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INFP has in the workplace are their colleagues. The INFP is a natural team player and they are likely to benefit immensely from combining their passionate ideals with the detail-orientation and follow-through of sensing, judging types. By surrounding themselves with those whose strengths are their weakness (and vice versa), the INFP will set themselves up for professional success. 6. Hold yourself publicly accountable for following through on projects. Since disciplining themselves to follow through on long-term goals may
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this means they would cease to use Fi, Ne, Si and Te–in that order–and instead filter experiences through the lens of Te, then Si, then Ne and then Fi. This resembles the ESTJ’s natural stack of cognitive functions. However, as extroverted thinking tends to be underdeveloped in IxFP types, it does not manifest positively as a lead function, the way it does for an ESTJ.
When neglected, however, extroverted thinking will take over in times of extreme stress and single-handedly destroy your self-esteem.
Exile coming back as shadow
the INFP often experiences it as their critical inner voice–the
Introverted feeling is a river. It’s the steady ebb and flow of emotion, of understanding, of deep, resounding truths that curve and flow their way through the INFP’s consciousness, guiding their thoughts and desires.
Meditation seed
The problem is, there are things that the INFP’s river of empathy cannot initially absorb.
The smaller the problem or upset, the more likely it is that Fi can find a way to integrate it–a temporary betrayal from a friend can be understood in relation to the stressors the friend was facing at the time of the betrayal.
Except it may have a cumulative effect in my experience
Eventually, they INFP may realize that they’re poisoning their ecosystem and attempt to expel the foreign item–by turning to extroverted intuition.
Extroverted feeling is the wind.
Meditation seed
When the INFP is lonely, Ne swoops in to suggest activities the INFP could partake in, in order to meet likeminded people. When the INFP is discouraged, Ne swoops in to remind the INFP of all the different routes they could take to end up where they want to be. When the INFP is uninspired, Ne goes out into the
When introverted feeling and extroverted intuition work in harmony with one another, things go swimmingly. Fi absorbs, Ne expands. Fi considers, Ne delivers. The two dominant functions of the INFP work uncannily well as a team–providing the INFP with an ideal mix of new experiences to explore and a vessel for analyzing all of them.
However, when introverted feeling checks out of the equation, extroverted intuition takes on a different role. Without the deep and patient waters of introverted feeling to regulate it, Ne can spiral into a windstorm–blowing in any direction it chooses and leaving introverted feeling’s waters scattered haphazardly across new territory.
Extroverted intuition only becomes a problem when it acts without checking in with the other functions–starting and then promptly abandoning an endless series of projects and endeavors, which emotionally exhausts the INFP as they frantically try to invest themselves in each one.
If introverted feeling is a river, introverted sensing is the grooves in the land that the water has carved out over years of movement.
Meditation seed
The problem with introverted sensing is that it isn’t all that concerned with moving forward.
It’s Ne’s job to keep the river expanding in new directions and it’s Si’s job only to remember where the river has been.
So when Si takes control of the river, it loops it back to the places where it’s pooled in the past–choosing to relive rather than t...
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introverted sensing has trouble operating alone. It provides the INFP with a narrow scope of suggestions that lack context–offering up only what has worked in the past, without considering whether or not the given suggestion applies to the present situation.
If introverted feeling is a river, extroverted thinking is a series of manmade dams that control the flow of water.
Extroverted thinking operates as a powerful catalyst for change when the INFP uses it in the order it’s meant to be used in – that is, following the formulation of their ideals (Fi), the exploration of how to express those ideals (Ne) and the feedback as to which of the available routes best suits the INFP’s interests (Si). It is then Te’s natural place to step in and implement the plans that will make those ideals a reality.
Where Te does not work quite as naturally is when it is given a position of authority in the INFP’s brain. Healthy extroverted thinking observes the flow of introverted feeling’s river and pointedly determines where dams ought to be built to maximize creativity. But when the river grows polluted and stagnates after, Te panics. It begins to build dams around all of the water it sees–wanting desperately to protect what’s left of its unhealthy introverted feeling. And this is precisely how the INFP ends up falling into the grip of their inferior function.
A coworker commenting that the INFP missed a task is interpreted by the INFP as, “My co-worker thinks I’m an idiot who can’t do anything right.” A family member calling the INFP’s artwork ‘interesting’ is interpreted as, “They think my work is unoriginal and they don’t believe I’ll make it as an artist.”
