# ESFP or ISFP or something altogether different?



## mommajen08 (Feb 15, 2013)

Hi! I’ve been trying to figure out my type and on the “what’s my type” forum, was told I could be an ISFP or ESFP. I’ve tested both of those along with INFP and ENFP. But I do think ISFP or ESFP is probably where it’s at. Can you help me decide? Here are some snippets from the questionnaires along with some other thoughts that I hope can help. (Oh and sorry this is so long, I wasn't sure how much info would be helpful!)


I yearn for an authentic life. I want to leave some sort of lasting impression in this world. I feel that I am meant to do something, but I just cannot figure out what that something is. My dream is to determine that meaning and fulfill my purpose. I want a life filled with joy and satisfaction that I am actively pursuing something I am passionate about. I am hoping that learning more about who I am will help direct me towards figuring this out.


Things that I value include: peace (as in a calm, tranquil environment), creativity, authenticity, simplicity, education, living a balanced life, family, health and physical fitness, and happiness. 


Others see me as a super calm, laid back person. That’s how I’m always described. The funny thing is that on the inside I am always stressed and anxious - but I obviously hide it well!


If there’s one thing I could change, it would probably be to be more outgoing. I have always hated being shy. I feel it holds me back in so many ways. I see people that I know I'd click with if I just wasn't so darn shy. I know I'd have more fun if I wasn't so afraid to reach out to others. But I'm just afraid to take the chance.


Activities that energize me – 
Reading - I enjoy escaping into other people's lives. 
Physical exercise, especially running and swimming - these things help release stress and just make me feel really good. 
Being outside, in “nature” – hiking, gardening, raking leaves, shoveling snow, on a beach, etc. I cannot say why this energizes, me but I just feel at home outdoors. 
Playing with really young kids – preschool and younger. Kids make me so happy because they usually don't have any "real" problems. They see things in such a happy simple way. 
Crafting, creating. Visiting a craft store like JoAnn Fabrics. I love creating things and dreaming up the possiblities of creating things. 
Visiting new cities - I am always looking for a new perspective. 
Listening to music - this usually helps me focus which gives me energy. And the music I listen to cheers me up. 
Social events where I get to catch up with friends - I always feel better after talking with friends.


Things that drain me the most – 
Sitting inside all day - seriously, I feel like I'm dying a slow death. 
Working in front of a computer - again, this kills me. It feels so unnatural.
Listening to people whine and complain - I wish they'd do something about their problems instead. 
Environments where there’s too much going on at once - I just get so overwhelmed and shut down.
Having to meet deadlines - this makes me feel trapped. 
Doing the same thing day in and day out - again I feel trapped and bored. 
Trying to figure out how to organize my mess - this is just a big stress because I cannot fix it.
Having to interact with people I don’t know. Networking events for work. - These things drain me because I am shy. I worry that I'll look stupid if I say the wrong things.
Self-reflection. It’s funny as I have always enjoyed journaling but I’m noticing that spending more than a little (think half hour) time in self reflection wears me out.


My best memories are from college. I was really in my element then. I was really active in my sorority and had many leadership positions.I interacted with a wide variety of people on a daily basis and enjoyed these interactions.Yet I also had a strong core group of friends that I could decompress with at lunch and dinner each day.My days were filled with variety as my class schedule was different each day and I had different extracurricular activities each night.I had a part time job working at a day care with toddlers, which was the perfect stress relief.And of course, being in college, there were always exciting parties to go to at night.I graduated about 15 years ago and I still miss those days!


My favorite jobs were being a life guard at a water park and working in a day care center. Both jobs included a lot of action and variety. I also really enjoy working with toddlers and preschoolers. Currently I work in a traditional office environment and it sucks the life out of me.


I am more of a hands on learner or group.I need to try things out or talk things out to understand them.I am terrible at learning by just reading or sitting and listening to a lecturer.Although I have a great memory, I don’t really comprehend things that are just memorized.


