ESTP

Opportunities to find deeper powers within ourselves come when life seems most challenging.

Joseph Campbell

Overview of “the Promoter”

ESTPs are Extroverted, Sensing, Thinking, and Perceiving.

  • Extroverted because they are energized by time spent with others and connect most with the outer world.
  • Sensing because they explore practical details of the physical world and engage concretely with the past and present.
  • Thinking because they prioritize objective data and logic when making decisions.
  • Perceiving because they live spontaneously and follow their inspirations and energy to complete tasks.

ESTPs are charismatic personalities unafraid to speak their minds and take risks. They love a good challenge and overcoming obstacles is something they are especially skilled at doing. They are independent, strong-willed people who keep moving forward despite what stands in their way. With this fearless persona, there are very few circumstances which can rattle these types. They assume a natural leadership position in their sphere of influence.

ESTPs are heavy thinkers and may need significant time engaging this part of themselves. You can easily find these types dissecting the mechanics of how something works and trying to replicate it. Given their methodical, logical brain, ESTPs often offend others by bluntly stating their opinions and eagerly debating hot topics. Although somewhat argumentative in this way, ESTPs often root for the underdog and champion the cause of others who seem more vulnerable. When an ESTP is on your side you would be hard pressed to find a more loyal ally.

Cognitive Functions

In the Myers-Briggs personality system there are eight cognitive functions. Your unique personality is a road map pointing to the four cognitive functions that you access consciously. Every personality will have two extroverted functions and two introverted functions. Every personality will also have one feeling function, one thinking function, one intuitive function, and one sensing function. For more help and practice identifying cognitive functions for the sixteen Myers-Briggs personality types check out this worksheet. All eight functions are as follows:

  • Extroverted Intuition
  • Introverted Intuition
  • Extroverted Sensing
  • Introverted Sensing
  • Extroverted Feeling
  • Introverted Feeling
  • Extroverted Thinking
  • Introverted Thinking

Se (Extroverted Sensing) – Dominant

An ESTP’s dominant cognitive function is Extroverted Sensing, abbreviated as Se. Dominant cognitive functions are used approximately 80% of the time by an individual and are hardly noticed by the user. This function will feel like second nature and “drives” an ESTP.

10 Signs You’re Se-dominant

  1. You make verbal observations about the world
  2. You get bored and restless easily
  3. You live in the moment
  4. Quick reflexes gives you athletic tendencies
  5. You have a good sense of direction
  6. You notice physical changes in other people
  7. Actions speak louder than words to you
  8. You dislike being controlled
  9. You learn through experience
  10. You are a realist and dislike the theoretical

Positives of Being Se-dominant

  • Observing the world well and accurately
  • Enjoying every second of right now
  • Reacting quickly to current events
  • Maximizing the moment

Struggles of Being Se-dominant

  • Easily feeling bored
  • Taking unnecessary risks
  • Playing with fire
  • Not realizing future implications

A note to the ESTPs reading…

Ever wondered why you need to get out of the house and experience life? That’s Se. Ever noticed that you often vocalize your physical needs (hunger, temperature, etc.) for everyone to hear? That’s Se. Ever feel an incredible, incurable boredom that seems to stretch into your very bones? That’s Se.

Extroverted Sensing is the reason why you’re good at reacting to things in the moment, horrible at sitting still for very long, eager to push the boundaries of what’s possible, unlikely to dwell on the future, and excited when you take new risks. It can be your secret weapon and your Achilles heel if it isn’t properly balanced with the other cognitive functions.

Ti (Introverted Thinking) – Auxiliary

An ESTP’s secondary function is Introverted Thinking/Ti. If someone is an extrovert, their dominant function will be extroverted and their auxiliary function will always be introverted. Balance is necessary — especially in the brain! Ti helps process the information brought to it by Se.

10 Signs You’re Ti-auxiliary

  1. You make decisions internally
  2. You consider yourself objective
  3. You test “universal truths”
  4. Speak using precise language
  5. Hate being rushed to decide
  6. Can seem argumentative
  7. Extremely independent
  8. Struggle talking out decisions
  9. You create mental frameworks/models
  10. You have to know how things work

Ti takes a backseat to Se. Because Se is the driver, Ti processes and frames the information brought to it by Se. This is why ESTPs seem to act quickly in the moment but take their time forming an opinion. Se effortlessly leads ESTPs in their day-to-day activities while Ti devours new information.

ESTPs will seem like obvious extroverts to the outside world — they are energetic, bold, and incredibly fun to be around! But given their typical lack of self-awareness, ESTPs often have blinders toward their extroverted side and only notice their need to be alone (which is a need to recharge Introverted Thinking). Ti requires a lot of time and attention to become fully satisfied, so an ESTP who has been overly controlled and is unable to act in the moment on their impulses will find themselves retreating into this function more and more deeply. Because of this, they may self-identify as introverts.

Te (Extroverted Feeling) – Tertiary

An ESTP’s tertiary cognitive function is Extroverted Feeling/Fe. This position as third in the “cognitive stack” often means that SeTi is running the show the vast majority of the time. Because of this, Fe is a bit underdeveloped and usually starts to show up in an ESTP’s mid-20s. Tertiary functions usually have the maturity level of a ten-year-old child — they can serve as a strength or a weakness depending on how the user responds to it.

Tertiary Fe is why ESTPs like to be validated after they have spoken their mind. Fe is what gives them their sense of humor (they love to make other people laugh). Given its position as third in the ESTP’s cognitive stack, the function will be immature but show up in playful ways (i.e. assuming the role of “class clown” or secretly wanting their parents to approve of a new job choice). This function keeps an ESTP tactful and considerate. Without Extroverted Feeling, these types would assault everyone with truth bombs while giving little thought to the fallout. As Fe develops during the user’s mid-20s, the rebellious teen ESTP should soften around the edges and become more filtered in social interactions.

Ni (Introverted Intuition) – Inferior

An ESTP’s inferior cognitive function is Introverted Intuition/Ni. This function is typically concerned with hidden meanings, symbols, abstract data, shifting perspectives, pattern recognition, and the future. Because of this late-blooming, there will be many times Ni pops up in uncomfortable, weak, and even self-destructive ways.

Healthy Ni-inferior looks like

  • Predicting things accurately
  • Understanding a new point of view
  • Insightful comments
  • Offering wise advice
  • Being patient with outcomes

Unhealthy Ni-inferior looks like

  • Miscalculating implications
  • Short-term vision
  • Jumping to false conclusions
  • Turning a blind eye to the future
  • Wrongly attributing meaning