If You Have These 15 Traits, Your Personality Is Rarer And More Special Than Most
How unique you are compared to the rest of the world.
Rido | Canva Do you feel like you are different from everyone you know? If so, don't worry because there's nothing wrong with you. The Myers-Briggs system classifies the different personality types that can be found. It was developed by two psychologists, Katharine Cook Briggs and her daughter Isabel Briggs Myers, using Carl Jung's psychoanalytic theories.
The system is broken down into 4 different categories — extroversion/introversion, intuition/sensing, thinking/feeling, and perceiving/judging — which are then assigned to each of the 16 personality types. And the INFJ Myers-Briggs personality type is the rarest of them all.
If you have these fifteen traits, your personality is rarer and more special than most:
1. Creative
INFJs are creative souls who prefer to write rather than speak. They aren't big talkers unless necessary, and find peace in writing because it allows them the creativity to express their thoughts.
2. Overthinker
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INFJs are the ultimate overthinkers. They can't let a social situation just play out; instead, they have to go over it in their head a million times before they can feel secure. And they almost never feel secure.
3. Inflexible
People with an INFJ personality have an all-or-nothing mentality. It's always quality over quantity for them. INFJs will never settle and believe that if you aren't capable of giving your absolute best, you shouldn't start doing it in the first place.
Michele Molitor, a certified coach and hypnotherapist, advised "recognizing your strengths and shame triggers" to combat psychological traps. According to Molitor, an all-or-nothing mentality can sound like, "I misspoke in my talk today, and the whole presentation was a disaster."
"As human beings, we tend to be much harsher on ourselves and overly critical of our performance than we would be on any other person," Molitor explained of the rigid personality trait, which tracks with an INFJ.
4. Hesitant
INFJs have trouble putting thoughts into words. Their thoughts are often so complex and jumbled that it's hard to figure out what exactly they want to say. Hesitance is often studied within the framework of the Big Five personality traits.
The strongest link is typically seen in neuroticism, which indicates a tendency toward worry, uncertainty, and rumination. These can lead to hesitancy in decision-making. A study published in Personality and Individual Differences investigated the cognitive mechanisms underlying hesitance, including information processing biases, overthinking, and negative self-talk.
5. Loner
INFJs are considered loners who can often be found wandering the park alone or drinking coffee by themselves at a cafe. However, don't assume they are lonely; they choose to isolate themselves from the world in order to get in touch with their inner self and organize their thoughts.
6. Adaptable
INFJs can fit in anywhere. At the end of the day, they are extremely flexible people who can fit in with just about any crowd. They have no problem using this to their advantage.
Certified career and life coach María Tomás-Keegan explained that although change can be difficult and uncomfortable, it can "also make you stronger and more resilient than you were before." Your personality uses this adaptability to motivate you to keep moving.
"Life is change and change is life, whether you like it or not. Some changes you choose and some are thrust upon you. Either way, it takes some time to process what is happening. And some circumstances take longer than others," continued Tomás-Keegan. "But, regardless of how it happens or how long it takes, life will change — it's inevitable. You could choose to embrace it and make it easier because when you begin to welcome change, your perspective shifts."
7. Sensitive
The word empath perfectly describes the INFJs of the world. They are unbelievably caring and generous people and will go out of their way to help those in need.
They think about what life would be like in other people's shoes. This is what makes them so sensitive to the feelings of others. They would never intentionally hurt someone.
8. Selective
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INFJs prefer the comfort of their own home and they value their privacy. They would much rather be alone than surrounded by bad company. They are very selective about who they surround themselves with. They only want to hang out with people who share the same values as they do and also respect their time to recharge.
Selectiveness focuses on how individuals with varying levels of selectivity concentrate their attention, information processing, and social interactions. A 2023 study published in Frontiers in Psychology explored how selective attention can manifest in decision-making, social perception, and cognitive performance depending on individual motivations and goals. Selectivity can also manifest in social behavior, where individuals might strategically choose who to interact with and how much information to disclose based on their personal goals.
