What Makes INFJs Tick

The INFJ is said to be the personality type who has a natural understanding of the human condition and human dynamics. Some people describe us as us having an innate capacity to know what makes people “tick”.

So let's turn the tables - what makes us tick?

Tick #1: Ego and Narcissism

Part of the reason that the INFJ avoids reality so much is because they understand the shadows of humanity just as much as the light.

On more difficult days when we are struggling to have faith, we can become very fixated on humanity’s shadows.

The reason that we are so motivated to understand and improve humanity is because what makes us disheartened in life are the evils that result when individuals choose to live in their egos, or to live narcissistically.

There is nothing that disturbs us more than people who deliberately avoid their souls, and pretend that they couldn't care less about the negative impact that they have on others.

The reality is that it takes effort to change these negative habits, and the INFJ is one of merely a handful of personality types who don’t take the concept of self-development lightly.

Tick #2: Sensory Overload

The concrete reality thing… you know, the sensory world. The place where we have to make phone calls and run into our neighbours when we go to take out the trash. It's simply too much some days.

When an INFJ is on their downtime, the last thing they want to do is have to deal with the outside world. Typically their weeks have likely been overstimulating enough, as they have an all-or-nothing personality where they overdo themselves on the extraverted front in spite of their quickly fleeting capacity to be extraverts.

The amount of recharge time an INFJ needs will vary from week to week, though not being given enough time and space to exist in the abstract world causes them annoyance and suffering.

Tick #3: Criticism

INFJs are construsctive critics at heart. Yet when the tables are turned, their ego can cause them to respond to the constructive critcism of others as though they have been deeply wounded.

The reason the INFJ is a critic at heart is because they can always see room for improvement – that is, room for perfection.

We try to accomplish everything on our own, often to our own detriment. When someone suggests a way that we could improve, it feels like our world is imploding, that we have failed to be independently successful (irrational, we know.)

Even being given constructive criticism where our strengths are highlighted, whenever an INFJ is confronted with their own lack of desired perfection, their hearts do break. It is simply their nature, though that doesn't mean they won't be willing to pick up the pieces in time.

Tick #4: Stagnation

INFJs are not capable of relaxing for long.

If the INFJ is not always on the move with one project or another, their conscience will tell them that they are falling behind and need to go forward.

If an INFJ is expected by a family member to put their work to the side for extended periods of time, they will probably still try to find ways to incorporate work into their days. Because the INFJ is an existentialist at heart, they can easily feel that their life is purposeless if they are not making progress towards something meaningful.

While quality time with loved ones is meaningful to them, they don’t need as much time to relax as other individuals for their cup to be full.

When their cup full, they need creative outlets to let their positive energy flow into. Without access to these outlets, an INFJ could potentially implode.