Portrait of an ESFP - Extraverted Sensing Feeling Perceiving
(Extraverted Sensing with Introverted Feeling)
The Performer
As an ESFP, your primary mode of living is focused externally, where you take things in via your five
senses in a literal, concrete fashion. Your secondary mode is internal, where you deal with things according
to how you feel about them, or how they fit with your personal value system.
ESFP's live in the world of people possibilities. They love people and new experiences. They are lively and
fun, and enjoy being the center of attention. They live in the here-and-now, and relish excitement and
drama in their lives.
ESFP’s have very strong inter-personal skills, and may find themselves in the role of the peacemaker
frequently. Since they make decisions by using their personal values, they are usually very sympathetic and
concerned for other people's well-being. They're usually quite generous and warm. They are very observant
about other people, and seem to sense what is wrong with someone before others might, responding
warmly with a solution to a practical need. They might not be the best advice-givers in the world, because
they dislike theory and future-planning, but they are great for giving practical care.
ESFP is definitely a spontaneous, optimistic individual. They love to have fun. If the ESFP has not
developed their Thinking side by giving consideration to rational thought processing, they tend to become
over-indulgent, and place more importance on immediate sensation and gratification than on their duties
and obligations. They may also avoid looking at long-term consequences of their actions.
For the ESFP, the entire world is a stage. They love to be the center of attention and perform for people.
They're constantly putting on a show for others to entertain them and make them happy. They enjoy
stimulating other people's senses, and are extremely good at it. They would love nothing more than for life
to be a continual party, in which they play the role of the fun-loving host.
ESFP’s love people and everybody loves an ESFP. One of their greatest gifts is their general acceptance of
everyone. They are upbeat and enthusiastic, and genuinely like almost everybody. An ESFP is unfailingly
warm and generous with their friends, and they generally treat everyone as a friend. However, once
crossed, an ESFP is likely to make a very strong and stubborn judgment against the person who crossed
them. They are capable of deep dislike in such a situation.
The ESFP under a great deal of stress gets overwhelmed with negatives thoughts and possibilities. As an
optimistic individual who lives in the world of possibilities, negative possibilities do not sit well with them.
In an effort to combat these thoughts, they're likely to come up with simple, global statements to explain
away the problem. These simplistic explanations may or may not truly get to the nature of the issue, but
they serve the ESFP well by allowing them to get over it.
ESFP’s are likely to be very practical, although they hate structure and routine. They like to "go with the
flow", trusting in their ability to improvise in any situation presented to them. They learn best with "handson"
experience, rather than by studying a book. They're uncomfortable with theory. If an ESFP hasn't
developed their intuitive side, they may tend to avoid situations which involve a lot of theoretical thinking,
or which are complex and ambiguous. For this reason, an ESFP may have difficulty in school. On the other
hand, the ESFP does extremely well in situations where they're allowed to learn by interacting with others,
or in which they "learn by doing".
ESFP’s have a very well-developed appreciation for aesthetic beauty, and an excellent sense of space and
function. If they have the means, they're likely to have to have many beautiful possessions, and an artfully
furnished home. In general, they take great pleasure in objects of aesthetic beauty. They're likely to have a
strong appreciation for the finer things in life, such as good food and good wine.
The ESFP is a great team player. He or she is not likely to create any problems or fuss, and is likely to
create the most fun environment possible for getting the task done. ESFP’s will do best in careers in which
they are able to use their excellent people skills, along with their abilities to meld ideas into structured
formats. Since they are fast-paced individuals who like new experiences, they should choose careers which
offer or require a lot of diversity, as well as people skills.
ESFP’s usually like to feel strongly bonded with other people, and have a connection with animals and
small children that is not found in most other types. They're likely to have a strong appreciation for the
beauties of nature as well.
The ESFP has a tremendous love for life, and knows how to have fun. They like to bring others along on
their fun-rides, and are typically a lot of fun to be with. They're flexible, adaptable, genuinely interested in
people, and usually kind-hearted. They have a special ability to get a lot of fun out of life, but they need to
watch out for the pitfalls associated with living entirely in the moment.
