Distinguishing INFJs from INFPs

[flux]

Here's a checklist I whipped up showing how we are opposites, yet twins.

INFPs focus on values.
INFJs value their focus.

INFPs invoke their feelings.
INFJs feel their invocations.

INFPs use their intuition to validate their feelings.
INFJs use their feelings to validate their intuitions.

INFPs react with strong emotions.
INFJs have strong reactions to emotions.

INFPs know what it could be.
INFJs know what it couldn’t be.

INFPs use emotional currency.
INFJs use their emotions currently. << (I'm afraid I couldn't grasp this one, yet it's the most simply worded of all of them. This is a wonderful self-assessment, but I'm tempted to switch these two statements.)

INFPs don’t know when to quit, and tend to jump out.
INFJs don’t know where to start, and tend to jump in.

INFPs strive to nurture those around them.
INFJs nurture those around them to strive.

INFPs know where it begins.
INFJs know where it ends.

INFPs are highly aware of their feelings.
INFJs feel they are highly aware.

INFPs figure it out by thinking about it too much.
INFJs figure it out by not thinking about it at all.

INFPs have trouble expressing their feelings, but not showing their emotions.
INFJs have trouble showing their emotions, but not expressing their feelings.

INFPs tell about something someone they know did.
INFJs tell someone about something they know they did.

INFPs come to feel your emotions with you.
INFJs feel the emotions coming from you.

INFPs open up to harmony.
INFJs need harmony to open up.

I knew I would invariably feel the pull towards INFJ. I also scored 8-7 in favour of the INFJ. I hope I haven't biased myself, but I feel like there's still a chance I've been barking up the wrong MBTI tree for years. This isn't even my first public declaration of that. I feel like adding the question:

INFPs feel emotionally unbalanced thinking they might be INFJs.
INFJs feel their belief systems have little to stand on thinking they might be INFPs.

Why did I write that? Now it's 8-8!

 

[flux]

I refuse to try and solve this one second longer. I'm quite simply both. Every time I think I hear a clincher, I hear another one in the opposite direction. Years of wondering what I am has gotten me so out of touch with parts of who I am, and the everyday business of living, and I think both INF types would tell you that's the biggest crime that could come out of all of this type-sorting.

I just want to be an INFbe.

 

[WellNoWonder]

When INFJs are trying to decide on their type, they tend to start out with a type that just doesn't seem right for some reason, and begin to research the reason why. Feeling overwhelmed by all the details, they slowly rule out any possibilities one by one, until they're down to the last few difficult distinctions. At this point, INFJs are likely to realize that there is no type that completely defines them, and that the MBTI is far too archetypal to be accurate, rather than trying on other types because their Ni has ruled out so many possibilities. Then, INFJs tend to have an 'aha' moment while not thinking about any of this stuff where they realize what it means and how INFJ is the best description of the 16 types. Once this happens, they seldom look back. Ni and Fe reach a spontaneous concordance. Ni honed in on the answer, and Fe accepted it as part of how things are and should be.

BAM!!!!!

 

[Afrelen]

BAM!!!!!

Tell me about it.

When I read that my Ni and Fe did exactly as prescribed. Then I got that tingly feeling up my spine when I think someone knows me too well...

 

[AstolatSerenity]

I was, as a teenager, solidly INFP. Now I'm not. My Ni has developed greatly and I've picked up lots of typically J tendencies, with the result that I now invariably test as INFJ.

As for what I really am - that all depends on what I consider 'I' to mean presently*.

*That is, of course, 'I' as in 'myself,' not as in 'introvert,' which I certainly am.

 

[christmas]

I was, as a teenager, solidly INFP. Now I'm not.

I can relate to this. Hi! Woo! First post!

 

[Morgain]

I was, as a teenager, solidly INFP. Now I'm not. My Ni has developed greatly and I've picked up lots of typically J tendencies, with the result that I now invariably test as INFJ.

As for what I really am - that all depends on what I consider 'I' to mean presently*.

*That is, of course, 'I' as in 'myself,' not as in 'introvert,' which I certainly am.

Hi and welcome!!

It is the same with me. I think I'm INFP but I have a lot of J and a bit Ni tendencies. And I also have the feeling I can be many types. So the results depend on who I am at the moment. I can test INFJ or INFP. I think that is a tread of INFP. There dominant type is not so dominant as in other types so they can easely take over other peoples preferences

 

[Trifoilum]

A borderlining case of INFJ/P here. I'd like to say this topic help giving me insights about which I probably am (some flavors of both)...and which I identify more (INFJ).

I noticed there's quite a confusion, debate, and disagreements-agreements over people's description about this or that description of INFJ/Ps, tho. Understandable, of course. After all, we're all not totally INFJ, not totally INFP; only few people did, and even for them, personality is fluid and subject to change and growth, isn't it?

