# Am I really ISFP or something else (like ISTP or INTJ)?



## itselly (Jun 6, 2015)

Hey guys, I'm stuck between ISFP, ISTP, INTJ & INFJ. I was typed ISFP before but sometimes I doubt it.

Could you please help me?
Do you think I seem ISFP?

■■■Feel free to ask me questions in order to guess my type■■■

Or please tell me about main things that differenciate these types from eachother.

Thanks!




itselly;29631466
said:


> ■ Why I'm doubting my type ;
> 
> 
> 1)SPs live in the moment & have a carefree lifestyle. They don't really have future goals/plans and act spontaneous and live in the moment.
> ...




Besides, I've heard most ISFP ppl are positive and relaxed most of the times. and that they're friendly and trust ppl easily.

But I'm usually very stressed out, cynical and a bit aloof.


& I'm really imaginative while I hear that most ISFPs are so realistic. I can be realistic too, but I also have a powerful imagination.


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## itselly (Jun 6, 2015)

Anyone?


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## Sidewinder (May 22, 2009)

Well ISFPs can be competitive (due to Se) and can be cynical, especially about people or institutions that aren't living up to our values/ethics. And we don't want to create unnecessarily conflicts either, although we usually don't care about following group norms too much. As well, everyone has to plan sometimes, and although we don't like to make overly strict or structured plans, S's do prepare for things. I research a place when I'm planning to travel there too.

But you're correct insofar as with primary Fi, ISFPs are self-focused not other-focused. You seem to care very much about others and your place within a group and your valuation by that group. So I'd take a guess (not really knowing you, of course) that you are an Fe user and probably INFJ. You don't strike me as a T at all.


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## itselly (Jun 6, 2015)

Sidewinder said:


> Well ISFPs can be competitive (due to Se) and can be cynical, especially about people or institutions that aren't living up to our values/ethics. And we don't want to create unnecessarily conflicts either, although we usually don't care about following group norms too much. As well, everyone has to plan sometimes, and although we don't like to make overly strict or structured plans, S's do prepare for things. I research a place when I'm planning to travel there too.
> 
> But you're correct insofar as with primary Fi, ISFPs are self-focused not other-focused. You seem to care very much about others and your place within a group and your valuation by that group. So I'd take a guess (not really knowing you, of course) that you are an Fe user and probably INFJ. You don't strike me as a T at all.


Thanks alot!!!

But...do INFJs use enough Se (in normal situations)?


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## Sidewinder (May 22, 2009)

itselly said:


> But...do INFJs use enough Se (in normal situations)?


Well, INFJs don't typically use this function a lot, so if you're quite physical, yeah that's an anomaly. But it is a lot more likely that someone has a well developed inferior then that they are using their core function weakly or ambiguously. I guess the key is whether your Ni is stronger than your Se ... that determines whether you are S or N here, but it might be tough to make this comparison.

You could try putting functions aside and go back to the tests and your own gut feeling about each letter. Are you more P or J? Higher on S or N?

If you think you are an N, but seem to have good Se, another option is that you are a shy or quiet ENFJ, who has tertiary Se. Are there times when you've been an outgoing leader and have felt good about it?


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## itselly (Jun 6, 2015)

Sidewinder said:


> If you think you are an N, but seem to have good Se, another option is that you are a shy or quiet ENFJ, who has tertiary Se. Are there times when you've been an outgoing leader and have felt good about it?



I don't think I'm ENFJ.
I can't really explain why. Their dom Fe when combined with Ni, gives them good options like ;
Social power
popularity
Leadership (specially insocial things like girl groups, sororities, etc)

Things that I don't have!!!

When I think of ENFJ, Regina George comes to my mind.

Someone who always has gossips, rumers & things to say,
Someone who knows what to say, to come off as alpha tyle, attract ppl & lead them (if the group is based on social things).
Someone who ppl always come to for advice!
Someone who can cure ppl's emotional problems & then ppl follow her lead & trust her.


I can't be that way, even if I plan so hard for it. 

I wouldn't mind popularity & being well-liked by most ppl (but I guess I don't have these things in my life.
I would envy an ENFJ, but I "know" I cannot be like them.

I would be neither a leader nor a follower.
I would help the leader if I found her to be a well-balanced leader.
Or at least, I wouldn't try to fight her openly, but I wouln't trust/love/accept ger either!!!
I would be busy with a competition (job-related) or my own life.


