THE MYSTIC – ONE OF THE RAREST TYPES
Everything It Means to Be an INFJ
The rarest personality type walks a strange line between visionary and outsider. Here’s the real shape of the INFJ mind — and every rabbit hole worth following after.
What Is an INFJ?
The INFJ “Mystic” is one of the 16 Myers-Briggs® personality types. These deep, insightful personalities combine perception, intellect, and empathy to “read” people in a way that is almost uncanny. They seem to intuitively understand people and situations and how events will unfold, which is why many refer to them as “the advocates.” With their highly-developed intuition, they are constantly looking ahead to determine what will happen in the future. They crave never-ending personal growth and they are rarely satisfied with stagnancy or shallow small-talk. Rather than seeing events and situations as stand-alone occurrences, they see the inter relatedness of everything. In their quiet moments, they can often become channels of profound insights, visions, symbols, and metaphors.
Because INFJs combine Intuition with Feeling, they have a gift for understanding people and identifying their underlying needs and emotions. They care deeply about the human race and want to help people by listening, counseling, and emotionally supporting them. Helping people to realize their potential is something that drives them.
Mystics are highly attuned to people’s feelings and needs, and crave crave emotional intimacy and authenticity. But as introverts they also need ample alone time to delve into their imagination and rich inner thoughts. Many say they feel like they have dozens of theories or ideas playing on their mind on a constant basis and they can’t wait to get alone to sort through them!
If you look at many of our great philosophers and authors, you will find a plethora of INFJs – people like Dante Alighieri, Carl Jung, and Agatha Christie!
This article contains affiliate links. If you purchase an eBook from one of my links I get a small percentage back to help run my site.
What Does INFJ Stand For?
I = Introversion. “I focus inwards before outwards, analyzing what things mean to me before responding to the environment.”
N = iNtuition. “I focus more on the abstract or potential of something than the concrete or existing reality.”
F = Feeling. “I look to my personal values and inner empathy in order to make a decision. I want what is best for the group or humanity as a whole.”
J = Judgment. “I like having things settled, decided and structured. I consider myself a work-before-play person.”
Motivations and Roadblocks
Stressors: Lack of alone time, over-stimulation, navigating unfamiliar places, dealing with conflict, multi-tasking, focusing on nitty-gritty details.
Driving Force: To understand the “dance of the universe”. To see the underlying meaning of things.
Backup Strength: Unique understanding of people and their needs and emotions. Strong awareness of social expectations and human dynamics.
Weakness: Can lose track of details by focusing so much on the abstract. May become out of touch with reality or panic when having to deal with a lot of details at once.
BEFORE WE GET INTO IT
INFJ Personality Traits:
(Keep in mind that individuals will vary based on their background and their Enneagram type)
- Intellectually curious
- Visionary and forward-thinking
- Insightful
- Empathetic and considerate
- Scheduled and prefer having a plan
- Big-picture thinkers
- Need a great deal of alone time
- Recharge and refresh in low-sensory environments
- Read people easily
- Absorb the feelings of other people
- Prioritize the values and needs of the people around them
- Dislike sudden surprises and unexpected events or tasks
- Read-between-the-lines
INFJ Careers:
Mystics excel at careers that make use of their creativity, insight, and predictive capabilities. In a friendly, tension-free environment, they can turn in their best work and make a real difference. Mundane repetition will stifle their imagination, so working with a variety of ideas and creative projects keeps them motivated. More than anything, it’s vital that a career line up with their personal values and that they are able to have professional integrity. Many of this type are drawn towards careers in the arts, religion, or psychology. Being able to work creatively to understand or inspire others or create something new is something that fulfills their deeper desires.
“They live life with such a sense of purpose that they often present a very task-oriented side to the world that belies their more visionary, idealistic side.”
