Six ENFP Qualities that Grab Everyone's Attention
ENFP – the dynamic, enigmatic personality type that keeps the world on its toes while simultaneously tempting it off its axis. The fun loving, open minded, outgoing temperament that engages people with a simple ‘hello’ better than many personality types do after exerting maximum effort. Need a creative solution to a problem you’ve been chewing on for months? Give an ENFP a few minutes of your time and you’ll walk away with several to choose from – and they’ll probably have kept you laughing through the process.
Most of us know an ENFP personality or two and while we may not be able to identify all of our friends by personality types, this particular one is easier to spot than most. Here are six qualities that really make them stand out.
1. They are phenomenal communicators
ENFPs love people and they love life. They want to know everything about everyone and really care about what makes people (and things) tick. Because of this thirst for knowledge, ENFPs excel at communicating.
Armed with knowledge about a wide variety of subjects, ENFPs can talk in depth about a variety of topics. They are the people that can talk at length with their nurse friend about medical issues just as easily as they can with their military friend about national security. It’s not that the ENFP is a walking encyclopedia, but they care about the deeper meaning of things and easily retain information about subjects that others care and share about.
ENFPs are an equal mix of good listeners and great storytellers. While this personality type will give you time to express yourself and patiently digest all you have to tell, their extraordinary storytelling skills will draw you under their spell the minute the conversation shifts to them. Their facial expressions change just as rapidly as their arm movements as they walk you through an experience making you feel like you were there.
ENFPs are also great at picking up on social cues and thus can swiftly steer conversations out of boring or painfully awkward territory. Definitely the kind of friend you want to have on your arm at your yearly company party.
2. They have a killer sense of humor
Do you have a friend that all you have to do is think about and you smile? One that sends you memes or quick text messages that have you laughing before you’ve reached the end? If so, they are probably an ENFP.
This personality type loves to laugh. They are quick-witted, playful, and enjoy the use of puns. The ENFP can turn the most boring of situations into a laugh fest and they do it without trying. It’s not that they are silly, but that they have an innate ability to find humor in any situation life throws at them.
Robin Williams is believed to have been an ENFP. A king of comedy, humor was a language for Williams. It flowed effortlessly from him, and he wasn’t afraid to tiptoe the line of what was appropriate humor, either. But, like most ENFPs, Williams was great at reading the room and knowing what kind of people could handle what.
This great sense of humor easily endears people to ENFPs, and keeps them and all those around them positive during the most dark and stressful times.
3. Energy and enthusiasm abound in an ENFP
If you want to talk someone into buying or believing in something, send an ENFP their way. This personality has an uncanny way of making you want to buy what they’re selling, even if they aren’t intentionally selling it! Their enthusiasm toward things they enjoy is contagious.
An ENFP is the personality type that can persuade an entire office to start ordering from the new restaurant on the block just because they had a great sandwich there for lunch the other day. Their energy and enthusiasm works well with their conversational skills to convert anyone into liking what they themselves enjoy.
Not a runner, but have an ENFP friend who is? You should probably keep a good pair of running shoes on hand just in case. Maybe you’ve sworn off any kind of cardio that is required outside of an emergency, but give it time. Your ENFP running friend will have you at the starting line of a 5k before you even have time to train for it properly. What is it about this personality type’s ability to make strenuous exercise seem just as fun as an outdoor concert downtown? We don’t know, but we love it!
4. They make great friends, and have lots of them
ENFPs are friend magnets. They have the ability to get along with almost any personality type and see the best in most people. ENFPs are the ones who are always out to lunch with someone or on the phone with another. Their social calendars are full and if you pass them on the sidewalk, chances are they won’t be alone.
It isn’t just their extraversion that draws people in. ENFPs have the uncanny ability to make everyone feel like they are a best friend. Because of their desire to go deep and know a lot about you, ENFPs can make you feel like you are the only person in the room when they’re engaging with you. They make you feel heard, validated and important, and people love that.
The ENFP is empathetic, easily lending him or herself to the needs of others. Casseroles for new mothers, rides to doctor’s appointments for friends or family, you name it. If there is a need or a way they can help, this personality type will be there for you, even if it means sometimes putting their own needs on hold.
ENFPs are spontaneous and adaptable, easily conforming to any situation they are thrown in. This makes them very interesting and approachable and explains why their friend circles stretch far and wide.
5. The deeper the better, for the ENFP
One of our favorite qualities about the ENFP is that they love to go deep. This personality type doesn’t take anything at its surface level. While they will suffer through small talk if absolutely necessary, they prefer to know the why behind your recent job change and aren’t afraid to ask what led up to last week’s abrupt breakup.
ENFPs are born with a longing to understand the human experience at a deeper level than most. They are not satisfied with the status quo in any area of their lives. They want to know why the world is the way it is and what they can do to help make it better. As children you will hear them ask a lot of “whys” and “what ifs”. Their minds are always dissecting and analyzing things and people to try and gain a better understanding of them.
This desire to know more and go deeper stands out in a crowd of people who are satisfied to just let the night run its course.
6. Their creativity abounds
While the ENFP may not be known for their attention to detail, they show off when it comes to their ability to orchestrate the bigger picture. They wear their creativity on their sleeves. If the rest of the world thinks in black and white, this personality only sees color.
Never boring or growing stagnant, ENFPs are always generating new ideas and associations. They thrive on challenges in every area of life. From celebrating a friend’s birthday to helping lead an initiative at work, the ENFP will always take the most colorfully creative route, thinking outside the box to make it a more interesting experience for everyone.
You’ve gotta love the ENFP!
Big, bright and dynamic, you have to love this personality type! They’re the idealists who keep us on our toes. They brighten our lives while challenging us to go deeper, never giving us an easy out. An ENFP friend will always give you a path to express yourself, and is there to walk it with you in the most creative and enthusiastic of ways.
