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the highly developed INFJ

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what does a highly developed infj look like? what would be the general characteristics of this highly developed personality? is there an end point for development as an infj, of a sort of self-actualisation, or does an infj just continue to develop?

i'm not completely sure of my thoughts on this except sometimes i feel that i experience rapid growth periods in my personal development, that change my ways of perceiving or thinking or behaving. i think that in some ways as i experience more of these periods of growth i am becoming more complete or more completely realised as a person or something. the growth levels have also seemed less dramatic and less painful over time.

also interested in what other types might know or imagine about their most developed state and how they may differ to the highly developed infj.

thanks for any ideas!

[EDIT sorry i noticed there is a thread currently trending on what a mature ENTP type is like. sorry i didn't see it before i posted this thread and i didn't mean to hijack it or something like that. it's here http://forums.infjs.com/showthread.php?p=355833#post355833 ]
 
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An ENFJ ;)

No, it depends on the individual in my eyes. Each person has their strengths, weakness, goals and aspirations and their ideal's may be similar but ultimately it comes down to their person at hand. For me I think my up bringing has strongly influenced me more so than most people, it's hard to say what I want at this time and I have no real concept of how I'd be if my circumstances were more desirable.
 
Angantyr said:
An ENFJ ;)

No, it depends on the individual in my eyes. Each person has their strengths, weakness, goals and aspirations and their ideal's may be similar but ultimately it comes down to their person at hand. For me I think my up bringing has strongly influenced me more so than most people, it's hard to say what I want at this time and I have no real concept of how I'd be if my circumstances were more desirable.
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thanks! i agree that there is a strong individual component to development. but also, is it possible that an introvert might develop a slightly different set of skills or abilities in approaching life to those of an extravert, because of differences that are directly related to this aspect of their personalities?
 
I would say that a highly developed INFJ would have a lot of emotional calmness about them, which would allow their insightfulness and spontaneous Ni ideas to shine. They would probably also play a helper/mentoring role and most people around them would feel comforted and cared for. I have these moments when I shift into a more well-developed state and use my Fe to take care of people as well as myself. It comes and goes.

I remember taking a course called CISM (Crisis Incident Stress Management) which is basically a form of front-line counselling for disasters to help people engage their own healthy coping mechanisms. The final exercise had us run through a scenario and counsel someone who underwent a (theoretical) trauma. I remember feeling really natural and engaged, and got really positive criticisms from my group. This was very much an Fe activity and helped to pull me out of Ni/Ti mode.
 
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I hope we never reach an endpoint in development--for any type. I would say a mature and developed INFJ would have strong Fe and Ni with the ability to use T functions too. They would be in touch with their extroversion, but would not be married to it, realizing the wisdom in silence. They would love people and always look for the best in them, but would not be fooled by the worst of them either. They would want to help always, but would know a lost cause. They would live to teach and love, but would always be a little sad.

They'd listen and offer advice if asked, but would never push it on you. And they would always see another way to get something done or solve a problem. They would value love as highly as gold, and would hold books in as high a regards as friends. They will love to write and hate to be overly smug about it. Most of all they would want to share...
 
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^^^
The above sounds spot on. A big chunk of it is developing your Fe. I think learning how to use your Ni constructively is a big part of it, too. This usually comes out best in writing. Actually, most INFJ's have trouble understanding what Ni really is for a while.
I guess a well developed INFJ can balance their need for structure with their creative ideas. They seem to be more comfortable around people; become more natural and fluent speakers, and don't second guess themselves as much. A developed INFJ would likely have a very wise, insightful view of the world, and with the help of Fe, they become natural advice givers and mentors and lead by example.

I watched Invictus a couple days ago, and I think Nelson Mandela could be a good example of a mature INFJ. Friendly, always planning for the good of others, an excellent creative problem solver; still reserved, complex and quiet; but also a fluent and confident speaker and an inspirational leader when he needs to be.
 
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LOL, i laughed at some of the advice. it seems i've trained myself pretty well in some departments. talking to sensors was a big part. i'd usually want to go ahead and explain what i thought, but i realized that i got a lot better results using just "yes or no." i'm so used to it now...i'm not sure how to go back. way to fuck myself, sigh.
 
I think the development of Fe and good Ti is guaranteed with most INFJs with age. But one thing that an ENFJ has over an INFJ is their Se tertiary. A highly developed INFJ would be able to use Se to de-stress and relax by being more intune with their environment and the current moment, distinguish unrealistically negative thinking patterns, help them relax in social situations etc.

I think Se helps a lot to counteract the intrinsic neuroticism in being an introvert.
 
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Orion said:
I think the development of Fe and good Ti is guaranteed with most INFJs with age. But one thing that an ENFJ has over an INFJ is their Se tertiary. A highly developed INFJ would be able to use Se to de-stress and relax by being more intune with their environment and the current moment, distinguish unrealistically negative thinking patterns, help them relax in social situations etc.

I think Se helps a lot to counteract the intrinsic neuroticism in being an introvert.
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+1

Se really can not be ignored in INFJ's. It leads to a tremendos stifiling of the potential they can unleash. There variations within INFJ types themselves, and these little differences will change what needs to be developed in the person or not.

I do also have to say, contrary to what is thought, just because one is an INFJ, does not mean their Ni and Fe are going to developed. For lack of a better word, they can be absolute shit in some INFJ's.
 
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Gandhi, nuff said.
 
IndigoSensor said:
I do also have to say, contrary to what is thought, just because one is an INFJ, does not mean their Ni and Fe are going to developed. For lack of a better word, they can be absolute shit in some INFJ's.
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An INFJ, with under developed Ni? Interesting.
 
Orion said:
An INFJ, with under developed Ni? Interesting.
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You can use Ni a lot, but just because you use it a lot doesn't mean it is used well.
 
You kinda need to develop another function to keep the dominant in check. Otherwise, the feedback loop won't get going.
 
KazeCraven said:
You kinda need to develop another function to keep the dominant in check. Otherwise, the feedback loop won't get going.
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And it'll turn from a loop into a arc straight up and straight down as you do repeated mental face-plants XD. A half-loop of perpetual stoopid.
 
IndigoSensor said:
You can use Ni a lot, but just because you use it a lot doesn't mean it is used well.
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I don't really get this. If one doesn't even use their dominant function well, that would make you a mess of a person.
 
I agree with much of this, but resonate particularly well with Zero Angel, Questingpoet and Johnathan.
 
something else that interested me about the article i posted was the stuff about anger.

anger is interesting to me. when i was very depressed i had a lot of trouble feeling anger. i think that largely i was taught not to feel it. i usually became very angry with myself and my inability to help people when i was depressed. after i recovered more, i started being able to direct my anger externally and feel it towards someone else. at times i felt very powerful as i became angry in this way. i realised i had the power to take a person apart with my anger.

although i have since acted in this way, and that i have completely taken people apart with my anger, when i have considered the outcomes in retrospect, i have thought that i could have gotten much better outcomes if i had not acted on my anger this way, both for myself and for the people i felt anger towards. usually part of the reason i felt anger was because i cared, and acting out my anger was not the most useful way to express caring.

i really think it's important to be able to feel anger, to recognise my feelings of it and allow myself to feel it. but what this article said about when you act your anger you lose, that really rang true with me. acting on anger does not get the best result.
 
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