Patience, Impatience, and Your Personality Type

Everyone has a set of things that they’re patient about, and a set of things that make them impatient. What are yours?

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

Estimated reading time: 12 minutes

The ENFP

You are patient when it comes to exploring options, brainstorming, and examining alternatives. You don’t like rushing into decisions so you understand when other people don’t want to be rushed. You’re also patient with people’s quirks and idiosyncrasies. You love it when people embrace their “weird” and go against the grain.

You are impatient when it comes to working on nitty-gritty details. Having to spend time de-tangling a phone cord, doing your taxes, or cleaning out your refrigerator can feel life-draining. You might become uncharacteristically irritable when you’re in the midst of these kinds of activities.

Read This Next: 24 Signs That You’re an ENFP Personality Type

The ENTP

Much like the ENFP, you are patient when it comes to analyzing options, exploring alternatives, and brainstorming new ideas. Collaborating, answering questions, debating – these activities don’t typically bother you. You’d rather have the right option than a fast one.

You are impatient when it comes to working on detailed, small-picture tasks. Coming up with a new idea is inspiring to you – putting in the grunt-work to finish it can feel maddening. Tying up loose ends and taking care of nitty-gritty administrative tasks tends to make you annoyed.

You can also get impatient when you’re dealing with narrow-minded people. Having to sugarcoat your perspectives or not say anything when you see willful ignorance can drive you mad.

The INFP

You are patient with people who are trying to find their place in the world. Misfits and outliers sometimes need someone to confide in, and you’re happy to be that person. You don’t want to “push” anyone to be something that doesn’t feel right to them. You’re also patient when people are struggling to decide on something, whether it’s an ice cream flavor or a relationship. You understand indecisiveness and want to offer people the space to move at their own pace.

You are impatient when it comes to impatient people. When you feel rushed or overly-managed you can retaliate with surprising fury. You’re also impatient with people who can’t see outside of their own perspective. Narrow-minded people, especially those that confine others with their own “rules” spark your aggressive side.

Read This Next: 24 Signs That You’re an INFP, the Dreamer Personality Type

The INTP

You are patient when it comes to analyzing data and troubleshooting problems. While some types get stressed and grumpy when they have to solve a problem, you are in your element. You enjoy figuring out how things work and thinking outside the box to find possibilities. You know how to patiently wade through a bunch of data to find just the right solution or strategy in a crisis.

You get impatient when you have to deal with overly sensitive people. Having to communicate with someone who is so consumed by their own emotions that they can’t see the flaws in their logic can be infuriating to you. People who see themselves as morally superior and use that to “win” arguments or shut down your argument make you feel uneasy and grouchy.

Read This Next: 24 Signs That You’re an INTP, the Prodigy Personality Type

The ENFJ

You are patient when listening to people work through their feelings and relationship problems. You’re often a confidante for others who are going through distress. You enjoy listening to people, troubleshooting relationship problems with them, or inspiring them when they feel hopeless. You enjoy being confided in and trusted and will patiently analyze the emotional struggles of your friends.

You get impatient when you’re dealing with people who lack vision or direction. Wishy-washy people who say one thing and do another get on your nerves. You like having decisions made and moving at a quick pace to achieve objectives. Dealing with procrastinators or wishy-washy types makes you feel stressed. You especially hate running late to any kind of social obligation, so if someone is slowing you down when you know you have to be on your way you can be uncharacteristically critical.

Read This Next: 24 Signs That You’re an ENFJ, the Mentor Personality Type

The ENTJ

You are patient when it comes to exploring abstract, theoretical topics. You enjoy looking at the deeper meaning of things and analyzing strategies and possibilities. At work, you are patient when you have to deal with a lot of moving parts and implement long-term strategies. You’re good at thinking outside the box and trying new things.

You get impatient when you’re dealing with procrastinators or hyper-emotional individuals. When there’s a job to do you want to move forward at a quick, steady pace. People who dawdle or get distracted tend to get on your last nerve. You also get impatient with people who are frequently slowed down by their emotions or feel they should get “special treatment” because of their feelings.

Read This Next: 10 Things You’ll Relate to if You’re an ENTJ

The INFJ

You are patient when it comes to being alone, not having a plan, or otherwise being “free.” You don’t feel an urgent need to be busy or distract yourself (although phone addiction can be real for any type). You know that your best insights and epiphanies come to you when you’re undistracted and quiet, so this is a time that you cherish. You’re also fairly patient when listening to other people’s problems and feelings. You know how messy feelings can be and enjoy being confided in and trusted by others with them.

You’re impatient when you have to do a nitty-gritty task in order to move forward on an important project. For example, having a big school project to finish and needing to run updates on your computer can make you grouchy. Having your quiet time interrupted by a fairly unimportant question can also make you irritable. You despise interruptions and commotion when you’re trying to think, so you can snap at people who are overly loud or intrusive, even when you care about them.

Read This Next: 24 Signs That You’re an INFJ, the Mystic Personality Type

The INTJ

You are patient when it comes to finding the perfect strategy for one of your visions. You know getting the timing right on your goals is crucial, so you try not to rush through the process. You’re more focused on the big picture than current difficulties, so you can get past minor annoyances and setbacks fairly quickly.

You’re impatient when people interrupt your process. You like to focus 100% on what you’re doing, so when someone barges in on you, makes a lot of noise, or otherwise disrupts your flow you get flustered and annoyed. You also dislike dealing with shallow, surface-level conversation when you have more important things to do. Having to “play nice” in order to reach your objectives can feel maddening.

