Most people know that there are introverts and extroverts, but there are certain subclasses
of personalities that many aren’t well-versed in.
From finding happiness in what others think depressing to a constant internal battle,
here are sixteen things only true INFJs would understand:
16.
Homebody - INFJ is a personality type defined by the MBTI, aka the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.
This process determines a person’s identity regarding the way they grasp their surroundings
and come to decisions.
It was established by the mother-daughter duo, Katharine Cook Briggs and Isabel Briggs
Myers.
The system is a series of questions a person answers which ultimately identifies someone’s
personality using a combination of eight factors: extraversion, introversion, sensing, intuition,
thinking, feeling, judgment, and perception.
There are sixteen different types, of which INFJ is the rarest blend, as it only encompasses
one to three percent of people.
It stands for introversion, intuition, feeling, and judgment.
Taking the first component into consideration, it isn’t surprising that people with this
personality prefer to stay at home rather than go out on the town.
They need time to themselves to recuperate after being put in uncomfortable social situations,
or even after everyday tasks like work or school.
So, going out drinking and partying is more of a stressful chore than an entertaining
pastime.
15.
All by Myself - INFJs are known for being inside their heads most of the time, having
more inner dialogue than what they express around other people.
Because of their neverending string of thoughts, it’s easy for them to feel isolated, even
when they’re surrounded by friends.
It may seem contradictory, but people who possess this personality type feel lonelier
in a group than they do when they’re actually alone.
Since INFJs are within the lowest percentile of the sixteen character varieties, they often
sense that they’re misunderstood.
Extroverted people feed off of those around them, gaining energy by being a part of social
gatherings, but for INFJs it’s the opposite.
It can be anxiety-causing, stress-inducing, and draining for not-so-social-butterflies
to have to participate in interactions like this.
14.
Communication - Since people with this personality type are so introverted, it is surprising
that they are experts in communication when they open up.
INFJs are intelligent, often book-read, and take a lot of time considering other people’s
feelings.
Plus, they are said to be able to sense the emotions of those around them.
So, by examining these factors, one can see how INFJs can speak effectively to individuals
and large groups if need be.
In fact, there are many famous people with this personality type that everyone recognizes
for their amazing speech-giving skills.
Some of these renowned human beings include Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and
Mother Teresa.
In fact, Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech is one of the most memorable
and moving orations of all time.
Although it isn’t set in stone, these remarkable people are often classified as INFJs.
So, even though they often prefer not to be outspoken, some of the recommended career
paths for these unique folks are acting, marketing, teaching, and social working.
13.
Organization - We’ve already discussed that INFJs have a constant chain of thoughts and
an insane amount of inner dialogue.
Because their brains are never at rest, it isn’t shocking that they sometimes feel
mentally jumbled.
Due to the lack of organization within, it’s important for them to maintain a harmonic
atmosphere in their homes, at work, or at school.
Keeping a calm environment helps INFJs deal more efficiently with the turmoil they face
inside on a daily basis.
It’s not fun to process a million thoughts at once, meanwhile dealing with clutter around
the house.
So if your INFJ friend is coming over, be a pal and tidy up, buttercup!
12.
Intuitive - Considering it is the second word in the acronym for this personality type,
it’s not surprising that these unique people are very intuitive.
Opposed to their detail-focused counterparts, INFJs are more abstract.
They pay more attention to overall events than specific aspects.
So, rather than remembering the particulars of a conversation they had or precise interactions,
they recall experiences by how they felt during them and from the impressions they left.
INFJs are also often known for “reading between the lines.”
While most people pay attention to what is explicitly said or done to them, people with
this personality trait recognize the meaning behind incidents or individuals’ actions.
Their intuition also plays into the fact that they trust their feelings more than what actually
happened to them.
INFJs have more faith in their perceptions than they do in logic, thus making decisions
based on instinct instead of rationale.
This reliance on intuition also determines their thought-process regarding problem-solving
and often leads to eliminating ideas before attempting to follow through with them if
they suspect a negative outcome.
11.
Helping Others - Although they can seem withdrawn during interactions with others, don’t think
that INFJs don’t care or aren’t listening.
In fact, folks with this personality type care a lot about the people they come into
contact with, especially if they’re close to them.
Their focus on those around them is a strong guiding factor in how they behave.
Their main goal is usually to keep things running smoothly and make their friends and
family happy.
INFJs experience a lot of emotions that go along with their aspirations to help.
They frequently believe they know how people are feeling, and although what they perceive
isn’t always correct, they generally think they recognize what someone needs.
In fact, sometimes INFJs are so intent on keeping others content, they often forget
about themselves.
10.
How’s the Weather?
- One thing you should never do with an INFJ is to initiate small-talk.
They care deeply about other people, but they’re more interested in finding significant relationships
and having interesting conversations.
This stands true for their romantic lives, bonds with family members, and associations
with friends.
Since these people are always deep in their thoughts analyzing, observing, and drawing
conclusions, they desire more serious conversation.
Due to this characteristic, INFJs dislike trivial interactions.
9.
Circle of Trust - We previously discussed INFJs’ preferences of having small groups
of friends, their goals of pleasing others, and their desires in creating deep relationships.
However, don’t make a mistake in thinking that INFJs are pushovers.
If you mistreat them, they will retaliate.
Not in an outburst, but subtly, by cutting you out of their lives.
They have no problem deciding that someone is having a negative impact on them, and once
they’re fed up, they will cut all ties with you.
