ESFP 4w5 (A 7 Point Guide)

This blog provides a brief guide to the ESFP 4w5 personality type. SFP is a personality type derived from the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator personality system. And 4w5 is one of the personality types outlined in the Enneagram of Personality. We will begin by covering the primary traits, strengths, weaknesses and other features of the ESFP and 4w5 personality types. We will then look at the likelihood of these two types occurring together.

ESFP (The Entertainer):

ESFP is an MBTI personality type. The MBTI is a classification of 16 personality types. It is measured by the MBTI indicator and encompasses the different ways in which people perceive and engage with the world. The tool assigns people along 4 dimensions:  introversion vs. extraversion, sensing vs. intuition, thinking vs. feeling, judging vs. perceiving and generates one of 16 possible combinations as the final result. ESFP is one of the possible results you can get on the MBTI.

ESFPs are effervescent and charming and draw people to them. They are spontaneous and energetic and take pleasure in everything around them. ESFPs are outgoing and like to engage in new and vibrant experiences. They have a keen eye for aesthetics and are always open to new experiences. ESFPs are ardently social and love bringing people together through fun and laughter. ESFPs like to be the centre of attention and are usually the individuals who are the ‘life of the party’.

Although they may appear self-absorbed, ESFPs are actually very observant and sensitive to others feelings. They are supportive and always available to talk about someone’s problem. However, if the problem is about them, they prefer to avoid rather than address the issues.

ESFPs can be impulsive and focus on immediate pleasure rather than analysing and planning for the future. They usually rely on luck or a friend to keep them on track. Additionally, because ESFPs are so focused on having fun they go out of their way to avoid situations that interfere with this.

Characteristics:                                                    

·        Extraverted: Energised by spending time with other people.

·       Sensing: Focus on tangible experiences or facts rather than ideas and concepts

·       Feeling: Decisions are guided by feelings and values rather than cognition

·       Perceiving: Avoid planning and organising and adopt a spontaneous approach

Strengths:

·       Bold and open to new experiences

·       Original. Like to stand out

·       Good aesthetic sense

·       Prefer to see, do and experience rather than think

·    Focus on the here and now

·       Observant. Strong awareness of their surroundings and the needs of others

·       Excellent social skills. Witty, talkative and enjoy company.

Weaknesses:

·       Sensitive to criticism and highly emotional

·       Tendency to avoid conflict

·       Impulsivity and difficulty with long-term planning

·       Risky or over-indulgent behaviour

·       Easily bored

·       Difficulties with prolonged focus and persistence on tasks

·       Difficulty dealing in abstractions

If you’re facing this, it may be a good idea to seek the help of a therapist or other mental health professional. You can find a therapist at BetterHelp who can help you learn how to cope and address it.

ESFPs at work:

ESFPs are born entertainers and love engaging with people. They prefer an active and social work environment. Owing to their keen aesthetic sense, ESFPs thrive in careers in music, art, food or fashion. Work that does not produce immediate results and environments that are extremely rule-bound and bureaucratic are not suited to ESFPs. Because they are so tuned to people’s needs, ESFPs thrive in careers where they can serve others.

ESFPs prefer hands-on working experiences and are good at practical problem solving. Jobs that an ESFP would be well suited for include: actor, artist, designer, teacher, psychologist, social worker, real estate agent, public relations manager, corporate trainer etc.

ESFPs in relationships:

ESFPs have a natural interest in forming connections with people. They are warm, friendly and openly affectionate. They often go out of their way to make their loved ones happy. However, they dislike dealing with the complexities of relationships and have a tendency to avoid conflicts. Because of their focus on the here and now, ESFPs often neglect thinking about the future course of their relationship and find it difficult to maintain long term relationships.

4w5 (The Free Spirit):

4w5 (4 wing 5) is an enneagram type. It indicates Type 4 personality with a 5 wing. This means that this personality primarily has Type 4 traits, but also a few of Type 5. The enneagram is a personality typology system that focuses on the basic fears and motivations that guide the lives of individuals. It has been used widely in business and spiritual settings.

This system is made up of nine primary personality types. A nine point diagram helps to demonstrate how these nine types are connected to each other. In addition to the basic nine types, the system includes 27 different subtypes or wings as well as three primary central factors focusing on thinking, feeling and behaviour. According to the Enneagram, every personality type can be coupled with characteristics from one of its neighbouring personality types. Thus, type 4 is divided into two types: Type 4w3 and 4w5.

