ESFP Personality Type (Se-Fi)

What is an ESFP Personality Type?

ESFP stands for Extraverted Sensing Feeling Perceiving. Originally, it was a term from the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (or MBTI), which was developed by Isabel Myers and Katharine Briggs. The Myers-Briggs theory (which many incorrectly refer to as just “MBTI”) originally labelled 16 personality types. Myers and Briggs drew their inspiration from Carl Jung’s theory of the cognitive functions. The 4-letter acronyms have now become commonplace within various offshoots or interpretations of Carl Jung’s original work.

ESFP Meaning

The ESFP personality type is Extraverted, which does not necessarily mean that they are socially extraverted, although many may be. They will, however, be cognitive extraverts. In Carl Jung’s description of the cognitive functions, Extraversion simply means a focus on the objective or external world.

The ESFP personality type values Sensing, which means they prioritize concrete information over abstract information. Being a Sensor does not mean the ESFP is incapable of being abstract, but rather they will lean more heavily on concrete information, viewing it as more reliable.

The ESFP personality type values Feeling, which does not mean they are irrational, cry babies. Rather, they will have a natural focus on emotional data, or on how decisions impact themselves and others on an emotional level.

The ESFP personality type prioritizes Perceiving, which means they prefer a spontaneous and flexible lifestyle. Perceiver types are prone to feeling smothered by too much structure or organization.

ESFP at a Glance

ESFP types will desire to interact with their environment in order to learn and experience new things. They prefer to live in-the-moment, and enjoy life to its fullest. When healthy, they are fun-loving, friendly, and adaptable. This personality type typically deals with life on a day-to-day basis, rather than over-planning. This makes it easier for them to switch paths, or make adjustments based on current events. ESFPs have a deep capacity for empathy, and are often driven by an internal sense of passion. Assuming they are socially extraverted, they can excel at forming personal connections with those around them.

Common Strengths (when healthy)

Adaptable
Caring
Authentic
Energetic
Straightforward
Observant
Practical

Common Weaknesses (when imbalanced)

Impulsive (emotionally and/or physically)
Scattered and unfocused
Judgmental
Sensitive to criticism
Excessive pleasure seeking (hedonism)
Avoidance of the future or long term planning

Cognitive Functions of an ESFP

The cognitive functions for the ESFP personality type, in order, are Se-Fi-Te-Ni. Below, we attempted to break down each cognitive function and practically explain how it will surface in an ESFP. Please realize however that everyone is unique, and the entire world cannot fit into 16 personality type boxes. Ergo, it’s unlikely that an ESFP will relate to or demonstrate every single quirk or trait mentioned below. However, an ESFP should relate to the underlying principle of each function, and most of what is described below. Exceptions may occur when the ESFP is stuck in a Se-Te loop or in the grip of Ni. These scenarios may be briefly mentioned in the description below, but this page is not specifically written with those scenarios in mind. With all that said, we hope you find this description useful for self-analysis or understanding the minds of others.

Dominant Function: Extraverted Sensing (Se)

The ESFP personality type leads with Extraverted Sensing (Se). Dominant Se is what gives this personality type that need for sensory experiences. (Click here for a more in-depth description of Se.) It’s what would drive them to be the life of the party, as indeed some are. Most articles out there state that dominant Se users are incredibly in tune with their environment. They are, but purely in the sense that they’re reacting to their environment immediately as things unfold. They are not storing away all the details in order to recall them later like an Si user. They’ll take in any relevant details as they happen (possibly subconsciously), but may discard them later after they’ve already been driven to action. (basically, the details served their purpose and are no longer worth remembering, so an ESFP won’t readily recall tons of past details). As a result, an ESFP won’t seem worried about repeating past negative events, and won’t overly dwell on what has happened in the past. They’ll be more concerned with enjoying the here and now, not paying too much mind to potential negative consequences.

