INFJ Spirit Animal: Wolf
Like wolves, INFJs are quiet, watchful, perceptive, and even a little mystical. They know the value of working together in a team and can make inspiring leaders, but they are also very private and happy to work alone.
INFJ Definition:
Introverted: Prefers solitary activities; works well alone; gets exhausted by too much social interaction and sustains energy while alone.
Intuitive: Imaginative and open-minded; future-oriented; good at reading into the deeper meaning behind facts, events, and data; focus on the possibilities rather than the concrete facts.
Feeling: Emotionally driven, rather than logically driven; sensitive, caring, and empathetic; focus on harmony and cooperation; emotionally expressive.
Judging: Decisive, structured, and organized; objects to breaking rules; prefers clarity and predictability; creates and enforces order.
A character with the INFJ personality type is idealistic, passionate, committed, and very giving. They are undyingly loyal to their value systems, and are often guided by a quiet inner strength which propels them through the most excruciating trials. However, the INFJ rarely walks through the story alone: they are willing to reach out a helping hand and find the good in even the darkest and most tormented of people. INFJs are gentle, giving, perceptive, imaginative, and not easily shaken. Many INFJs possess strong intuitive and insightful skills, allowing them to read another character's behavior and make accurate predictions- to the extent that they may be given a reputation for reading minds. It is extremely difficult to hide anything from this character. Some INFJ character strengths include:
-Creativity
-Determination
-Courage
-Altruism
-Selflessness
-High Integrity
-Devotion
-Foresight
-Compassion
INFJ character weaknesses:
-Sensitivity
-Perfectionism
-Reservation/tendency to hide feelings
-Extreme conflict-aversion
-Insecurity and difficulty trusting
INFJ characters as a Protagonist:
INFJs can be worked into a story in many ways; they can make excellent Protagonists, Mentors, Counselors, Healers, Sages, and Guardians.
An INFJ Protagonist will likely be motivated by a search for truth, the meaning in life, or standing against injustice and cruelty. They will likely find internal conflict as strong and destructive as they do external conflict. An INFJ Protagonist will reach out to help many other characters as they pursue their journey, unwilling to leave anyone who may need their assistance left behind. INFJs may even resist combat with the Antagonist, as their intuitive skills and altruism lead them to see the good in even the darkest of people- and they may genuinely believe that the Antagonist is simply confused and misled.
INFJ Protagonists will lead the reader on an engaging, deeply-felt journey through the story. They will often find ways to shed light in the darkness, inspire others, and will make compelling, memorable heroes.
INFJ characters as an Antagonist:
Since INFJs have such high ideals, they are not often used as Antagonists: however, an INFJ whose past has been twisted and painful may develop a dark side. This dark side turns all of the INFJ's strong qualities- such as devotion to their values, determination, and courage- into tools for a destructive cause. An INFJ Antagonist will use their uncanny powers of observation and intuition to "read" their opponent- and thus often be one step ahead of them. An INFJ Antagonist will not be motivated merely by selfish desire or pride; instead, they will be motivated by vengeance upon those who have done them an injustice, or violated their strict principles. In some cases, when their values have been challenged or thwarted or they have witnessed cruelty/injustice toward people they care about, INFJs may exhibit a deep, extreme fury. It takes a great deal to provoke an INFJ to this stage of wrath; but when provoked, their anger can prove intense and effective. An INFJ Antagonist will probably be very driven and somewhat relentless- though probably not senselessly cruel.
INFJ characters as a Sidekick/Mentor:
While they can be good Protagonists and may even pass for an Antagonist, INFJs make an excellent Mentor or Sidekick. Young INFJs are often wise beyond their years, and have the foresight to help the main character navigate confusing waters and avoid costly mistakes. They are also willing to offer their advice freely, and patient and loyal enough to stick with people they care about, even if those people make mistakes which cause them both to suffer. An INFJ character will usually only desert a friend in need if this friend constantly refuses to listen to them, or challenges their values or integrity, in which case the INFJ may quietly depart.
However, INFJs can be surprisingly stubborn, and as a Mentor or Counselor character, they will see their protégé through until the end. INFJ Mentors often stand for no nonsense, and will push the main character to the full extent of their capabilities. These Mentors are often not only wise, but selfless, and will do almost anything to assist the main character in achieving their goals. INFJ Mentors are dedicated, and can be an essential catalyst in propelling the main character through his or her journey.
INFJ Conflicts:
No good writer can create a story without conflict. After creating a character, observing his or her strengths and weaknesses can give a good idea of what kind of conflict would be most difficult for the character to overcome. Readers like stories where the stakes are high, the conflict seems insurmountable, and the character must fight external or internal battles waged against their own beliefs. To make conflict moving and believable, use your character's weaknesses to your advantage!
INFJs are strong, people-driven individuals, with high values placed upon integrity, kindness, and justice. High conflict for an INFJ may include:
-Helplessness against injustice or cruelty (e.g., a forced role in war or corrupted government.)
-Constant violation of their principles
-To be taken advantage of and have their hard-earned trust broken
-Chaos and confusion
-Suppression
An INFJ is likely to be:
-The Mentor
-The Counselor
-The Idealist
An INFJ is likely to work well with:
-The Dreamer
-The Artist
-The Sentry
An INFJ may conflict with:
-The Rebel
-The Strategist
-The Dragonslayer
Other personality types that the INFJ may work well with:
-ENFJ
-ENFP
-INFP
-ISFJ
-ISTJ
Other personality types that the INFJ may conflict with:
-ISTP
-ESTJ
-ESTP
-ENTJ
-ENTP
Want to know more about the INFJ personality type? Check out these resources:
http://www.16personalities.com/infj-personality
https://www.personalitypage.com/INFJ.html
Not sure if your character is an INFJ? Take one of these personality tests as if YOU were your character- and see for yourself!