Besides, they're extroverted. Their E is one of the reasons they don't get tired of this life-style & what they do.


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## Sidewinder (May 22, 2009)

itselly said:


> I don't think I'm ENFJ.


Gotcha.  Just thought I would throw that out there in case it solved anything. But you're right in that most people know if they are distinctly E or I. ENFJ is a pretty powerful personality.



itselly;29841322
I would be neither a leader nor a follower.
[/QUOTE said:


> This is interesting because it's very ISFP (or ISTP). It's very strongly individualistic and most ISFPs are fundamentally alone in terms of group dynamics (alone, but not necessarily lonely).
> 
> It's possible to be a FP type yet be very concerned with what others think (and come across as Fe) if you haven't spent a lot of time thinking about your identity, role, ethics/values or aren't very confident in your Fi. You'd probably be either unhappy, stressed, or nervous in that case.
> 
> How strong is your Se? Are you physically active, good at sports, draw or paint or act or something like that?


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## itselly (Jun 6, 2015)

Sidewinder said:


> How strong is your Se? Are you physically active, good at sports, draw or paint or act or something like that?


I'm not really good at team sports (I'm good at some & terrible at others). But I'm pretty good at single-player sports.
Also, I really care about gym & bodybuiding.
& I'm sorta good at dancing.

Also...Painting, singing, handicrafts, fashion, interior designing, cooking, etc.

& learning a musical instrument (either guitar or violin) is also on my list.

I also kinda love some of the extreme sports.
--------

Those are things that I do, every once in while.
But in general daily activities, Se(wor what I think is Se) shows itself in me as...loving & caring about food, tastes, variety, scents, fragrances, love of beauty, art, nature, music, etc...

I'm not the most active person, but I can't sit still for a long time & I need to be active, even if it means just walking to the mall and coming back.

Btw, going grocery-shopping in big & exotic stores full of new & different things, is one of my favorite activities!!!


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## Sidewinder (May 22, 2009)

Okay, now that sounds very Se and much more ISFP-like! 

I think what's happening is that you're most likely an ISFP, but you've allowed more Fe to seep in and throw you off a bit. It makes you more worried about what others feel and less concerned with what you feel. This leads to indecision, anxiety, and lack of self-confidence. This is likely why you say you're stressed out. Te and Fe are in a weird place for us ... not strong, but not completely hidden or subconscious, so they exert a strange influence on us.

The answer is to consciously exert your stronger functions -- Fi, Se, and Ni -- and treat the rest as noise ... at least for now. I've personally found meditation and mindfulness to be great for that.

Good luck! It's been nice chatting with you.


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## kittenmogu (Jun 19, 2014)

You sound like an ISFP to me! In response to some of the things you listed in the first post, I also prepare for things in advance out of anxiety and care about what people think and have multiple facets I present to the world... we're people, after all, lol, not machines who follow pre-programmed personality rules (not to mention ISFP don't particularly care for rules in the first place!!). I'm not sure where you got those statements because they seem to be pretty extreme! We ISFPs live in the moment but that doesn't mean we don't have brains or standard human executive function  etc.

In summary nothing you've said indicates that you're NOT an ISFP nor have you said anything that sounds remotely like ISTP or INTJ or other types.

I can't picture any of those types writing this post:



itselly said:


> I'm not really good at team sports (I'm good at some & terrible at others). But I'm pretty good at single-player sports.
> Also, I really care about gym & bodybuiding.
> & I'm sorta good at dancing.
> 
> ...


ISFP it is! Cheers


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## ferroequinologist (Jul 27, 2012)

Sidewinder said:


> It's possible to be a FP type yet be very concerned with what others think (and come across as Fe) if you haven't spent a lot of time thinking about your identity, role, ethics/values or aren't very confident in your Fi. You'd probably be either unhappy, stressed, or nervous in that case.


The reasons why an FI dom would be concerned about what others think vs. why an Fe dom would are polar opposite. Fi cares about self, how others affect self, while Fe is concerned about the overall emotional tone. It is feeling that cares about what others think or feel, but where it is focused and where it is applied is different. Fi introverts it, while Fe extraverts it. Fi is affected by it, while Fe affects it. (a bit of a over-simplification in that last sentence. Maybe to clarify. If Fi does show externally [modifies behavior, speaks ups, etc.], it is doing it, not to affect the overall tone, but how self feels in the situation, while Fe will be focused on the feelings of others, and may suppress its own's feelings to do so.)


