ESTP vs. ENTJ: 5 Differences

ESTP vs. ENTJ is a surprisingly common typing dilemma, because many people don’t have a clear understanding of the differences. As an intuitive type, the ENTJ is often idealized, and subsequently described in a more desirable or even superhuman way. Meanwhile, the ESTP is often oversimplified, described as impulsive, shallow, and directionless. Neither of these treatments are fair or accurate. ESTPs and ENTJs each have their own legitimate, individual strengths and weaknesses. In this article, we aim to elaborate on the differences between these two personality types. If you’re struggling with the ESTP vs. ENTJ typing dilemma, hopefully it will be a help to you.

ESTP vs. ENTJ: Cognitive Functions

ESTPs and ENTJs share the same set of perceiving functions, albeit in different orders. However, their judging functions are different. ESTPs have dominant Extraverted Sensing (Se), auxiliary Introverted Thinking (Ti), tertiary Extraverted Feeling (Fe), and inferior Introverted Intuition (Ni). On the other hand, ENTJs have dominant Extraverted Thinking (Te), auxiliary Introverted Intuition (Ni), tertiary Extraverted Sensing (Se), and inferior Introverted Feeling (Fi). This article is going to focus on how the differences in cognitive functions (or the differences in cognitive function placement) distinguishes ESTPs and ENTJs from each other. Therefore, for your reference, we’re going to list the shorthand for their cognitive function stacks below.

ESTP = Se-Ti-Fe-Ni

ENTJ = Te-Ni-Se-Fi

ESTP vs. ENTJ: Similarities

ESTPs and ENTJs are both thinkers and extraverts. As thinkers, they are task-focused, and tend to devalue emotional data. As extraverts, they naturally orient themselves to the external world due to their external focus, which makes them quick to respond to external input. In addition, neither ESTPs nor ENTJs like to be stuck simply following orders, and they especially don’t like to be micromanaged. These types often value autonomy, the ENTJ due to wanting to be in control and the ESTP due to not wanting to be controlled. Furthermore, both ESTPs and ENTJs make plans to reach their goals, and view their actions as calculated risks.

ESTP vs. ENTJ: 5 Differences

Bear in mind, that in this article we’re discussing ESTP vs. ENTJ tendencies, not absolutes. Every individual is unique, and we all have learned behaviors gained from our personal life experiences. As a result, people rarely fit their personality type description 100%. Focus on natural, default leanings, and try to rationally determine which type fits best.

1. ESTPs are present-oriented, while ENTJs are future oriented

Since they are extraverts, both ESTPs and ENTJs tend to have a present-minded quality about them, or perhaps, it’s fairer to say that they actively engage in (or respond to) what’s going on around them. However, if you peer beneath the surface, you’ll find that ENTJs are more fixated on the future, whether that be their goals, predictions, etc. They’re planning, deciding, strategizing, etc. Some ENTJs might actually find it difficult to enjoy the present, because they’re so fixated on how everything they do now connects to the future. As high Ni types, ENTJs anticipate future events, resulting in a fairly clear vision of how things will play out or how they want them to play out. Unfortunately, the downside of anticipating, and imagining events before they arrive, is disappointment. If the event or experience doesn’t meet the ENTJ’s standard, it’ll be a struggle for them to just enjoy the current experience.

In comparison, ESTPs, as Se dominants, are much more tuned into the current moment. Now, this doesn’t mean that they don’t have goals, and that they never think about the future. Only an immature or extremely imbalanced ESTP will forgo thinking about the future entirely. (This would be due to underdeveloped inferior Ni.) However, other than knowing what goals they’re striving for, even a relatively healthy or balanced ESTP may struggle to see past the current day. They’ll focus on being fully present now, and doing what they can now to work towards any goals that they have. In a sense, an ESTPs outlook on the future is going to be detached or vague, because without the physical sensory input of that future moment (which they can only get once it arrives), they’ll struggle to clearly imagine themselves in it. Impatience may make an ESTP want to immediately skip ahead to the moment that they’re striving for, because they know it’s something that they want. But, until then, they may get little enjoyment from anticipating the future or talking about it, because they can’t emotionally interface with it until it’s arrived. It’s either here now, or it’s like a distant idea that may never come to fruition. An ESTP I spoke to explained that she doesn’t really get excited about future events; she feels numb until it’s finally happening.

Related Article: The Cognitive Functions In Each Position: Ni and Se

2. ESTPs improvise more than plan, while ENTJs plan more than improvise

Many ESTPs will assert that they plan. However, the word “plan” means different things to different people. In the case of an ESTP, plans are more general, or perhaps broad-sweeping milestones that they need to achieve. An ESTP’s plans will rely a lot of improvisation, or figuring things out as they go along. They’ll take leaps of faith, in a sense, expecting to adapt and land on their feet. Although, these are not reckless actions, per say, but more like calculated risks because the experience ESTP is fully aware of what they’re capable of. A lot of detailed, advanced planning will not really be their preference, as Se dominants. Many ESTPs would rather not know something is coming far in advance, because having an excessive amount of time to prepare for it does not play to their strengths. Many would rather wake up in the shark tank, and deal with it then. However, some might use knowing in advance as a form of mental preparation, or steeling, rather than using that time to formulate plans for how to deal with the upcoming situation.

