# ESFP/ESTP/ENTP/ENFP? Aaack!



## freyaliesel (Mar 3, 2011)

Ok, so I was pretty convinced I was an ESFP. But recently, after lurking around this forum and retaking a few MBTI type tests, trying to answer as honestly as possible, I've been testing ESTP or ENTP, and ENFP. The S/N can either be incredibly one sided, or really close, but my S/T are always really close, like, 60/40 one way or the other, depending on the test. Additionally, after doing a lot of research about Enneagrams, I have come to the conclusion that I am very likely a 4, which doesn't make sense as far as ESFP's go.

I'm trying to use my type to try to find the areas I need to work on to make myself a more well-rounded person, since I'm not exactly the happiest person with myself.

Sorry if this is really long, but here's some information about me that may help somebody with a more objective take help me figure this out.

I'm very energized around people, I love to make people laugh, and I'm always trying to get people to react, either by saying or doing things. I'm always talking, and I can be a bit aggressive when trying to make my point.

I'm very emotional. Things affect me incredibly easily. I can't watch horror movies because I get too frightened, sad movies make me cry, often throughout the whole thing. I get nostalgic and sad when I think about lost opportunities or connections.

I deliberate over some things, such as dinner choices or having to decide between two different things that I can only choose one of, but I can be incredibly impulsive as well, I have to watch myself in grocery store checkout lanes because I'll buy gum or chapstick, even if I already have a million of them. (and I do have a million chapsticks)
Even with high-priced items I can be impulsive, such as buying a $125 hair straightener when I have straight hair already, and I rarely ever put the effort into doing my hair.

I have very little willpower, I'm not good at denying myself anything, and sticking to diets, or trying to commit to a change in behavior, such as swearing or attention seeking, is next to impossible for me.

I'm not very good at reading people, unless it's really obvious. In fact, when I was young, my parents enrolled me in social skills classes because I could not read body language -at all.-

I'm not particularly good at making/retaining friends. I don't schmooze easily because I don't put up with bullshit, and I tend to get really focused on one person for a relatively short period of time (think ~3 months) before I get bored (for lack of a better term) and move on.

I hate being alone, and often I need company to get things done that need doing, such as grocery shopping or even to do things that I find pleasurable, but I can be online for hours and hours and hours and it won't bother me in the slightest, either goofing off on 9gag and being solitary (though I have that impulse to share with others what I find funny) or playing WoW and working with others in a group.

I'm also OCD. I have to have things exactly the way I'm used to them or it drives me absolutely bonkers.

I don't adapt to change well, especially last minute change. A big change in plans can completely throw off my day.

I'm very focused on the here and now. I lose track of time really easily, and I find it next to impossible to make plans more than a week into the future, as it seems so incredibly far away and not relevant to me in the present.

I value logic and reasoning very highly, and I consistently got high marks in math and science in school, though English (the grammar and spelling aspects especially) was my best subject, where History and Geography were my weakest areas, though most likely because they didn't interest me and I didn't apply myself.

I can't answer open ended questions, such as "What do you want?" The sheer amount of interpretations of this question paralyzes me and I cannot answer until the question has been made more specific.

Sorry this was so long!

Additionally, if you have any questions about things I didn't cover, please ask them, I am happy to answer to clarify things for me!


----------



## vel (May 17, 2010)

You sound like an F-type to me. There are lots of hints at emotional sensitivity in your post. Likely an ESFP or ENFP.

Logic in MBTI doesn't have to do anything being good in math or in school overall. I got high marks in math and physics, but I'm a feeler.

I would suggest you read over the links in my signature. Particularly ones about TiFe and FiTe functions. ESTPs and ENTPs use TiFe in their judgements - introverted logic and extraverted feeling. ESFPs and ENFPs use FiTe - introverted feeling and extraverted logic. If you can narrow down what type of feelings and logic you use, then you can narrow it down to two types. After that it is just a question of determining whether you are dominant in sensing function Se or intuitive one Ne.


----------



## freyaliesel (Mar 3, 2011)

Unfortunately, I can't see the links yet, I need six more posts. Well, five after this one. I'm trying to get my post count up, but I don't want to post randomly or excessively.

