the world of an enfp

My awesome sister and I had some good talks about intro/extroversion while driving around Iowa. Those talks, plus an upcoming personality seminar PLUS submarine disease (see above) all lead to me do a little reading up on how we are. Round here, we usually talk about the 4 types using Smalley's animal labels (otter/seal, lion, golden retriever, beaver) and it's fun. Some may think all this type talk is too boxy, but I don't know anyone who carries it to that extreme. Back at SLT with IV, before IT or JV back in MCMXCV, I found out I was ENFP. What? Well, the Myers-Briggs test has identified 16 personality types and even though generalizations are always wrong in some aspect, some of it is so right on for me, such as:

"[ENFPs] have a strong need to be independent, and resist being controlled or labelled. They need to maintain control over themselves, but they do not believe in controlling others. Their dislike of dependence and suppression extends to others as well as to themselves." yeah, bossy!

"Because ENFPs live in the world of exciting possibilities, the details of everyday life are seen as trivial drudgery. They place no importance on detailed, maintenance-type tasks, and will frequently remain oblivous to these types of concerns. When they do have to perform these tasks, they do not enjoy themselves. This is a challenging area of life for most ENFPs, and can be frustrating for ENFP's family members." oh, that's why you're being bossy...

Case in point: my desk is a mess...wait a second, that's not a desk...


shoot. Four couches and no desk. By the by, if you ever have a chance to see Super Jen's desk, it's a work of art. Ikea cubbyholes for every type of envelope and piece of information, beautiful.

Obviously, personality is no excuse for, you know, sin (which is apparently the category irresponsibility falls under), but it helps me to understand why some normal things are big struggles. In reading about the other types of personality, I just think: Oh God, you're so creative and so kind that you made us all so different. It's good that we need each other. Which reminds me, Nate, can you send me that budget spread sheet thingie again, natemoney? I lost the last one you sent me. :)