– Linda Berens
Popular Careers for This Type:
- Artist
- Psychologist
- Religious worker
- Playwright
- Marketing Expert
- Crisis Hotline Operator
- Philanthropic Consultant
- Human Resources Representative
- Teacher
- Life Coach
- Writer
The INFJ’s Cognitive Functions
INFJs lead with Introverted Intuition (Ni), a function that looks for patterns, meanings, and where everything seems to be heading. It’s why INFJs can spend days turning an idea over in their minds, then suddenly explain the whole thing as if the answer arrived fully assembled. Carl Jung described intuition as a way of perceiving “the possibilities inherent in a situation,” which fits INFJs rather well.
Their second function, Extraverted Feeling (Fe), pays close attention to people. INFJs often notice emotional shifts before anyone says a word. In my work as an MBTI® practitioner, I’ve seen how useful this can be, but also how exhausting. When you’re constantly reading the room, it’s easy to lose track of what you feel.
Then there’s Introverted Thinking (Ti), the part that wants ideas to make logical sense. It gives INFJs their analytical streak and explains why many of them are far more skeptical than the “mystical empath” stereotype suggests.
Finally, Extraverted Sensing (Se) connects them with the immediate world. It can feel awkward or overwhelming, but it also brings INFJs back into their bodies, their surroundings, and the life happening right now.
You can explore all four functions, including how they develop and interact, in my Guide to the INFJ’s Cognitive Functions
INFJ Strengths:
– Visionary. INFJs are led by their vision and are quick to grasp underlying meanings, patterns, and implications. They can quickly see how events will play out and can be very strategic in pursuing an ideal or plan for the future.
– Empathetic. INFJs deeply care about others and are usually very attuned to how other people feel. They are often good listeners and are deeply concerned with improving the world and the lives of people outside themselves. They can be very selfless in their pursuits.
– Determined. INFJs are often driven by a singular vision of the future. They trust their visions and insights with such passion that they can be relentless in their pursuit of a goal or ideal. Once they’ve settled on a path for their life they are very difficult to dissuade.
– Insightful. INFJs are quick to pick up on hidden meanings, connections, and relationships. They can often see clues and truths that other people miss or overlook. They are always asking themselves, “What else is going on here?” and so they often see things that are mysteriously absent to others.
– Creative. INFJs are usually motivated to trailblaze new and innovative paths for the future. They are highly imaginative and complex and enjoy using their imagination to write, create art, or even pursue revolutionary business ideas.
INFJ Weaknesses:
– Perfectionistic. INFJs are known for their high ideals and their grand visions. They often hold themselves to unattainable standards and get very frustrated when they fail to meet those standards. They may try so hard to be “perfect” that they are chronically unhappy with what they currently have.
– Prone to Burnout and Over-Stimulation. Because INFJs have inferior Sensing, they can easily get burned out by an overload of sensory stimulation. Also, because they have such high ideals and are so private about their inner selves they may push themselves to the point of mental breakdown without support from others.
– Isolation. Because INFJs are often misunderstood in early life, many become guarded and protective of their inner selves. They feel that nobody will ever really “get” their visions or ideas and that they will always be outsiders. They can grapple with loneliness a great deal and struggle with a feeling of separateness from others.
– Sensitive to Criticism. INFJs tend to care a great deal about harmony and about other’s perceptions of them. They also focus so much on being perfect that they can take criticism very hard and be very ashamed by its. They tend to have a hard time not taking criticism personally and can try to avoid people who are in the habit of regularly giving criticism.
– Procrastination. INFJs can take a long time to settle on a goal or decision. Because they lead with a perceiving process, they can take a lot of time analyzing, asking questions, and trying to uncover hidden truths and complexities before they decide to act. This can mean that they take too long to come to a decision or waste time looking for deeper meanings where there are none.
Want to Find Out More About INFJs? Check Out The INFJ – Understanding The Mystic!
Fun Facts:
All facts come from the MBTI® Manual – Third Edition
Their preferred leisure activities include writing, appreciating art, and reading.
This is the least common type in the U.S. population
They are one of two types with the highest college GPA
These personality types rank the highest of all types in marital dissatisfaction
Their preferred academic subjects are Art, English, and music.
