Personality Development For The INFJ

Since you have now determined that your personality type is INFJ, you now know that this makes you an: Introverted, Intuitive, Feeler, Judger. 

We can now use this 4-letter code which is your Type, to see into the nature of how your mind prefers to learn information, and make decisions. 

We do this through observing your cognitive function stack - which comprises of the four mental processes that you prefer to use as an INFJ. 

Each mental process exists within a hierarchy, with your first function being the dominant one and which comes to you most naturally. 

Followed by your second or auxiliary function which serves as a supporting and growth function for your personality. followed by two weaker functions

You might have received your result through our profiling session - in which case you can be sure that it is accurate. 

However, if you typed as an INFJ using a free online personality test, it is important that you read as many different personality profiles as possible and from a variety of different sources.

Once we are sure of your personality type, we can then begin to plan your personal growth journey.

As for all personality types, success and maturity can be achieved through developing your cognitive function stack.

Let's now have a quick review of your conscious cognitive processes as an INFJ. 

Dominant/parent function: 

Introverted Intuition (Ni) 

Auxiliary/growth function:

Extroverted Feeling (Fe) 

Tertiary/relief function:

Introverted Thinking (Ti) 

Inferior/aspirational function:

Extroverted Sensing (Se)

For you as an INFJ, it is important to have a clear vision for where you are headed in life. 

Since you are a dominant Perciever type, it is important that you work on developing your other Judging functions in order to achieve your goals and to keep learning. 

Developing your supporting judging functions will enable you to make the right decisions to bring you closer to the ideals that you so desperately desire. 

It is tempting for all dominant Perceiving types to simply go through life observing and taking in new information without having to immediately make a judgment about what they are observing or what it means to them. 

Introverted Intuition (Ni) 

As an INFJ you could easily just remain a passive observer of reality. You can happily try on a variety of perspectives without stopping to evaluate whether or not what you are learning is actually serving you in any way. 

This is often why underdeveloped INFJs can be indecisive and easily swayed by their peers towards whatever they or the environment required of the INFJ.

Since your second auxiliary function is Extroverted Feeling (Fe), you will have a tendency to prioritise others needs before your own. Over time though, this may cause you to harbor resentment. 

Very few if not none of the other personality types are even able to conceive of or let alone live up to that expectation. 

This is mainly because you have a tendency to expect your loved ones to simply know and anticipate what your needs are. (Since this is what you do for them naturally) and therefore you secretly hope someone will return the favor and do the same for you. 

This is why it is so important for INFJs to understand that their ability to Intuit the needs of their friends and family is a rare trait and that other types are just not wired that way.

Extroverted Feeling (Fe) 

It is recommended that as an INFJ, you start your personal growth journey by first developing your auxiliary Extroverted Feeling (Fe) function, before attempting to physically tackle the entire world by yourself. 

Also what many INFJs notice is that while developing their Auxiliary Extroverted Feeling function, their inferior function of the same attitude becomes automatically more developed as well. 

This is because it also has an extroverted attitude, and so it is outwardly focused. This would require you to get out of your head in order to use it. 

So since Fe is already a natural strength for you, it would be easier and more natural for you to work on developing it before moving on to developing your weaker functions. 

How to develop

Extroverted Feeling (Fe) 

Extroverted feeling is a Judging function that focuses on the feeling atmosphere of its immediate environment. People who use this function easily empathize with the feelings the values of those around them. 

They find that they sometimes easily confuse their own values with those of their peers. Also, they may have trouble distinguishing between their own feelings and the feelings of those around them. 

Extroverted Feeling users often get a great deal of satisfaction from making others feel good and helping them solve problems. 

This mental process is concerned with maintaining a harmonious environment with the people in their lives. They tend to be sensitive and conflict avoidant. 

However, this function when applied has amazing skills in conflict resolution and can be very good at the art of persuasion. 

Using Fe Effectively 

In order to use extraverted feeling effectively, it is important to ensure that you maintain healthy emotional and physical boundaries with people. 

