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INFP: The Mediator personality type
Common INFP personality traits
4 improvement areas for more personal growth
5 productivity hacks for INFP personality types
15 of the best INFP career paths
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Jump to section
INFP: The Mediator personality type
Common INFP personality traits
4 improvement areas for more personal growth
5 productivity hacks for INFP personality types
15 of the best INFP career paths
What motivates you?
A commonly asked question in job interviews, perhaps you felt your answer was something you were in control of — like caring more about financial security than free time. But as much as you might feel in control of your motivators, your personality partially determines what moves you to contribute meaningfully.
If you’re an introvert, you likely yearn for quiet moments to develop your thoughts. And extroverts might prefer to bounce ideas around with teammates. Neither of these preferences is right or wrong — but your unique personality likely determines what you prefer.
Using personality tests to identify your motivators is a helpful strategy for becoming a more productive professional. Self-knowledge encourages success because the more you understand what makes you tick, the better you can choose work environments that empower you to be your best self.
For example, INFP personality types (introverted, intuitive, feeling, and perceptive) are generous, open-minded, and led by their values, so they might want to find jobs that align with their worldview and empower their curiosity.
INFP is a Myers-Briggs personality type that’s part of the categorization system Katherine Cook Briggs and Isabel Briggs Myers developed. According to the Myers-Briggs official site, the mother-daughter duo were American researchers and authors whose system is now one of the most widely used worldwide.
Their personality assessment identifies 16 personality types based on where individuals sit on the spectrums between these eight characteristics:
An INFP personality type leans closer toward introversion, intuition, feeling, and perceiving. And if you identify with this category, you’re in good company. Some famous INFP people include William Shakespeare, Princess Diana, and John Lennon — all known for their creativity and dedication to self-expression.
A common name for this personality type is “The Mediator,” since you want to ensure nobody has to compromise their values. You’re also deeply loyal and dedicated to seeking a professional life that aligns with your ideals. To you, there’s no work life and personal life. How you show up to every aspect of your life is inseparable.
As an introvert, spending time alone reduces stress levels and re-energizes you. But, while you may need time to yourself or prefer small groups, you’re as loyal to the people you care about as you are to yourself. Because you care, you’re curious about and adaptable to other people, using your perceptive nature to foster deep connections.
INFP types sit opposite to the “Executive” personality type: ESTJ (extroverted, sensing, thinking, judging), a type-A personality that’s more pragmatic and interested in the here and now.
INFP individuals tend to be introspective daydreamers that are thoughtful and deliberate when they act. Here are a few more common characteristics, as noted by SimplyPsychology and BetterHelp:
The dominant cognitive function of an INFP personality type is introversion, meaning you may isolate yourself from others or get stuck in your ways. And you could overlook details or feel overwhelmed when making decisions.
Here are four improvement areas for combatting INFP personality weaknesses.
Your biggest driver in life is being faithful to your core values. While believing in something fills you with a sense of belonging and purpose, you may feel easily disappointed or distressed when reality doesn’t meet your expectations.
Practice grounding yourself in reality, using a regular journaling practice, guided meditation, or mindfulness exercises to notice and embrace life’s imperfections. Accepting that your day-to-day life won’t always align with your strong values lets you balance your idealist thinking with practicality, helping you achieve your lofty goals — eventually.
You’re a dreamer and feeler, which means your emotions guide you through life. Trusting your gut is an incredible soft skill, but it may cloud your ability to pay attention to important details that don’t align with your intuition.
Let’s say you dream up an innovative project idea, starting on fun task work right away before considering valuable market research or compliance restraints. You might need a manager or partner to slow you down, reminding you to check on the practical details first before kick-starting the project.
Because you’re more introverted, you might find beginning conversations and cultivating friendships overwhelming. But between your creativity, empathy, and emotional intelligence, you have so much to offer those around you. You can improve your interpersonal skills to make relationships easier by seeking out communities of people with similar interests. These similarities give you something to talk about right away to break the ice.
Since your feelings guide your decisions and experiences, you may perceive constructive feedback as a personal attack, and coworkers might interpret your defensiveness as arrogance or closed-mindedness. But learning to give and receive feedback is essential to your growth, as diverse perspectives can pinpoint important details and issues you might’ve glossed over.
Adjusting more stubborn thought patterns and mental habits isn’t easy. To reframe your perspective on feedback, take a deep breath and ask yourself: “How does this input help me grow?” Over time, you’ll solidify the idea that others’ perspectives are valuable to your personal and professional development.
Being a dreamer is one of your greatest strengths, but sometimes you might struggle to keep your feet on the ground. Here are five productivity tips to incorporate into your day-to-day routine:
Finding a job that reflects your character speaks to your tendency to insert your values into every aspect of your life — and maybe you’re on to something. Studies show that aligning your career path with your character can increase your job satisfaction.
Your creativity, independence, and desire for few-but-meaningful connections make you a competitive candidate for various roles, like these 15 excellent jobs for INFP individuals:
Counselor
Social worker
UX designer
Veterinarian
Teacher
Non-profit organizer
Writer or editor
Museum curator or gallerist
Educational consultant
Environmental planner
Renewable energy engineer
Speech-language pathologist
Rehabilitation counselor
Occupational therapist
If you think a coworker might be an INFP type, you’re in luck, as these teammates tend to improve a company’s culture. Here are a few ways to pull out their passion and creativity while navigating their weaknesses:
INFP personality types possess valuable soft skills that the world needs, like generosity, devotion, and big-picture thinking. That’s why excellent jobs for INFP individuals cross various industries and involve diverse responsibilities.
Your greatest strength is your ability to dream big. Now it’s time to tap into your natural knack for self-reflection to improve your organizational and task management skills and turn your dreams into reality. With a little bit of work, you’ll be unstoppable.
Make meaningful changes and become the best version of yourself. BetterUp's professional Coaches are here to support your personal growth journey.
Make meaningful changes and become the best version of yourself. BetterUp's professional Coaches are here to support your personal growth journey.
Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships.
With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.
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