Written by: Stacey Lim
The 4 types of Explorers
ISTP (Virtuoso) – Explorers
Bold and practical experimenters, masters of all kinds of tools
Personality Traits – Introverted, Observant, Thinking, Prospecting
Strengths – Optimistic and Energetic, Creative and Practical, Spontaneous and Rational, Knows How to Prioritise, Great in a Crisis, Relaxed
Weaknesses – Stubborn, Insensitive, Private and Reserved, Easily Bored, Dislikes Commitment, Risky Behaviour
General Description:
ISTPs are visual and kinaesthetic explorers who love investigating the world around them with their sense of rationalism and enthusiastic curiosity. They explore and test their ideas through the creations they build and other hands-on experiences. They are the builders – they love taking things apart and putting them back together. ISTPs tend to take on multiple projects, jumping between tasks and creating valuable items, all while learning from the things around them. Individuals with these personalities will also appreciate it if you show interest in what they are doing, even if it means that you get up close and personal, trying to find out more. However, this is if you do not interfere with their goals and ideals of freedom. Another key trait of ISTPs is that they enjoy sharing their experiences and helping others, especially with people they hold close to their hearts.
Even though ISTPs may seem like simple beings, they can be pretty complex. Individuals with this personality are often friendly yet private, calm yet spontaneous, curious yet unfocused, and sometimes their characters can be rather unpredictable, even for those close to them. ISTPs may also seem loyal and stable at times, although there are chances that they might explode from the pent up energy, suddenly switching the directions of their passions.
ISTPs make decisions based on rationality and practicality. They strongly believe in fairness, adopting the “do unto others” attitude. This assumption of how everything is and should be fair tends to result in ISTPs finding it difficult to sense and predict the emotions of others. These personalities also tend to act impulsively, assuming that others are the same. These individuals are the ones who tell insensitive jokes, get all up in someone else’s business, and make drastic changes to current plans as newer, more exciting ones are offered. Yet, many ISTPs take time to recognise that others with different personality types have specific rules and boundaries, including refraining from engaging in horseplay or insensitive jokes. And sometimes, when ISTPs violate these boundaries due to their preference for freedom, consequences will soon follow, so this is something they might want to be wary of.
Romantic Relationships:
Just as ISTPs are seemingly simple yet complex beings in their daily lives, this characteristic is seen in their relationships. It can be exciting to date ISTPs however it is also important to note that these individuals tend to alternate between various states. For example, they shift from being cold and detached to being passionate and excited in relationships and back to being cold every so often. The key to having a relationship with ISTPs is giving them physical and mental space. When given freedom, individuals with this personality tend to enjoy the moments with their partners in stable relationships for a longer time, usually a lifetime.
For ISTPs, intimacy is a way of expressing themselves emotionally. This is because individuals with this personality tend to conceal their feelings, trying to protect their emotions as they are unsure how to deal with and express them. And trying to force these emotions out of them only makes it worse, sending these ISTPs into a state of slight anxiety. To these individuals, love and intimacy are a form of art, a source of pleasure.
As ISTPs are on the constant hunt for new experiences, activities to try, and things to learn, they need to find someone as passionate as they are in these interests. Those who are most suitable for ISTPs In cases where a potential partner cannot match the energy of these ISTPs, individuals with this personality become more than willing to walk away from these potential partners. This is especially so if these others try to force these ISTPs to do something they dislike or do not want to do. Yet interestingly, on the flip side, ISTPs have no issues trying to change their partner's habits, trying to get them to relax, loosen up, and have fun.
Friendships:
With their wide variety of hobbies, it is easy for ISTPs to make friends, or rather acquaintances, by finding common topics with others. Individuals with these personalities are often widespread and attractive to many other characters for their open-mindedness, numerous interests, and relaxed attitude. So ISTPs tend to have many acquaintances. Instead, developing a more profound friendship with these ISTPs is trickier. As ISTPs enjoy having new experiences and living in the present, they do not want to be tied down to any single person or activity. They believe that "everything can be changed", so do not try to force them to constantly commit to scheduled activities if you want to maintain your friendship with your ISTP friends. Instead, try to keep things relaxed and flexible. And since ISTPs have various interests and hobbies, finding a fun activity to try out with them could be a breeze. You just need to find an activity that you both enjoy.
