INFJ Characteristics

INFJ (the counselor idealist)

Stats

Rarest personality type; estimated 2% of population.

Characteristics

private
sensitive
quiet leaders
great depth of personality - intricately and deeply woven, mysterious, and highly complex, sometimes puzzling even themselves
introverted
abstract in communicating
live in a world of hidden meanings and possibilities - part of an unusually rich inner life
abstract in communicating
artistic (and natural affinity for art), creative, and easily inspired
very independent
orderly view towards the world but within themself arranged in a chaotic, complex way only they could understand

Towards the self

INFJs value their integrity a great deal. They are generally "doers" as well as great dreamers. They have high expectations of themselves and need to live their lives in accordance with what they feel is right. They do this through total trust of their intuition. They believe in constant growth and don't often take time to revel in their accomplishments. INFJs are proud of their authenticity, respectful of their benevolence, confident of their empathy. They also are constantly in a state of self-renewal.

Towards the world

Towards the future: credulous, the past: mystical. INFJs prefer the future and the pathway along which they aspire for profundity. They've even been known to have visions/premonitions/auditory and visual images of things to come. They are often said to possess supernormal intuitive ability in both its forms: projection and introjection. They search for their unique identity and place in the world, constantly defining this better. They are activists there for the cause, not for the power, fantasize about getting revenge on those who victimize the defenseless, and put a lot of energy into identifying the best system for getting things done.

Relationships

An INFJ is often hard to get to know. They are selective about their friends, but such a friendship is a symbiotic bond that transcends mere words... They hunger for deep and meaningful relationships, provide spiritual intimacy for their mates, and can only be emotionally intimate and fulfilled with a chosen few from among their long-term friends, family, or obvious "soul mates." In such relationships, they strive for mutuality, don't believe in compromising their ideals, and can understand and deal with complex issues and people.

Towards others

It can be difficult for an INFJ to articulate their deepest and most convoluted feelings to others. They tend to be secretive by holding back and protecting part of themselves, thus creating hidden sides to their personality. They are choosy of what and when to share things and tend to only truly do so with those they trust. When they reveal things, it is often through speaking interpretively and metaphorically of the abstract world of their imagination. However, they can work quite intensely with those close to them, being cooperative in implementing goals - even though their own trusted intuition can sometimes make them stubborn. They can become aware of another's emotions/intentions before that person is conscious of them. This leads to strong empathic abilities, an unusually strong desire to contribute to the welfare of others while pointing out human potentials, and uncanny communications with certain individuals at a distance. They are often leaders who go unnoticed, quietly exerting their influence behind the scenes. When working with others, they are very sensitive to conflict and cannot tolerate it very well. They will prevent/avoid it at all costs. They also provide an opportunity for fantasy for their children.

"You are not here merely to make a living.
You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply,
with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement.
You are here to enrich the world,
and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand."
Woodrow Wilson