Jungian functional preference ordering:
Dominant: Extraverted Sensing
Auxiliary: Introverted Feeling
Tertiary: Extraverted Thinking
Inferior: Introverted Intuition
ESFP’s generally have the following traits:
Live in the present moment
Are stimulated and excited by new experiences
Practical and realistic
Warmly interested in people
Know how to have a good time, and how to make things fun for others
Independent and resourceful
Spontaneous - seldom plan ahead
Hate structure and routine
Dislike theory and long written explanations
Feel special bond with children and animals
Strongly developed aesthetic appreciation for things
Great people skills
ESFP’s are good at many things, but will not be happy unless they have a lot of contact with people, and a
lot of new experiences. They should choose careers which provide them with the opportunity to use their
great people skills and practical perspective, which will also provide them with enough new challenges that
they will not become bored.
ESFP Relationships
ESFP’s are fun and delightful to be with. They live for the moment, and know how to make the most of
each moment. They are genuinely, warmly interested in people, and love to make others happy. They're
usually very kind-hearted and generous, and are always going out of their way to do something nice for
someone. Their affection is simple, straight-forward and honest. They dislike theory and complexities.
They often resist forming relationships which require them to function on a high Intuitive or Thinking
level. They prefer for things to be light and happy, although their warmth and affection runs deep. Their
potential downfall is the tendency to live entirely for the present moment, and therefore to sometimes be
unaware of the direction that their relationship is heading, or to be easily distracted from long-term
commitments.
ESFP Strengths
Enthusiastic and fun-loving, they make everything enjoyable
Clever, witty, direct, and popular, people are drawn towards them
Earthy and sensual
Down to earth and practical, able to take care of daily needs
Artistic and creative, they're likely to have attractive homes
Flexible and diverse, they "go with the flow" extremely well
They can leave bad relationships, although it's not easy
Try to make the most of every moment
Generous and warm-hearted
ESFP Weaknesses
May be frivolous and risky with money
Tend to be materialistic
Extreme dislike of criticism, likely to take things extremely personally
Likely to ignore or escape conflict situations rather than face them
Lifelong commitments may be a struggle for them - they take things one day at a time
Don't pay enough attention to their own needs
Tendency to neglect their health, or even abuse their bodies
Always excited by something new, they may change partners frequently
What does Success mean to an ESFP?
ESFP’s can’t help but spontaneously grasp the moment, particularly if it offers a new sensation or
experience. And while the ESFP might seem to others to only be interested in piling up new experiences, or
reliving old ones just to savor the quality of the sensations or lively enjoyment they bring, the ESFP has in
fact a far more subtle relationship to life and the world around them. Indeed, with their curious mixture of
Extraverted Sensation and Introverted Feeling, the ESFP can show a wealth of complexity in their ways,
even if to the ESFP themselves, considering such matters is felt to be a tedious and - to their way of seeing
the world - quite unnecessary task. For this reason, just defining what success means to an ESFP requires
more than simply assuming that a life filled with satisfying, quality experiences necessarily fulfills this
criteria, as the ESFP’s true needs and satisfactions will depend greatly on the strength and refinement of
their Sensation and Feeling functions. But there is one thing that defines all ESFP’s, and that is their
exuberant ability - and need - to engage with other people and express that which grips them. So, whilst
success might come through many different paths, and be felt by the ESFP in modes and preferences not
necessarily understood as success by other types, the successful ESFP will nevertheless always be found
where they can live in full and open engagement with people and able to express their talents, appreciations
and joys before the world at large.
Allowing Your ESFP Strengths to Flourish
As an ESFP, you have gifts that are specific to your personality type that aren't natural strengths for other
types. By recognizing your special gifts and encouraging their growth and development, you will more
readily see your place in the world, and how you can better use your talents to achieve your dreams.
Nearly all ESFP’s will recognize the following characteristics in themselves. They should embrace and
nourish these strengths:
A great ability to understand the objective world, its facts and realities.
A talent for entertaining and pleasing others with words and actions.
An aptitude for getting the most out of any situation or place.
Very skilled at finding the best of things for themselves and others.
A warm and generous attitude both as a giver and receiver.
Exceptional natural musical and dramatic skills.
A detailed and finely nuanced appreciation of the outside world.
Adept at detecting and recognizing the effects of minute changes to their environment.
A talent for learning to do practically anything by just watching and doing.
A reassuring and practical sense of the world which supports others.
ESFP’s who have developed their Introverted Feeling to the extent that they can integrate the concrete
world of their perceptions with a responsive and healthy system of personal values will find that they enjoy
these very special gifts:
Their refined tastes will make it a joy for others to be in their company and homes.
