INFJ is one of the five rarest types of personality. But although these personality types are rare that doesn’t mean anything is wrong with you. You’re not alone.
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a personality assessment tool based on the theories of Carl Jung. Jung believed there were four main traits and 16 combinations of personality, and a person typically favors one combination above all others.
MBTI helps show how a person sees and interprets the world around them. It has several possible applications for helping people get a better understanding of themselves or others, such as the workplace, personal development, and team building.
No personality type is inherently better or worse than another. You will find you use different aspects of personality throughout your day or life. And you may also find that some things come more easily than others or make you feel more or less confident.
What are the four Myers-Briggs preferences?
The MBTI assigns a person into 1 of 16 different personality types that can provide information about their preferences based on four areas of psychology:
- extraversion (E) or introversion (I)
- sensing (S) or intuition (N)
- thinking (T) or feeling (F)
- judging (J) or perceiving (P)
The personality types each get assigned a single letter from the four domains. The most dominant trait is either extroversion (E) or introversion (I), so the letter is always listed first.
INFJ, also known as the advocate, counselor, or idealist, is the rarest type of personality in the general population. It represents about 1.5% of the general population in the United States.
INFJ stands for:
- introversion
- intuition
- feeling
- judging
If you have this personality type, you likely thrive with humanitarian type work and enjoy making the world a better place to live in. You are also likely very in tune with other people’s emotions and seek to create deep connections with others. But it may be difficult for you to get to know other people.
The second least common personality type, ENTJ or commander, represents about 1.8% of the population. ENTJ stands for:
- extraversion
- intuition
- thinking
- judging
People with this personality type are generally strong, natural leaders. They will often be career-focused and often excel in the business world.
If you are an ENTJ personality type, people may describe you as:
- goal or future-oriented
- energetic
- easy to communicate with
- open to new ideas
- decisive
INTJ, also known as the mastermind, is the third least common personality type. About 2.1% of the population have an INTJ personality type.
INTJ stands for:
- introversion
- intuition
- thinking
- judging
This personality type seeks new ways of looking at and solving problems. They are often the most independent of the personality types and can do work without intervention.
Descriptive words for them may include:
- strategic
- logical or rational
- future-oriented
- rigid or not flexible
- decisive
Another rare personality type is ENFJ or the teacher. It represents about 2.5% of the total population. ENFJ stands for:
- extraversion
- intuition
- feeling
- judging
If you have this personality type, you are probably focused on helping others achieve their goals. Often, people with this personality type will gravitate toward careers in counseling or teaching.
Words to describe them include:
- inclusive
- flexible
- communicative
- loyal
- energizing
ENTP personality type, also known as visionary, represents about 3.2% of the population. ENTP stands for:
- extraversion
- intuition
- thinking
- perceiving
People with ENTP personalities use creative problem-solving and logical thinking. They tend to prefer working with enough freedom to use their creative problem-solving skills. They often help others buy into their ideas.
If you have an ENTP personality, people may describe you as:
- objective
- curious
- strategic
- flexible
- informal
Finding out your personality type can help you when making education or career decisions. If you understand what your personality gravitates toward and succeeds with, you may find you are happier in your educational and career pursuits.
It may also help you decide to make changes in your career to find an opportunity that may suit your strengths better.
To find out your personality type, you can take one of several different assessments online. Assessments may be free or cost money. Often the ones that cost money, such as the one through the Myers & Briggs Foundation, come with feedback from a professional who can help interpret the results.
You could also take this informal personality quiz to get an idea of how others may perceive you.