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What Is An INFJ ?
An Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Judging Personality Type
As an INFJ, I’ve spent a lot of time trying to make sense of how I experience the world. If you’re here, you might be trying to do the same. So what exactly is an INFJ? The INFJ personality type, sometimes called the Advocate, is one of the 16 personality types in the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) framework. It stands for:
INFJs are known for being deep thinkers, reflective, and empathetic. We spend a lot of time in our heads, thinking about the bigger picture, trying to understand the world, and making sense of our place in it. We’re often called old souls because we tend to think deeply about life, meaning, and purpose.
Why It.Matters to Me
Understanding that I’m an INFJ personality type has been like finding a key to my own mind. It’s helped me make sense of why I crave depth, why simplicity and balance are essential, and why self-discipline feels like a guiding principle. As INFJs, we’re drawn to reflection and purpose, and knowing this about ourselves isn’t just interesting, it’s a way to live more intentionally. With Stoic philosophy to help stay focused and grounded, this space is all about harnessing these insights to create a life that feels both grounded and meaningful.
INFJ.Cognitive Functions
The INFJ cognitive functions, in order of dominance, shape how we perceive and interact with the world:
Introverted Intuition (Ni)
This is the dominant function for INFJs. Introverted Intuition focuses on seeing patterns, understanding complex ideas, and making connections between seemingly unrelated things. It often leads INFJs to have a strong sense of insight or “gut feeling” about situations, which can feel almost predictive. Ni pushes INFJs toward long-term vision and a deep sense of purpose.
Extraverted Feeling (Fe)
The auxiliary function, Extraverted Feeling, is focused on understanding and responding to the emotions and needs of others. INFJs use Fe to connect with people, empathize, and foster harmony. This function often makes INFJs attuned to the emotional atmosphere around them and motivates them to help and support others.
Introverted Thinking (Ti)
This is the tertiary function for INFJs, and while it’s less developed than Ni and Fe, it plays a role in helping them analyze and organize their thoughts. Ti gives INFJs a desire for accuracy, logic, and internal consistency in their beliefs and understanding. It supports their ability to break down complex ideas and seek objective truths.
Extraverted Sensing (Se)
The inferior function, Extraverted Sensing, is the least developed in INFJs but still plays a role. It focuses on direct experiences, sensory details, and being present in the moment. INFJs often overlook or struggle with Se, leading them to occasionally miss immediate details or feel disconnected from physical reality. However, developing Se can help INFJs become more grounded, aware of their surroundings, and able to enjoy the present moment.
These functions together give INFJs their unique perspective: visionary, empathetic, introspective, and somewhat idealistic, with a drive to understand both themselves and the world on a deep level.
The Strengths.of an INFJ
- Empathy
INFJs are naturally empathetic. We feel deeply and can often sense the emotions of others before they even say a word. This allows us to build meaningful connections, but it can also be overwhelming when we absorb too much from the world around us.
- Deep Thinking
We love to think. Our minds are constantly working, analyzing situations, people, and ideas on a deeper level. This can make us great problem solvers, but it also means we sometimes overthink things that don’t need to be dissected.
- Vision INFJs are often described as visionaries. We can see the big picture, we’re always thinking about how to improve things, whether it’s ourselves, our relationships, or the world around us.
The Challenges.of an INFJ
- Overthinking
While our minds are one of our greatest strengths, they can also be our biggest challenge. INFJs tend to overthink and second-guess ourselves, which can lead to stress and self-doubt
- Emotional Sensitivity
Feeling deeply is a gift, but it can also leave us vulnerable to emotional burnout. INFJs can struggle with setting boundaries, absorbing too much from others, or feeling overwhelmed by the weight of our emotions.
- Loneliness in a Crowd
Despite our ability to connect with others, INFJs often feel different or misunderstood. We crave deep, meaningful connections, and surface-level interactions can leave us feeling disconnected, even when we’re surrounded by people
INFJs And The Journey.Of Growth
For an INFJ, growth is about making life feel real and aligned. It’s not just about adding more to the mix but figuring out what’s worth keeping and what’s just noise. We’re driven to find balance, between helping others and making sure we don’t burn out. Stoic philosophy plays a part in this, too. It’s all about focusing on what we can control and letting the rest go, which helps keep our minds clear and steady.
At the end of the day, growth for an INFJ is about getting to the core of things: Simplifying where we can, keeping balance, and staying true to ourselves in a world that often pushes us to do the opposite.
If you’re an INFJ, or you simply resonate with the idea of finding balance and self-growth, I hope you’ll find a space here to reflect and grow along with me. If this is all new to you and you’re curious to what personality you have, you can take the test on 16 Personalities to find out. I’d love to hear what you got!
[ Click here to read more about Understanding the INFJ Mind ]
Dive Deeper.Learn More
What Is.An INFJ?
INFJs are known for being deep thinkers, reflective, and empathetic. We spend a lot of time in our heads, thinking about the bigger picture, trying to understand the world, and making sense of our place in it. We’re often called old souls because we tend to think deeply about life, meaning, and..
What Is.Stoicism?
Stoicism is more than just an ancient philosophy, it’s a way of living that helps us navigate life’s challenges with clarity, resilience, and calm. It’s a mindset that focuses on what we can control and teaches us to accept what we cannot. This practical philosophy has shaped my life…
Explore.The Letters of Eli
Read The Past Letters of Eli. The Letters capture reflections on balance, self-discipline, and simplicity, stoic principles for finding purpose and peace in a chaotic world. Each letter offers practical insights, thoughts and ideas that help INFJs live with clarity, intention, and inner peace…
Simplicity.Self-Discipline.Inner Balance
From Eli’s story grew The Letters of Eli—an ongoing project of discussions, routines, and practices I use each week to stay focused and grounded. Each letter offers insights specifically for INFJs, along with practical applications of Stoic philosophy to help me keep simplicity, self-discipline, and balance at the center of daily life. These letters are more than reflections; they’re tools and conversations designed to support your own journey. To join the journey be sure to subscribe and receive The Letters of Eli directly in your inbox ever Sunday..