I'm amazed you picked up on the emotional sensitivity from my post, I didn't think I was that obvious. But I feel that I am misleadingly testing as an F type, because while I feel things ridiculously deeply, I find it highly annoying and see how silly it is from an objective standpoint. Such as, I really love objective criticism, as it helps me find flaws that I have blind spots to. However, should that criticism be negative in any way, my body will cry, even as I see the value and appreciate the criticism and know that it's not meant to be mean or injuring in any way.
(I'm not sure, but I think depression would affect this also? Not 100% sure)

At this point, I've eliminated ESFP and ESTP, as after a few cognitive functions assessments, (my own skimming of the meaning, and a couple tests) I consistently score low on Ni, less then 9% usage.



With these simplified definitions (Extremely so, I realize) I find myself more able to identify with Ne, as I will be doing something and think "this is so wasteful, if we did it X way, we would use less resources and time, etc"

Ne -Interpreting situations and relationships; picking up meanings and interconnections; being drawn to change "what is " for "what could possibly be"; noticing what is not said and threads of meaning emerging across multiple contexts

Ni - introverted intuiting	Foreseeing implications and likely effects without external data; realizing "what will be"; conceptualizing new ways of seeing things; envisioning transformations; getting an image of profound meaning or far-reaching symbols


----------



## Fizz (Nov 13, 2010)

I can't really say ESTP, even though you mentioned things that I would do, overall, it would switch back and forth. You can still have emotions if you're T, you might not value them as much.


----------



## vel (May 17, 2010)

freyaliesel said:


> At this point, I've eliminated ESFP and ESTP, as after a few cognitive functions assessments, (my own skimming of the meaning, and a couple tests) I consistently score low on Ni, less then 9% usage.


Both ESFP and ESTP have inferior Ni function, thus scoring 9% Ni would be typical for them. So I am not sure why you have eliminated these choices based on this score.



freyaliesel said:


> With these simplified definitions (Extremely so, I realize) I find myself more able to identify with Ne, as I will be doing something and think "this is so wasteful, if we did it X way, we would use less resources and time, etc"


Ne is not about waste or efficiency. Ni and Si are the functions that prompt people to think about such things. Si is conservative with resources while Ni is conservative with time.

The links in my signature are also sticky threads in the MBTI and Cognitive Functions subforums so you can get to them without the post count. Another good way of typing yourself is watching YouTube videos of MBTI types you suspect you might be and seeing which ones you can related to the best.


----------



## freyaliesel (Mar 3, 2011)

@Fizz: You say I do things that you would? Would you point them out to me?

@vel: Thank you. I think I was misunderstanding something very basic about MBTI, and that link, "Intro to Function Theory" really helped me understand how the function ordering works.


----------



## Fizz (Nov 13, 2010)

freyaliesel said:


> *
> I'm very energized around people, I love to make people laugh, and I'm always trying to get people to react, either by saying or doing things. I'm always talking, and I can be a bit aggressive when trying to make my point.*
> 
> _I'm very emotional. Things affect me incredibly easily. I can't watch horror movies because I get too frightened, sad movies make me cry, often throughout the whole thing. I get nostalgic and sad when I think about lost opportunities or connections._


Bold - yes, other part - semi. I'm not always emotional but I can get really drawn into movies. I am strongly affected by the emotions conveyed in movies, IRL, people usually aren't as dramatic so I don't notice as much.




freyaliesel said:


> I have very little willpower, I'm not good at denying myself anything, and sticking to diets, or trying to commit to a change in behavior, such as swearing or attention seeking, is next to impossible for me.


I've been trying to get better at having an optimistic rather than my staunch realistic point of view. I can see positives in most situations but I prefer to be objective about things. I'm not good at sticking to what I want. I can deny myself something...but only for so long. 



freyaliesel said:


> I'm not particularly good at making/retaining friends. I don't schmooze easily because I don't put up with bullshit, and I tend to get really focused on one person for a relatively short period of time (think ~3 months) before I get bored (for lack of a better term) and move on.


