INFJs and INFPs, Neurodivergence, and Lack of Focus
INFJ personality types and INFP personality types tend to judge themselves harshly for not sticking with projects and not finishing things. They blame themselves for a “lack of focus.” But what most INFJs and INFPs don’t know is that they are not the problem, and what they call a “lack of focus” is really a sign of a gifted neurodivergent mind.
“Lack of focus” is one of the most commonly reported problems from INFJ personality types and INFP personality types when it comes to finishing creative projects. Many INFJs and INFPs will say:
“I have shiny object syndrome.”
“I get so distracted.”
“I get excited about one project and then something else excites me and I want to do that instead.”
Most INFJs and INFPs think they need to force themselves to approach “focus” in a certain way, which includes sticking with one thing until they finish it and not working on anything else, setting concrete goals and pushing themselves to meet them, and pushing through even if they feel bored, resentful, or exhausted.
INFJs and INFPs tend to view focus with this kind of perspective because this is how popular culture views the concept of “focus.” Popular culture believes that “focus” equals working in a straight line and pushing yourself through things until you achieve pre-set concrete goals.
This approach does not work for INFJs and INFPs because we are neurodivergent. A high percentage of INFJ personality types and INFP personality types are working with ADHD or are on the autism spectrum. All INFJs and INFPs are highly creative and gifted, which means that we need to approach focus in a different way.
I talk more about this in the video below:
I’m teaching a new class starting September 26 called Intuitive Creativity for INFJs and INFPs, and we’re going to be working together to learn how to tune into our own intuitive creative process.
We’ll be covering topics like:
How to work with a neurodivergent mind in the creative process.
How to shift our ideas about “focus” and “goals” in a way that works with neurodivergence.
Focus hacks for INFJs and INFPs with ADHD.
If this sounds like a class that would be helpful to you at this time, please be sure to SIGN UP for my newsletter HERE to get all the updates on the class, and SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube channel HERE to get more videos in this series. If you have any questions about this class, you can send them to me here.
My next video on this topic is about how mainstream methods of creativity don’t work for INFJs and INFPs and why we need to create our own unique method that works for us. I’ll see you then!
Lauren Sapala is the author of The INFJ Writer, The INFJ Revolution, and the creator of Energy and Intuition for INFJs, an online course for INFJs on intuition, relationships, creativity, and more. She is also currently offering a free copy of her book Firefly Magic: Heart Powered Marketing for Highly Sensitive Writers to anyone who signs up for her newsletter. SIGN UP HERE to get your free copy.
