The Rare INFJ Personality Type - A Burden Or A Gift
With every INFJ article, blog, video and personal stories, there always seems to be an underlying question: Is the experience of having the INFJ personality type a burden or a gift? And while every personality type certainly comes with its own positives and negatives, the fascination others seem to have with the INFJ type may just be built on false perspectives.
1. Their Empathic Abilities
When it comes to INFJ qualities that can serve as both a burden and a gift simultaneously, their empathic abilities are certainly one of them. Rooted in their secondary cognitive function, extroverted feeling, the INFJ’s empathic abilities allow them to understand others on a profound level.
Not only can they accurately depict what others are feeling and thinking, but they can put themselves in other’s shoes in order to problem solve from the most relatable perspective. However, this incredible and unique ability is not all rainbows and butterflies.
In fact, some INFJs would say that it’s this very cognitive function that gets in the way of maintaining healthy boundaries with others. This is because through their ability to know exactly where others are coming from, the INFJ can’t help but be more lenient in times of others struggles.
And while that may not sound like a burden, there are certain scenarios where it works against the INFJ and their need to maintain a healthy emotional equilibrium. Whether it be the ill intentions of others through manipulation, abuse or dishonesty, or the obligation of giving second chances with the knowing that nothing is going to change, the INFJ’s empathetic capacity puts them in some seriously sticky situations.
2. Their Ability to Learn Quickly and Efficiently
Perfectionistic at heart, the INFJ type is always willing and able to learn something new. Known for their thirst for knowledge, this clever personality type’s never-ending curiosities lead them to some of the most unique hobbies, skills and abilities.
It allows them to move forward on their interests with the knowledge that they’ll probably pick it up quickly with fewer struggles than some may come up against. Yet, besides their ability to learn these new endeavors effortlessly, it also gives others the sense that the INFJ has a good head on their shoulders, deeming them dependable, adaptable and capable of taking on more tasks.
Not only does this happen in the INFJ’s personal life with friends and family relying on their knowledge; ultimately considering them the ‘go-to’ person when things go wrong, but it’s most prominent in the INFJ’s professional life.
In fact, when an INFJ is hired on for a new position, it’s almost guaranteed that they will be picking up the slack of those around them whether they like it or not. Luckily, sometimes this is noticed and appreciated, allowing them to advance their way to high positions. Other times, it goes completely unnoticed and the INFJ is stuck doing the jobs of everyone around them with no further recognition.
3. Their Ability to See Beyond What’s Fed to Them
Speaking of their constant longing for new knowledge, there’s something that lies beyond the INFJ’s curiosities and the need to uncover the utmost truthful truths of reality itself. They can’t help but to dive into topics that others rather blissfully remain ignorant to, giving them the ability to see beyond the matrix facade of reality.
Although this truth-finding need and ability allows them a deeper understanding of life, human connection, eternal happiness and the struggles of the collective, there’s certainly a side to knowing too much that it ruins the fun of simply living.
In reality, while it would be a difficult thing to give up, it’s fair to say that most INFJs would love to experience what life would be like if they remained blind to the deeper perception of reality that they’re now stuck with. How much less worried they feel for humanity’s future.
How much less pressure they’d feel to make a difference in such a world filled with so much darkness. And how much more willing they’d be to create and adventure without knowing the world doesn’t have their best interest in mind.
They’d love to experience the feeling of trusting the world around them as they once did when they were a child. Because as Albert Einstein once said, “A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. So is a lot”.
4. Their Deep Analysis and Observation Skills
Combined with these deep curiosities and ponderings the INFJ experiences on a daily basis, they are also equipped with a razor sharp focus for not only their thoughts but also the world around them. With a mix of introverted intuition and extroverted sensing the INFJ personality type can’t help but to hone in on what’s going on around them at any given moment.
If they aren’t being distracted by their internal thoughts, the INFJ grounds themselves by observing everything and everyone around them in order to analyze the details more extensively within their own minds.
If they’re in a social setting, INFJs can’t help but analyze body language, tone of voice, and even the energies of the room. If they’re at work, they’ll pick up on the smallest of details, allowing for the most polished and organized project outcomes.
If they find themselves in a more natural and serene setting, this type can tune into the vibrancy of what’s around them and the beauty that mother nature provides. And while this allows them to catch the little details that others often overlook, giving them the answers to their future curiosities, their rumination and tunnel vision approach can distract them from enjoying the present moment.
5. Their Ability to Mediate and Comfort
Now, while the INFJ personality isn’t exactly known for their warmth and affection, they still tend to be the go-to people for when other people’s problems arise. Due to their calm and collected nature combined with their efficient problem solving skills, the INFJ serves to be one of the best mediating personality types of the MBTI.
Known as the counselor type, they have an innate capacity for healing the rifts that divide people from each other, weathering storms in family and professional settings, as well as opening other’s eyes to alternative perspectives.
Intuitively they can sense anger, sadness and frustration from afar and rarely hesitate to jump in to alleviate those difficult emotions from others before they fester. However, while their mediating abilities allow them to serve others as they hoped while giving them the look inside other’s minds they are always curious to see, this skill comes with immense pressure.
Not only does being the calm in other’s storms make the INFJ seem invincible; ultimately allowing others to subconsciously burden them with more and more issues to dig them out of, but when the INFJ is met with an issue that is beyond their capacity to detangle, they can struggle with internal criticizing.
Plus, it keeps the INFJ from opening themselves to new friendships due to the fear that they may be setting themselves up for becoming overburdened. Which brings us to our last point..
6. Their Ability to Push Themselves to Attain Their Goals
With perfectionism and introverted intuition combined, the INFJ is always dreaming of who they could be and what they could accomplish in this lifetime. And through their vivid visions of their potential futures is where the INFJ finds the fuel that motivates them towards their lofty goals that usually involve veering off the beaten path.
However, despite them being able to attain life circumstances that others could only dream of, there’s a side to these high-set self expectations that can send the INFJ into a panic of self-doubt. In fact, since most INFJs can’t help but to chase a life that is as far away from what society considers the proper route, most people would deem the goals and ambitions that whirl around the INFJ mind as utterly unattainable and or worse, crazy.
And while this alone can cause the INFJ to question themselves and their direction in life, they usually struggle with that regardless of outside input. This logical yet dreamer personality type is in a constant limbo of questioning their reasoning, their abilities and their habit of taking the road less traveled.
This makes the very ability of holding high standards for themselves come with an underlying current of uncertainty, hesitancy, and indecision which ultimately has the potential to develop into more serious issues such as depression and anxiety.