Type 4w5s are introspective and creative. They are extremely perceptive and seek to form a better understanding of themselves and the world around them. The basic fear of 4w5s is of not having an impact on the world. Although they are introverted, they still seek admiration and praise. Their basic desire is to discover their true self and form a unique identity. They are reserved, withdrawing from others into their inner world. 4w5s are a mix of the Heart and the Mind Triad on the enneagram. They combine the creativity and intuition of Type 4 with the shrewdness of Typ3 5 which results in them producing a lot of creative and original work.

Owing to their 5 wing, 4w5s are less dependent on other people. If they strive towards anything, they do it for themselves. Validation from others is secondary. 4w5s are resistant to help from others because they are afraid of being vulnerable. This vulnerability is tied to a fear of rejection and a fear that they will be too overwhelmed by the world around them. They are less focused on their public image and on impressing other people than 4w3s.

4w5s are usually unconventional people and have peculiar interests. They tend to live in their own heads and don’t pay much attention to the world around them. They often use this as a defence mechanism against difficulties in the real world.

Strengths:

·        Staying true to themselves

·        Curiosity and thirst for knowledge

·        Introspective and connected to their inner world

·        Creative problem solving

·        Objective and intellectual

Weaknesses:

·        Withdrawing from other people

·        Difficulty with real world, practical problems

·        Excessive self-centredness

·        Difficulty following rules and orders

4w5s at work:

4w5s emphasise independence and self-expression and thus prefer to work alone. Work environments that give them space to think and express themselves creatively are ideal for 4w5s.

Jobs that 4w5s would be well suited for include: writer, librarian, artist, architect, graphic designer, videographer, musician, actor.

4w5s in relationships:

4w5s tend to be withdrawn from others. They are overwhelmed when they spend too much time around other people.  Part of the reason 4w5s withdraw is because of a fear of rejection, courtesy of their Type 4 core. They dislike casual and superficial conversation and prefer talking about intellectually-stimulating topics. However, they are perceptive and have a good understanding of the world. They accept themselves completely, both their flaws and virtues, which can help them function well in relationships.

ESFP 4w5:

The MBTI and the Enneagram of Personality are two of the most popular personality classification systems. A number of attempts have been made to correlate the different types outlined in these two systems. These correlations may make it possible to provide individuals with a combined personality result such as, ESFP 4w5.

Most Type 4s are dominant in the introverted intuiting function. The type 4’s goals are twofold: self-awareness and self-expression. The first goal of self-awareness and the accompanying identity seeking behaviour is in line with MBTI types that have a dominant introverted intuiting function.

Thus, personality types such as INFJ and INFP is more likely to co-occur with Type 4s than ESFPs. 4w5s tend to be introverted and less dependent on the people around them, making it less likely that they will test as ESFPs. They prefer to live in their own fantasy worlds and avoid dealing with practical things, which is in opposition to ESFP characteristics. Thus, the likelihood of a 4w5 testing as an ESFP is low.

Conclusion:

In this guide, we looked at ESFPs and 4w5s. We began by examining the traits, strengths, weaknesses and other aspects of these two types individually. We then shifted our focus to the likelihood of these two personality types co-occurring as ESFP 4w5.  

FAQ on ‘ESFP 4w5’:

What Enneagram is ESFP?

A major chunk of ESFPs identify as Type 7s. They tend to be highly extraverted, energetic and sociable.

What is the rarest Enneagram type?

The rarest Enneagram type is said to be Type 4. This is often because Type 4s go unnoticed because they tend to be introverted and withdrawn.

Are ESFP manipulative?

ESFPs are not usually manipulative. However, they are very trusting and take most tings at face value. This makes it easier for other people to manipulate them.

Who should an ESFP marry?

ESFPs are compatible with ISTJs and ISFJs which makes this personality types good marital partners. However, two healthy individuals can enjoy a good marital relationship, irrespective of personality compatibility.

What is the most common Enneagram type?

The most common Enneagram type is Type 9.

Is the Enneagram more accurate than the MBTI?

Both personality systems have certain inaccuracies. However, neither can be considered better than the other. In fact, a number of correlations have been found between certain Enneagram and MBTI types.

References:

https://www.crystalknows.com/enneagram/type-4-wing-5

https://personalityjunkie.com/01/enneagram-type-four-4w5-4w3-infjs-infps-intjs-intps/

https://www.truity.com/personality-type/ESFP

https://www.verywellmind.com/esfp-extraverted-sensing-feeling-perceiving-2795984

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