INFP Spirit Animal: Hummingbird
Like a hummingbird,
INFPs are shy, but curious,
and constantly buzzing
with new ideas.
INFPs are independent,
gentle, and sensitive,
and they are drawn to
beautiful things.
They dwell in a
world of harmony,
possiblities, and
enchantment.
INFP Definition:
Introverted: Prefers solitary activities; works well alone; gets exhausted by too much social interaction and sustains energy while alone.
Intuitive: Imaginative and open-minded; future-oriented; good at reading into the deeper meaning behind facts, events, and data; focus on the possibilities rather than the concrete facts.
Feeling: Emotionally driven, rather than logically driven; sensitive, caring, and empathetic; focus on harmony and cooperation; emotionally expressive.
Prospecting: Prefers spontaneity over structure; free-spirited, sometimes impulsive; relaxed and likes to go with the flow.
A character with the INFP personality type is a true idealist. Like the INFJ, INFPs search for the good in people and abide by the unshaken belief that anyone can change. INFPs are gentle creators of harmony, often quite artistic, and drawn to deeper meanings. Many of them are deeply introspective and spend much time alone analyzing their own feelings and actions. Their ability to draw connections and create metaphors often makes them excellent poets and writers. INFP characters care deeply about other people, but unlike the INFJ, they are more likely to observe from a distance and be hesitant to offer committed assistance- not because they don't care, but because they are much more private, self-conscious, and sometimes even shy. However, an INFP character will often see the good in situations that other characters would immediately give up on: and though they prefer to think on their feet rather than commit to a long-term plan, they will often dedicate themselves to helping one particular person that they care about. INFP characters are thoughtful, spontaneous, private, kind, meek, inspiring, and sometimes very day-dreamy.
Some INFP strengths may include:
-Idealism
-Creativity
-Gentleness
-Love of harmony
-Artistic talent
-Empathy
-Excellent imagination
-Good communication skills
Some INFP weaknesses may include:
-Sensitivity
-Impracticality
-Resistance to facts/refusal to believe negative information
-Naivety
-Stubbornness
INFP characters as a Protagonist:
INFPs can make excellent protagonists; they will be deeply moved by internal conflict, but they are very sensitive to external conflict as well. An INFP protagonist will often show a surprising independent streak, and may prefer to solve their problems on their own. INFP protagonists are humble and quiet, but often passionate and motivated toward causes or people that they care about. They often enjoy the beauty of nature and seek peace in solitude. INFPs will be slow to retaliate or return evil for evil. They will be altruistic, kind, poetic characters, inspiring the reader to press forward, reach higher, and strive for their highest aspiration.
INFP characters as an Antagonist:
With all of their gentleness and altruism, INFP characters are not very likely to be antagonists. However, any character has a potential shadow side- and an INFP character with a traumatic past or multiple dark experiences could transform into a cynical, selfish, and calculating person. INFP Antagonists, like their INFJ counterparts, will probably have specific motivations- such as a violation of their personal principles, or retaliation for injustice done to them- rather than mindless cruelty.
INFP characters as a Sidekick/Minor Character:
INFPs make supportive, insightful sidekicks and minor characters. They are loyal and passionate, willing to follow their friends to the end, and even to die for them. They will remain true to their values and to their friends if at all possible, and intense conflict can arise if the INFP is forced to choose between one or the other. INFP characters are trusting, optimistic, and innocent; they may also have a subtle, witty sense of humor. While they are usually too shy to play the role of comic relief, these characteristics make them light-hearted and likeable, bringing a much-needed spark of joy to more serious story genres. Supportive, poetic, and imaginative, INFP minor characters give a unique air of hope and harmony, even in the face of the main character's conflict.
INFP Conflicts:
No good writer can create a story without conflict. After creating a character, observing his or her strengths and weaknesses can give a good idea of what kind of conflict would be most difficult for the character to overcome. Readers like stories where the stakes are high, the conflict seems insurmountable, and the character must fight external or internal battles waged against their own beliefs. To make conflict moving and believable, use your character's weaknesses to your advantage!
INFPs are sensitive, independent individuals, with high values placed upon gentleness, compassion, and harmony. Conflict for an INFP may include:
-Insincerity and deception
-Betrayal
-Constant conflict (especially conflict between a number of people that the INFP cares about, or conflict between INFP characters themselves and people they care about.)
-Insecurity
-Having their beliefs challenged
-Constant criticism
An INFP is likely to be:
-The Dreamer
-The Artist
-The Idealist
An INFP is likely to work well with:
-The Mentor
-The Counsellor
-The Sentry
An INFP may conflict with:
-The Rebel
-The Strategist
-The Nerd
Other personality types that the INFP may work well with:
-ENFJ
-ENFP
-INFJ
-ISFJ
-ISFP
Other personality types that the INFP may conflict with:
-ISTJ
-ESTJ
-ESTP
-ENTJ
-ENTP
Want to know more about the INFP personality type? Check out these resources:
http://www.16personalities.com/infp-personality
https://www.personalitypage.com/INFP.html
Not sure if your character is an INFP? Take one of these personality tests as if YOU were your character- and see for yourself!