On the other hand, ENTJs plan more than improvise. Sure, ENTJs are reasonably adaptable, since they do have tertiary Se. They’re good at adjusting their plans on the fly, and shifting their goals as the situation demands it. Therefore, ENTJs aren’t uncomfortable with improvisation, and oftentimes their plans will be kept somewhat flexible to allow for unanticipated situation in which improvisation is necessary. However, these types value preparation and advanced planning more. Essentially, they’ll plan so they can improvise effectively. Improvisation will not be the cornerstone of their plan. ENTJs will strive to anticipate what’s coming so they can have plans in place for how to deal with things most effectively. At the end of the day, ENTJs value structure, and one cannot have structure without advanced planning.

3. ESTPs like freedom, and ENTJs like structure

One of the most striking differences between the ESTP and ENTJ is what freedom means to them. The ESTP idea of freedom is mostly centered around not being beholden to any kind of structure and having the ability to pivot on a whim. That is the freedom of movement. This is partially where the drifter stereotype comes from. While not every ESTP is going to be so detached that they can pick up and move from place to place with little to no thought, the basic idea behind that core amount of freedom still stands. They have a tendency to see things and people as tying them down and planting roots as fundamentally limiting.

The ENTJ, on the other hand, sees freedom within structure. One cannot be more free than when someone establishes a system with which to control and dictate the outcomes of one’s environment. That is the freedom to create and control outcomes. The ENTJ view on freedom is not so much the idea of being completely detached and unencumbered by things and people. Rather, they see establishing a base of operation as fundamental to being truly free. They will reason that, if you cannot create or seize a position of control, are you truly free? If you are not taking the reins, then who is? If someone else has that control, are you somehow beholden to them?

Thus the fundamental desire between the two lies more or less within their Judging vs. Perceiving leaning. The ENTJ values being able to mold and shape their environment, while the ESTP values being able to drift between different environments without having to be responsible for them.

Related Article: Judging (J) vs. Perceiving (P): What’s the Difference?

4. ESTPs prefer their subjective systems, while ENTJs value objective systems

The simplest way to explain this is that there is an external standard for what order and organization looks like. There are ways to label things and organize them in a such a way that most people, coming upon the scene, would recognize it as orderly and organized. The system is more universally recognized, so to speak. It adherse to a known external standard. That’s Te. When an ENTJ organizes, no one will mistake it for disorder.

The same cannot be said for the ESTP. ESTPs don’t specifically value external order, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be organized. In fact, many ESTPs will vaue aesthetic appeal and a functional environment, which makes complete disarray undesirable. However, with that being said, Ti is their “order” function, and it is self-referencing. In other words, it’s an internally derived system that’s personal to each individual Ti user. An outside observer may view an ESTP’s personal environment as messy or chaotic, while that ESTP insists that there’s a system to it, that they know exactly where everything is.

5. ESTPs enjoy networking, while ENTJs will do it more out of necessity

This is where the feeling functions start coming into play. The ESTP, with tertiary Fe, has more of an impulse to form connections with those around them. While not on the level of higher Fe users, the ESTP will still try to connect with others within their environment and leverage those relationships to help support their way of life. This can look like anything from intentionally charming others to just randomly striking up a conversation with someone. Next thing you know, the ESTP is being invited to whatever activity the other person was about to go do, and is being introduced to a new circle of people they can interact with. These “perchance” meetings often lead to new opportunities and frequently to solutions to whatever situation the ESTP has found themselves in, provided they have put the work into to developing their social skills. Sometimes, an ESTP will use this ability of theirs to compensate for their lack of advanced planning.

The ENTJ, on the other hand, is dealing with inferior Fi. While not directly tied to how they deal with people socially, it can lead to them developing a distaste for social interactions that go beyond what is deemed beneficial. While not always the case, ENTJs will have more of a tendency to ignore recreational relationships that are purely for the sake of having them. They will view social interactions in much the same way as they view everything else: as either something useful to them or a waste of their time. This does not mean that they cannot be charming, and ENTJs who have put effort and practice into their social skills can be quite capable of winning the admiration and favor of others, but it’s all about how they fundamentally frame these relationships within their mind. Strategic relationships are commonplace. Being able to offer something beneficial to others and then turn around and ask for something beneficial of them at a later date. This is the foundation of many of their professional relationships.

In short, ENTJs will more often then not strike people as business-like and impersonal, because they are less open-minded about making connections, while ESTPs will often weaponize charm or friendliness to create the possibility for connection (throwing a broad net, so to speak), even if it only results in an abundance of superficial connections.