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What Might be a Challenge for an ESFP?

What Might be a Challenge for an ESFP?

By Donna Dunning

People who prefer ESFP (Responder) enjoy action, interaction, and distractions. Often highly sociable, they are quick to join or initiate a fun activity.

As one Responder commented to me: “I will always go to coffee when someone asks me to join them. No task is too important and no deadline too essential to prevent me from stopping for a few minutes to visit and enjoy the day.”

I see this “enjoy the moment” approach as one of the greatest strengths of Responders (ESFPs and ESTPs).

However, greatest strengths often link to corresponding challenges. Sometimes ESFPs can become so distracted by the moment that they struggle to complete important tasks (especially boring or routine ones).

Doing un-fun stuff

OK, un-fun isn’t a real word, but you know what I mean. Completing unappealing or seemingly irrelevant tasks can be a challenge when an ESFP is distracted by more enjoyable, social activities.

It is easy for people with these preferences to find something (anything) else to do when wanting to avoid the mundane. So, how can the ESFP get past this tendency?

Tune into your values

If you have ESFP preferences, it is important to reflect and focus your energy on what is important to you.

ESFPs can do this by engaging Introverted Feeling (Fi), or in more practical terms, taking time to consider how you and others might be affected by your actions.

Sometimes this can backfire and reinforce your desire to play in the moment with others, but it can also help you find motivation to do what needs to be done.

For example, focusing on how tasks will help or please others or make things better for yourself may give you a practical reason to get things done. Also, thinking about who might be negatively affected if the task is not completed can help you follow thorough with un-fun activities.

Interested in learning more about how ESFPs tend to act and interact? Here are a few posts you might like.

Responders (ESTP and ESFP) Personality Type Preferences and Stress

Developing Your Type: ESFP

Narratives of Type: Responders (ESTPs and ESFPs)

Responder (ESTPs and ESFPs) Career Success Stories and Strategies

Is there an ESFP in your Life?

Introduction to Type and Communication describes in detail how personality preferences influence communications.

If you live in the USA, Introduction to Type and Communication is now available on Kindle.

 

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This entry was posted on Friday, November 30th, 2012 at 7:39 am and is filed under Blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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