ISFP (Adventurer) – Explorers
Flexible and charming artists, always ready to explore and experience something new
Personality Traits – Introverted, Observant, Feeling, Prospecting
Strengths – Charming, Sensitive to Others, Imaginative, Passionate, Curious, Artistic
Weaknesses – Fiercely Independent, Unpredictable, Easily Stressed, Overly Competitive, Fluctuating Self-Esteem
General Description:
ISFPs are creative; they are artists. They express themselves uniquely in various aspects, such as how they spend their time or switch up their clothing styles. ISFPs are curious beings who enjoy exploring and trying new things and have various passions and interests. Individuals with this personality can find joy in their everyday lives. Yet, they tend to be overly humble, not realising amazing they are because to themselves, they are simply “just doing their things”.
ISFPs love meeting people, even those who are vastly different or those who may not always agree with them, and they are highly open to new opinions and would be more than willing to give people second chances. These individuals also tend to be very flexible, adaptable, and open-minded when approaching various aspects of their lives. They take things as they come and prefer to live life in the moment, so fixed schedules and routines are not their thing. ISFPs also tend to have a go-with-the-flow mentality. However, they are often unsure about their futures, their goals, and how to achieve them with long-term plans. A significant worry of theirs is that they might disappoint and let others down. A potential solution that ISFPs could try implementing is to include some structure into their lives which can benefit them, helping them feel more efficient and organised. It is also crucial for ISFPs to take some time for themselves. Otherwise, they may begin to feel overwhelmed by external forces and their everyday lives.
As ISFPs tend to do their own thing, many assume that individuals with this personality would not worry about how others view them. Although, this is not usually the case as ISFPs are intuitive and empathetic individuals. They can pick up the emotions and thoughts of others, and they may get upset if they feel that others dislike them or what they do is not being appreciated. They might get frustrated and “explode” in extravagant ways when this occurs. Despite this, something positive is that ISFPs rarely hold on to grudges or things that made them upset in the past as they choose to appreciate present moments.
Romantic Relationships:
Even though ISFPs are emotional individuals, they are also pretty mysterious. In most cases, they would rather listen to and understand the emotions of others rather than spend time expressing their own. They focus on the needs and feelings of their partners instead of themselves. Although, if these individuals feel accepted and comfortable, they will warm up and can be enthusiastic partners who help keep the relationships fascinating. They are caring, loyal, and enjoy planning exciting surprises for their loved ones.
Individuals with this personality enjoy spending quality time with their partners and showing their partners that they appreciate and care for them. As much as ISFPs love to make their partners feel cared for, individuals with this personality greatly appreciate it when their partners show their affection is valued, even when they do not ask for it. This is something that ISFPs can work on when it comes to their relationships, to learn to express their feelings and communicate with their partners better so that their needs are met. When it comes to rational or strategic situations, ISFPs prefer to leave the decision-making and leading role in the relationship to their partners rather than try to tackle it themselves.
Friendships:
In their relationships, ISFPs are warm, friendly, and caring individuals who genuinely enjoy spending quality time with the people close to them. Yet, as these individuals are introverts, they still require some alone time to recharge their social batteries after interacting with others, helping them reconnect to their true selves.
ISFPs are relaxed, non-judgemental and spontaneous individuals who do not let things like conflicts and long-term plans hold them down. This trait makes it easy for them to interact with and get along with others. Individuals with this personality are also not particularly fans of and have relatively short attention spans for activities such as intellectually stimulating debates over such issues as political happenings. Such actions can often leave ISTPs drained. Instead, they enjoy going on casual outings, trying something new and fun.
