All About ISFP Personality Traits
The Meyers-Briggs personality test can help people learn their personality type and what that may mean for them. Knowing your personality type might help with self-discovery and understanding why you do what you do and think the way you think.
You can take a free Myers-Briggs personality test online to start. When you deeply understand your personality traits, you may be able to enhance your strengths and learn about potential challenges you may come across in your interpersonal life. This article will explore these ideas and may help people with the ISFP personality meet their needs.
Myers and Briggs and ISFP
Katherine Briggs and her daughter Isabel Myers determined that 16 different personality types fit most people, and we’ll address every kind across multiple articles. In the 1940s, Katherine and Isabel developed the MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator), a personality self-test heavily based on Carl Jung’s theory of personality types.
Myers-Briggs concluded most people:
- Are an extrovert (E) or an introvert (I)
- Use intuition (N) or sensing (S) to experience the world around them
- Use feeling (F) or thinking (T) to make decisions
- Use perception (P) or judging (J) to reach their goals
The different combinations of these four opposites make up the 16 personality types.
The 16 personality types
- Analysts: Architect (INTJ), logician (INTP), commander (ENTJ), debater (ENTP)
- Diplomats: Advocate (INFJ), mediator (INFP), protagonist (ENFJ), campaigner (ENFP)
- Sentinels: Logistician (ISTJ), defender (ISFJ), executive (ESTJ), consul (ESFJ)
- Explorers: Virtuoso (ISTP), adventurer (ISFP), entrepreneur (ESTP), entertainer (ESFP)
This article is dedicated to the adventurer (ISFP). It highlights the basics of the personality, the potential strengths and struggles, and how people who identify with this personality may benefit from this knowledge.
ISFP personality traits: The adventurer personality type
ISFP is the abbreviation for introversion, sensing, feeling, and perception. Here’s a breakdown:
- Introversion: In many cases, ISFPs prefer to be quiet and reserved. They tend to keep their social groups small, maintaining only a few close friendships. Social gatherings of any kind can leave them feeling tired or overwhelmed. Instead, they tend to gain energy from spending time alone or with their partners (though they may require personal space on occasion.)
- Sensing: ISFPs might tend to focus on details in their immediate environment or current reality and may pay less attention to the big picture and future possibilities. ISFPs can be more concrete thinkers and less prone to consider abstract theories. The adventurer may live in the moment, not the future.
- Feeling: ISFPs may be preoccupied with personal concerns and social considerations when making decisions rather than solid facts or logic.
- Perception: ISFPs might need more deliberation in making decisions. This may lead to delaying decisions in exchange for spontaneity and flexibility.
ISFPs can be peaceful and laid-back. They may be more sensitive to other cultures, beliefs, and lifestyles different from theirs. The INFP personality type, in contrast, may have similar traits but can differ in their preferences for sensory experience, risk-taking behavior, and styles of emotional expression and conflict resolution.
ISFPs might be unhurried, calm, and live in the moment. Their potential artistic ability and adventurous spirit can lead them to experiment with all facets of the human condition. They may have a strong sense of loyalty and devotion for the people in their lives and try to display great care and consideration for those they love.
The reserved personality trait may mean they’re quiet but invariably pleasant and ready to go with the flow.
ISFPs can be artistic
Individuals who identify with ISFP personality types may enjoy being creative in everything they do. Whether painters, songwriters, or sales managers presenting five-year sales projections in a graph, they might like to make their work delightful and eye-catching. ISFPs may have active imaginations and a natural talent to create beautiful things.
ISFPs may be popular
According to the MBTI, one of the ISFP core personality traits may be empathy towards other people’s emotions. They can be sensitive to the feelings of others often trying to create goodwill and establish harmony when conflicts arise.
Others may find them charming because they’re often warm, relaxed, non-judgmental, and have a live-and-let-live attitude that can be pleasant and likable. They may also be great with animals and children and feel comfortable caring for them professionally or personally.