And it's intriguing how / why there's a lot of topic and website trying to dissect and separate INFJ and INFP; why not, say, INFJ/INTJ, INFJ/ENFJ, INFJ/ISFJ?

 

[IndigoSensor]

I say this a lot, but I don't remember if I have posted it in this thread.

I firmly believe that one of the best ways to sort out ones type if they are a borderline case is by figuring out their cognitive functions.

 

[gloomy-optimist]

I say this a lot, but I don't remember if I have posted it in this thread.

I firmly believe that one of the best ways to sort out ones type if they are a borderline case is by figuring out their cognitive functions.

What if our cognitive functions were all up in the crazy too? :B

 

[IndigoSensor]

What if our cognitive functions were all up in the crazy too? :B

Shhhhh.... I am ignoring that for the time being!

 

[Raccoon Love]

Shhhhh.... I am ignoring that for the time being!

lmao..I just got the craziest result today...I find it interesting that my results keep on changing..i guess I'm not a stable person lol.

 

[gloomy-optimist]

lmao..I just got the craziest result today...I find it interesting that my results keep on changing..i guess I'm not a stable person lol.

Maybe, or maybe you have a wider arsenal of functions under your belt to whip out when you need them

 

[Trifoilum]

lmao..I just got the craziest result today...I find it interesting that my results keep on changing..i guess I'm not a stable person lol.

I got a feeling that stability isn't things INFJs have from the beginning...

 

[arbygil]

I got a feeling that stability isn't things INFJs have from the beginning...

Lol! You only see us on our best days. We'll exude calm in public, where people think we have it all together.

But here? Here's where you get the REAL truth. We're crazy!

 

[Trifoilum]

LOL

on a side note, I just read this profiling of INFJ and INFP; I must say it confuses me, to say the least;

http://www.bestfittype.com/infj.html
http://www.bestfittype.com/infp.html

it feels like some traits usually being put into INFJ are thrown into INFP, and some traits from places unknown (INTJ?) are thrown into INFJ....or am I wrong?

 

[Morgain]

this is probably one of the best descriptions I read about INFP (healer):

You are introspective, cooperative, informative, and attentive. Your tranquil and reserved exterior masks a passionate inner life. You care deeply about causes that interest you and often pursue those causes with selfless devotion. You are highly compassionate and empathetic to the needs of others, seeking to bring peace, health, and integrity to your companions and to society at large. You want to heal the problems that trouble individuals and correct the conflicts that divide social groups.

You tend to be private and have a strong sense of right and wrong and an idealistic worldview. You are deeply committed to things that are positive or good and are inspired to make extraordinary sacrifices in attempts to achieve your ideals. You are prone to errors of fact as you follow your feelings more than you follow logical analysis. However, following your feelings also means that you seldom make errors of feeling.

You were often misunderstood as a child. In practical minded families, your devotion to idealism may be frowned upon and even punished. Most other role variants can shrug off the parental expectations that don't fit them, but you are greatly affected by it. You want to please your parents and siblings and, in attempt to do this, you may mask or hide your differences. This can create inner turmoil within yourself. You are often better at detecting this inner turmoil than other role variants. You seek unity of mind, body and spirit, perhaps because of the inner turmoil caused during your upbringing.

You are adaptable, patient with complicated situations, and welcoming of new ideas and information. You are impatient with routine details. As you are aware of people's feelings, you relate well with others. You are also comfortable working alone given your private nature.

Famous Healers include Richard Gere, Princess Diana, and Audrey Hepburn.

It explains why I don't act like an INFP in my every day life...

 

[orangeappled]

this is probably one of the best descriptions I read about INFP (healer):

You are introspective, cooperative, informative, and attentive. Your tranquil and reserved exterior masks a passionate inner life. You care deeply about causes that interest you and often pursue those causes with selfless devotion. You are highly compassionate and empathetic to the needs of others, seeking to bring peace, health, and integrity to your companions and to society at large. You want to heal the problems that trouble individuals and correct the conflicts that divide social groups.

You tend to be private and have a strong sense of right and wrong and an idealistic worldview. You are deeply committed to things that are positive or good and are inspired to make extraordinary sacrifices in attempts to achieve your ideals. You are prone to errors of fact as you follow your feelings more than you follow logical analysis. However, following your feelings also means that you seldom make errors of feeling.

You were often misunderstood as a child. In practical minded families, your devotion to idealism may be frowned upon and even punished. Most other role variants can shrug off the parental expectations that don't fit them, but you are greatly affected by it. You want to please your parents and siblings and, in attempt to do this, you may mask or hide your differences. This can create inner turmoil within yourself. You are often better at detecting this inner turmoil than other role variants. You seek unity of mind, body and spirit, perhaps because of the inner turmoil caused during your upbringing.

You are adaptable, patient with complicated situations, and welcoming of new ideas and information. You are impatient with routine details. As you are aware of people's feelings, you relate well with others. You are also comfortable working alone given your private nature.