Do you mean as friends or as a potential romantic partner? I have kept friends for years but sometimes they go in cycles. They either piss me off or I piss them off.




freyaliesel said:


> I hate being alone, and often I need company to get things done that need doing, such as grocery shopping or even to do things that I find pleasurable, but I can be online for hours and hours and hours and it won't bother me in the slightest, either goofing off on 9gag and being solitary (though I have that impulse to share with others what I find funny) or playing WoW and working with others in a group.


I love being around people and they're a real motivator. Of course there are times when I would rather be by myself than around someone I find boring though.



freyaliesel said:


> *I'm very focused on the here and now. I lose track of time really easily, and I find it next to impossible to make plans more than a week into the future, as it seems so incredibly far away and not relevant to me in the present.*
> 
> *I can't answer open ended questions, such as "What do you want?" The sheer amount of interpretations of this question paralyzes me and I cannot answer until the question has been made more specific.*


The first one, most definitely. I also feel like making a day for someone a week in advance is asking a lot because all I can think of are the opportunities I could miss.

I also need specific questions rather than letting me run with it.


----------



## freyaliesel (Mar 3, 2011)

Fizz said:


> Do you mean as friends or as a potential romantic partner? I have kept friends for years but sometimes they go in cycles. They either piss me off or I piss them off.


Both, actually. I tend to obsess over people, and try to spend every waking minute with them while they hold my fancy, but then I burn out and move on. I've gotten better as I've gotten older, at least as far as friendships are concerned. When I was small, I couldn't keep a friend longer than a year at best, with parental guidance. My oldest friend now I've known for ~9 years total, but the time we actually spent together during those years probably only amounts to a few months of actual face time. I think it helped that we have very similar interests that haven't waned over the years, so we have always had something in common.

My other problem would be out of sight, out of mind. I love my friends from college dearly, but now that I live in a different state, I don't contact them anymore, and the friendships wither and die.


----------



## Fizz (Nov 13, 2010)

freyaliesel said:


> Both, actually. I tend to obsess over people, and try to spend every waking minute with them while they hold my fancy, but then I burn out and move on. I've gotten better as I've gotten older, at least as far as friendships are concerned. When I was small, I couldn't keep a friend longer than a year at best, with parental guidance. My oldest friend now I've known for ~9 years total, but the time we actually spent together during those years probably only amounts to a few months of actual face time. I think it helped that we have very similar interests that haven't waned over the years, so we have always had something in common.
> 
> My other problem would be out of sight, out of mind. I love my friends from college dearly, but now that I live in a different state, I don't contact them anymore, and the friendships wither and die.


As a child I didn't have any stable friends either. I am friends with people I've known since elementary but we weren't consistently friends. I also don't see all my friends THAT much, but when I do, I make the most of it. I too focus on one person much too much. Recently I've gotten better at focusing on others because places all my eggs into one basket wasn't working. I can't speak for all ESTPs though. That's just me.


----------



## freyaliesel (Mar 3, 2011)

Ok, so I've managed to identify my functions, and I at this point am confident I am a TeFi user, making me a ExFP, but I'm having a hard time evaluating myself to see whether I'm a Se or Ne dominant, I don't feel that I'm objective enough inside my own head to figure out which I am.

I don't know if I'm asking myself the wrong questions, but when I read the descriptions, they are both really similar to how I think, or maybe I'm just misunderstanding again.

Anybody have some input?


----------



## Fizz (Nov 13, 2010)

If you love being objective, could be Se. Late at night I fantasize about being objective. It's just a dirty little secret that should be kept between you and me.


----------



## freyaliesel (Mar 3, 2011)

It's not that I "love being objective," it's more that I need another person's opinion or view on things to put my own thoughts into perspective.


----------



## vel (May 17, 2010)

It is not just Se or Ne. They work in tandem with Ni and Si so you have to look at the functional pair rather than one function - NeSi or SeNi.