The INFP is, in a sense, rejecting him or herself before others have the chance to do so.
the INFP predicts every pitfall and criticism that might come their way before they actually encounter it, they don’t have to worry about being caught off-guard by any sort of emotional pain. And so the INFP becomes his or her own worst enemy, before anybody else gets the chance to.
If introverted feeling is a river, a Te grip is the equivalent of the INFP building dams around every edge of the river, until the water becomes entirely trapped inside. Nothing can enter that will further pollute the river, but the water also ceases to flow. It ceases to integrate. Introverted feeling lies polluted and dormant inside of Te’s walls, where it is safe but also wholly ineffective.
This leads to a temporary (or in some cases pervasive) imbalance in personality–extroverted types lose touch with their inner world, whereas introverted types lose touch with their external environments. Regardless of the extroverted functions
following ways: 1. Obsessing over and/or wallowing in past mistakes. The Fi-Si loop often begins with a period of wallowing. The INFP may retreat to process a recent life upset–a breakup, a move or even a looming feeling of dissatisfaction towards their career–and slowly find themselves veering into obsessive territory. In this stage of the loop, the Fi-Si relationship functions as follows: Fi: I’m unhappy with my current circumstances. Si: It’s because you did x, y and z in the past, which led you here. Fi: I’m a bad person for having done those things. Si: Here are several more examples of
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Repurposing protectors, managers, fire fighters
note of which habits, routines and goal-setting strategies work best for you, so that you can continue to employ them in the future. Deliberately engaging in activities that you’ve historically enjoyed, even if you aren’t feeling enthused about them at the time.
Engaging extroverted intuition in a healthy manner means:
routes for personal and professional development that exist in your external environment. Re-framing struggles as challenges, and trusting your ability to rise to them. Exploring new activities and interests with an open mind. Brainstorming possibilities for the future without restraint. Welcoming silliness and unpredictability back into your life. Putting day-to-day struggles into perspective by focusing on the bigger picture.
Re-engaging introverted feeling after a grip experience means: Welcoming creativity and self-expression back into your life with confidence. Allowing yourself to experience the full weight of your emotions, whether they are positive and joyous or negative and disappointing. Trusting that you are psychologically capable of pulling yourself out of periods of pain and despair, should you encounter them again. Learning to navigate the emotional ‘middle ground’ that exists between extreme joy and extreme emptiness. Reaching out to loved ones to repair relationships that have suffered as a result of
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Abandoning their sense of self within a relationship.
INFP themselves is only ever as happy or satiated as their partner is.
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deeply uncomfortable when the peace is disrupted. May feel hesitant to overtly raise his or her point of view during conflict. Avoids any sort of conflict unless it is absolutely necessary to enter into. Often makes subtle adjustments to his or her behavior to accommodate the other party so that a conflict does not arise in the first place. Values the happiness of their partner above their own happiness. Feels incapable of providing a superior solution to that of the opposing party’s (despite the fact that they may not agree with the opposing party’s solution). Fears voicing their opinion for
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feel threatened in some way by the opposing party’s point of view. May fear that resolving the conflict at hand will force them to compromise their values. May feel misunderstood by the other party to the point where they view the conflict as unresolvable.
likely to view their own perspective as an indisputable fact or a value that they’re unwilling to compromise on.
INFP views the conflict as an attack on his or her values, beliefs or identity. The INFP feel fundamentally misunderstood or misrepresented by the other party. The INFP uses extroverted thinking to source any facts that may help make their case – regardless of whether or not those facts are representative of the bigger picture.
normally compliant INFP begins behaving more like a stubborn and uncompromising ESTJ. The INFP is anxious to prove to the other party that they know what they are talking about and fears being perceived as incompetent. Despite the fact that they are arguing with logic and facts, the INFP is likely to be visibly worked up while using this confrontation style, as they almost always use it to argue about issues that are close to their hearts.
The INFP and the ENTJ are likely to connect the most naturally through the exploration of each other’s auxiliary intuitive functions. Both types enjoy planning and speculating for the future, as well as analyzing the world around them in unconventional ways. Both types are likely to appreciate the other’s natural affinity for creative thinking and their commitment to self-improvement.