I am terribly unorganized!I am always trying to find ways to become neater and organized, but my efforts do not last long.I tend to have piles everywhere and half-finished projects lying around.I can tell you where pretty much anything is, but no one else can make sense of my mess.Just ask my husband – he hates it!


I talk a lot, but I think I tend to think before speaking.I also like both one-on-one communication and group discussions.I just like talking with others in general.I normally do better with one-on-one communication though, or more organized group discussions (think Bible studies or business meetings).In social situations, I sometimes clam up in large groups.

If you've made it this far, thank you


----------



## uncertain (May 26, 2012)

@*mommajen08*

You sounds like an ESFP to me.
Sorry it's my fault that I can't remember everything you say and I just want to answer your question.
I guess it's mainly about being shy and wanting to be more outgoing that confuses you, right?

Sometimes I go to the bar and I enjoy it. But I'm not outgoing at all, and I wish I could be more outgoing as well because no matter how well I'm with solitude, I still need to talk to people once in a while, but I'm not obsess about that quality. I don't constantly want to be with people. That need is more like a human nature or a bodily or biological need, like food. I eat when I feel hungry. I get tired very easily in social interaction, and I need to be alone. 

/////

In MBTI, the most legitimate way to identify type is the function, so:

ISFP uses Fi - Se - Ni - Te
ESFP uses Se - Fi - Te - Ni

There are few ways you can decide your type base on the two models
- Fi-Se vs Se-Fi (Which function is more dominant in you? Fi involves a lot of value judgement while Se is all about seeing and experience things, not really about judgement)
The Fi-Se (ISFP) engages Se, going out seeing and experiencing things talking to people, only when they feel the need to, thus much less active than the ESFP
The Se-Fi (ESFP) engages Fi to make judgment and decision as needed when they are doing all the activities and enjoying the world with people.

- Tertiary Ni vs inferior Ni (ISFP are more intuitive than ESFP. ISFP are called by some as the most intuitive sensors, though I'm not sure if I agree.)
- Tertiary Te vs inferior Te (I don't know much about Te and how it affects me)

////////

threads that might be helpful
http://personalitycafe.com/isfp-forum-artists/45826-intricate-isfp-profile-very-detailed.html ISFP explained in terms of functions.
Inferior as well as dominant function of each type explained. It can help you decide if you are other types as well http://personalitycafe.com/cognitive-functions/131140-inferior-function-thread.html#5

From here http://personalitycafe.com/esfp-forum-performers/61970-esfp-vs-isfp-whats-difference-2.html


LiquidLight said:


> ESFPs are (in every theory) Extraverted Sensation types. Meaning their focus is on the outer world of as processed via the five senses (Sensation). Their dominant way of processing the world is one that deals with the physical world itself. They are in some ways the ultimate empiricists (especially if you factor in Extraverted Thinking as being one of these types' functions as MBTI does).
> Like all extraverts the focus is on the outer objective world.
> 
> ISFPs are cousins to INFPs. They are Introverted Feeling types (in every theory). Their's is an inward focus of evaluation (Feeling). Making value judgments based on or against an inner ideal. For ISFPs the world revolves around whether or not it lives up to their inner standards simply speaking. The measure of whether or not you find something good or bad, beautiful, ugly, important, unimportant, significant, insignificant is handled by the Feeling function and with introverted feeling, there is an internal standard that is appealed to as opposed to the external established standard. (The idea that, for example, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, is sort of Fi-ish because it asserts that everyone has their own internal standard of what is good or worthwhile. Extraverted Feeling, in contrast, would say beauty is in the hands of the majority, which is more like media images of beauty, cultural standards, ethnic norms, etc).
> ...


----------



## Glenda Gnome Starr (May 12, 2011)

Wow. You sound like my personality clone, lol.


----------



## mommajen08 (Feb 15, 2013)

Thanks for the responses. Believe it or not, I actually have settled on ISFP after a lot of reflection and reading. @uncertain, your links were very helpful in confirming my decision. Thanks!


----------