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## ferroequinologist (Jul 27, 2012)

itselly said:


> I'm not the most active person, but I can't sit still for a long time & I need to be active, even if it means just walking to the mall and coming back.
> 
> Btw, going grocery-shopping in big & exotic stores full of new & different things, is one of my favorite activities!!!


Here's the big question. Is this the sort of thing you need to do to "de-stress" or unwind or to just feel yourself again? I like extreme things. (When I was young, I did a lot of wild and crazy things) But even when I was young, when I truly want or need to be "myself" walking or sitting on the beach, or being in the woods--not so much activity, but things that get me out of myself, and into the real world are how I maintain equilibrium.


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## itselly (Jun 6, 2015)

ferroequinologist said:


> Here's the big question. Is this the sort of thing you need to do to "de-stress" or unwind or to just feel yourself again?


No, It's not my response to stress. 
These are actually things that happen when I'm in a mentally & physically healthy & relaxed position.

I do these types of things when I'm me, or when I wanna feel like me (act on it), &/or When I'm very happy/excited.

When I'm stressed out, I become the opposite of that ;

Most sensory activities/things don't make me happy, I overthink about what made me this way, get anxious or depressed, and I realize I have no energy/desire to do sensory activities & I feel guilty for trying Se things...

So, I lose my energy, sleep/lie down or sit on a couch at home and either overthink, or just surf the net (about depressing subjects, not sensory or cool ones!)

& sometimes, I procrastinate as a result of stress and disappointment.


Examples ;

1)I'm waiting for my grade/or have got a bad grade and I'm so sad...
I get less active, go to bed, feel so numb, lose my energy and become depressed, avoid my fave activities/food/games/films/etc .
I surf the net about sad things, might overthink and try to find out "why I got bad grade", I feel useless & inferior, etc...


2)I have a short amount of time (like one week) to do s.th. serious that I know takes more than just a week, specially if I don't work on it full time.

Sometimes, In this situation, Instead of getting motivated, I procrastinate & might do whatever but I procrastonate until the last days, & then I finally start it but with a lot of stress. During that time, I do feel guilty, but whenever I want to go & continue/start that project, I just get lazy or want to do other things.

______________________________

*& what makes me happy?!

a good/successful day at work/party/...(previously school, but not uni)

A long-term vacation

Being around close, be-loved family,

Having a stable life for a while,

Not having time to overthink
Etc
...
____________________________________

Btw, I love excitement & being active, but it does not mean that I'm always very active wherever I go!


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## ferroequinologist (Jul 27, 2012)

itselly said:


> No, It's not my response to stress.
> These are actually things that happen when I'm in a mentally & physically healthy & relaxed position.
> 
> I do these types of things when I'm me, or when I wanna feel like me (act on it), &/or When I'm very happy/excited.
> ...


Aha.... Here's a tip, when all those stressors happen to you, try doing those things you do when you are happy. ;-) I guess this is a lesson I've learned, and forgot that, yeah, while what you describe is how I act when stressed, it's not a way to actually deal with the stress. To deal with it, and to get past it, I have slowly learned to do those things that I enjoy when happy. Se is our activator function (my own term). It's our stress-reliever, our life-fulfiller. At least, for ISXPs. For other types, it's whatever their aux. function is. That's why I asked my question, but without meaning to, you actually answered it. Your aux function must be Se. That's how I see what you've described. I bet others would chime in likewise. ;-)


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## Sidewinder (May 22, 2009)

ferroequinologist said:


> The reasons why an FI dom would be concerned about what others think vs. why an Fe dom would are polar opposite. Fi cares about self, how others affect self, while Fe is concerned about the overall emotional tone. It is feeling that cares about what others think or feel, but where it is focused and where it is applied is different. Fi introverts it, while Fe extraverts it. Fi is affected by it, while Fe affects it. (a bit of a over-simplification in that last sentence. Maybe to clarify. If Fi does show externally [modifies behavior, speaks ups, etc.], it is doing it, not to affect the overall tone, but how self feels in the situation, while Fe will be focused on the feelings of others, and may suppress its own's feelings to do so.)


Yes, this is also true, and is a more nuanced and correct way of putting it. Fi deals with feelings about things external and internal, including how it feels about others.


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