Famous Healers include Richard Gere, Princess Diana, and Audrey Hepburn.

It explains why I don't act like an INFP in my every day life...

It's too mushy gushy nicey nice for me still. I'm more of an artist than an altruist, but it's still springing from idealism. I'm not a people-pleaser at all - that part always annoys me about INFP profiles. People-pleasing is so Fe

In short, I feel this is a very INFP enneagram 9 profile. An INFP e4 is likely going to be more concerned with individuality and self-expression than not rocking the boat.

In regards to general discussion, learning about the functions in depth and reading Jung cemented that I am Fi-dom (although I considered INTP much more heavily than INFJ). The J/P stereotypes are misleading, IMO, and introverted feeling is misunderstood because of the Feeling stereotypes out there.

I also think Fi is very abstract in itself, which is possibly why Fi-doms may confuse their Fi with Ni. Fi is not emotion, but its reasoning is also not a black & white linear logic. It's difficult to describe and express, which may be why Fi-doms are often artists.

The main difference for me is how Jung says Ni-doms don't relate things to themselves and don't have a strong inner feeling of truth. Their evaluations and judgments are made with external criteria (Te or Fe). That's foreign to me. The external means little in how I evaluate. I have a sense of what is true that springs from a much deeper place. I also think some Ni-dom confuse their Fe with Fi. If you read what Fi really is, then you'd see it has nothing to do with other people. External objects, including people, come into play with the aux function. Much of what is associated with Feeling is really Fe, and I think some INFx types are not INFPs stuck in Ne pondering, but INFJs who don't know what Fi really is.

 

[Morgain]

It's too mushy gushy nicey nice for me still. I'm more of an artist than an altruist, but it's still springing from idealism. I'm not a people-pleaser at all - that part always annoys me about INFP profiles. People-pleasing is so Fe .

hm, I am a people pleaser when I'm out of balance

The main difference for me is how Jung says Ni-doms don't relate things to themselves and don't have a strong inner feeling of truth. Their evaluations and judgments are made with external criteria (Te or Fe). That's foreign to me. The external means little in how I evaluate. I have a sense of what is true that springs from a much deeper place. I also think some Ni-dom confuse their Fe with Fi. If you read what Fi really is, then you'd see it has nothing to do with other people. External objects, including people, come into play with the aux function. Much of what is associated with Feeling is really Fe, and I think some INFx types are not INFPs stuck in Ne pondering, but INFJs who don't know what Fi really is.

this is the same with me. The external means also little in how I evaluate, that is when I'm not stressed. What I believe is true comes from a deeper place and I search that place when I want to discover (my) truth. Whenever I base my truths on the outside world, the results become distorted and unbalanced.

Fi is indeed not about the other people. It is about yourself. But, I think because Fi as an imense tendency to discover the deeper meaning and the deeper emotions/struggles it is also very good in seeing the deeper problems of other people and understanding/feeling what the other person must go through. And therefore is also capable in helping the other person. So I believe that Fi can be confused with Fe as well

About Ni, I agree that it can be confused with Fi. Also the other way around. My Ni scores are pretty high (I scored as INFJ in the beginning). But I think I always have confused it with Fi. I always named "my deeper inner truth" intuition but in fact it is Fi in MBTI terms. I have little knowledge about what Ni actually is.

It is nice to talk with someone who really grasp the meaning of Fi!!! thanks!

 

[orangeappled]

hm, I am a people pleaser when I'm out of balance

this is the same with me. The external means also little in how I evaluate, that is when I'm not stressed. What I believe is true comes from a deeper place and I search that place when I want to discover (my) truth. Whenever I base my truths on the outside world, the results become distorted and unbalanced.

Fi is indeed not about the other people. It is about yourself. But, I think because Fi as an imense tendency to discover the deeper meaning and the deeper emotions/struggles it is also very good in seeing the deeper problems of other people and understanding/feeling what the other person must go through. And therefore is also capable in helping the other person. So I believe that Fi can be confused with Fe as well

About Ni, I agree that it can be confused with Fi. Also the other way around. My Ni scores are pretty high (I scored as INFJ in the beginning). But I think I always have confused it with Fi. I always named "my deeper inner truth" intuition but in fact it is Fi in MBTI terms. I have little knowledge about what Ni actually is.

It is nice to talk with someone who really grasp the meaning of Fi!!! thanks!

I agree with you on all this....what you mention about stress & being out of balance sounds very enneagram 9. I don't know what you know about enneagram, but it works pretty well as a "sub type" system for MBTI. INFPs tend to be 4 or 9 on the enneagram, and occasionally 5 or 1. As a 4w5, my unique identity and cerebral pursuits trump people-pleasing, but a 9 type is seeking peace, which means they may sacrifice their own needs more to achieve it. Of course, there are pros & cons to both.