Sabrina Hess
UNIV 101- 040
Personality Reflection Paper
J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Virginia Woolf, William Shakespeare, Vincent Van Gough, John
Lennon, Kurt Cobain. What do these people all have in common? They were artists, creators, thinkers. All
of the people listed are famous for creating some kind of art, whether it be novels, songs, paintings, or
plays. And one other thing they have in common is that they were all INFPs, just like me.
INFPs are known for being the ultimate idealists of all the personality types. They create ideas in
their heads of how the world is supposed to be, and most of the time, the world doesn't meet those expec-
tations. So INFPs turn that disappointment and frustration into art. They create other worlds though nov-
els and translate their feelings through songs or paintings. INFPs take up only 4% of the population, so
even though they take pride in being unique, this often comes hand in hand with them being misunder-
stood. Because of this, INFPs are often times very shy and reserved people, keeping to themselves and
only sharing their deepest thoughts with those who are closest to them.
Because of their free-spirited nature, INFPs are very open-minded and flexible. They stick to their
ideals and principles, while at the same time being open to other’s thoughts and ideas—even if they don't
necessarily agree with them. It is difficult to get an INFP passionate or excited, but once they have their
heart set on something, they will not stop until they get to where they want to be. They are passionate
about their beliefs and are dedicated, hard workers.
I have taken the Myers Briggs test many times and every time I have gotten the same result—
INFP. I have found that 99% of the time, it describes me perfectly. I am a very deep and reflective thinker,
and it affects my every day life. Between the way I talk to people, to the way I get my schoolwork done.
When I meet somebody new I am usually more quiet and reserved, but once I get to know someone I am
an open book to the people I trust. As an INFP, I often have trouble focusing on my work because I’m so
distracted my the world inside my head. It’s why I write novels, so I can have an outlet and a way to
translate the world inside my head onto paper.
Unfortunately, in some ways my shy and reserved behavior can often lead people to mistake me
as stand-offish or stuck up. People think that because I don’t talk much, I don't want to talk to them. And
in all honesty, sometimes that’s true. Depending on what mood I’m in, sometimes I don’t feel like talking
to people, even if they’re my close friends. Other times after a long day of being alone I just want one or
two of my close friends to hang out with and talk to.
Being an INFP is something I am very proud of, despite the fact that it comes with its setbacks in
dealing with the real world. As I’ve grown older, I’ve learned to adapt to the world around me and accept
that it’s not always the way I think it should be. Nevertheless, I will always remain true to my core, in that
I am a creative, imaginative, romantic, idealistic person who loves to create music and stories to show
other people the world inside my crazy mind.
