ENFP Cognitive Functions

Extroverted Intuition bestows us with the gift of imagination. It empowers our life visions and sets us free from our limiting beliefs and built-up boundaries. It utilizes patterns and trends to connect with the tangible reality. Extroverted intuition is sensitive to impression and ambiance rather than specific details. This function thrives on venturing into the world's awestruck mysteries. It leads us to intuitively flow through the stream of anticipation on what is yet to be unleashed.

The dominant cognitive function is the core of our ego and consciousness. Also called the ‘Hero or Heroine', the dominant function is our most natural and favorite mental process and primary mode of interacting with the world.

Extroverted Intuition (Ne) in the dominant position grants ENFPs the gift of imagination. It allows them to utilize patterns and trends to connect with the outside world. Their energy focuses on pursuing their curiosity to explore things yet to be unraveled. ENFPs break boundaries and limiting beliefs with the help of their dominant function. They embrace diverse cultures and possibilities as long as it leads them to a reasonable destination of growth and learning.

Introverted Feeling bestows us with the gift of feeling. It navigates through the deepest corners of our thoughts and emotions. Fi flows through our values and seeks an in-depth meaning of life. It allows us to stay in the lane of our boundaries and identity amidst external pressure. This intensive cognitive function feels the pain of others and likes to be the knight for those in need.

The auxiliary cognitive function, known as the 'Mother' or 'Father', helps guide the dominant function in perceiving the world and is what we use when comforting others.

Introverted Feeling (Fi) in the auxiliary position balances dominant Ne with the gift of feeling. It stops ENFPs from being pulled in different directions and guides them to center their lives on their deeply-held values and beliefs. Through this function, they manage to listen to their inner selves despite the loud and scattered clamor of the outside world. Fi guides them to stay on their lane and commit to authenticity, integrity, and a sense of right and wrong. They use their auxiliary function to decide on every opportunity that lands their way. ENFPs also tend to connect and comfort others through Fi by tuning in to their feelings and inner thoughts.

Extroverted Thinking bestows us with the gift of efficiency. It employs our analytical reasoning and objectivity. Te is forged in the supremacy of external systems, knowledge, and order. Extroverted thinking adheres to facts rather than fleeting emotions. It gives no time for silly chit-chats and focuses on purely significant matters. It boosts our passion and enthusiasm for informative discourse to expand our horizons of wisdom and knowledge.

The tertiary cognitive function is what we enjoy using to relax, calm, and take the pressure off our overused dominant and auxiliary functions. Known as the ‘The Child or Relief,' it feels like taking a break from ourselves and is playful and child-like. It is what we use when feeling silly, natural, and accepted.

Extroverted Thinking (Te) in the tertiary position relieves the dominant Ne and auxiliary Fi with the gift of efficiency. It makes the lives of ENFPs easier to lead and balance despite being spontaneous with their live events. Organizing and logically arranging their priorities ease their anxiety, making them more relaxed and calm. It allows them to manage their time and avoid being trapped in the loop of their imaginative and introspective tendencies. ENFPs also enjoy being with people who use Te for they find security and comfort in their existence.

Introverted Sensing bestows us with the gift of details. It consults the detailed past to gain wisdom while living in the present. We recall and revisit memories and acquired information through this function. It constantly stores sensory data to balance our current views and opinions. Introverted Sensing teaches us to credit proven facts and life experiences instead of mere instincts. It counsels us to avoid committing the same mistakes twice.

The inferior cognitive function is our weakest and most suppressed cognitive function in the depths of our ego and consciousness. We hide this part of ourselves, embarrassed of our inability to wield it effectively. As we age and mature, we embrace and develop our inferior function, providing deep fulfillment from coming to the pinnacle of our personal growth and the end of our own hero's journey.

Introverted Sensing (Si) in the inferior position occupies the least space in the minds of ENFPs. Their eagerness for novel and spontaneous adventures makes them forget about the existing solutions and basic needs of their body such as eating food on time and taking medications to improve their health. As Introverted Sensing is their inferior function, doing simple chores may feel boring and dull to them as it forces them outside their imaginative dominant Ne. ENFPs may perceive people who use Si as typically uninteresting as they focus on real-world data and experiences rather than swimming through the endless oceans of possibilities.

