INFP - The Mediator

INFP (Mediator) is a personality type with the Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, and Prospecting traits. These rare personality types tend to be quiet, open-minded, and imaginative, and they apply a caring and creative approach to everything they do.

Although they may seem quiet or unassuming, people with the INFP personality type (Mediators) have vibrant, passionate inner lives. Creative and imaginative, they happily lose themselves in daydreams, inventing all sorts of stories and conversations in their mind. INFPs are known for their sensitivity – these personalities can have profound emotional responses to music, art, nature, and the people around them. They are known to be extremely sentimental and nostalgic, often holding onto special keepsakes and memorabilia that brighten their days and fill their heart with joy.

Idealistic and empathetic, people with the INFP personality type long for deep, soulful relationships, and they feel called to help others. Due to the fast-paced and competitive nature of our society, they may sometimes feel lonely or invisible, adrift in a world that doesn’t seem to appreciate the traits that make them unique. Yet it is precisely because INFPs brim with such rich sensitivity and profound creativity that they possess the unique potential to connect deeply and initiate positive change.

All that is gold does not glitter; not all those who wander are lost; the old that is strong does not wither; deep roots are not reached by the frost.
-J. R. R. TOLKIEN

INFP personalities share a sincere curiosity about the depths of human nature. Introspective to the core, they’re exquisitely attuned to their own thoughts and feelings, but they yearn to understand the people around them as well. INFPs are compassionate and nonjudgmental, always willing to hear another person’s story. When someone opens up to them or turns to them for comfort, they feel honored to listen and be of help.

Empathy is among the INFP personality type’s greatest gifts, but at times it can be a liability. The troubles of the world weigh heavily on their shoulders, and these personalities can be vulnerable to internalizing other people’s negative moods or mindsets. Unless they learn to set boundaries, INFPs may feel overwhelmed by just how many wrongs there are that need to be set right.

Few things make INFP personalities more uneasy than pretending to be someone they aren’t. With their sensitivity and their commitment to authenticity, people with this personality type tend to crave opportunities for creative self-expression. It comes as no surprise, then, that many famous INFPs are poets, writers, actors, and artists. They can’t help but muse about the meaning and purpose of life, dreaming up all sorts of stories, ideas, and possibilities along the way.

INFPs have a talent for self-expression. They may reveal their innermost thoughts and secrets through metaphors and fictional characters.
Through these imaginative landscapes, these soulful personalities can explore their own inner nature as well as their place in the world. While this is a beautiful trait, INFPs sometimes show a tendency to daydream and fantasize rather than take action. At times, these personalities may intensely deliberate with themselves in their heads, wrestling with their options until the last possible moment. To avoid feeling frustrated, unfulfilled, or incapable, INFPs need to make sure that they take decisive steps to turn their dreams and ideas into reality.

People with this personality type tend to feel directionless or stuck until they connect with a sense of purpose for their life. For many, this purpose has something to do with uplifting others. And while they want to help anyone and everyone, INFP personalities need to focus their energy and efforts – otherwise, they can end up exhausted.

Fortunately, like flowers in the spring, an INFP’s creativity and idealism can bloom even after the darkest of seasons. Although they know the world will never be perfect, they still care about making it better however they can. This quiet belief in doing the right thing may explain why INFP personalities so often inspire compassion, kindness, and beauty wherever they go.

Famous INFPs:
William Shakespeare, Björk, Alicia Keys, Johnny Depp

Fictional INFPs:
Frodo Baggins (The Lord of the Rings), Amélie Poulain (Amélie), Foc Mulder (X-Files), Anne (Anne of Green Gables)