9. Truth-seeking
INFJs are fascinated by the mysteries of our universe. They could spend the entire night just watching the stars drift by. They aren't interested in ordinary things like who won this week's sports game. Instead, they prefer to delve deep into the true nature of things. Be prepared for some heavy conversations with an INFJ.
10. Intuitive
INFJs can easily sense when something isn't right. This is one of their most important characteristics. Not only do they have a deep sense of intuition, but they listen to their gut feelings. While most people ignore these feelings, INFJs have a keen sense of what is happening in their lives. Their gut is rarely wrong.
According to psychologist Nick Wignall, emotional intuition can be cultivated into healthy instincts. People with this type of intuition handle their emotions and feelings with lightness. They see emotions as "often useful, frequently misguided, and sometimes plain silly."
"Emotionally intuitive people can laugh at the fact that they still, after all these years, get a little nervous speaking in public. They can gently chuckle to themselves when they feel a surge of frustration or defensiveness creep up after a valid criticism. They can smile softly when they feel guilty about something they have no real reason to feel guilty for," explained Wignall.
11. Hardworking
You will never meet a lazy INFJ. When it comes to working, these people are constantly trying to achieve their goals. They quickly learned that in life, nothing comes for free. They constantly give 100 percent of themselves to the task at hand.
12. Mindful
INFJs are conscious of the future and do not obsess over the small trivialities of life. They tend to focus on the bigger picture and only care about the truly important things in life. They face challenges head-on and do not get discouraged when things do not go their way. Instead of getting upset, this only motivates them more.
Mindfulness can be considered a personality trait. Individuals with higher levels of mindfulness tend to exhibit better emotional regulation, reduced stress, and increased life satisfaction. Mindfulness is positively correlated with personality traits like conscientiousness and agreeableness.
Some people naturally have a greater capacity to be present and nonjudgmental in their thoughts and experiences than others. A 2019 study published in Frontiers in Psychology found that high-trait mindfulness is associated with higher conscientiousness, agreeableness, and emotional stability. This suggests that individuals with these personality traits may naturally lean toward mindfulness practices.
13. Analytical
People with an INFJ personality can solve problems. If someone needs a quick solution to a problem or reliable insight, an INFJ is just the person to ask. They are excellent at sorting things out and are usually right most of the time, too.
Dr. Ruth Schimel, a career and life management consultant, urged her clients to move forward with curiosity. "[Curious people] are better prepared to contribute to others by understanding them, using sound judgment, and continuing to learn and practice to benefit everyone," Shimel advised. "[Curiousitiy] will not only bring pleasure but also keep your brain vital and your life full."
14. Moody
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INFJs might seem contradictory at times. They can go from happy to sad in a heartbeat. Their emotions are constantly changing, which can make them especially difficult to keep track of.
15. Emotionally intelligent
This skill comes from their deep emotional intelligence. They can see right through people's words and actions, and identify a manipulator very quickly. They use this trait to protect themselves by removing those negative people from their lives.
Famous People With INFJ Personalities
- Vincent van Gogh
- Mother Teresa
- Maya Angelou
- Steve Jobs
- Oprah Winfrey
- Gandhi
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Bill Gates
- Serena Williams
- Barack Obama
Why is INFJ the rarest personality type? INFJ is the rarest personality type, making up only 2% of the general population! Of that 2%, men make up only 1%, making INFJ the rarest personality type for men, specifically. INFJ is also the third least common personality type for women.
Research published in 2023 showed significant correlations between high emotional intelligence and personality traits like agreeableness, openness to experience, and extraversion, but they often find a negative association with neuroticism. Essentially, people with high emotional intelligence tend to be more empathetic, self-aware, and capable of managing emotions, aligning with these personality dimensions.
Higher Perspective seeks to unite like-minded individuals focused on personal growth and expanding their consciousness.