Here’s What You Can Teach the World, Based on Your Personality Type

Every personality type has a lesson to teach the world. Some of us show how to slow down and build with steady determination. Others remind us that joy is found in giving, in laughter, or in daring to take risks. Each type carries a perspective that—whether quiet or bold, practical or visionary—offers something the rest of us need.

This article isn’t about deciding who’s “best.” It’s about uncovering the unique wisdom each personality naturally carries, the gifts you bring without even realizing it. So take a look! You may recognize yourself, and you may also discover what you’ve been learning all along from the people around you.

Find out what each Myers-Briggs personality type can bring to the world.

Not sure what your personality type is? Take our new personality questionnaire here. Or you can take the official MBTI® here.

ISTJ – How to Be Careful, Yet Confident

ISTJs have a steady, focused determination to do what they believe is important. You don’t flinch when roadblocks get in the way of your plans, instead, you search carefully for ways to circumvent problems. In some ways, ISTJs are like the human version of “measure twice, cut once.” You don’t barrel into situations with wild optimism or chaos-fueled adrenaline. Instead, you pause, you think, you plan. And thank goodness for that, because your way saves the rest of us from setting our kitchens on fire.

But here’s the thing: once you do commit, you’re unstoppable. You teach the world that confidence doesn’t come from being the loudest voice in the room, it comes from steady, consistent action. Frederick the Great (fellow ISTJ) once said, “Never imagine a thing to be done as long as it is not actually done.” ISTJs are all about proving through steadiness, determination, and hard work, that any goal can be achievable.

ISFJ – How to Find Joy in Altruism

ISFJs are attentive to the practical needs and concerns of others. You believe in improving your community and you have a heart for those who are struggling to get by. One of my ISFJ clients, a nurse, once told me that the most fulfilling part of her job wasn’t the paycheck or the recognition, it was the quiet moment when a patient’s eyes showed relief after she had gone the extra mile to make them comfortable. That simple act of care, unnoticed by almost everyone else, filled her with more meaning than any material reward ever could.

Being attentive to the hurts and labors of others is a gift, and you are diligent in finding tangible, hands-on ways to provide relief. In the words of ISFJ Mother Teresa, “I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.”

You teach the world that accumulating possessions isn’t what brings joy—giving, serving, and loving until it hurts is one of the surest pathways to happiness.

ESTJ – How to Embody Determination

ESTJs are proof that sheer determination can bulldoze through just about anything. Where the rest of us see roadblocks and flop onto the couch in despair, you’re already rolling up your sleeves and making three contingency plans. (And honestly, thank you, because the rest of us were about to cry into a bag of Doritos.)

You teach the world that grit pays off. That it’s not about avoiding the storm, it’s about strapping in and finding the joy on the other side. Michelle Obama (a rumored ESTJ) nailed it when she said adversity isn’t a disadvantage—it’s your biggest advantage. You remind us that challenges aren’t stop signs, they’re launchpads.

ESFJ – How to Be a Caretaker for Others

ESFJs are the people who somehow know what everyone needs before we do. If the ship is sinking, you’re the one keeping track of who needs a blanket, who needs encouragement, and who needs to stop panicking before they freak everyone else out.

Your gift is being that comforting, practical voice in the chaos—the one who sees both the emotional atmosphere and the forgotten details. You teach us that caring for others isn’t just “nice,” it’s essential. You prove that empathy, when combined with action, can turn even the most overwhelming situations into something survivable.

ISTP – How to Be Creative with Resources

Psychologist David Keirsey calls ISTPs like you “The Tactical Crafters” and it’s not hard to see why. You have a precise, hands-on, analytical intelligence and an ability to be resourceful that is second to none. Like the fictional ISTP MacGyver, you teach the world that nothing is truly hopeless. There is always a resource, a tool, or an unexpected way out of any crisis. You show us that we can do a lot with what we have now and we don’t need to waste time always yearning for newer and better things (even if we might enjoy them).

ISFP – How to See Beauty in the Moment

As an ISFP, you see artistry and dimension in everything that surrounds you. You feel a kinship with the plants, animals, sights, sounds, and textures of the world. You believe in honoring nature and the moment for what it is, for people as they are. Instead of wanting to change everything, to impose an idea onto everything, you see how things can be appreciated for what they are inherently. You accept imperfections, see the beauty in them, and try to find joy in the simple pleasures of life and the opportunities to be enjoyed in every moment.

ESTP – How to Be Fearless

As an ESTP you have an optimistic, determined zest for life that is contagious. You teach us that taking smart risks is essential to living fully. You show us that it’s okay to trust our instincts, to respond to adventure, and to immerse ourselves in the moment.

Winston Churchill (often typed as an ESTP) once said, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” That’s your energy in a nutshell. Your resourcefulness and tough-mindedness remind the rest of us that courage isn’t about never stumbling—it’s about grabbing life by the collar, dusting yourself off, and climbing higher. And you show us there’s no better view than the one you get when you’re living on the edge.

