ENTPs are the energetic, rational idea-generators of the MBTI world. This forward-thinking type is always chasing after the next great idea or plan – and as a result can seem somewhat inconsistent to those around them. This week on my Facebook page, I asked ENTPs to clarify what’s behind their unpredictable personalities. Here’s what they had to say about what they wish other types understood.
1. “When we argue with you… If you can even call it arguing… We honestly have no ill will and no malicious intent. Half the time we don’t even realize it’s an argument. We’re just exercising our brain in our favorite way, and that way is word sparring. ENTPs don’t walk away from a conflict or argument feeling upset, irritated, or hurt the way other types do. Actually, we forget said conflict ever happened.”
2. “We don’t hate you. We love you. We are having fun. And/or picking your brain to get to know you.”
3. “It’s almost impossible for us to hold a grudge.”
4. “We are the opposite of the INTJ in that we seem warmer than we really are. I think most of us struggle to make real connections and end up lonely in a crowded room.”
5. “We may not stay in contact every day and say I love you. But we will rush to your side and defend you when it really counts. Love isn’t words. What I really want is to be there for you when it really matters.”
6. “Having Ne means finding everything interesting and being able to understand different perspectives. it doesn’t mean I believe in all of them or that I am unsure, I am merely awesome at sewing things from different perspectives. My own thoughts are actually filtered and analyzed. You don’t get to see much of that.”
7. “The fact us ENTP and ENFPs are always excited and curious to try out different paths does not mean we are too flighty to stay in a relationship or career. It simply means it’s harder for us to find the career that is fulfilling enough or that relationship that feeds into our curiosity, ideas and grounds us.”
8. “We can appear cold, callous, and argumentative on the outside, but on the inside, we’re an ocean of insecurity. We act and talk the way we do because it’s therapeutic, and the greatest gift anyone can give us is understanding.”
9. “We challenge because we care. (Well, also because it’s fun.)”
10. “Just because I don’t express feelings that often doesn’t mean I don’t have them, it just means they take a while to fully develop. I might shrug off this big thing now and I’ll probably actually forget about it, but when my shoelaces break two months from now, everything may come pouring out at once.”
11. “I love engaging in activities that make me forget about reasoning, like falling in love or helping people.”
12. “We are not bad at finishing projects. We are bad at staying in engaged when we long ago knew the solution before you even got started. so we lay it out, hope you follow and walk away to the next idea.”
13. “I say provoking things just to get a stimulating answer from you.”
14. “I prioritize novelty and freedom over security and obligations, so if I commit myself to something/someone it means that I care A LOT. I do not do things for recognition or reward. I want knowledge, experience, to feel alive in the moment. And if I am no longer passionate about something/someone, I have no trouble moving on and finding that spark elsewhere. This doesn’t mean I’m a commitment-phobe or aimless.”
15. “We can’t clean the house. Don’t ask us.”
16. “It isn’t laziness or procrastination. We’ve run the scenarios and possible outcomes. We probably got everything we wanted from the idea by just using the idea as a mental exercise. If we don’t jump into hyper focus mode and pursue it, then it isn’t practical for us (at least at that time) or the cost may be higher then the return (financially or socially). This is Okay, because we have already gained a lot just by chasing the idea and that was the real goal.”