Individuals with the ISFP personality are “doers”, not “thinkers”, and they believe in the power of actions more than words. This often helps them get over their shyness when meeting new people. However, as ISFPs are more emotionally in-tune with and sensitive to emotions, they have more time to feel connected and open up to new people. If others judge these ISFPs for who they are or what they do, they might take it too personally, resulting in feelings of sadness or just closing off completely. Alternatively, if you have friends with ISFP personalities, try being more supportive and relaxed to foster stronger friendships with these individuals that are filled with laughter and excitement.
ESTP (Entrepreneur) – Explorers
Smart, energetic and very perceptive people, who truly enjoy living on the edge
Personality Traits – Extraverted, Observant, Thinking, Prospecting
Strengths – Bold, Rational and Practical, Original, Perceptive, Direct, Sociable
Weaknesses – Insensitive, Impatient, Risk-Prone, Unstructured, May Miss the Bigger Picture, Defiant
General Description:
ESTPs are the life of the party – they love attention. They are the people who would volunteer to go up on stage or eagerly volunteer a shy friend of theirs. These personalities also have a short attention span for discussions like theories or abstract concepts. ESTPs prefer to live in the moment, taking things as they come and fixing things instead of planning. They enjoy the drama, passions and pleasures of daily life – not for the emotional aspect but rather the stimulation it gives their rational minds as they are required to make logical decisions and responses on the spot.
ESTPs are passionate and enthusiastic individuals with highly rational minds. They are inspiring individuals and natural leaders who would lead their team through exciting non-conventional paths. Individuals with this personality also enjoy hands-on experiences and dislike formal structures. They believe that rules are made to be broken and that they should follow their moral values than someone else’s. Although, if ESTPs use this energy to focus on things such as formal education and keep themselves out of trouble, they can be remarkable individuals. Although, it is essential for ESTPs not to get too caught up in the moment to prevent hurting others or risking their well-being.
Romantic Relationships:
ESTPs enjoy living in the moment. They might not spend much time in future planning, but their passion and eagerness can make them great partners who keep their relationships exciting. Individuals with this personality can easily create long lists of potential activities and interests that encourage their partners to participate in. ESTPs are pretty in tune with the needs of their partners. Yet, ESTPs face challenges in gaining intimacy with their partners. Their ideals of physical, emotional and spiritual connections might result in disagreements as their expectations tend to differ from those of their partners. ESTPs may find it tough to reach more profound and emotionally intimate levels of connectedness with their partners. However, with the flexible and curious nature of ESTPs, it is still relatively easy for them to maintain the excitement in their relationships. Despite this, individuals with ESTP personalities still need to work on specific aspects of themselves to improve their relationships, such as their emotional sensitivity towards others and long-term planning skills.
Friendships:
ESTPs are never dull. They have a sense of imagination and spontaneity that most envy and love exploring new ideas. These personalities also tend to be naturally popular due to their easy-going, patient, confident, charismatic nature. An ESTP’s idea of fun is hands-on, physical activities, such as team sports, that serve as a platform for them to meet new friends. When it comes to the conversations they tend to have with their friends, ESTPs much rather have an action-oriented discussion about things they can do rather than the “what ifs” and “somedays” of the future. If you want to be friends with an ESTP, be prepared for a ton of exploration and excitement as adventures await you both in this thrilling friendship.
ESFP (Entertainer) – Explorers
Spontaneous, energetic and enthusiastic people – life is never boring around them
Personality Traits – Extraverted, Observant, Feeling, Prospecting
Strengths – Bold, Original, Aesthetics and Showmanship, Practical, Observant, Excellent People Skills
Weaknesses – Sensitive, Conflict-Averse, Easily Bored, Poor Long-Term Planers, Unfocused
General Description:
ESFPs are very generous when it comes to their time and energy. Individuals with this personality are quickly excited by the heat of the moment. They want nothing more than for everyone else to feel the same way, often encouraging others to excite and participate. These personalities are social beings who love the spotlight, perform, have fun with their friends, and make every outing feel like a party.
