People With The Most Ambitious Personality Type Share 12 Specific Traits
These go-getters love to be in control.
NDAB Creativity / Shutterstock We all know people who are go-getters. They are the ones who quickly rise to the top of corporate ladders and make excellent decisions in all aspects of life.
Many different personality types can fall under this category, but in terms of Myers-Briggs types and the personality spectrum, only one really fits that bill perfectly: the ESTJ personality type.
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is one of the most popular ways to help people learn about themselves. Learning about your personality allows you to better work with others, figure out what you need to do to flourish, and see how others view you.
ESTJ Meaning
ESTJ stands for Extraversion, Sensing, Thinking, and Judging. This personality type is often referred to as the Executive. And for good reason!
ESTJs are known to be logical problem-solvers who are able to make tough decisions while charming others with their sunny disposition. They are task-oriented and fit well into leadership roles, showing their dedication and reliability through their take-charge attitude.
But though they are practical, organized, stable and reliable, their tendency to take control and lead makes them susceptible to being stubborn, judgmental, bossy, and stuck in their ways. They also prefer to stick to traditional ideas and principles, and expect others to follow along.
ESTJs are direct and honest, and prefer to consider things from an objective point of view rather than an emotional one. This sometimes makes them appear harsh and aggressive, when they are really just assertive, confident individuals who want to ensure everything runs smoothly.
Positive & Negative ESTJ Personality Traits
1. Practical
ESTJ personality types are extremely practical, organized individuals in their day-to-day lives. This makes them very stable, functional people who are often the ones that others will go to when they want advice on how to fix their own lives.
2. Driven
To a point, success just comes naturally to ESTJs. They are results-oriented people. Businesses often will notice this and promote an ESTJ fairly quickly into managerial roles because they know they will get stuff done.
3. Calculated
The idea of a “spur of the moment” date or trip makes ESTJs really freak out. Because if there’s one thing ESTJs enjoy, it’s planning. Unplanned anythings will typically drive them nuts, even if it is supposed to be romantic and fun.
4. Reliable
If there is one thing that ESTJs pride themselves on, it’s being reliable. They are always there, always able to handle the job, and never flake out. It's very likely anyone with an ESTJ in their lives considers this personality type their "rock" because of how reliable they are.
5. Judgmental
Due to ESTJ's need to have structure and order, this can lead them to become reticent from accepting another way of doing things. They believe their way is the only way, and will let others know exactly what is on their mind regarding their plans.
6. Bookworm
ESTJs are what people would call “extroverted thinkers.” They have good people skills, like to party, and tend to learn best with interaction involved. An ESTJ is the person who enjoys a good book, an interactive learning experience, or talking about intellectual topics.
7. Intelligent
For ESTJs, people tend to be surprised at how smart they are due to their extroversion and bubbly appearance. But just because someone is a social butterfly, that doesn't mean they aren't highly intelligent go-getters.
8. Organized
ESTJs thrive on order, structure, and organization. In fact, ESTJs are very likely to consider organizing and cleaning as hobbies. Some even soothe themselves by cleaning up.
9. Efficient
Competence is one of the things that is non-negotiable when dealing with ESTJs. Incompetence is the biggest pet peeve out there for this personality type. Seeing incompetence — or worse: willful laziness — in people makes typical ESTJs go nuts.
10. Restrained
Yes, ESTJs are ambitious and yes, they do well in leadership roles. But this personality type has trouble expressing their emotions or showing empathy towards others. They must learn that all it takes is a little compassion to change someone's life.
11. Decisive
Once ESTJs make a decision, they don’t get swayed from it. They are not wishy-washy people and, to a point, it can actually be a little bit detrimental at times.
Either way, once ESTJs make a decision to do something, they do it and nothing will stop them. That tenacity pays off with both relationships and business prospects, which is why they’re typically pretty successful.
12. Stubborn
ESTJs are very set in their ways, making it difficult for them to give any wiggle room to ideas or actions that are outside of their thinking. As such, they are prone to dismissing good ideas and are hesitant to trust the opinions of others.
ESTJ Compatibility & Relationships
In romantic relationships, ESTJs are all about honesty, loyalty, and commitment, just as they are in their careers. This can sometimes be to their detriment, especially on the dating scene. Finding a fling is hard for them because they tend to get attached very quickly.
Another downfall of ESTJs in their love life is their need to be in control. They make decisions based on logic, not emotion, which can cause a potential suitor to turn away due to ESTJ's stubbornness and lack of compassion at times.
Still, ESTJs are the type of person that people want to date when they’re looking to marry. They know what they want — not only in a partnership, but in life, in general. And they require someone who mirrors these values.
Their ideal partner is someone who can get on board with their high level of ambition, values a committed relationship, and wants security and family tradition as a staple in the home, and is a go-getter. The perfect mate is someone who matches their need for stability, organization, and reliability.
ESTJ is most compatible with ESFJ, ISTJ, and ISTP personality types; however, they do not mesh well with INFP, INFJ or other ESTJ types.
Best Career For ESTJ Personality
In the workplace, ESTJs dominate and often find themselves in roles where they are the leader. Their best traits — organized, reliable, secure, practical, and ambitious — are what make them such a powerhouse!
Additionally, they thrive due to their desire to follow the rules and traditions, the emphasis they place on hard work, and their overall dependability.
Though they are organized and responsible, they tend to overwork themselves, which can burn them out quickly. ESTJs also have trouble opening their minds to new or better ideas from colleagues, as they are set in their ways and can't always see another vision ahead.
ESTJs do best in careers in law enforcement, teaching, administration, business, accounting, real estate or engineering. The perfect job for an ESTJ could be as a police officer, teacher, banker, project manager, attorney or physician.
Tips For Relating To An ESTJ Personality Type
1. Communicate openly and honestly.
ESTJs don't mince words and they don't appreciate people lying to them in order to save face. If you're trying to get to know an ESFJ, be upfront with them from the get-go. They will appreciate your honesty.
2. Listen to their logical approach.
While some people use emotions when making decisions, spend time with an ESTJ to truly understand the importance of their objectivity. ESTJs struggle with showing compassion, but consider it a learning opportunity to realize why they are so successful based on their decisions alone.
3. Keep them away from chaotic situations.
ESTJs hate disorder and won't be able to handle a situation where they don't have the chance to plan or be in control. They also don't do well with people or places they are unfamiliar with. So, if you want to relate to them, maybe stick to a nice low-key get-together at home.
Famous People With ESTJ Personalities
- Michelle Obama
- Henry Ford
- Martha Stewart
- Emma Watson
- Frank Sinatra
- George Washington
- Celine Dion
- Uma Thurman
- Dr. Phil
- Kamala Harris
Samantha Maffucci is an editor for YourTango who has written hundreds of articles about relationships, trending news and entertainment, numerology and astrology.