In a national sample, they ranked lowest in valuing “Health”, “Financial Security” and “Prestige & Status”
They tend to appear in career fields involving religion, counseling, teaching, and the arts
Famous INFJs:
Celebrities of this type are sometimes difficult to find. This is because as an MBTI® practitioner I can’t really sit down and have a one-on-one consult with most famous people. Regardless, here is a listing of the celebrities or famous people from history to current that I believe do have INFJ preferences based on my research:
- Carl Jung
- Mahatma Gandhi
- Thomas Jefferson
- Sam Harris
- Dante Alighieri
- Simone de Beauvoir
- Agatha Christie
- Mary Wollstonecraft
- Baruch Spinoza
- Arthur Schopenhauer
- Leo Tolstoy
- Fyodor Dostoevsky
- Lars von Trier
- David Fincher
- Marilyn Manson
- Daniel Day-Lewis
- Cate Blanchette
- Rooney Mara
- Carey Mulligan
- Tilda Swinton
- Joanna Newsom
- George Harrison
- Sufjan Stevens
- Benedict Cumberbatch.
– Carl Jung
“Your visions will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.”
How Rare are INFJs?
According to the latest MBTI® Manual, INFJs are the third rarest personality type, making up 2.3% of the population. However, according to myersbriggs.org they are the rarest personality type, making up 1.5% of the population. Either way, it’s safe to say they’re extremely rare, making up somewhere between 1-3% of the population.
But Why are INFJs So Rare?
We live in a world that highlights and admires a very pragmatic, ambitious, go-getter type of individual. INFJs are unusual in that they are drawn to the abstract more than the real; to meaning more than material. Many people, INFJs included, are pushed to bend and mold themselves into an “ideal” that is not necessarily suited to their personality type. Many parents don’t say “I want a child who sees beneath the surface and absorbs people emotions.” Rather, they say “I want a child who makes good money, gets good grades, and performs well”. I think many Mystics mistype themselves as other types because they don’t really feel they can be themselves; or there really are just fewer numbers of these types out there. The “why” is always tough to answer. But it’s clear we need people like this to help our society keep its eye on the big picture and meaning more than money.
INFJs in Relationships
INFJs take their romantic relationships very seriously. Many are quite happy being single and don’t feel a particular compulsion to settle down or “find” romance. They would much rather be alone than with someone who isn’t ideal. As introverts, INFJs find a lot of happiness in their alone time and can actually feel overwhelmed when entering a relationship as they find themselves constantly thinking of the needs of the other person and having less of that quiet, tranquil time to themselves.
The idealism of the Mystic is both a blessing and a curse in romantic relationships. On the one hand, they are careful and cautious when entering new relationships. On the other hand, they can be overly perfectionistic and feel disappointed when their partners inevitably fail to live up to their high ideals.
“When in love, the INFJ will try to be as authentic and emotionally vulnerable as possible, which is no small feat since they are fiercely protective of their inner selves and tend to be private. It may scare them to confess their love, to write a poem, or to share a song that describes how they feel. But giving someone these long-locked pieces of their hearts is one of the most generous ways that they can show true affection.”
– The INFJ – Understanding the Mystic
When INFJs are committed to someone, they are extremely loyal and giving. Because they are often empathic, their partner’s happiness and emotional well-being becomes central to their lives. Indeed, they are willing to put their own needs on the back burner on many occasions to take care of the needs of their loved ones. Making every effort to give unconditional love, they risk burning themselves out for others. Often they don’t know how to prioritize their own needs when their partner wants something different. As a result, it’s crucial for them to give themselves space, to consider their own needs, and to get regular alone time so they can remember their goals, values, and personal desires.
More than anything, INFJs want a relationship with depth. They aren’t interested in shallow flings or small talk. Emotional connection nearly always needs to come before physical intimacy. In fact, many report that they want a near-spiritual connection with their partner. They want to understand them in the deepest possible way, both the good side and the dark side. The more honest and sincere their partner is with them, the happier they will be. However, if their partner keeps them at arm’s length or tries to hide things from them they will quickly pick up on it and tire of the relationship.
