A person with ENFJ personality type is also referred to as a protagonist. This describes Extraverted, Intuitive, Feeling, and Judging traits in the person. The ENFJ meaning is an acronym for the first or second letters of each of these traits. The protagonist is warm and loves to help others. They also possess strong ideas and perspectives that are backed up by a lot of creative energy to achieve their goals.
What is ENFJ?
This describes Extraverted, Intuitive, Feeling, and Judging traits in the person. They also possess strong ideas and perspectives that are backed up by a lot of creative energy to achieve their goals.
What does ENFJ stand for?
ENFJ is an acronym that stands for each of the first or second letters of the traits of the personality type:
E- Extraverted
N- iNtuitive
F- Feeling
J- Judging
ENFJ Traits
- Extraverted
- Intuitive
- Feeling
- Judging
ENFJ Characteristics
- Speaking Up for What’s Right
Protagonists are very vocal about their values and authenticity. When a person or situation comes off as unjust or wrong, they speak up but without being brash or rude about it because they are sensitive with enough insight to speak in a way that resonates with other people. Protagonists also can pick up on the motivations and values of other people. Most times, they do not understand how they can understand other people and grasp their minds so fast but this is what makes protagonists persuasive and good communicators.
- Pure Intentions
Another secret weapon for protagonists is their purity of intent. They are usually inspired by the sincere wish to do the right thing rather than to use their abilities to manipulate or impose power over other people. Even when they have an argument with someone or they disagree with someone’s view, they always try to find a common ground. The result of this level of emotional maturity and pure intention is that they can communicate sensitively and eloquently in a way that is impossible to be ignored, especially when they speak on important matters.
- They are proactive and involved
When they care about someone, they are always willing to help solve the person’s problems, at all costs. They do not impose their help on people and those they help are always grateful for their assistance and advice. Protagonists help others so well because they usually have a clear vision of what others should be doing to achieve success. However, not everyone is ready to take their advice. When protagonists push too hard, their loved ones might start feeling hurt or badly judged by them. Even though they are insightful, they are also capable of misreading situations and giving misleading advice or opinion.
- Good Leaders
Other than being highly insightful, people with this personality type are devoted altruists. They are always ready to stand up for the people and things they believe in. This strength of conviction is part of what boosts their leadership skills and their ability to influence and guide people to work together for the greater good. Values that help protagonists lead well in their day-to-day lives include compassion, care, and dedication. They exhibit these values in the situations they are faced with day by day. Protagonists believe that the littlest choices they make and actions they take can influence the results they get in the strive for a better future.
- Receptiveness
Even though protagonists have strong opinions that they greatly uphold, they are not closed-minded. They value the importance of allowing other people to fully express themselves. Even when a protagonist does not agree with someone, they try to find a common ground and respect the person’s right to speak their truth.
- Reliability
Protagonists are people that can be depended on. They are bothered by the idea of letting people who believe in them down. For this reason, people with this personality type uphold their promises and responsibilities even when it is difficult to do.
- Charisma
They are determined and inspiring which is why they always find their way into roles of leadership wherever they find themselves. Regardless of the situation, they also never lose sight of their main goal which is to serve others dutifully.
Weaknesses of ENFJ
- They can be unrealistic
Many people with this personality type put a lot of pressure on themselves to right every wrong that comes their way but no matter how hard a person tries, it is quite unrealistic to strive to solve all the problems in the world and if care is not taken, they can spread themselves too thin and end up being of help to no one at all.
- They are overly idealistic
Because protagonists tend to have clear ideas of what they believe to be wrong and right, they often think and expect everyone to share or have the same principles as them. It can end up being of great shock to them when they find people freely violating their values like honesty and justice.
- They can be condescending
They enjoy teaching others their core values and they also enjoy talking about the beliefs and causes that matter to them but at times, in an attempt to enlighten others about these things, they might come off as being persuasive which is not an effective strategy for persuading people.
- They can be intense
When it comes to self-improvement, they are always determined and energetic and at times fail to realize that not everyone shares these qualities with them. At times, they push others who are not even ready or interested.
- Extreme empathy
Compassion is among the major traits and strengths of this personality type but they have the tendency to take on the problems of other people as their own which is a habit that can leave them mentally, emotionally, and physically drained.
ENFJ Relationships
ENFJs are8 intense when it comes to matters of the heart, which includes relationships and they wouldn’t have it any other way. They are highly idealistic which is why they rarely settle for anything that falls short of their ideals and their romantic relationships are not left out.