ISFPs tend to be passionate and curious
Another trait of ISFP personalities can be curiosity about the world around them. When presented with an idea, their first instinct may be to explore and go on an adventure to test whether it holds water. If the idea is interesting or exciting, they can get totally absorbed in it to the exclusion of everything else around them.
ISFPs can be unconventional
People with this personality type may like the space and personal freedom to do things at their own leisurely pace. They may also tend to be original and unconventional and can feel bored or stifled by schedules, rules, and processes they find tedious.
ISFPs and career options
ISFP careers often include working as artists, musicians, and designers; essentially, occupations where they can immerse themselves in creativity. The sensitive nature related to sensing, feeling, and perception may lead to a desire to help others, making them good candidates for teaching and counseling.
If they’re allowed to customize their office space or have some creative control over how they get the job done, people who identify with the ISFP personality can thrive in corporate positions. According to a study on general practitioners and their personality types, ISFPs often focus on patience and listening, acknowledging the work of others, telling information, finding alternative solutions, and allowing time to get the job done right.
ISFPs may have a natural affinity for art and empathy and do well in any career path, workplace, or environment where they can express these traits.
ISFPs and relationships
They can be warmhearted, gentle, devoted, loyal, and committed lifelong partners. ISFPs may be easygoing and flexible partners, making them relaxing and comfortable to be around.
This personality type can be reserved and may get lost in their thoughts and feelings. They may like imparting what’s happening inside but could need some prompting from their romantic partners to come out of their headspace. However, verbalizing their thoughts and gut feelings may be challenging. When discussing feelings, ISFPs may feel unheard, misunderstood, alone, and unconfident as a result of these challenges.
Reaching out and checking in with their internal landscape can mean a lot to someone who struggles with opening up and can help them feel safer in the relationship.
People identifying with the ISFP personality may have a strong affinity for children and animals. They may find wholehearted enjoyment and fulfillment with a small or large family with (fur)kids. ISFPs can be as laid-back with children as they are with others and might be more relaxed with their demands and expectations. People with the ISFP personality might be more inclined to gently guide their kids’ behavior by treating them as individuals and encouraging them to find their role in the family and life.
Individuals who identify with the ISFP personality may be more in touch with their inner child and have fun exploring that side of themselves with their kids.
ISFP strengths
- ISFPs can be optimistic and confident
- ISFPs may be great at listening to their loved ones’ needs and trying to make them happy
- ISFPs can be creative and artistic in their self-expression and passions
- ISFPs can be committed partners and friends, valuing loyalty and understanding
- ISFPs might be relaxed, flexible, and ready to go with the flow
- ISFPs may be down-to-earth and in touch with their true feelings
ISFP’s weaknesses
- ISFPs may find long-term financial planning a challenge for goals like retirement
- ISFPs may struggle with conflict and try to keep the peace as opposed to risking a fight
- ISFPs may appear lazy to others if they like taking their time getting things done
- ISFPs may have difficulty verbally expressing affection compared to other forms
Understanding ISFPs through BetterHelp
Research shows that online therapy is an effective way of helping understand personality types, including specific traits like introversion or creativity. For those who lean more towards introversion, one study found that internet-based cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) was as effective as in-person therapy, meaning people can stay home if they don’t want to leave the comfort of their homes.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy can help ISFPs to reframe negative thoughts if they struggle with procrastination or communicating their feelings and needs. Online therapy plans consist of sessions, worksheets, webinars, and other helpful resources that may help them work through challenges with their thoughts and behaviors.
Therapy can help people explore their personalities to learn more about how they think, behave, and work. Online therapy is often a cheaper and more convenient option than in-person counseling. Whether you identify with the ISFP personality or not, online therapy may be a good option if you find it difficult to talk about your feelings.
With BetterHelp, you can message your therapist outside of sessions, and they’ll get back to you as soon as possible, which can be helpful with any thoughts or feelings you want to discuss the next time you see them. Thousands of people have already learned more about themselves and their personalities through the licensed counselors at BetterHelp.