Read This Next: 24 Signs That You’re an INTJ, the Strategist Personality Type

The ESFP

You have an easy-going, adventurous spirit, so you’re fairly patient with people and their feelings. You don’t like feeling rushed, so you don’t tend to rush other people. You know that exploring your options and trying things out is a normal part of discovery. You don’t like being tied down, controlled, or pressured, so you try not to do this to other people.

You get impatient with people who can’t seem to see opportunities directly in front of them. People who catastrophize about the future and allow it to kill their joy in the present can be frustrating to you. You also get impatient with people who are “wet-blankets” to your ideas and plans. You know there’s a serious side of life and you don’t mind going there – but some people try to make everything heavy, and that’s not your style.

Read This Next: What It Means to be an ESFP Personality Type

The ESTP

You like an active life that is filled to the brim with freedom and adventure. You are patient when it comes to troubleshooting problems that arise on your journey. When there’s a disaster, instead of panicking, you calmly look for solutions you can rig up with whatever materials you have. You’re fairly patient with whatever the environment throws at you, because you know that you have the courage and competence to roll with the punches.

You get impatient with people who seem distracted and unable to “get with the program.” Bad drivers, people who take up space in aisles, or low-energy types can make you feel restless and grouchy. You have a lot of spirit and drive, and you get frustrated with people who lack any sense of urgency or awareness of the people they’re slowing down.

Read This Next: 10 Things You’ll Relate to if You’re an ESTP

The ISFP

You are a kind-hearted, patient type most of the time. You give people space to be themselves, find themselves, and express themselves. You hate being trapped, pressured, or controlled, so you try not to have that effect on other people. You know that getting a project right means being patient and allowing the creative process to run its course to satisfaction. You know that understanding feelings takes time and so you don’t rush people to “get over” them.

You get impatient with people who try to pry into your life. You hate feeling interrogated and feel irritable when people try to break down your boundaries in a nosy or disrespectful manner. You also get impatient with people who act like they have all the answers. You know that life is complex and there are many different ways of looking at the same thing. People who appear arrogant or narrow-minded amp up your grouchiness level.

Read This Next: 24 Signs That You’re an ISFP, the Virtuoso Personality Type

The ISTP

You are more patient than many types when complex problems show up in life. In the face of a challenge, you weigh your options, gather data, and try to find the most effective and efficient solution. While other types might panic and scream and shout, you keep your cool and assess the situation logically. You’re patient when the answer isn’t immediately obvious, analyzing, experimenting, and shutting out distractions until you’ve found a solution.

You get impatient when people try to interrupt your process. When there’s a problem and people panic, kick things, shout, and get impatient, you tend to see it as childish. You hate being rushed to find a solution. You also get impatient with people who “pull rank” or expect you to do something just because they said so. Rank and status mean little to you, and you tend to have a more egalitarian approach to life.

The ESFJ

You are someone who is deeply cognizant of people’s physical and emotional needs. You are patient when people feel uncertain, anxious, or uncomfortable, doing whatever you can to give them relief. You know it takes time to get comfortable in new surroundings, and you do what you can to make people feel like they have a friendly face nearby.

You get impatient when people disrupt harmony for trivial reasons. People who are selfish, snarky, or bad-tempered can make you feel equally bad-tempered. You pick up on emotional cues easily, and you can easily tell when a situation is tense. When someone says something unhelpful or self-serving in a situation like this, you can shoot them a terrifying “shut up” glance that is uncharacteristically intimidating.

Read This Next: 24 Signs That You’re an ESFJ

The ESTJ

You are patient when people feel lost and need more direction on a project. You can break down tasks into manageable steps, and you don’t mind being asked for help if someone isn’t sure of their next step. You can be a patient teacher, providing clarity and direction to people who feel lost.

You get impatient when life feels out of control and you don’t see anything being accomplished. You like moving towards your goals at a steady pace, and people who procrastinate or dawdle can infuriate you. Laziness, whining, and procrastination are three things that make your blood boil.

Read This Next: 24 Signs That You’re an ESTJ, the Captain Personality Type

The ISFJ

Quiet and thoughtful, you’re someone who likes to give people the space to express themselves freely. You are patient with people’s feelings and you’re also patient with the details. Getting things “just right” for an event would drive some types batty, but you know how each detail adds to the whole experience.

Your grounded, empathetic personality also gives you patience for “messy” situations that others would shy away from. Mother Teresa, an ISFJ, didn’t shy away from the dirty, painful lives of others. She knew that pain and “mess” are universal human struggles and she patiently helped others through them.

You get impatient with people who belittle the details or act as if they’re unimportant. When you’re trying to perfect the details on a project, reorganize a room, or otherwise “perfect” something you don’t want to be mocked or treated like you’re wasting your time. You get impatient with people who seem out of touch with reality and unable to focus on the relevant tasks at hand.

Read This Next: 24 Signs That You’re an ISFJ, the Protector Personality Type

The ISTJ

You are patient and meticulous when working through the facts and details on a project. This is probably why your type is overrepresented among accountants. You have a sharp focus and an eye for any detail or discrepancy. Your careful, observant nature helps you to troubleshoot, plan, and manage a variety of logistics without flinching.

You get impatient with people who rush through tasks too quickly, disregarding or ignoring problems. You know that dismissing the small things can cause much bigger problems to occur in the long run. You also get impatient with people who get lost in fantasies you see as fruitless. People who try to sell to you through a pyramid scheme, or get you to invest in their impractical business venture can make you roll your eyes.

Read This Next: 24 Signs That You’re an ISTJ, the Detective Personality Type

What Are Your Thoughts?

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