Even though protagonists can come across as being outgoing or a bit flirtatious, only a few Protagonists are satisfied by fleeting attractions. They are very much aware of their high standards and this awareness allows them to appreciate how rare and precious it is when they feel a spark with someone else and how special it is when the spark grows into flames of love.
When Protagonists fall in love with someone, they fall hard – and they do not try to be subtle about it. They are a personality type that readily expresses how they feel and so they often end up making the first move rather than playing games and waiting for the other person to tell them they feel the same way. When dating, they are willing to put themselves out there and because of the mix of how passionate they are, a lot of people find them appealing. However, because they always find themselves making the first move, they tend to encounter a fair share of rejection while searching for their own person.
Right from the first date with a protagonist, they are always ready to steer the conversation toward heavier and more futuristic topics. They don’t just want to know what TV shows you watch, they only want to know and make sense of your dreams and aspirations, as well as the changes you hope to make to yourself and the world around you. The farther you go in a relationship with a protagonist, the more pride they take in supporting you to achieve these dreams. Protagonists tend to focus more on the long-term potential of the relationship and as it matures, they want to do all it takes to bring that potential to reality.
Protagonists care about pleasing their partners a lot and their sensitivity helps them to tune into the shifting moods and desires of their partners well. As long as they don’t lose track of their own needs while trying to please their partners, protagonists can enjoy rewarding relationships that are founded on trust, mutual support, honesty, and love.
ENFJ Compatibility
Connecting with people makes Protagonists feel purposeful and when it comes to friendship, they are far from apathetic. They put sincere and dedicated effort into keeping relationships. Friendships are expendable and significant for protagonists and for them, it is a key component of a life well lived.
Very few personality types can match that of protagonists. Protagonists have a sincere desire to get to know people and not all personalities share that desire. For protagonists, discovering the hopes and opinions of people gives the utmost pleasure. They are fascinated by the worldviews of others, even those that they do not totally agree with. For ENFJs, experiencing a wealth of perspectives is what keeps life interesting for them.
It is also only with their closest friends that protagonists fully and truly open up and share their vulnerabilities and their most precious dreams. Regardless of the level of closeness, they still maintain caring, and supportive connections with people, but they tend to show their full selves only to their inner circle of friends that have earned their trust.
Protagonists are among the best friends that anyone should wish for. They are kind-hearted and trustworthy people who dedicate tremendous amounts of energy and attention to their friendships. They do not want their friends and people around them to just feel validated but also supported, heard, and understood.
When it comes to relationships, the most compatible personality types for protagonists tend to be INFP and ISFP. These three personalities share the F-trait(Feeling) which means they are attracted to empathetic people that easily understand and express their feelings, as well as attend to the emotional needs of other people. These personalities also look for intimate connections with their partners which is one of the ENFJs traits and why they tend to be attracted to these personalities.
Famous ENFJ
Barack Obama was born in 1961 and is the 44th President of the United States of America. He is one of the famous ENFJs.
Obama happens to be the first African American to hold the highest office in United States politics. This can be attributed to his ENFJ charisma which is a key trait of the personality type. He faced numerous challenges as the incoming president in 2008, from terrorism to wars to an economic collapse. However, his ENFJ traits of compassion, idealism, and drive allowed him to become an effective and inspiring leader regardless of the surrounding circumstances. These same ENFJ characteristics led him to become the 4th US President and also to receive a Nobel Peace Prize in 2009 and eventually be reelected to office in 2012.
Barack Obama depicts a classic ENFJ-A+ personality type. He is passionate and warm. He is also an assertive and strong leader who always makes sure he gets things done. His leadership personality type is evident in the following quote made by him.
“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” —Barack Obama.
Conclusion
Even though protagonists enjoy being of help to others, they are not always happy with the end results because some people do not have the same level of energy or drive to take full advantage of the help protagonists have to offer and some simply do not want to. Their friends might ignore their advice to stay out of a toxic situation and simply relax and continue to live in the toxicity. When something like this happens, the protagonist might feel unappreciated, frustrated, or resentful. They might even become judgmental just to push their friend in the right direction and this is an approach that all too often tends to backfire.
Having a more flexible attitude towards offering help and support to people can guide protagonists to offer these more effectively without hurting others or themselves in the process. As a person with the ENFJ personality type, you should understand that the most enduring friendships are based on mutuality- mutual acceptance, compassion, and respect.