ESFPs (or any Dominant Se user) will be ones that won’t look before they leap. ESFPs are impulsive and would rather act first and worry about the consequences later. This doesn’t mean they’re stupid, just reactive. ESFPs will trust their ability to change course as needed, believing that everything will still work out in their favor. Remember, their primary drive is to experience life with their senses. Because of this desire, those with the ESFP personality type will be prone to hands-on or action oriented hobbies. It could be something crazy like sky diving, and or it may simply mean drawing, painting, building, or playing an action oriented video game. ESFPs will probably find themselves motivated by competition to at least some degree.

As a general rule, high Se users will feel the need to do something or create something, rather then just talk or speculate about it. They will view theorizing as pointless if there is no potential for it to lead to action or produce something useful or tangible. ESFPs are more likely to be the types that socialize through a shared activity, rather than socializing for the sake of socializing. This personality won’t want to just sit around and think about something; they’ll want to jump into action and “just do it”. (Please don’t take this to mean Se users never think – healthy Se drives someone toward making a goal or accomplishment a reality, essentially launching them into action) Obviously, an Se could easily be lazy in regards to something they don’t want to do, or something that doesn’t please their senses.

Bear in mind, being an Se Dominant does NOT automatically make someone a jock or a naturally gifted athlete. The main thing that Se is doing is driving someone toward physical sensory experiences, however extreme or mild they may be. In other words, someone could have absolutely no affinity for athletics and still be a dominant Se user. Also, the ESFP personality will be prone to incorporating physical touch into their day-to-day interactions, like pats on the back.

Auxiliary Function: Introverted Feeling (Fi)

The ESFP personality type has Introverted Feeling (Fi) as their second, or auxiliary, function. Fi will give them an internal moral compass and will be the basis for making decisions. They will judge their own actions and others against their internal moral code and act accordingly. Fi in a sense is how they set the bar of expectations for themselves and others. Because Fi is in the auxiliary position, ESFPs are likely to seem non-judgemental. This is because Fi, rather than being their first and foremost approach to life, is being used in support of their dominant function, Se. However, this is not to say that an ESFP will NOT be judgemental. On the contrary, oftentimes, ESFPs excel at throwing out opinions suddenly and bluntly, but doing it in such a way that it comes off more lighthearted rather than offensive. The average ESFP knows what he thinks, and what his opinions are, due to that high Fi. Some may choose to keep that Fi private, and more for personal guidance, while others may flaunt it more readily. Being a high Fi user, ESFPs will not be shy about sharing their opinions about what they feel is right or wrong,

ESFPs (or any Fi user, really) will have a strong sense of identity. A secure and healthy ESFP may actually believe himself to be a Thinker since aux Fi provides more of an assurance of self, and subconsciously supports their dominant function. Aux Fi will provide the ESFPs with freedom to act in accordance with self without fear or hesitation, which is why they oftentimes do not struggle doing things that others may perceive as strange or outrageous. They will probably emphasize wanting the freedom to just be themselves, which may result in making statements like “I just want to be me.” Healthy ESFPs tend to be less bothered by opposing opinions, and will allow a lot of things to just roll off their back, so to speak. However, ESFPs may passionately or angrily latch onto a subject or opinion and attempt to convert someone to their way of thinking. ESFPs typically don’t argue purely for the fun of it or without reason, but rather to prove a very specific point or stance that they have. Note that arguing and debating are two different things, and ESFPs can enjoy debate.

Fi users tend to value authenticity so a healthy ESFP will result in a genuine, likeable individual who probably forms interpersonal connections everywhere. (However, being an ESFP doesn’t guarantee that someone will, for instance, be popular in high school.) For the most part, they will act the exact same way where ever they go. This is not to say that an ESFP will always be nice. On the contrary, a jaded ESFP can come across as an unnaturally harsh jerk that’s only out for themselves. (One’s personality type does not determine whether or not they are nice.) When their Fi is ignored, the ESFP personality will become over indulgent and look, careless, irresponsible, and foolish, always throwing caution to the wind, never focusing on any one task for very long. If their Fi is over used, ESFPs will become overly obsessed with their own personal worth and values. This will lead to an inflated ego and constant protests about people not seeing the ESFP’s true potential (think Anakin in the prequels). Fi in general will cause ESFPs to desire others to see them in the way that they have idealized themselves. High Fi users, like ESFPs, are also known for idealizing (or idolizing) those whom they greatly respect or admire.