Their ability to weigh the value of their actions gives great force to their talent for entertaining
people of all tastes.
They will quickly differentiate between those things which are of greater and lesser importance to
a situation.
They will not just seek entertainment and things for their own sake, but will seek always to find
that which they feel will provide the most value and reward for themselves and others.
The ESFP who augments their ability to recognize opportunities (Extraverted Sensing) with a
strong internal value system (Introverted Feeling) will find themselves more likely to attract, and
be attracted into, very rewarding relationships with others - particularly with those of the opposite
sex.
They will recognize and promote the talents of others.
They can be counted on to defend the best and most life promoting aspects of the world.
Potential Problem Areas
With any gift of strength, there is an associated weakness. Without "bad", there would be no "good".
Without "difficult", there would be no "easy". We value our strengths, but we often curse and ignore our
weaknesses. To grow as a person and get what we want out of life, we must not only capitalize upon our
strengths, but also face our weaknesses and deal with them. That means taking a hard look at our
personality type's potential problem areas.
ESFP’s are kind and creative beings with many special gifts. I would like for the ESFP to keep in mind
some of the many positive things associated with being an ESFP as they read some of this more negative
material. Also remember that the weaknesses associated with being an ESFP are natural to your type.
Although it may be depressing to read about your type's weaknesses, please remember that we offer this
information to enact positive change. We want people to grow into their own potential, and to live happy
and successful lives.
Most of the weaker characteristics that are found in ESFP’s are due to their dominant Extraverted Sensing
function overshadowing the rest of their personality. When this function smothers everything else, the
ESFP can't use Introverted Feeling to properly judge the value and propriety of their perceptions or actions.
The first ten of the following weaknesses derive in varying degrees from this problem alone, whilst the rest
are due to the additional effect of the ESFP’s unique make up and result from their diminished capacity to
use abstract reasoning:
May be seen by others as unnecessarily coarse in their behavior and life choices.
May be unable to value or may ignore the preferences and needs of others.
May perceive even the most careful and objective criticism as simply a ploy to spoil their
enjoyment of life.
May have skewed or unrealistic ideas about the feelings of others.
May be unable to acknowledge or hear anything that would lead to second thoughts or a more
careful appreciation.
May blame their problems on the world at large, seeing themselves as frustrated heroes battling
against the odds.
May become totally self focused and oblivious to the havoc they wreak on others feelings.
May uncaringly use totally inappropriate social behavior simply to make a point.
May be overbearing in their judgments upon the taste and dress of others.
May come across to others as boastful and rash in their attitudes.
May rationalize the ways of the world in the most inane or simplistic ways.
May believe the most extraordinary things about inanimate objects and their workings.
May feel overwhelmed with tension and stress when driven into a situation which requires deep
and careful consideration.
Under great stress, may feel the world around them is alive with dark, unseen influences.
Another difficulty, which is not so much a problem for the ESFP but for those around them, particularly if
Introverted Thinking or Intuitive types, is that even when joyful or in the midst of life, they may be
perceived as coldly self absorbed and oblivious to the feelings of others, even when the truth is quite the
reverse. Should it somehow matter, then when in the company of such people, the ESFP should take some
trouble to express their feelings and value judgments.
Explanation of Problems
Nearly all of the problematic characteristics described above can be attributed in various degrees to the
common ESFP problem of being overly absorbed by the sensations and immediate apparent facts of the
external world. ESFP’s are usually very spontaneous and outgoing people who have little time for analysis
of the complexities behind the world they live in. They are likely to treat any point of view other than their
own rather shortly, waving away in particular the more intellectual and intuitive understandings of others as
irrelevant and totally secondary to the obvious realities of life. If the ESFP does not learn how to deal with
the tension that arises between, what to them is the most obvious and satisfying way to deal with the world
and those deeper intricacies which lie behind its facade, the ESFP will begin to shut out any incoming
information which produces this tension. This is a natural survival technique for the ESFP personality. The
main driver to the ESFP personality is Extraverted Sensation, whose purpose is solely to perceive the
realities of the external world and by which the ESFP orients themselves towards the things they need or
desire. If an ESFP's image of the world is threatened by demands for careful judgment or reasoning, the
ESFP shuts out the demand in order to preserve and honor their world view. This is totally natural, and
works well to protect the individual psyche from getting hurt. However, the ESFP who exercises this type
of self-protection regularly will become not only more and more careless of other people's needs and
perspectives, but also cut off in a world where the facts and realities which they perceive become
interwoven with a belief system which supports only the ESFP’s desire driven view. Under such
circumstances they will justify their own inappropriate behaviors in the most astounding or rationally
simplistic ways, and will always find fault with others for trying to complicate and disturb what ought to be
a simple and obvious way of life. It will be difficult for them to maintain close personal relationships
because they will not only have unreasonable and simplistically concrete expectations, but will be unable to
understand why such expectations cannot be easily met.