Introverted Intuition bestows us with the gift of intuition. The world of the unconscious is its working site. It is a forward-thinking function that intuitively knows without trying hard. It allows us to experience the unpredictable excitement of “eureka” moments through our unconscious processing. Ni also enables us to see beyond what meets the eye. It follows through an abstract pattern of how the world works and lingers on the whys of life.

The opposing shadow function, also known as the Nemesis, calls out our doubts and paranoia and acts in opposition to our dominant function, questioning the way it sees the world.

Introverted Intuition (Ni) in the opposing position troubles the minds of ENFPs as it contradicts their dominant Ne. It opposes their ways of generating multiple alternatives to come up with best-fit solutions by foreseeing effects and implications. ENFPs feel frustrated and destabilized experiencing their Ni function. Their gift of intuition calls out their self-inflicted doubts and paranoia around people who use Ni and perceive them as needlessly oppositional and egoistic. As they tap into their opposing function, they may start to think things like "Why are they ignoring my brilliant ideas?", "Why am I being stopped from exploring other possible options?", or "Why are they purposely negating everything I suggest?". They become stubborn in overthinking negative outcomes.

Extroverted Feeling bestows us with the gift of empathy. It advocates for the greater good than focusing on individual desires. It entrusts a strong sense of integrity and ethics. We instinctively tune in to moral and cultural values to maintain peace and harmony through this function. Fe enables us to feel for others even without fully experiencing their situations. It motivates us to keep and nurture our social connections and relationships.

The critical shadow function criticizes and belittles ourselves or others and thinks nothing of humiliating and ridiculing in its search for control.

Extroverted Feeling (Fe) in the critical shadow position attacks the ego by inflicting shame and disappointment. It criticizes their inability to be in harmony with those around them as they prefer to tune in to their inner values and beliefs. ENFPs may feel disconnected from others and may not know how to respond to their needs. They tend to feel ashamed and frustrated as they get awkwardly stuck in a group where they do not fit in. As they tap into their critical shadow function, ENFPs may start to have intrusive thoughts such as "Why am I such a weirdo?", "I am too selfish to think of others.", or "Why are they trying to please everyone and lose themselves in the process?"

Introverted Thinking bestows us with the gift of logic. Interrelated knowledge and patterns gear it up. Ti conquers life through an internal framework built by experiences and educated trial and error. It drives us to logically interlink everything we come across. Introverted thinking thrives in the act of rational troubleshooting. Ambiguity holds no place in it as it constantly pursues learning and growth. It empowers us to grasp how things work from the nitty-gritty to the most profound complexities.

The trickster shadow function is sly, malicious, and deceptive, manipulating and snaring people into our traps.

Introverted Thinking (Ti) in the trickster position irks ENFPs with its overwhelming inward and logical approach. As they prefer Extroverted Thinking in processing information, they tend to get exhausted mapping out every detail to make an idea work. ENFPs get stuck in analysis paralysis when they utilize their trickster, failing to come up with a logical conclusion. Consequently, they manipulate others who use Ti by subtly ridiculing their thoughts to invalidate their arguments and rational troubleshooting. They deflect the attention from themselves and mock their opponents to reverse and control the situation.

Extroverted Sensing bestows us with the gift of senses. Tangible reality is its default battleground. Se conquers life through sensory experiences, enhancing their sight, sound, smell, and bodily movements. It lets us adhere to the stimuli of the physical world. Extroverted sensing ignites courage to seize moments while they last. It urges us to act right instantly instead of staying idle in the what-ifs.

The demon shadow function is our least developed function, deeply unconscious and far removed from our ego. Our relationship with this function is so strained that we struggle with relating to, and often demonize, people who use this as their dominant function.

Extroverted Sensing (Se) in the demon shadow position is the least developed function of ENFPs. Tuning into the sensory details of their lives confuses and exhausts their dominant Ne. They prefer to see the world as how it could be rather than how it currently is. Since they do not use this function on a daily basis, they outright struggle in committing to the practicality of the real world. They end up projecting negative energy to those who use Se. They get infuriated by their approach of adhering to the present and physical stimuli around them. Fixating themselves to the real world is not their forte as they live in the world of impressions and possibilities.