This is in order to ensure that the vision that they are pursuing is in line with our own values and opinions as well. So this is where the tertiary function Introverted Thinking (Ti) comes into play. 

Introverted Thinking (Ti) 

Moving on to your third or tertiary cognitive function of Introverted Thinking (Ti). 

Since this function shares the same Introverted attitude as your dominant function - 

you will probably quite enjoy using and developing this  tertiary process. 

Also because for INFJs, this function is a source of relief for you to use in conjunction with your dominant Ni. 

Most INFJs will probably only become interested in developing the Ti cognitive function after adolescence and it becomes more and more value to them as they mature. only after you have relatively mastered your Fe function to create a harmonious feeling environment for yourself and others. 

Developing your Introverted Thinking will allow you to learn to think logically for yourself. It will give you the ability to develop your own unique systems for interacting with the physical sensory world from which you often feel so disconnected from. 

There is of course a good reason for this disconnect that you experience with the physical world. It is all thanks to your inferior function - Extroverted Sensing. 

Extroverted Sensing 

Because this style of perceiving reality is the polar opposite to your dominant function Ni (introverted Intuition) - you only tend to use it when you really have to.

It is a part of your brain that is at about the same maturity level as a 3 year old child. Therefore, it is usually where all your blind-spots and weaknesses reside. 

Also, you use up much more energy when interacting with the world in this way. So you're much less comfortable using this function, as it would require to be present in the here and now, and to take in large amounts of sensory data from the outside world. 

But as as INFJ, you would probably much rather stay cosy and safe in your subjective theoretical exploration of future possibilities and abstract ideas. 

You learn and understand information in the form of symbols and meanings and you cannot help but live mostly in those perceptions. 

Dew to your strong willpower as an INFJ, you will naturally feel a strong need to develop your inferior/aspirational function as soon as possible; I personally think that it would be much easier for INFJs to focus on expanding on their strengths, instead of trying to improve on their weaknesses. 

It might be worthy to note that since Extroverted Sensing is the fourth and weakest function in the INFJs cognitive function stack, it is also where they gain their aspiration. 

Therefore you can notice their desire to be more adept at getting into action. Almost every INFJ has a passion for building and creating original works such as art, and writing books. 

It is because of the influence of the Se child in them that they continue to persevere in manifesting their dreams into tangible results in the world. 

Once fully developed, you will find that you are better able to then stay present with, feel proud of, and worthy of the finest sensations possible. 

It is then that the INFJ can relax and experience the full joy of the present moment. 

Inferior Extroverted Sensing Struggles

Some of the struggles associated with having inferior Se, include a constant feeling that reality is imposing upon you. You can't seem to handle as much sensory input as others, and therefore dislike loud and crowded places. 

You also get so focused on one path that you have no peripheral vision and are at risk of becoming closed-minded and hypocritical. 

You also tend to neglect the physical world by either completely denying that you have physical needs, or by overindulging in sensory pleasures. It is important that you prioritize your own physical well-being and when planning your future - make time for utilizing this cognitive process. 

Safely engaging your Se

You can comfortably engage your inferior extroverted sensing function by treating it with care and nurturing it. 

Allow yourself to find joy in childish activities and new sensory experiences. For many INFJs I have worked with - yoga and meditation seems to be their favorite way of partaking in Extroverted Sensing activities. 

However, meditation and physical activity it is still not your strong suit as an INFJ, so therefore - it is not recommended that you try to conduct personal growth through Extroverted Sensing. 

For younger INFJs, Se tends to come out in very childish ways and young INFJs will often display hints of their Extroverted Sensing use through their unique style of fashion, their love of art and traveling. Most INFJs find peace by spending alone time in nature, or taking long sunset walks. 

As they develop more and more of their functions, INFJs can become quite the sage. They become well balanced and humble teachers and counselors who help guide others to fulfillment. 

They finally feel comfortable enough to openly share their unique wisdom and insights with the world. teachers and philosophersmature INFJs tend to have a higher appreciation for beauty, asthetics, fine foods and buying quality products. They are more relaxed and able to remain present with people and maintain a sense of calm.