According to the results of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, 7 percent of the population identifies as ENFP -- we are extroverted, intuitive, feeling and perceiving, which is a fancy way of saying we're loud and we think with our hearts. 16Personalities describes us as "the campaigner." We have big personalities and big hearts and we want to make a difference while we're here. Mark Twain and Robin Williams were ENFPs, and Robert Downey, Jr. Julie Andrews and Carol Burnette are, too. I've taken the test several times and have gotten ENFP nearly every time, and, while every ENFP is unique, there are several personality aspects I think we all share.
1. I'm afraid of being alone.
My worst fear is that one day I will somehow have lived my life in such a way that I don't have any close friends who I can talk to about my problems and my successes. On a smaller level, I tend to plan my days around spending time with people, and even though I do sometimes desperately need alone time, I generally hate being by myself -- even if there's no one in the room with me, I'm constantly texting, Snapchatting or talking on the phone (quickly, because I have a lot to say, and loudly, because I'm probably on speaker doing ten other tasks).
2. I am a terrible listener.
It's not because I don't respect you. It's because I'm always thinking ten steps ahead and I'm constantly full of ideas on how to make things better, easier or more fun. So, please don't hate me when I forget something you told me. I also tend to repeat myself because I assume everyone else is a terrible listener, too.
3. I am interested in EVERYTHING.
...but I've never found a single thing that I'm wholly obsessed with. I say a lot of things are my "favorite thing in the world," but by next week I'll probably have a whole new set of interests. Figuring out what I want to do with my life is hard. All I know is I want to somehow make things better.
4. These fictional characters are my SQUAD.
These are the dreamers, the funny people and the idealists. They have their heads in the clouds, and they often get themselves in trouble -- curiosity killed the cat and the ENFP. One fictional character I personally identify with is Holden Caulfield, and he's been found to be an INFP, so he's basically the quiet version of an ENFP. He's me when I'm feeling depressed or generally annoyed with the world.
5. I need a lot of love.
I have a lot of it to give, but sometimes I need affirmation myself. For most ENFPs, one of our worst fears is being disliked and not knowing it.
6. I'm so "on" all the time, that when I'm tired, people constantly ask if I'm okay, and that's kind of annoying.
I have my off days. Sometimes I get sick. Sometimes I don't get enough sleep. And, as crazy as it sounds, sometimes I legitimately need some time to myself. I'm just a human.
7. My favorite quote? "This too shall pass."
I can see a way in and out of most situations, and if being an ENFP has taught me anything, it's that everything is temporary and nothing lasts forever.
8. I think with my heart more than I think with my head.
My values are important to me, and I tend to make decisions based on my feelings more than on things I've experienced or some specific method for doing something.
9. I'm loud, I'm cocky and I'm judgmental, and I'm sorry for that.
Being loud comes with being excitable. Being cocky comes with always having a plan. Being judgmental comes with my ability to pick up on people's nuances faster than others. I'm not a genius, a medium, or a fortune-teller, but I do have an uncanny ability to figure people out sometimes.
10. I suck at making plans.
There's so much going on in my head that I tend to change my mind, double-book and sometimes I straight up forget where I'm supposed to be or what I'm supposed to be doing because I found something more exciting to do.
11. I feel strongly that I was put here for a reason.
Somehow, someday, I'm going to change the world. I want my life to have a lot of meaning because of the things I do. I want my time on earth to be spent making the world better for other people, and I want people to remember me not for what I said or did, but how I made people feel.
12. I love you, but I have a funny way of showing it.
I might not always say it, and my actions might not always make it obvious, but I care about everyone I come into contact with, I'm quick to forgive, and I have a really hard time disliking anyone.