ISFP Definition of Personality Equals “Compassion + Practicality”

The definition of personality for the ISFP includes the qualities of compassion, practicality, a quiet playfulness, and being present-oriented people.

You may have come here from the MBTI “words to describe personality” page and you know or suspicion that your personality type is Introverted with Sensing, Feeling and Perception, because you have taken the Myers-Briggs personality assessment test. Or you may be here because someone you care about is this type. That being the case you can discover many qualities, traits or characteristics describing this personality type on this page.

BASICS

I’m going to present ISFP qualities in a list format because I have found reading a paragraph when you are digging for some important, quick information, can be difficult, well it can be irritating! So let us take a look at a list of personality traits for ISFPs. This type:

• Is naturally empathetic and compassionate
• Is quietly and very realistically watching everything
• Is naturally free-spirited in a reserved fashion, realistic and spontaneous
• Is present oriented may struggle with future thinking
• Is perhaps the most gentle and kind of all 16 types
• Is typically needing variety and freedom
• Is naturally concerned for children and animals, natural things
• Is somewhat idealistic
• Does not have great respect for rules and regulations per se
• Is typically very concerned with harmony in all things
• Usually very down-to-earth people living in the present

Now do you see yourself/someone else in the above basic list of personality traits??

What we really begin to see with personality type is emerging patterns of behaving and using our brains. The ISFP way is natural, instinctive, beautiful, created to be this way. Let us continue.

Mottos Are Fun

For the ISFP these mottos or things to put on their battle flag might be: “Don’t Tread On Me”, “It Is The Thought That Counts”, “Gently, Kindly Modest”, to name a few.

Let us make another list of personality traits, ISFPs:

• Are reasoning and making decisions with feeling and compassion focused on maintaining harmony
• Will follow-through and fulfill commitments
• Will have difficulty (sometimes great difficulty) facing repeated strife and disharmony
• Usually are very cooperative people unless strife is constant and extreme
• Will be more naturally prefer the concrete over any abstraction
• Need freedom and variety, autonomy and become bored easily
• Typically naturals at helping others in a pragmatic “now” kind of fashion, helping in a crisis, making people comfortable, negotiating a dispute

Now, my friend, the ISFP not only behaves in the above manner…THEY NATURALLY EXPECT EVERYONE ELSE TO DO THE SAME!!

So, what happens when they see that many others do not behave that way?? (only 5-7% of America’s population is this type) Answer: Different levels of stress, confusion, irritation, etc.; typically nothing this type can’t handle. So, this is a NATURAL reaction on the part of this type, they are not doing anything wrong.

More Stuff The ISFP:

• In relationships, are usually quiet, trusting and reserved
• In relationships, are very warm and deeply value friendship once a relationship is established
• In relationships, they express their feelings with action and artistry…not words
• In relationships, can neglect to talk about themselves which can appear as shyness or great modesty
• In relationships, they do desire to be appreciated
• In relationships, they can frustrate people with their need for independence and freedom
• Speech can be short and at times, abrupt…again preferring actions to words

Under Stress The ISFP:

• May become even less Introverted and more Extraverted, and verbally “attack”
• May feel a loss of self-confidence, become inactive, and withdraw
• Will resist rules and regulations even more than normal and neglect obligations
• May become explosively critical under extreme stress
• May begin to take everything very personally and feel hurt

If this type is you, wonderful, perhaps you now have a better understanding of yourself, and perhaps you can use that increased understanding in many positive ways.

If you see someone else as this type but not you, please pay attention to the differences between your personality and the ISFP. Try to see that your way and the ISFPway are natural and just fine! Look for the positive differences, the strengthsthis type brings to your type. Celebrate that because it cannot be changed and can add wonderful diversity and truth to your life!!

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