NeSi - ENFPs may impulsively start things that are aimed at increasing physical comfort but drop them half way as random Ne thoughts overtake them and lead them to another direction. They are usually not very good at being able to measure their own physical comfort levels and understand when they are comfortable. As a result they may do such things as forget to eat or don't put clothing that is warm enough. They may sit in an uncomfortable pose for a while not realizing it. They have problems just chilling and relaxing, as their own as their mental activity has a tendency to overtake these concerns and pushes them into different directions. They might also forget to pay attention to their health. Types with dominant or auxiliary Si to the contrary are very vigilant about such things.

ENFPs pay little attention to the physical surroundings thus their rooms may be messy and they may not devote a lot of effort to polishing their own looks. Si as function basically ties what your senses pick up to your memories. Some people with inferior Si may report that people look the same to them - facial feature of one person remind them of somebody they have already known in past. 

Dominant Ne sees potential in things, how things could be, different scenarios that could possibly transpire, how things could be interconnected together, often this in a manner that seems very bizarre to other people. ENFPs express these scenarios often verbally rather than with actions. They tend to be quite talkative and tell stories that go on many tangents. 

Watch these video for example, these guys are ENFP. You can also see that they are somewhat disconnected from their physical bodies.












If that's not you then you may be SeNi user instead. SeNi users tend to be doing lots, initiating activities, and their Ni points out negative possibilities to them i.e. how things _cannot_ work out in future rather than how things can work as Ne does it. 

This is a video of ESTP (not many ESFP videos around). As you can see he is moving a lot throughout the video, he seems to be in good control of his movements, his interests are also very Se-ish - he likes to simply go out and do things. He is also talking about very concrete down to earth topics.


----------



## GreenCoyote (Nov 2, 2009)

I love how the firstguy can consistently make me laugh, his topics are very real and also funny in a dark/realistic experiential humor kind of way. the laughing I get here is that of relation and self-liberation.

I love how the second guy is so positive and affirming, he seems pretty comfortable but has that shyness about his video. Definitly a type seeking Fe I think. Anyway. I love the shyness about him, it sort of incorporates his character and I think it is cute. although he did mention he is not into guys. lol

vel thanks for this post. you always bring the most organized and informative information into these forums... ( i know I said informative information :? :/) lol.

I guess through my own perspective I gather that at least I know I want to date and EP. So open. Very much like myself.


----------



## Rafiki (Mar 11, 2012)

vel said:


> Both ESFP and ESTP have inferior Ni function, thus scoring 9% Ni would be typical for them. So I am not sure why you have eliminated these choices based on this score.
> 
> 
> Ne is not about waste or efficiency. Ni and Si are the functions that prompt people to think about such things. Si is conservative with resources while Ni is conservative with time.
> ...



"Ni is conservative with time" 

This is why Se doms worry of not having enough in their day to do things, agree?


----------



## soppixo (Jun 29, 2011)

arsenal92 said:


> "ni is conservative with time"
> 
> this is why se doms worry of not having enough in their day to do things, agree?


WHAT is THIS NECROMANCY?


----------



## Acerbusvenator (Apr 12, 2011)

arsenal92 said:


> "Ni is conservative with time"
> 
> This is why Se doms worry of not having enough in their day to do things, agree?


2. No Spamming
Do not post copies of the same thread, the same thread to multiple subforums, or copy the same post to multiple threads. Avoid making empty "bump" posts or *necroposting (bumping very old threads)*. Please refrain from appending ASCII logos, macros, memes or other taglines (manual signatures) to each of your posts. Never repost a thread or post that has been deleted by a moderator.


----------



## Rafiki (Mar 11, 2012)

Acerbusvenator said:


> 2. No Spamming
> Do not post copies of the same thread, the same thread to multiple subforums, or copy the same post to multiple threads. Avoid making empty "bump" posts or *necroposting (bumping very old threads)*. Please refrain from appending ASCII logos, macros, memes or other taglines (manual signatures) to each of your posts. Never repost a thread or post that has been deleted by a moderator.




I'm not spamming. I'm taking part in this website and polling the public for its opinions. I'm not here to "bump" old threads, nor do I think there should be a problem with it. I'm sure you can unsubscribe while someone else answers my query. You're the first people to take such strict defense against this.


----------

