What On Earth's an INFP?
04 June, 2015
I've always wondered why I'm different. Why do I feel a need to occassionally sneak off from big crowds for a moment alone? Why am I perfectly fine staying home on a Friday night with a book and a decaf? Why do I daydream about the future more than living in the present? Why do I come up with grand future plans, only to have a different plan the very next day? None of it made sense to me, until I decided to become a communications major in college. Let's dig a bit deeper so I can explain...
I think it's fair to say communications majors are the most outgoing group of every college campus. Being a Rhetoric & Leadership (aka com) major during my time at Pepperdine, I was surrounded by enthusiastic, passionate, and sometimes overly-animated students. One particular class, Leadership 101, was my favorite. As you can probably pin-point via the title, Leadership class was formulated to teach exactly how to use individual strengths to become the best possible shepherds we could be.
We learned how to proactively go after our dreams and achieve them; how to build our reputability with courage and vigor; and how to downplay our cowardice nature and fuel the fire of our inner-convictions through role-playing, books, movies, and games. The class was fittingly at 8 AM on Friday mornings. While most classes at that time would be (half) full with groggy students, our's had every seat taken 10 minutes beforehand, everyone wide-awake and pumped for class.
One morning, Professor Selby, our whimsical, joyful teacher gave us an assignment: we were to complete a Myer's Briggs personality test. The test, of which takes a good half hour to complete, cost $40, but Pepperdine had already paid for each of us. Professor Selby explained how completing the test would give us a much grander view of who exactly we were as people based on our results.
I wasn't particularly excited or unexcited about taking the test. I went back to my apartment, opened my laptop, and began. Holding back a yawn, I looked at the first question: Do you feel a constant need for something new? Sitting up a bit in my favorite lounge chair next to the living room window, I thought about it. "No, I'm pretty content." But as soon as I clicked the no tab, I backtracked. "Wait, I do daydream a lot about the what-ifs, and I do tend to take on more than I can handle... I'm a bit of a serial-hobbyist, dabbling in a little of everything..."
I changed my answer to yes, and so began my painstakingly long hour over-analyzing each question. Do people make you energized or exhausted? Do you daydream and forget what you're doing? Do you enjoy alone time? How do you feel speaking in front of others? How about vacations, are you a planner or do you go-with-the-flow?
Once I was finished, I wasn't able to see my results. Instead, they were sent to Myers-Briggs to analyze and then over to Professor Selby, meaning we wouldn't be informed of our "type" until the next class period.
The following Friday, Professor Selby (or Selbs, as we liked to call him) gave us each a hefty packet with our personality type (one of the possible 16). Opening my packet, there it was: INFP ("the Dreamer") , written in big bold letters.
I had no idea what INFP meant, but the word dreamer afterward sounded pretty spot on. After reading through the first few pages, I was impressed... everything was incredibly accurate. INFP stands for introversion, intuition, feeling, and perception... meaning INFP's have a tendency to decide things based on feelings instead of logic.
INFP's have an engrained desire to figure out their purpose in life, and they do best working as writers (go figure! - it's legit my therapy, my own personal xanax), actors, pastors, counselors, and art teachers, which is hilarious because I'd love to be all those things combined. They make up 4% of the population, and other INFP's included Audrey Hepburn, Princess Diana (aka my 2 favorite women EVER), Johnny Depp, and Isabell Briggs Myers (the creator of the test). Good company. Reading through the description, it said "INFPs are creative, idealist loners"... I knew I should have been offended, but I totally am a loner sometimes... and I always wondered why I sort of liked it that way.
Professor Selby had us break up into 2 groups: introverts and extroverts, based on the results. Out of the 30 students, only 3 of us were introverts. I couldn't believe it. I was the only INFP in class, which makes sense, since in a class of commuications students, it's expected to have a majority of extroverts, right?
The packet described how INFP's make great public speakers, which is one of my passions, but after a few conversations mingling with the crowd afterwards, INFP's will find themselves completely exhausted and in need of some serious R&R to recharge. That's the main difference between introverts and extroverts: it doesn't necessarily mean introverts are shy and extroverts are not, it means introverts get their energy from peace and quiet. For example, if a couple was on their way home from a long, tiring vacation, the extrovert would want to call some friends over to help him/her unpack, whereas the introvert would rather have a quiet night at home.
I read the packet front to back, and I can't begin to describe how much it helped me. It helped me understand why I'm different from other people. I like my alone time, whereas others get energized from being around big groups. I like doing things my own way, whereas others like rules to follow. I like daydreaming and asking questions, whereas others like to live in the moment.
It's cool, isn't it, how different we all are? God says "all the hairs on our heads are numbered" (Matthew 10:30). God put us on this Earth because He has a special plan for each of us no one else could do. We wouldn't be here if God hadn't decided He wanted to give each of us life. And that means He has a plan for you and me only we can carry out!
Don't focus so much on your weaknesses, darling. I lived my whole life hating the fact I daydreamed so often and had to sneak away from big crowds. I didn't realize I was created that way for a PURPOSE, because He didn't want me like everybody else... He had something special up His sleeve.
I've heard people complain about how Christianity shrinks individualism, which I once (thought I) agreed with. But after reading and studying the Bible, it's evident how Jesus wants nothing more than for us to uniquely SHINE using our own talents He gave us. Every Bible character, from Moses to Peter to Paul to Abraham, is different, yet God still chooses them to follow Him in their own way.
Don't downplay how special you are, honey. Take the (shortened, free) Myers-Briggs test here to see how you might be different from others. I took it today and, sure enough, still an INFP. You may be surprised at its accuracy! Then ask God, how can these individual gifts be used to glorify You in a way that's special to how You created me?