Here are some of the reviews of what clients have to say about the mental health professionals who have helped them:
Counselor reviews
“Gloria is great! The at home exercises she has provided have been incredibly useful and have really helped to control my stress and anxiety. Our sessions always go by so quickly! It feels like talking with a friend, which makes it so much easier for me to open up to her. I always look forward to our chats. Can’t recommend her enough!”
“I’ve really enjoyed the time I spend with Melissa. It is important for me to have a therapist that makes me feel like I’m talking to a friend. It helps me feel comfortable and safe to open up, which I have definitely felt around Melissa. I would 100% recommend her to a friend.”
Takeaway
Understanding yourself and your personality with a mental health professional may help you lean into your strengths and overcome any challenges you struggle with. Take the first step.
What does ISFP struggle with?
Those with the ISFP personality type may struggle with long-term planning, because they have a tendency to be easygoing and to focus more on their feelings and internal landscape in the present moment than concrete elements of the future. They may also experience relationship challenges because they’re often very averse to conflict. In addition, it could be very difficult for them to fit into certain workplaces or social groups because of their free-spiritedness, independence, and open-minded opinions.
What is the weakness of ISFP?
ISFPs could have trouble with:
- Low self-esteem
- Feeling stressed easily
- Receiving criticism
- Facing conflict
- Getting things done in time; meeting deadlines
- Coming to realize that their independence or originality is being threatened or stifled
What is an interesting fact about ISFP personality?
An interesting fact about the ISFP personality is which celebrities and public figures have/had or likely have/had this type that you may not be aware of. Some of these include Marilyn Monroe, Michael Jackson, Rhianna, Pablo Picasso, Marie Antoinette, Kobe Bryant, Fred Astaire, and Bob Ross.
What annoys ISFP the most?
ISFPs may be annoyed by threats to their independence, which is typically a value they hold very strongly. They may also not appreciate when a person or workplace tries to constrain their free-spiritedness and make them follow rigid rules and formulas, since they prefer to be adaptable, take each day as it comes, and do what feels right to them in the moment.
Why is ISFP easily stressed?
Again, since ISFPs tend to value their own freedom and ways of doing things, the constraints and rigidity often found in the modern world may make them feel stressed. They generally prefer the clarity of their own insight and may easily become stressed when faced with complicated systems or rigid expectations.
What happens when an ISFP gets mad?
ISFPs are free spirits, which can make them somewhat unpredictable. That means they may express their anger in a number of ways. As they often have an artistic streak, they could channel their emotion into creating. However, since they tend to feel their feelings strongly, they could also end up taking their frustrated energy out on others if they don’t have other, healthy coping mechanisms in place—just as with any other type.
Is ISFP an overthinker?
While ISFPs may not be as likely as other types to overthink, they can easily get lost in their own internal landscape of thoughts and feelings in some circumstances. That’s why having people they trust and with whom they can communicate openly can be important: to help ISFPs avoid getting stuck in their own mind.
How do I cheer up my ISFP?
The nickname for the ISFP personality type is “The Adventurer,” so going on a spontaneous adventure full of new experiences with an ISFP in your life could be just what they need to perk up. They may particularly be eager to learn about new things, places, or people, express themselves creatively, and socialize with like-minded, nonjudgmental individuals with unique interests.
Are ISFP highly sensitive?
It is possible for ISFPs to be highly sensitive individuals. They tend to have passionate, creative, imaginative souls and feel things deeply, and they may become overwhelmed by too much social interaction or external circumstances that are rigid, judgmental, harsh, or demanding.
What is the ISFP way of thinking?
ISFPs tend to appreciate the beauty and diversity of the natural world and the people in it. They’re likely proponents of a nonjudgmental, “live and let live” approach and can be very open-minded to different ways of living and doing things. They’re curious, have an artistic, imaginative sense—whether it manifests in words, visuals, or ideas—and can feel very deeply.
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