The multifaceted Enneagram Type 4 has a sense of uniqueness; a sense that they are different from everyone else. Of course, while feeling different can be a good thing, it also means that Type 4s will experience feelings of alienation, like they are never quite right; like they will never fit in with the bulk of society. This sense of self is both a huge strength, as well as a weakness at times.
Type 4s are creative, authentic, and view the world through a kaleidoscope of colors. But, they find themselves wondering about their worth in a society they see as “cookie-cutter.” They are attuned to their emotions, but they also struggle with their emotional wellbeing if they fall into a period of bad luck.
This type’s goal is to be and remain authentic; to avoid being like everyone else. The dark side is their ongoing battle with the idea that they are somehow flawed, since they are setting themselves apart from the mainstream. A healthy Type 4 can find peace in their individuality, work, and artistic inclination by using their talents to express who they are to the world.
Expressive, dramatic, self-absorbed, and temperamental. These are some of the words used to describe the Enneagram Type 4. Many INFJs might shrink away from this negative terminology. But if you sit down and compare the INFJ personality profile to the Enneagram Type 4, the differences are surprisingly few. In fact, the only differences you may notice are the terms used to describe the types.
Uniqueness and creation is key to INFJ and Type 4 identity.
Creativity and artistic inclination are apparent in both the INFJ and the Enneatype 4. This creativity can manifest in many ways. Both the INFJ and the Type 4 like to channel their emotions through creative endeavors.
Both Type 4s and INFJs often feel that they have something unique to give back to the world, and getting there is one of their lifetime goals.
Like INFJs, Type 4s fear both failure and an inability to share their unique attributes with their peers.
INFJs and Type 4s don’t need the mainstream media to dictate what they should wear, how they should behave, or what their tastes should be. They both march to the beat of their own drum.
INFJs and Enneatype 4s are both moody. Their emotions play a large role in how they make their decisions, but that’s not to say it’s a negative thing: it can, in fact, be positive in the sense that these types are more attuned to the human condition than other types.
A connection to the human condition and empathy, since they are so attuned to emotions, appears in both typologies.
Their feelings of displacement in the world affects their self esteem for the better and the worse.
INFJs are intensely independent, and Type 4s are too. Sometimes, this might be mistaken for anti-social tendencies.
The Type 4 “self-absorption” is the Enneatype’s intense focus on their goals and achieving a feeling of acceptance amongst their peers. This is also true for INFJs.
Type 4s are artists, with a quirky personality like the INFJ that is both charming and enigmatic to the other personalities types. The Type 4 shares a very similar feeling of individuality that is hard to explain. They are likely to feel out of place often, and this may cause them to feel meandering. Despite this, these unique individuals contribute much to the world with their unique outlooks.
The main caveat for the INFJ-Type 4 is to stay true to themselves, without letting their feelings of alienation make them bitter or negative.
If you’re an INFJ, you’re likely an Enneatype 4: a true individual who doesn’t need the outside world to brighten your rich, artistic inner world.