The INFJ personality, characterized by combining the psychological dimensions of introversion, intuition, feeling and judgment, represents according to Carl Jung 1% of the population. This personality pattern defines an idealistic profile, serene, firm in its values, highly sensitive, but self-assured and always oriented to improve the lives of others.
If someone has not yet heard of this type of personality, it will not take long to find a book, a documentary or an article with the classic list of the 10 key characteristics that define this unique type of profile. The INFJ personality is fashionable in the Anglo-Saxon world, and although at first glance it may remind us a bit of the highly sensitive personality, it must be said that they are not exactly the same.
"One does not reach enlightenment by fantasizing about the light but by making the darkness conscious ..."
-Carl Young-
To understand it a little better, let's take a trip to its origin. The INFJ typology is actually part of the Myers-Briggs Indicator, a personality test designed to identify our personal preferences. This test is based on the psychological types developed by Carl Jung, which he defined throughout his clinical experience.
Today this indicator is used mainly in group dynamics and in tests of personal growth. However, it must be said that within the more academic sphere and in the most rigorous psychological literature they do not give it much validity. However, Carl Jung's work on his psychological types is always of interest, and today we are seeing a strong resurgence of many of his approaches, and especially his contribution to the study of personality.
Thus, and among all that set of psychological profiles that the Myers-Briggs indicator offers us, what is considered the most peculiar and exclusive personality of all, the INFJ, always draws attention. Let's dive a little deeper into it.
The INFJ Personality or "Lawyer" Profile
The Myers-Briggs Indicator is a type of psychological test that professionals in the educational world tend to like. It makes it easier for students to get to know each other better, to make more reasoned decisions about their academic and work future. Through its four scales we can know, for example, how we see the world, how we process everything that surrounds us or how we relate to each other.
Likewise, it is interesting to remember that this indicator is based on 8 types of extroverted personalities and 8 types of introverted personalities, the INFJ personality being precisely the most unusual of all because it defines just over 1% of the population.
Rosa María Hervás, exposes the main elements of the model proposed by Myers and Briggs on Jung's psychological types:
- The Myers and Briggs Style Indicator is designed to evaluate Jung's global theory related to psychological types and to make practical use of it.
- According to this theory, we can all use four basic mental functions or processes when we obtain information (Sensation-Intuition) and make decisions (Reflection-Emotion). We also use four attitudes towards the outside world: Extraversion-Introversion and Judgment-Perception.
- The combination of all these functions and attitudes will give rise to 16 types that differ in the development of each preference and Introverted attitudes.
INFJ Personality Traits
Oriented to help others
The INFJ personality is also known as the lawyer profile for the following reasons:
- They are idealistic and have a high sense of what is right and what is wrong.
- They are guided by their values and are always very belief-oriented.
- One of its clearest goals is to make it easy to help others.
- However, they are not limited to "rescue", because the INFJ personality has the ability to inspire, to get others to be better, to progress, to become the kind of people who do not need to be rescued.
They are good at socializing but value loneliness
This type of personality profile has a knack for building relationships. They know how to make friends and keep them, they are close, warm and friendly, simple and good conversationalists. Seen from the outside, they can give the impression that they are the classic example of an extrovert, however, the INFJ personality controls moments of sociability very well and limits them in time for a very basic reason.
His nature is introverted and he needs moments of solitude to regain his "energy".
They are active dreamers
The INFJ personality is a tireless dreamer. However, his dreams do not remain in mere illusion, in the classic passive dreamer where his idealism is so fragile and light that the wind blows him away. Quite the opposite. This personality has the natural need to contribute to society, and hence, they daydream to act in the same way: with conviction and determination.
In a work setting, these people always show independence, clear goal orientation, high creativity and a lot of intuition. Also, it is common that they like art and science equally.
Their enthusiasm and idealism often wear them out
The INFJ personality has only one problem: society. In this world full of inequalities, closed doors and walls to overcome daily, it is easy to become discouraged by so many obstacles. Hence, it is common for this profile to end up being disappointed and suffering constant physical and emotional wear.
It is not easy for them to have to face criticism, stress and the clash between their idealism and harsh reality on a daily basis . Also, another fact that characterizes them is that they often forget to take care of themselves.
"Each man must decide whether to walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness."
-Martin Luther King-
Having already seen the main characteristics of this type of personality defined by Carl Gustav Jung, we can intuit that we are facing one of those figures whose thought and its echo has led to a small world revolution. That 1% of the population is actually the light of our society: people with clear ideals, purposeful dreamers who yearn to give the best to others.
Thus, and in case someone feels fully identified with the INFJ personality, only one piece of advice should be added: you have to persist without neglecting your own ideals. Never give up, because sometimes that 1% of the population is enough to inspire the other 99%.
Article Referenced:
- https://www.psychological-consulting.com
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- Giardina, A., 2018. 16 Signs You’re An INFJ, The World’s Rarest Personality Type. [online] Introvert, Dear. Available at: https://introvertdear.com/news/infj-signs/ [Accessed 9 October 2020].
- Iloabugichukwu, A., 2018. Some Men Are Just Trash, Now Admit That’s How You Like Them. [online] Medium. Available at: https://medium.com/@arahthequill/some-men-are-trash-and-some-of-us-like-them-that-way-88281081454a#:~:text=Broken%2Dwing%20syndrome%2C%20also%20known,love%20to%20their%20gracious%20saviors.&text=For%20one%2C%20loving%20someone%20in,you%20from%20your%20own%20needs. [Accessed 9 October 2020].
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