It’s not an uncommon tendency for the ESFP to look to their inner world only for feelings that justify their
desires and perceptions. However, if this tendency is given free reign, the resulting ESFP personality is too
self-centered to be happy or successful. Since the ESFP's dominant function is Extraverted Sensing, they
must balance this with an auxiliary Introverted Feeling function which is sufficiently refined to make
reasonably objective judgments about the value of the ESFP’s actions and the people and things in their
life. The ESFP makes value judgments via Introverted Intuition. This is also the ESFP's primary way of
dealing with their own internal subjective world. If the ESFP uses Introverted Feeling only to serve the
purposes of Extraverted Sensing, then the ESFP is not using Introversion effectively at all. As a result, the
ESFP does sufficiently consider the effects of their actions and perceptions sufficiently for a strong value
system to arise in their personality. They see nothing but the joys, satisfactions and sensations of the world
outside themselves, and deal with feeling only so far as it supports their need for constant stimulation and
gratification. These individuals can often come across as coarse and lustful, although can just as easily
seem the complete opposite, as refined and tasteful connoisseurs who, nevertheless, at closer quarters
reveal their complete indifference to anything but the satisfaction of their own desires.
At this point, I would like the reader to understand that, as with all personality types, serious problems are
usually only encountered by those whose dominant function is unusually strongly expressed against the
other functions. Such situations are rare and although the problems discussed here can indeed be felt to
some level by all ESFP’s, most people regardless of their personality type tend toward a balance within
both their personal and worldly relationships which occurs despite differences in personality preference; a
balance driven by the need for comfort in others and the human capacity for love. So whilst it is essential
for us to fine tune our relationships through knowledge and understanding of our differences and peculiar
needs, it is also good for us to remember that the most simple and childlike longings of the heart can also
be most powerful guides to happiness.
Solutions
To grow as an individual, the ESFP needs to focus on increasing their self understanding to allow a rational
and more objectively reasoned value system to arise within themselves. In order for the ESFP to more
validly judge the value of their desires, actions and the things they allow into their world, the ESFP needs
to know that their world view is not being threatened but qualitatively reinforced by the strength and
objectivity of their judgments. The ESFP must consciously tell himself/herself that a feeling that does not
agree with their desires or perceptions of the world is not an indictment of their character but a clue to
greater understanding.
The ESFP who is concerned with personal growth will pay close attention to their motivation for valuing
certain actions, interests and possessions over others. Do they attend to their feelings to judge such things
according to a strong set of values which accords also with the needs of others? Or, do they judge only to
support a personal desire? At the moment when something is felt, is the ESFP concerned with adjusting
that feeling to fit in with what appears to them as the most important things in the world? Or is she/he
concerned with allowing their feelings to be fully realized? To achieve a better understanding of their
feelings, the ESFP should try to allow feelings their full force, before setting them against their strong
desires. They should be consciously aware of their tendency to discard anything that doesn't agree with
their immediate sense of appearance, and work towards lessening this tendency. They should try to see
situations from other people's perspectives, without making personal judgments about the situations or the
other people's perspectives. In general, they should work on exercising their Feeling in a truly Introverted
sense. In other words, they should use Feeling to understand how the world of their perceptions affects their
inner life, using it to discover the values that truly matter, rather than simply to support their wishes. The
ESFP who successfully creates a strong value system can be quite a powerful force for positive change.
Living Happily in our World as an ESFP
Some ESFP’s have difficulty fitting into our society. Their problems are often a result of an uncaring
attitude to anything other than the moment, an unawareness of the needs of others, or too simplistic a set of
expectations. All of these issues stem from using Introverted Feeling in a diminished manner. An ESFP
who uses feeling to judge the value of their perceptions and actions, rather than one who uses it only to
support their desires, will have a clearer, more refined appreciation of the world and what it can offer. He
or she will also be more aware of how others may feel, and will have more realistic expectations for others'
behavior within a relationship. Such well-adjusted ESFP’s will fit happily into our society.