Tertiary Function: Extraverted Thinking (Te)

The ESFP personality type has Extraverted Thinking (Te) as their third, or tertiary, function. Te in this spot will allow them to structure certain aspects of their lives. It is not strong enough for them to structure everything, but there will be certain things that they will do in a structured and disciplined way. These will only be things that they have placed particular importance on, like a life goal or hobby that has become more than just a hobby. Te may also allow them the discipline to work toward any goals they may have set. In addition, due to the Se-Te combination, ESFPs will probably be very straightforward in their dealings with others and in the way they approach problems or situations. Te also may be used at times to extravert and enforce their Fi ideals, possibly in either an overly cold and abrasive manner, or on the contrary, an overly emotional manner.

When used in the negative, Te will make them stubborn and rigid, causing ESFPs to refuse to see any alternative view or change their course of action. ESFPs may become blinded and plow headfirst down a path that nothing good will come from, all the while proclaiming that they will show everyone how they were right.

Inferior Function: Introverted Intuition (Ni)

The ESFP personality type has Introverted Intuition (Ni) as their fourth, or inferior, function. Their use of Ni will be low and will likely cause them problems early in life. In most cases, inferior Ni will give ESFPs either a fear of the future (or a tendency toward paranoia), an inability to see beyond the present, or just a general sense of pessimism whenever the idea of the future comes up. Inferior Ni, unlike inferior Ne, does not fear an abundance of possible negative outcomes, but rather one negative outcome, perhaps carried out to an extreme… meaning: “this will happen, then this, then that, and then I’ll die.”

Underdeveloped inferior Ni will lead them to avoid thinking about the future, wanting to stay entirely in the present and live in the moment. They may not even be interested in planning their future or setting life goals, which can make them drifters early on in life with no particular focus. Or, perhaps they do set life goals, but their desire to please their senses in the moment ends up preventing those goals from ever being realized. (Obviously, inferior Ni has the potential to be very self-destructive.) Additionally, inferior Ni may cause an ESFP to readily set aside or distrust their hunches in favor of what can be concretely proven.

Developing their Ni will allow ESFPs to get past possible shortsightedness and focus on the long term consequences of their actions, so that they’ll be able to temper their impulse to act when necessary and patiently work toward an ideal future or goal. It will also allow ESFPs to take their intuition into account, and pay attention to any hunches or gut instincts their Ni may provide them.

ESFP Careers and Job Ideas

At Practical Typing, we hesitate to list specific careers, because each person is far more than their personality type. Cognitive functions do not determine skills, only cognitive preferences. However, there will be certain aspects within a given career field that play better to an ESFP’s strengths. For instance, positions that allow the ESFP freedom to experiment and interact directly with the cause-and-effect of their work will compliment some of their natural instincts and inclinations. A steady stream of varied and stimulating work will keep them engaged with whatever tasks come their way. The ability to both collaborate with others and the independence to split off and work on solo projects may help keep them from burning out due to excessive repetition. They will appreciate a job that can evoke feelings of passion, or periodically involve interacting with others on an interpersonal level. They may prefer to avoid jobs that are overly structured, overly repetitive, too impersonal, or have little practical application.

ESFP Relationships and Compatibility

Within a relationship, ESFPs are often excited and engaged partners who enjoy spontaneity. They are always ready to participate in a stimulating, shared activity. They deeply appreciate companionship with others and bond with them through shared experiences. Furthermore, they value independence and will gladly allow space for some solo activities. They will feel frustrated if the relationship is too restrictive or smothering, since they enjoy having the freedom to experience life at their leisure.