It may seem contradictory since they are so caring, but everyone has a limit and one they
reach it, they’re done for good.
They’ll lose interest in keeping contact with you, and they won’t think much about
a person who has done them wrong.
So if you’re close friends with an INFJ, try not to betray their trust because you
might lose a wonderful, considerate companion.
8.
Not Open Books - It’s true that INFJs enjoy talking about other people’s feelings, desires,
and aspirations, but when it comes to discussing their own, they dislike being open and will
often keep their emotions and thoughts to themselves.
Although they fear vulnerability, with the right person, they will eventually uncover
who they are more deeply.
This characteristic goes along with an INFJ’s introversion and feeling aspects.
They care about what others think and are very sensitive to what people around them
say and do.
They want to be accepted and are frightened that they won’t fit in.
So, it proves difficult for an INFJ to be an open book.
If you’re around someone with this personality, don’t take offense to their opposition of
self-discussion.
INFJs need to feel they can trust you before professing their inner emotions.
7.
Smile!
- People with the INFJ personality type don’t sport smiles at all times.
This deters people from talking to them because they believe they’re angry or uninterested
in conversing.
However, this isn’t true!
It stems back to their constant train of thought and their disinterest in small-talk.
They don’t want to appear fake, and nobody is happy twenty-four-seven, so don’t view
their lack of a grin as being rude, it’s just honesty.
Plus, since their minds envelop them, they may simply not be paying attention to their
facial expressions.
But this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t approach INFJs.
They seek human interaction and are genuinely interested in getting to know people.
6.
Love - INFJs are always searching for someone that they can form a real connection with.
This counts for romantic relationships and friendships.
But, once they find a person they consider a “soulmate,” they fall in love deeply.
An INFJ’s entire world revolves around forming personal ties with others and doing everything
they can to ensure things work out.
So, it’s no surprise that people with these traits tend to stay in love once they’ve
found a person who they think truly understands them.
INFJs are extremely involved in everything they do, including being with their partners.
They want to nurture them and their dreams, share their desires, and do whatever is within
their power to keep their love afloat.
This doesn’t mean they’ll stick around if they’re treated badly, but they won’t
give up without trying their best.
5.
Nonconformists - Because INFJs are always trying to find the deeper meanings behind
everyday things and people, they generally don’t find interest in matters that are
considered “trendy.”
This tends to be because most modern world pop culture topics aren’t meaningful to
people with this personality type.
They won’t care about staying up-to-date with the latest Kardashian news or celebrity
posts on Twitter.
They prefer to pursue things that are more in-depth.
INFJs usually enjoy things like reading books, exploring different cultures, or discussing
the meanings behind works of art.
They care less about the little stuff and more about the grand scheme of life, so they
don’t blend in with the herd.
4.
Questioning - INFJs are always silently questioning those around them.
They use this tool to judge how people are feeling, what they’re thinking about, and
how they can help them.
But, this can backfire when they use it on themselves.
People with this personality are always wondering how they can make themselves better.
Are they good enough?
Are they doing all they can for others?
Are they working in the right field?
Are they keeping up with their relationships?
INFJs are always concerned that they aren’t reaching the high standards they’ve set
in their lives.
This can turn into self-sabotage.
They set their goals too high or expect to accomplish too much in a small amount of time,
which often fails.
You can’t achieve the impossible.
INFJs would benefit greatly by coming up with more reasonable courses of action and taking
things one step at a time.
This aspect also goes along with the fact that INFJs strive for perfection.
Being a perfectionist isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but can cause a lot of stress
and anxiety if it’s expected in everything a person does.
INFJs should consider this when they’re feeling overwhelmed at work, home, or with
other people.
3.
Want it All or Nothing at All - Just like O-Town states in their 2001 hit, INFJs go
full-force with everything they do.
They give it their all, or they just won’t participate.
This trait has its roots in the same guiding factor that makes INFJs perfectionists, nonconformists,
and caregivers.
They aren’t cursory; once they’ve set their minds to something, INFJs will do whatever
it takes to follow through.
People with this personality type often think ahead to all possibilities anyway, so once
they decide on a plan they think will succeed, there’s no stopping them from accomplishing
their goals.
This doesn’t only apply to their professional lives and aspirations, however.
It also comes into play with their friendships and romantic pursuits, as we previously discussed.
INFJs are loyal, supportive, and strive to do their best in every situation.
2.
Sad Songs - The slow, somber tunes about lost love and heartbreak aren’t most people’s
go-to when it comes to daily music choices.
However, INFJs have a unique appreciation for the sad songs that would bring most to
tears.
They find beauty in the gentle guitar, piano, and soft voices that are common with these
wistful ballads.
INFJs tend to stray from the upbeat pop music that most radio stations play because the
topics discussed in them generally don’t allow for more in-depth thinking.
This isn’t surprising and goes along with their interest in more intricate things.
1.
Guilt - Unfortunately for INFJs, it is common for them to feel guilty about things a lot
of people wouldn’t.
Small things affect them tremendously.
Since they are so focused on being a good person and helping those around them, it hurts
them if they haven’t lived up to those expectations.
This goes back to how INFJs always try to please others, so much so that they sometimes
forget to keep themselves happy.
If they’ve hurt somebody, they will do everything in their power to fix it.
If they don’t know how they’ve upset a person, they have extreme anxiety because
they’re not sure how to atone.
Although it isn’t a bad thing to be caring, being too much so can pose many challenges
for INFJs.