Unless you really understand Psychological Type and the nuances of the various personality functions, it's a
difficult task to suddenly start to use Feeling in an Introverted direction. It's difficult to even understand
what that means, much less to incorporate that directive into your life. For the ESFP, the most important
thing is to recognize and understand that Feelings must not be confused with sensations or the emotions
they unleash. Quite often we say “it feels good” when we really mean that the sensation we are
experiencing is good. The sense of “Feeling” from a psychological viewpoint is that it underlies that
rational, judging factor which discriminates rightness or applicability from wrongness or misapplication,
guilt from pride etc. With this in mind, I am providing some specific suggestions that may help you to
begin exercising your Introverted Feeling:
When a new prospect enters your life and stirs your appetite, sit with it for a moment in your mind and
allow yourself to notice whether you have a lurking judgment about it. Try to allow this judgment to come
forward on its own behalf and do not try to rationalize it nor be afraid of it. Imagine that you are hearing
this judgment from the lips of another person, or perhaps from God, anything to let it be felt objectively
within your mind. What is your Feeling function saying about what your exciting new prospect really
means to you?
Think of a situation in your life in which you are sharing your joys and enthusiasms with others, perhaps
entertaining them. Perhaps you are an entertainer. Watch the looks and body language of others as you
speak or perform and notice that not all seem to be offering the same emotional responses to your words or
actions. Each one is feeling you a different way, judging you a different way. Try to notice the same
function within yourself now, the responsive person within you who is also judging your words and
actions. How is he/she reacting to you?
When having a conversation with a friend or relative, dedicate at least half of your time to discovering their
values and reasons. Concentrate on really understanding why they feel as they do. Ask questions, and take
some time later to ask those same questions of yourself.
Think of the people who are closest to you. As you think of each person, tell yourself "this person has their
own life going on, and they are more concerned with their own life than they are with mine." Remember
that this doesn't mean that they don't care about you. It's the natural order of things. Try to visualize what
that person is doing right now. What are they feeling, what judgments are they possibly making about what
is happening to them? Don't compare their situation to your own; just try to discover how you would feel in
their situation.
Try to identify the personality type of everyone that you come into contact with for any length of time.
Ten Rules to Live By to Achieve ESFP Success
1. Feed Your Strengths! Encourage your natural expressive abilities and hands-on talents. Nourish
your appreciation of the world. Give yourself opportunities to enjoy life to the full.
2. Face Your Weaknesses! Realize and accept that some traits are strengths and some are
weaknesses. Facing and dealing with your weaknesses doesn't mean that you have to change who
you are; it means that you want to be the best you possible. By facing your weaknesses, you are
honoring your true self, rather than attacking yourself.
3. Express Your Feelings. Don't let worries build up inside of you. If you are troubled by doubt or
fear, tell those close to you who will listen and offer counsel. Don't make the mistake of “blipping
over it” or “sorting it out” some quick fix way.
4. Listen to Everything. Try not to accept everything at face value. Let everything soak in and listen
to your feelings.
5. Smile at Criticism. Remember that people will not always agree with you or understand you, even
if they value you greatly. Try to see disagreement and criticism as an opportunity for growth. In
fact, that is exactly what it is.
6. Be Aware of Others. Remember that there are 15 other personality types out there who see things
differently than you see them. Try to identify other people's types. Try to understand their
perspectives.
7. Be Accountable for Yourself. Remember that your every word and action affects those around
you, so it is important for you to be fully responsible for your self, and to the values you hold.
8. Be Gentle in Your Expectations. You will always be disappointed with others if you expect too
much of them. Being disappointed with another person is the best way to drive them away. Treat
others with the same gentleness that you would like to be treated with.
9. Assume the Best. Don't distress yourself by assuming the worst. Remember that a positive attitude
often creates positive situations.
10. When in Doubt, Ask Questions! If something seems to be wrong and you can’t put your finger on
it, maybe someone else can. Remember, there are many ways of seeing the world, and perhaps
someone else’s way will reveal the truth.
T
his content comes from:
http://www.thepersonalitypage.com/, and much of it waswritten by Robert Heyward.