ESFP – How to Lighten Up

Psychologist David Keirsey says of ESFPs, “These expressive Artisans’ primary social interest lies in stimulating those around them, arousing their senses and their pleasurable emotions – charming them, in a sense, to cast off their concerns and lighten up.” ESFPs like you are masters of seeing the humor, the joy, the opportunity in every moment. Your quick wit, clever resourcefulness, and enthusiasm for life is second to none. You teach us how to laugh on our worst days, and how to find the silver lining in the direst situations.

INTJ – How to Look Ahead

INTJs are the ones scanning the horizon while the rest of us are arguing about where to set up camp. You don’t just see what’s happening—you see what’s coming. Nikola Tesla (fellow INTJ) once said, “Every living being is an engine geared to the wheelwork of the universe. Though seemingly affected only by its immediate surroundings, the sphere of external influence extends to infinite distance.” That’s how INTJs think: noticing the invisible strings tying everything together and predicting where they’ll pull next.

I once worked with an INTJ client who was considering whether to stay in her job or strike out on her own. While most people would’ve made a pro/con list and agonized over it, she spent weeks mapping out market trends, competitor blind spots, and the long-term trajectory of her industry. Everyone else thought she was overthinking, but a year later, she’d built a powerful business in the exact niche she had forecasted would explode. That’s the INTJ gift: showing us that vision plus strategy can change everything. You remind us to look beyond the noise of the moment and dare to plan for a future nobody else sees yet.

INFJ – How To Look Beyond the Obvious

As an INFJ you are drawn to complexity and understanding the deeper meaning of everything. You teach us how to look beyond the surface, to see hidden motivations, weaknesses, and also potential. You know that very few people are what they seem, but you also believe that people can be greater than they imagine. In the words of rumored INFJ author Fyodor Dostoevsky, “I have seen the truth; I have seen and I know that people can be beautiful and happy…I will not and cannot believe that evil is the normal condition of mankind.”

ENTJ – How to Achieve Far-Reaching Future Goals

As an ENTJ you believe in breaking constraints and limited thinking to achieve far-reaching future goals. You aren’t afraid of a challenge, in fact, you welcome it. You teach us to believe in our goals, to be direct about what we want, and to look ahead instead of just focusing on the hardships and limits of the present moment. As psychologist David Keirsey states, “They (ENTJs) have a strong natural urge to bring order and efficiency wherever they are – to harness people and resources and to lead them towards their goals with minimum waste of effort and maximum progress.”

ENFJ – How to See Our Potential

As an ENFJ you have a far-reaching insight into the potential of others. You have a keen awareness of hidden gifts, intentions, and motivations and use this awareness to discern future realities. You get true joy out of helping people realize their potential, and you inspire the voiceless to have confidence in their calling in life. As ENFJ author Johann von Goethe said, “If we treat people as they are, we make them worse. If we treat people as they ought to be, we help them become what they are capable of becoming.”

INTP – How (and Why) to Be Skeptical

INTPs like you are truth seekers. You question tradition, bureaucracy, and “empirical” evidence to find underlying principles that need refining and analyzing. You teach us to question authority, to look beyond the obvious, and to appreciate the importance of second-guessing the facts to find hidden flaws, prejudices, and even truths. As INTP philosopher John Locke said, “There is frequently more to be learned from the unexpected questions of a child than the discourses of men.”

INFP – How to Understand Ourselves

As an INFP you have a strong focus on authenticity, moral value, and making peace between the dark and light sides of human nature. You teach us to pause in the busyness of our lives and look inside and understand our true motivations. Where are we being hypocritical? Where are we demanding things of others we don’t do ourselves? In what ways could we transform our lives to be more sincere, ethical, and honorable to others and ourselves? As INFP author Antoine de Saint-Exupery said, “And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye.”

ENTP – How to Turn Tradition On Its Head

As an ENTP, you look beyond the norm to find new, innovative ways of seeing the world and transforming the future. You see connections, possibilities, and potential everywhere and all you need is the resources to make it happen. You teach us how to ask the right questions, how to brainstorm, and how to think critically about limiting beliefs and practices that get in the way of progress. Psychologist David Keirsey was right when he said, “ENTPs are the most reluctant of all the types to do things in a particular manner just because that is the way things have always been done.” And that’s one of the things we love about you.

ENFP – How to Trust Our Imaginations

As an ENFP you not only imagine new possibilities, you analyze and put in the work to make your dreams realities. Most articles written about your type underestimate your intellectual nature and your determination. You teach us that with enough willpower, belief, and creativity we can dream beyond the boundaries of convention. You challenge us to look beyond the “normal” life and the traditional way of doing things. You inspire us to dream AND do. As ENFP author Anais Nin said, “In me there’s always movement, renewal, surprises. I have never known stagnation.”

Related: Understanding ENFP Intuition

What Are Your Thoughts?

What’s something you’ve been able to teach someone? Do you have a gift you’d like to share with the world? Let us know in the comments!

Find out more about your personality type in our eBook, Discovering You: Unlocking the Power of Personality Type.

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