’t live without ’em! Although might have a little bit of doubt on no.5 but nice piece
yes being an infp does feel like im different, but i never knew it till recently when i began to study it. ive noticed going inside my mind when someone paid me a compliment recently, running it past my value system and i had never noticed tht happen before. it felt weird. but there was an intp in the room who was not saying anything, just grinning and that made me nervous. i thought i had social anxiety but it is not that it is being so observant. being infp. i find it hard to talk to intps.
Hi Ninoska – Thanks for reading! Glad you liked it. 🙂
Hi Clare – Thanks!
Hi Cheryl – Yes, being INFP is complicated! 🙂
Thanks so much for this emphasis on the positive aspects of the INFP temperament. Yours is the first article I’ve seen that mentions the quality of being extremely observant. (But not necessarily of the things some other people may notice.) I think this quality is key in our extraverted intuition-we are constantly seeking new information from our environment and bringing it in to inform our understanding (especially of people).
Cheers!
Hi Dana – I think you’re right about the observant thing – we see the things that others miss!
Hi Lena – Great! thanks.
I’m an INFP and I find this accurate 🙂 Thanks for posting this.
Ah, as another INFP, I find this incredibly true, not to mention well-written. I often struggle with feeling isolated, so it’s nice to feel understood at last. 🙂
Hi Anonymous – 🙂
hi, loved the article and your list. i recently found out im an infp (took several online personality tests) and everything makes sense. the negative aspects of being an infp is disheartening (typical infp nature to be negative i guess?) but this list makes me view us types so much more positively. thanks again
Hi 3rdwheel – You’re welcome. Glad you liked it.
love this, I’m new to all of this and I feel like I’ve almost lost myself in the past year and a half due to not understanding who I was. I still worry that I won’t bounce back to my former self some days but I have to believe that the person who I am, or at least have known myself to be, will return. I truly wish that I would have come into contact with more information on INFP’s and how and what we are so that I could have understood myself a little better, and also come in contact with others sooner. I have felt so out of place in so many ways for so long that it became tiresome and eventually it became extremely frightening. I began to shut people out and turn inward more and more, becoming depressed because of the amount of feelings and thoughts I had, and the lack of understanding I had for them and the feeling of not connecting with really anyone around me. It has helped to learn that I’m not the only one, that I’m not weird, and that there is a place to go. I have a long ways to go to dig out of this hole that I’ve gotten myself into, but I believe that understanding who I am and why I feel the way I do will help immensely, along with having the ability to look to others now that I know a direction. So to try and tie this all in, the reason I really love what you wrote is because it reminds me of me and what i liked about me before I started down the rough patch. I don’t know why it seems to have come on so strong over the last couple of years, but I have definitely felt a void and also a separation from who I am and who I felt I should be, and not understanding where to begin with it all coupled with not relating to those close to me, has been terribly difficult. But you’ve reminded me of the positive, the side of me that I love and enjoy, the side of me that I need to work to be again. Sorry for the long winded post and lack of direction here, this is the first time I’ve ever posted or spoke of all of this. Man we really are complex aren’t we? 🙂
Hi Brad – Yes, we are! Thanks for your really thoughtful comment and good luck on your INFP journey! There’s lots of INFP stuff online, so there should be plenty for you to read and research. 🙂
Being an INFP male means that you’re only able to fall in love once, with the wrong person who uses you, severing that relationship, and suffering until death because of it.
Thank you, universe, for generating INFP souls for a world that is contrived to hurt them as much as possible.
Brad,
You say you have dug yourself in hole. That may be, but you can still look up and see the stars! Spoken like a true InFP!
Hi! Really loved this article. I’ve just recently figured out about these personality types and that there are other people out there who are just like me. I’ve going through a rough patch recently and reading all this really makes me feel better knowing that there are others out there who understand. I’ve always hated myself for having so much to say but never really being able to say it to someone. Spending lots of time just thinking about something. Playing out conversations with people inside my head but never really being able to say the same in real life. Always criticizing myself for the smallest of things.
But now I that I’m starting to understand what are the good and bad parts of being an INFP, I’ll definitely try to improve myself and face my weaknesses.
Thanks a lot for this post. Just want to give a big hug to all the other INFP’s out there. Love you all.
Hi Shatrunjay – Completely agree on the “having so much to say but never really being able to say it to someone.” It’s a strange phenomenon! Welcome. 🙂
Hi Amanda,
thank you for making my day brighter :). I’m experiencing all of this but never been able to put it in words this accurately. I discovered I’m an INFP just recently and the stuff I read lately doesn’t stop amazing me.
“…You make them feel peaceful, but they are not sure why.”
This part made me chuckle, my ex who is of a turbulent nature always used to tell me the exact same thing 🙂
Love,
M
Welcome. 🙂
This made me cry ;D Realy, I’ve always thought what’s wrong with me, why am I crying so much about every single thing. Now I know why 🙂
People tend to tell me I’m overemotional, my teacher once I yelled at me.
It’s good to be who you are 😀
Hi Julie – Totally agree. 🙂
Hi Jereb – Beautiful indeed. 🙂
It’s been a while since I’ve read mbti stuff, but when I do I am amazed at how like minded infps are. It’s beautiful.
Hello Amanda,
This article resonates very well with who I am as a fellow INFP
Thank you for taking time out of your day to write as I don’t see enough writings from INFPS perspective.
May I ask what your career history was like? What you do now?
I have found it super difficult to stay working for companies where I wouldn’t benefit as greatly as running my own business. ..I wonder if that’s just a me thing or a general INFP thing lol. Thanks for any feedback! Stay cool!
Hi Joshua – I apologize for the very delayed reply! Glad you liked the post. My career history involves being a software trainer, an assistant director at a tutoring company and now I work in research administration. This would actually be a good post to write as INFPs are pretty much always concerned with work. 😉
I also think we are very intelligent but don’t brag about it and don’t put others down if they know less about something than we do.
Hi Ana – Good additions. 🙂
Thank you for this article! Being an INFP can be really tough socially, and tough at work too. Finding myself has been a long, hard road. But now I see Divinity in everything – and I think that this appreciation of beauty is an INFP trait too. I would rather be a social misfit and perceive the incredible beauty in life than fit in and miss out on this amazing dance of existence 🙂
Hi John – Thanks a lot for your comment. I agree that an appreciation of beauty is definitely an INFP trait. 🙂
Hi Amanda,
I recently discovered that I’m an INFP. and such a relief that I read your article. I really enjoyed it.
maybe the most challenging part of my life is finding a career that I love. I hope all the INFPs in this world (and maybe other worlds 🙂 ) do something that they love.
I can so relate to this. I’m glad I found your blog.
You are such a high flyer….