What it Means to be an INFJ Personality Type
The INFJ personality type is one of sixteen combinations you may get after taking a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator assessment.
This personality type is often labeled as the “Idealist” or the “Advocate,” although many people just use the type’s initials when referring to an INFJ.
The letters in INFJ stand for Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, and Judging. These personality traits combine to create a person who is typically thoughtful and imaginative.
Although they are often quiet, these individuals have an inner vision and strong personal values that drive and motivate them.
This personality type is the rarest MBTI type. Between 1% and 3% of the US population are INFJs. In the article below, you’ll learn all about this type and how they interact with the world around them.
About INFJs
INFJs are known for their strong sense of idealism and high levels of integrity. While this initial description might lead people to think INFJs are idle dreamers, this isn’t the case.
They often push themselves to take steps to reach their goals. With such strong personal motivation, they often leave a mark on the world.
In fact, experts believe that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was an INFJ. He is one example of how this introverted personality type can leave a legacy that continues long after death.
Common INFJ Characteristics
Although the INFJ type is rare, people with this type can be identified by a number of common characteristics. While most INFJs will have the majority of these characteristics, some traits may not apply to all people with the INFJ type.
Compassion
The “NF” in INFJ stands for Intuitive and Feeling.
Most personality types with the Intuitive-Feeling combination are emotionally sensitive and empathetic. Combined with Introversion traits, they are often soft-spoken and compassionate.
Despite being quiet, they are very vocal when it comes to defending their deeply held beliefs.
Helpfulness
INFJs build meaningful connections with friends and loved ones.
Although they need the time and space to recharge (as introverts), they also enjoy helping others.
Organization
Since they have the Judging personality trait (the “J” in INFJ), they are often more organized than INFPs. They enjoy organizing, planning, and getting things done without procrastinating.
When they need to make decisions, they like to make decisions as quickly as possible.
Emotional and Logical
There’s a reason these two traits aren’t listed separately. People often consider these things as opposites since sometimes emotion and logic seem to be contradictory.
However, the INFJ personality type has a combination of both these traits. When they make decisions, they tend to rely on their emotions more than facts.
However, they have a keen awareness of the world and a strong desire to make it better. This awareness and desire force them to make logical and calculated decisions.
Idealism
INFJs are idealists with the ability to put their ideas into action.
They don’t just dream about someday changing the world. They take regular steps to make it happen.
Strengths
INFJs have several strengths that set them apart from other people.
Creativity
They have the ability to find creative solutions to help the people they love most.
Not only do they have strong imaginations, but their compassion presses them to use their imaginations to help others. With these creative abilities, they often make great advisors, counselors, and pastors.
This creativity may also be lived out through the creation of art. They are often deeply interested in arts and creative self-expression.
Because of this, INFJs also make excellent artists, musicians, and writers.
Sensitive
They are sensitive to the needs of other people.
As an Intuitive personality type, they often see beyond surface-level words and actions, understanding the motivations that drive other people. This sensitivity helps them know and meet the needs of others.
This sensitivity is also often paired with insight. They tend to understand the needs, feelings, and motivations of people around them.
Future Focused
INFJs often think about the future. While some people might assume this means they spend time in an imagined future reality, their organization and other strengths push them to take the necessary steps to reach their dreams.
Conviction
INFJs tend to have a strong sense of conviction that drives them. When they talk about things that matter to them, others notice because of their passion. This makes them persuasive speakers, especially when they’re speaking about their deeply held beliefs.
This can often translate into altruism. Most INFJs have a desire to use their gifts and strengths to impact the greater good. They consider how their actions impact others, making them less likely to succeed at the expense of others.
People with this personality type often live their lives in a way that makes the world a better place.
Weaknesses
Despite their many strengths, INFJs also have a number of weaknesses.
Sensitive to Criticism
INFJs don’t respond well to criticism. Sometimes this makes them defensive, even when the criticism is made with good intentions.
Even if they don’t react outwardly to criticism, they may walk away from it with seriously hurt feelings.
High Expectations and Perfectionism
INFJs expect a lot from themselves and others. That means they may expect something that just isn’t attainable.
Their idealism and perfectionism may make them feel unhappy with jobs, relationships, and living situations that don’t meet their high standards.
This can often make them look like pessimists since they will often spend time fixated on imperfections. Their desire to be the best and have the best can make reality disappointing.
Difficult to Know
This personality type takes a significant amount of time to open up and be vulnerable with others. This makes it really hard to know them, especially since their drive for perfection can sometimes push them to conceal their own weaknesses.
Their perfectionism and their altruism both drive them to remain closed off to others. They don’t want others to see the places where they’re imperfect since they’d rather work on themselves and become better first.
Their altruism often causes them to hold their feelings in because they fear burdening others. When combined, these things make INFJs seem distant and hard to know.
Susceptible to Burnout
Their perfectionism and their altruistic drives also leave them without the outlets they need to avoid getting burnout. They often work tirelessly for weeks or months at a time, only to find themselves exhausted and burnt out.
It’s important for INFJs to find time to tend to themselves. Although their drive to help others may make them feel selfish for indulging in self-care, it’s an important activity to help them sustainably do all that they do.
INFJs in Relationships
It’s helpful to understand how INFJs relate to the world, especially when it comes to relationships. They deeply care about those around them and invest a lot in their relationships.
The following information is a brief explanation of how they are as friends, romantic partners, and parents.
Friends
It’s often difficult to get to know an INFJ. However, they place a lot of value on close friendships and make amazing friends.
When hurt, they’re more inclined to hide their hurt feelings than to openly communicate their hurt. As introverts, they also need time to retreat from others, even those they care about.
It’s important for their friends to understand their deep feelings and reluctance to open up. Most importantly, friends of INFJs should extend support and remind their INFJ friend to take time to recharge.
Romantic Partners
INFJs are kind, helpful, and empathetic. These traits often make them the ideal romantic partner.
When they share the same core values as their partner, they often thrive. Because their core values are so important to them, they may leave relationships if they feel like their partner isn’t on the same page as them.
They often need emotional intimacy and support from their loved ones. They also crave honesty and authenticity since these are important to INFJs. Romantic partners can support INFJs by fostering a deep, intimate emotional bond.
Parents
When INFJs become parents, they often tend to be close and connected to their children. This is because they are empathetic and strive to understand the feelings of others.
However, their drive for perfection can often be projected on their children. They have high standards and expect their children to meet those standards.
Despite this drive for perfection, they often seek to raise children who are compassionate and kind.
Since they often push themselves to reach their own dreams, they are great teachers that provide their children with the motivation and tools they need to reach their full potential.
INFJs in the Workforce
Creativity, determination, and idealism play key roles in how INFJs act in the workplace. They usually love jobs that allow them to make an impact with their values and convictions, especially if the job also affords them some flexibility and creativity.
In school, INFJs often excel because of their perfectionistic tendencies. They put significant effort into their work, especially when they care about what they’re doing. INFJs are often positive, hardworking, and easy to get along with in the workplace.
While they can succeed in any role they put their heart into, they sometimes struggle in managerial roles because they struggle to exert authority over others. While their empathy helps their subordinates feel valued, they may struggle to enforce rules. They may actively avoid hard conversations.
INFJs make great artisans, entrepreneurs, clergy, musicians, counselors, writers, teachers, and social workers. Their drive to improve the world around them makes INFJs passionate and hardworking. They thrive when they find careers in alignment with their core beliefs.