ENFP Archetype: The Bard
ENFPs are charismatic and creative innovators who focus on social change and advocate for those they believe deserve a second chance. ENFPs range in a wide variety of behavior and expression, from being charitable moral upholders of their belief system to depraved addicts who are only out to get theirs.
Some examples of famous ENFPs you may know include:
- Edward Norton
- Alex Jones
- Jordan Belfort
- Gary Vaynerchuk
- Conor McGregor
- Tom Cruise
- Millie Bobby Brown.
Expression Style
As is the case with all personality types, the ENFP lies at the intersection between a specific expression style and a specific worldview. They are of the starter interaction style, which means that they're best suited for getting projects off the ground by sparking new ideas but they struggle with the follow-through. Their communication style is informative, initiating, and progression.
Informative: ENFPs prefer to communicate indirectly, focused on providing contextual explanations. They talk in terms of context, where every topic is about framing it in the right way.
Initiating: ENFPs prefer to go to others instead of waiting for others to come to them. They are likely to start conversations and infuse them with new and interesting possibilities.
Progression: ENFPs tend to be flighty, quick, and may even appear ditsy. They're all about making progress. They arrive at their destinations through long winding journeys as long as they're making progress.
Worldview
The ENFP is part of the Idealist or NF worldview, meaning that they are affiliative, interest-based, and abstract.
Affiliative: ENFPs care about what they feel is right and what is regarded as correct by the groups they are a part of. They approach life by justifying actions not based on efficiency or pragmatism but on their values. They care more about being good rather than just being accurate.
Interest: Types understand who benefits the most. ENFPs are often accused of being among the most selfish of all the types. Part of this is because of their awareness of who benefits in a situation. ENFPs, while they can be very charitable, are often overly concerned with ensuring they win in every interaction.
Abstract: ENFPs are one of the most abstract of all the types, constantly living in the "what if." They view the world through potential and see possibilities everywhere they look.
Cognitive Functions
Ne Hero
ENFPs want to be wanted by others. Even though the ENFP is an extrovert, they're hoping that other people will draw the ENFP close to them. ENFPs want to give other people choices. They like to provide others with possibilities, options, and pathways that will offer them a better future.
Fi Parent
Fi Parent makes the ENFP careful about forming their own values. ENFPs are conscious of their own value, their own contributions, and their own moods and emotions. Fi Parent is looking for what is good and valuable. ENFPs are naturally good at prioritizing tasks and understanding how to optimize value.
Te Child
Te Child makes ENFPs innocent and optimistic when it comes to gathering information, seeking to understand other people's perspectives, and pursuing achievement and regard for themselves. Te Child intuitively understands the power of branding and that a product is only as good as the brand that carries it.
Si Inferior
Si Inferior makes ENFPs especially sensitive to any incoming experience regarding their five senses. They often are picky about food, comfort level of clothing, and anything to do with the five senses. Si Inferior also makes the ENFP afraid that they aren't strong, feeling weak by default.
Ni Nemesis
ENFPs worry about their future, what they want, and whether they desire the wrong things. They fear losing their freedom. Nemesis also causes ENFPs to be prone to despair and hopelessness. An Nemesis can make ENFPs feel hopeless and filled with despair about their future.
Fe Critic
ENFPs are naturally critical of other people's values. They perceive others as being negligent, careless, and naive with their values and morals. Fe Critic can also cause ENFPs to diminish or ignore other people's worth and contribution. Immature ENFPs may feel that they are the sole reason a project succeeds at work.
Ti Trickster
Ti Trickster pushes the ENFP to have the viewpoint that anything can be true. Despite the weaknesses of the trickster, there is something unique to it because Ti Trickster is so open-minded about anything being true. However, as ENFPs mature, they can become masters of critical thinking.
Se Demon
Se Demon hates reality. ENFPs hate reality because their Si Inferior is so sensitive to it. Reality, the pressures of life, and the constant discomfort that their Si Inferior deals with make the ENFP respond with hatred toward reality. Se Demon also causes the ENFP to be out of touch with how others are reacting to them.
The Four Sides of the Mind
ISTJ Subconscious
The ISTJ subconscious reveals the ENFP's pathway to responsibility and maturity. Our maturity comes from the development of our parent function. The ENFP's Fi Parent must practice responsible, not irresponsible, selfishness. Immature ENFPs tend to believe that they are the best thing since sliced bread. Responsible selfishness is learning that selflessness is a big part of their growth.
ENFPs mature by developing their Si Inferior into Si Aspirational by exposing themselves to a wide variety of experiences. ISTJ Aspirational is also where the ENFP can develop their natural ability as an academic educator and scholar.
INFJ Unconscious
The INFJ Unconscious reveals the ENFP's path to wisdom. The Nemesis exists to develop the skill that resembles faith. A wise ENFP doesn't necessarily have to believe in a precise, specific future. It's more when the ENFP knows that there will be a future for them, and they can achieve the desires of their heart. Second and more importantly is the critic. Critic can be very uncompassionate toward other people, but it can also be extremely wise about the forgiveness, empathy, and healing it gives to others.
ESTP Superego
The ESTP Superego hates reality, but it's also the driving force that, if the ENFP is humble to accept, leads them to develop their strength. Once the ENFP is able to embrace this truth, which happens over the course of a lifetime, they can finally learn to love the thing that made them strong to begin with.
Summary
ENFPs are very important to the fate of any group, society, and even humanity itself. Their ability to be pathfinders and grow into examples of moral excellence can inspire others at a level few other types can. But many ENFPs are also extremely selfish, depraved, and foolish. Mature ENFPs are hard to find, and yet for those who do mature and accept the responsibility of integrity, they can become the most impactful of all.
