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INFJs aren't all passion and creativity.
By Olivia Nemec — Last updated on Jan 10, 2023
Your Myers-Briggs personality type can tell you a lot about yourself — your strengths and weaknesses, relationship advice, career advice, and general personality traits.
But what about the not-so-glamorous side of your personality type?
Though INFJs, the rarest personality type, see the world through an idealistic lens, their positive personality traits often compete with their negative traits. Whether you know an INFJ personality type, or are one yourself, this information could really help you.
INFJs are creative, insightful, decisive and passionate, but what are their weaknesses?
5 Dark Traits of the INFJ Personality Type
1. Sensitive
INFJs are incredibly sensitive, which sometimes is a good thing. They are very in tune with their emotions and are highly empathetic; however, this can be off-putting for others.
They are quick to have hurt feelings, be offended, and are particularly susceptible to other peoples' moods. If an INFJ is in the same space with someone who is in a bad mood, odds are the INFJ will then take on that mood.
2. Secretive
If you're trying to get an INFJ to open up to you, good luck — they're a sealed vault. Sharing their feelings or opening up in any way just won't happen.
It's safe to say that the INFJ has 15 passwords on their phone, runs some kind of secret social media account, and hides their true self from the rest of the world. If you think you know them, you are very wrong.
Breaking through to them isn't easy, but once you push past the rough exterior, INFJs are natural nurturers and will go out of their way to help you reach your full potential.
3. Perfectionist
Their perfectionist tendencies are particularly annoying when an INFJ is trying to get a task done in a timely manner. If they're working on something, even a task as simple as making dinner or cleaning, and it isn't done to their standard of perfection, things will not go well.
This perfectionist attitude, combined with their high sensitivity, makes them particularly volatile if they're faced with their own failure.
4. Self-righteous
INFJs are so passionate, which means they are prone to being a little obsessed with their cause. Okay, a lot obsessed with their cause.
Because they must have a cause at any given time, they are likely found at social events talking to others about politics, conservation, or human rights. They love to encourage others to take action because they are such "doers" themselves. Being complacent just isn't in their nature!
While this is an admirable quality, they tend to rub people the wrong way with their never ending quest to start some kind of revolution.
5. Jaded
INFJs tend to burn out easily. Whether it's work tasks, social situations, or even doing things they enjoy, doing any single task for too long will likely involve the INFJ abandoning it and needing several hours to recover.
They are easily overwhelmed and easily distracted, which means people must approach them using kid gloves; INFJ will do the task and do it well, as their perfectionist nature requires, but they're going to do it on their terms, in small increments, with episodes of "Law and Order" in between.
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Olivia Nemec is a writer and former contributor to YourTango who covers astrology, pop culture, and relationships.