10 Things That Terrify ENTJs – According to 308 ENTJs

Have you ever wondered if the things that frighten you are unique to your personality type? I know I have! This is why I’ve been doing a series of blog posts on fears and the Myers-Briggs® types. I’ve talked to thousands of people to find out which fears come up the most in each group. ENTJs have been a tricky group to survey for this series! More than many types, ENTJs are known for being fearless and bold. This is why you’ll see that the #3 fear that I got from ENTJs was ‘Nothing.’ Many ENTJs believed that fears are irrational and easily controlled. However, there were other fears or worries that seemed to come up quite often in the responses I received.

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

There Are Always Variations

Not every ENTJ is going to be afraid of the exact same things. Enneagram type, environment, childhood experiences, and beliefs all play a part in what we fear. These ten fears came up the most among the 308 ENTJs who responded to me, but I am definitely not trying to imply that every single ENTJ is going to feel exactly the same way.

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

The Top 10 Fears Mentioned By ENTJs

1 – Mediocrity

ENTJs are natural-born leaders with enormous visions and dreams for the future. They are driven by an intense desire to make their mark on the world. They hate the idea of living a less than remarkable life, and they desire to stand out and achieve their dreams at all costs.

2  – Being helpless

ENTJs are extremely independent people, who like to be in control and in charge of their lives and their surroundings. The idea of being physically helpless, paralyzed, or mentally incapacitated in some way is horrifying to them. Take away their freedom to achieve their dreams and be in charge and you take away a key facet of their personality.

3 – Nothing

A large number of ENTJs said that they had no fear, or that fears were irrational, so technically, I really only have nine top ENTJ fears for you. But I decided to count this anyway considering just how many ENTJs responded to the question “what do you fear?” with “nothing”. In general, ENTJs experience some of the lowest stress levels of all the types; in fact, only ENTPs and ESTPs have less according to the MBTI® manual. It’s possible that since they experience low stress, perhaps they experience less fear and worry as well.

4 – Stupidity

Mental stamina and sharpness are vital to the ENTJ. They thrive on achievement and mental precision. Because they are dominant Extraverted Thinkers, they prefer to have their outer world organized in a logical, efficient way. Dealing with stupidity is completely exasperating to them, and the idea of being led by someone ignorant or having to deal with stupidity can cause them a great deal of stress. This may be more of a worry than a goosebump-inducing fear, but it was definitely mentioned a lot so we’re going to count it anyway.

5 – Being controlled

ENTJs are driven by achievement and thrive on being their own bosses. They hate feeling trapped, controlled, or micro-managed. The idea of being physically trapped was a major fear of many ENTJs, while others hated the idea of being emotionally trapped in a bad relationship or in a workplace they can’t stand.

6 – Not meeting potential

Meeting goals is of paramount importance to the strategic ENTJ. The idea of dying before accomplishing goals, of wasting time, or not fulfilling their dreams is a real fear to many.

“I think to most ENTJs we fear failure more than anything else. We have high standards and won’t accept anything less than perfection in many cases. Not meeting my potential or living a meaningless life is something I worry about a lot.”
– Jennifer, an ENTJ

7 – Alzheimers

Because ENTJs rely so heavily on their quick thinking abilities and mental alertness, they greatly fear losing this capability. Life to an ENTJ is meant to be full of purpose, accomplishment, and strategizing. Many feel that they wouldn’t be able to live out their purpose and dreams if they have to struggle with Alzheimers.

8 – Compromise                                 

ENTJs are unflinching in their commitment to their goals. They can seem ruthless to some, but their determination is what makes them some of the most unstoppable leaders in our world. It’s rumored that Julius Caesar and Napolean Bonaparte were ENTJs, and I doubt they compromised very much in their lifetimes.

9 – Being stagnant/Not Improving

Wasting time and being a couch potato aren’t satisfying to most ENTJs. They live and breathe to accomplish their dreams and visions. They want to continually expand their minds and reach new heights of ingenuity. Being stagnant or stuck in a repetitive, mundane existence is extremely agitating to them.

10 – Incompetence

Being incompetent or dealing with incompetence are mortifying experiences for ENTJs.

“I’m scared that someday I’ll realize I was stupid or incompetent and I had no idea. I hate when I feel like I don’t know how to do something or I appear unprepared around others. I always like to be the one who knows in advance what to do, how to complete something, and how to come up with logical solutions.”
Demetra, an ENTJ

What Do You Think?

Do you relate to these fears? Do you agree or disagree with them? Let me know in the comments!

Find out more about your personality type in our eBooks, Discovering You: Unlocking the Power of Personality Type,  The INFJ – Understanding the Mystic, and The INFP – Understanding the Dreamer. You can also connect with me via Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter!

More Articles You Might Enjoy!

10 Things You Should Never Say to an ENTJ

Understanding ENTJ Thinking

Which Board Game Will You Dominate Based on Your Myers-Briggs® Personality Type?

ENTJs and ESTJs and Compatibility with INFPs

This post contains affiliate links. I only recommend products I truly believe in.