Those with the ESFP personality also have an eye for aesthetics in various areas such as fashion and interior design, amongst others. As curious beings, they also love trying new styles and techniques while creating an attractive manner to call their own. They are also susceptible to the emotions of those around them. If you need emotional support or advice, ESFPs are the people to go to as they are usually eager to help. Even though they enjoy helping others with their problems, it is a different story when it comes to their challenges in life. ESFPs try to avoid conflict as much as possible, especially if they are the targets of criticism.
As ESFPs tend to be spontaneous souls that live in the moment and focus on immediate pleasures, they also tend to neglect responsibilities. ESFPs are poor planners, so complex analysis, repetitive tasks, and statistics might seem too complicated and challenging for these personalities. Instead, they would rather dive head in, rely on luck, and ask others for help. With this in mind, ESFPs can work on considering their long-term plans and planning early for things such as their retirement.
Romantic Relationships:
Those with the ESFP personality love living in the moment. They are social, outgoing, open-minded, affectionate, fun-loving, and free-spirited individuals. However, they are also poor planners. In their relationships, ESFPs focus on spontaneous fun with their partners and outings they can enjoy together, rather than things like future planning. The thrills and excitement of dating an ESFP simply make the relationship unforgettable. They always have plans for new activities to try with their partners and genuinely enjoy spending quality time with their partners. However, ESFPs also tend to avoid promises and jump from partner to partner relatively frequently, which negatively impacts any long-term goals they might have.
It takes time and effort to build strong relationships filled with love and affection. And luckily for ESFPs, this is not something very difficult for them as they are people who enjoy small pleasures, and they are usually okay with partners who lack diversity. When it comes to their relationships, they are enthusiastic, affectionate and down-to-love individuals. They also prefer taking time to find the right person for them, someone who they can click with, who they could enjoy every exciting moment with, instead of choosing to settle early.
Friendships:
With their extrovert trait, ESFPs are highly social individuals who enjoy sharing exciting experiences with those around them. This makes it easy for them to make new friends. And since these ESFPs are action-oriented, they enjoy trying out various hands-on activities with their friends. Individuals with the ESFP personality are also great at starting and holding conversations with others. They could easily chat for hours and gladly talk about anything that comes to mind, and the topics are rarely forced. Conversations with ESFPs also tend to be light-hearted, focusing on fun rather than deeper heart-to-heart topics.
However, as ESFPs prefer to live in the moment, history and sentiment are of lesser concern. Due to this, ESFPs tend to jump from friend group to friend group once the excitement and adventure of their friendship get worn out. This spontaneity makes it quite challenging for these individuals to build and maintain strong, lasting friendships. Even though this trait may make ESFPs seem shallow, pleasure-centric, and selfish, this is far from true as these individuals also care deeply for their friends. These individuals put in a lot of effort when planning outings with their friends and new experiences they can try together. As ESFPs are in-tune with their emotions and are sensitive to the feelings of those around them, they also tend to get affected when potential friendship ending conflicts arise.
When it comes to the friends they make, ESFPs choose to pursue friendships with various personality types and individuals with different perspectives. Although, it is essential to note that as much as they love intellectually stimulating conversations, the moment the topic shifts to something about long-term plans or consequences, these ESFPs with a start tuning out.
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Now that you know a little more about the Explorer personality types, are you an Explorer? To find out, you can try this quiz, https://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test.
Check out our other articles on the 16 Personalities (MBTI):
References
Adventurer. 16 Personalities. Retrieved from https://www.16personalities.com/isfp-personality.
Entertainer. 16 Personalities. Retrieved from https://www.16personalities.com/esfp-personality.
Entrepreneur. 16 Personalities. Retrieved from https://www.16personalities.com/estp-personality.
Personality Types. (n.d.). 16 Personalities. Retrieved from https://www.16personalities.com/personality-types.
Roles: Explorers. (n.d.). 16 Personalities. Retrieved from https://www.16personalities.com/articles/roles-explorers.
Virtuoso. (n.d.). 16 Personalities. Retrieved from https://www.16personalities.com/istp-personality.
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