A Dreamer’s Life: The INFP Personality Type
Once upon a time, I was less than understanding and happy about being an INFP because this is largely an extravert’s world.
I had always known I was a “dreamer.” Unable to focus very well in school, and preoccupied with understanding the ultimate meanings of things, I would spend hours adrift in the world of ideas, contemplating the many possibilities, and coming up with novel notions. Can anyone out there relate? I felt quite different from others who seemed to live mainly outside of their head and who seemed to thrive on engaging with one another in various activities. I didn’t know it then, but I was in Introvert in a largely Extravert’s world.
Just before I began my formal psychology studies, I learned what it means to be an INFP personality type. For those who might not be familiar with this label, I should explain that these letters represent four key dimensions of personality as outlined by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. This personality typing system is based largely on the work of Carl Jung and his formulations on various aspects of mental functions and personality. The key dimensions include:
- introversion vs. extraversion (whether one’s basic energies are generally centered on the internal world of ideas and concepts or external interactions with people, places, and things),
- intuitive vs. sensing (whether one tends to rely automatically on imagination and instinct or tends to focus on gathering facts and information),
- feeling vs. thinking (whether one is instinctively sensitive to interpersonal needs as opposed to logical and factual analysis), and
- perceiving vs. judging (instinctively comfortable with freedom, flexibility, and flying by the seat of one’s pants as opposed to desiring structure, planning, and organization)
INFPs often tend to be creative individuals who engage in such pursuits as music, writing (Go, figure!), art, and yes, even psychology (Duh…). They also tend to be notoriously “scattered” and somewhat disorganized. That’s my real downfall. In my inner world, there is literally an idea forming every minute. And my outer world certainly reflects that, being an almost constant mess! INFPs are the dreamers who live in the world of values and concepts and are forever trying to find the bigger meanings of things in life. They are value-driven individuals who can get really riled when someone accidentally violates one of their primary values.
Some of my biggest dreams have been with me my whole life. I dream of a world without so much conflict. I dream of more equity and justice in life. I dream of greater understanding and acceptance between people. And I dream of an honest debate about the most essential values we must all seek to honor and preserve.
Yep, no doubt about it, I’m solidly and hopelessly a dreamer. Once I was less than understanding and happy about it because, as I mentioned before, this is largely an extravert’s world. But I’ve come to see how dreamers have a role to play and a gift to give. One day, maybe one of the inventions I started working on will actually get finished!
Are you a dreamer? Does any of this sound familiar to you? Do you have a plethora of unfinished “projects” scattered all around? Have you felt different because of these things? Well, perhaps you can take some comfort in knowing that you have company.
Some noteworthy purported INFPs: John F. Kennedy, William Shakespeare, Fred Rogers, Laura Ingalls Wilder, James Taylor, Albert Schweitzer, Princess Diana, George Orwell.
29 Responses (12 Discussion Threads) to “A Dreamer’s Life: The INFP Personality Type”
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Carolyn
11Sometimes I feel very alone. When in school I felt I didn’t belong I couldn’t fathom study and couldn’t get my head around it let alone be interested long enough to put the effort in to get good grades. I use to wrtie a lot of poetry it was a way for me to write down my thoughts and I was quite gifted at it. I did fail dismally in my last yr of school. I love my own space and not big on being around a lot of people but I have my friends I see occassionally. I am quite scattered in my thinking at times. I can never seem to finish anything. My ex husband would get so terribly frustrated with me because everything I would start I’d never finish. I would lose interest half way through whatever it was I was doing. He never really understood me. I have been trying to find a career that I will be happy with. I think of something then another idea pops into my – in the end I have millions if ideas running around in my head eventually not really getting anywhere with any of it. I love helping people and very passionate about people needs and understanding their troubles. I started a counselling course a few months ago and 5 months into it I lost interest. I cant motivate myself to get back into it. I am not sure if I want to do this now as a career. I am wondering if I picked this because I couldn’t find anything else at the time. Now I feel I should be doing something creative as I am realising my concentration span to study is not the best. I daydream a lot about what I want in life. I am hoping I can break this pattern it annoys me at times but I am trying to learn to accept this is me and love me for who I am.
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Sophie
12Hi
Reading your article gave me an idea :P
How about all of the INFP’s of the world unite, work together to spread the message of peace and justice.
The political parties across the world are a discrace to humankind – the messages our ‘modern’ world churns out are mostly disgusting.
Wouldnt it be nice to know that the people spreading the messages were mostly dreamers who wanted to make the world a better place and had a wealth of ideas to do so?
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12.1
I really like your idea, Sophie. Actually, I think it’s an idea that’s already catching on. The dreamers are beginning to rally and find their own voice. I sense a movement afoot. Or maybe a showdown…….
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Kev
13I’m afraid my condition is not as severe as it is for some. I can dream as vividly as the next INFP but the T in me is almost 45%, so dreams are countered by a shocking truth known as reality. The NF could only flurrish in a world that is without the other types. In the real world NF’s are often dominated, bullied and tricked as their trusting soles are exploited and taken for granted. The role of the NF, as I see it, is a balancing role. Our task is to counter the thoughts and deeds of the those with less generous natures. We are the custodians of peice and harmony and without us, the world would be unthinkably dark. Governments have far more to deal with than we are ever told and the price we pay for dealing with hard nosed people, is that we have to employ equally hard nosed people to do it. None NF’s are equally important, if we are to preserve what is rightfully ours. If a violent theif was helping himself/herself to your posessions, who would you call on to deal with it; the Police I bet; certainly not another NF. We have our role and none NF’s have theirs and thank heaven that’s the way it is.
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13.1
This made me chuckle, Kev – absolutely. Thank goodness there are some harder nosed people around!
(I’m an INFJ gatecrasher!)
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13.2
Great points, Kev. I’m on the “borderline” myself with respect to F and T and P and J. And I know how dependent I am on other types to help turn some of my dreams into practical realities and to do all the other things we all need done that I’m not predisposed to do well. Balance is the key.
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Megan
14Hi!
well, I think that Kev’s idea is kinda… close-minded or something like that. the NF isn’t the only focal point for betweenness. every letter is. E, I, S,N,T,F,J,P. all of them. that’s the reason why an INFP don’t behave like an ESTP. each of those aspect are equal, no more, no less. they contribute to the whole being, to the you, to how you’d act to this, etc. and the other types aren’t out there to get us, trick us or do something like that. It was, is, and will always be up to you if you let them take advantage of you. that’s the use of your own will. and no, we ain’t have no task. you make your task not some predestined mantra or whatsoever. you’re free to be a drug addict, or to be a future president. the possibilities are endless. let’s remind ourself of that. hey, I almost forgot. I’m an INFP too. the article was a great help, sir. :)
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