Myers-Briggs + ENFP
I’ve always been drawn to external validation that speaks to my internal experience.
I think it’s because of how often – since childhood – the thing that I’m thinking or feeling or doing is not aligned with how any other person in the room is thinking or feeling or doing.
Especially because the feedback I’ve gotten for a lot of my life is that the thing I’m thinking or feeling or doing is wrong.
One of the very first things I discovered that validated my experience of being a human was a personality test called the Myers Briggs.
People say it’s pseudoscience. Which, fine. Probably. But science is what science studies. Studies require resources. Resources mean money. So science is what science funds.
Anyway.
I discovered Myers-Briggs right along the same time I met my friend Michelle. Meeting my friend Michelle was a real trip, because for the first time in my life, I met someone who mirrored back to me many (many!) of the attributes I identify with the most.
Essentially, she and I view the world in much the same way. And in return, the world also views us in much the same way.
In case you’re not familiar, and according to the Myers & Briggs Foundation, the assessment is “designed to help people identify and gain some understanding around how they take in information and make decisions, the patterns of perception and judgment, as seen in normal, healthy behavior.”
I had to take this personality test at work, and I tested as an ENFP. I won’t explain the letters because frankly they don’t make sense to me, but the attributes associated with them do: Words to describe ENFPs include enthusiastic, curious, easy-going, creative, sociable, free-spirited, open-hearted, open-minded, and outgoing.
Sounds lovely but we ENFPs are not without our faults, which include: people-pleasing, unfocused, disorganized, overly accommodating, overly optimistic, and restless.
Recognize me yet? ;)
Meeting someone who is like me in these ways and who shares similar values and who has a similar career path and who has similar relational patterns and who is literally the only person who is as enthusiastic and optimistic as me – well, it’s been the basis of a friendship that has spanned 15-some years. We also have some weird common themes of autoimmune disorders (why we met) and being cheerleaders – both with the Trojan mascot – and both having “only” daughters.
We don’t see each other as often as we’d like, as she abandoned me to live in Fort Collins where she teaches at the university and literally just got named 2026 Teacher of the Year (which is SO ridiculously amazing because she is so ridiculously deserving – I could not be more thrilled!). But we spent the morning together, spending two hours bouncing from topic to topic to topic only to hyperfocus for 45 minutes and plan our next creative project. Which right now is really fast and loose. But we both decided that we’re at good places in our lives to truly collaborate – and we are very much taking into account the personality types that we identify with. As such, we’re making our plans according to both our strengths and our weaknesses.
I haven’t felt this excited about a project in a long while. I won’t give it any more externally-facing energy than I am here in this blog, at least until it’s past its tender fledgling state.
I’m not here to tell anyone that Myers-Briggs assessments are that deep. But it’s a fun tool for us, because neither of us let these generalizations about who we are rule our lives. Rather, we both identify with these tendencies and let this all serve (lightly) as information for navigating how we show up in the world.
So, coming soon. 🤩
p.s. I am aware that the comments feature isn’t working. I’ve spent at least an hour trying to figure it out but I’ve exhausted my capabilities. I’ve assigned it a priority number of 76 out of the 222 “must dos” on ye old “to do” list, between “fix brakes” and “finish taxes.” If you can provide tech support please lmk.
This pic is of a kite I saw on my walk home. Yeah I can’t see it either.
