The next of the 16 personalities is the ESTP. The ESTP tend to be natural leaders who are action oriented & take charge in situations. They like to live a fast paced life and are attracted to risky or adventurous activities such as motorsports, hang-gliding, and especially team sports. The ESTP personality type is typically athletic, has many friends, and seeks to be the life of the party.
The ESTP isn’t alone when it comes to their functions shares cognitive functions along with the ISTP, the ENFJ and the INFJ, all members of the Beta Quadra.
This article we cover everything you need to know about people with this personality type: What their function stack looks like, strengths & weaknesses, how to spot one out & about. Furthermore, we have a brief overview of their hobbies, interests, and interactions within relationships.
Cognitive Functions Of The ESTP Personality Type
Every type has 4 functions in the ego. These functions are the lenses through which we see the world and are prioritized in order of how adept we can be in using them. In the case of the ESTP, their functions are: Se Ti Fe Ni. Let’s look further into the ESTP function stack…
Extroverted Sensing – Se Hero
Extraverted sensing, or Se, is their strongest or dominant function in the ESTP’s cognition. It has to do with navigating the physical reality & physics in a practical sense. This includes depth perception, speed, agility, reaction time, and situational awareness – All of which are components of Se, or Extroverted Sensing.
Many ESTP’s are highly athletic and may have been a jock in high school or college. Alternatively, they may be involved in dance or musical performance. Many ESTP’s are drawn to owning a motorcycle, race car driving, and choose to live in the moment.
Finally, people with this personality not only like action oriented activities but they also love spending time with others and sharing these moments. This is due to their extraverted sensing hero seeking out a strong sense of loyalty from others.
Introverted Thinking – Ti Parent
Their parent or auxiliary function is Introverted Thinking (Ti) . The parent function in general has a responsible and oftentimes pessimistic attitude. In this case, they are the type that needs to come to their own conclusions rather than believing the status quo.
ESTPs often encourage others to think deeply, may dismiss an argument if the logic is too faulty, and disregard their own personal feelings in favor of more practical solutions. Because of this tendency to lean into logical frameworks, ESTP personality types can become decisive thinkers and able to solve problems while maintaining a semblance of social harmony.
Extroverted Feeling – Fe Child
Their third cognitive function is Extroverted Feeling or Fe, which is a tertiary or child function. The child function is optimistic & innocent in nature, all of which make these personality types excellent at creating social harmony, being highly persuasive, and joyous with belonging to a group.
So because of their extraverted feeling function, those with ESTP personality type tend to be social butterflies due to their dynamic energy & social intelligence. They always seem to have many friends, are fun loving, fast paced, and they get energized by going out to meet new people.
Overall, they are affiliative people and need a strong sense of community which they can find in sports teams, motorcycle clubs, and communities with lots of social interactions.
Introverted Intuition – Ni Inferior/Aspirational
The last function of the ego is the inferior. Don’t let the name fool you, as we age, we gain the opportunity to make our inferior functions aspirational, meaning that we can actually get good at using them!
The inferior function of the ESTP is called Ni, or Introverted Intuition. For a young ESTP, it can be the bane of their existence by manifesting as a lack of foresight and disregard for consequences for their actions. As they get older and learn to be more cautious, they can then struggle with finding a meaningful direction in life.
Introverted intuition is related to abstract theories, strong gut reactions & the ability to create connections in seemingly unrelated matters or happenings. It’s also about planning and the future, whereas their hero function is about living in the now & forgoing consequences.
However, with time the ESTP can spend more time planning their future & decide what they want for themselves in life. They can decide their passion & purpose and pave the way to make it a reality. Oftentimes they are able to get their lives together for the ones they love.
Strengths of The ESTP Personality Type
Loyal To The Pack
“If you mess with one of us, you mess with all of us.” Whether on a societal level or in the family, the ESTP is the enforcer of the values and customs of his tribe. You don’t want to mess with his friends or family, because you might end up with a broken arm.
Apart from getting physical, you can count on the ESTP to be present at every family function, fashionably late of course!
Quick To Act
The ESTP’s Se hero is like a spider sense that can detect danger from a mile away.
That means that when something goes wrong, you are gonna want an ESTP on your side.
They don’t sit there and think about what to do, they act. In a fight or flight situation, the ESTP is gonna take charge, and try to lead everyone else to safety.
Highly Charismatic
It’s no secret that ESTP’s are great leaders and excel in social settings. Whether he’s giving his best man speech or consoling a loved one through hard times, the ESTP always knows just the right thing to say to lift everyone’s spirits.
Weaknesses of the ESTP Personality Type
Superficial Relationships
There is a quote that goes something along the lines of “The loudest voice in the room is the most lonely” or something like that. This can definitely be applied to ESTP’s.
Sure they can make friends with anyone for a night, but how many of those friends are going to be there through thick and thin? How many could they call family? Despite the ESTP strengths of extroversion, they can often lack meaningful friendships that go deeper than club hopping on a Saturday night.
Lack Commitment
This brings us to the next shortcoming of the ESTP. It can be very difficult to commit to long term commitments or relationships. ESTP’s have a way of waiting until the last minute to make big decisions such as getting married or starting a family.
Lack Direction
ESTP’s sometimes struggle to decide what they want for dinner, so you can only imagine how much they struggle with what to do with life altering decisions.
Because they feel afraid of their future, ESTP’s often refrain from making decisions at all. ESTP’s can live in the moment for too long, and find themselves growing older without many accomplishments. The ESTP needs to learn to not only choose a path forward, but also stick to it until it’s done.
Visual Typing: How To Spot An ESTP
The ESTP personality type is usually not too difficult to spot in a crowd; the crowd usually being their tribe or group they belong to. They tend to have a natural boldness and are usually center of attention.
While not applicable to everyone of this type, a good majority of them are into tattoo culture or bodybuilding. Because of this, they can come off as visually intimidating to some as they like to make a strong impression.
Also, a subtle trait we often associate with this personality type is the use of a backwards baseball cap. This can be of their favorite sports team or skating brand, and can be seen to a lesser degree with some ISTPs which has some similar appearances.
For ESTP woman, they may dress a bit more masculine according to traditional standards. They may also rock some more edgy type of hairstyles or simply shave their heads fully or in part.
ESTP Interests & Hobbies
People with this personality tend to be more attracted to physical hands on activities & they make excellent performers. Here’s just a few interests & popular hobbies we’ve seen them take part in:
- Bungee jumping
- Cycling
- Dirtbikes
- Exotic dancing
- Going to the gun range
- Motorcycle riding
- Music performance
- Photography
- Practicing religion
- Race car driving
- Skating
- Sky diving
- Working out at the Gym
ESTP Types In Relationships
Friendships
ESTP personality types make dynamic and exciting friends. They’re the life of the party, always up for new adventures and challenges. With their spontaneity and high energy, they’ll keep you engaged and entertained. Their natural charisma and straightforwardness make them easy to connect with, but be prepared for their love of risk and impulsiveness. They might push you out of your comfort zone, which can be both thrilling and occasionally a bit overwhelming.
Business
Those with an ESTP personality can be formidable in business relationships. Their decisiveness, confidence, and ability to take calculated risks make them strong leaders and entrepreneurs. They thrive in fast-paced, action-oriented environments and are excellent problem solvers. However, their impatience and occasional disregard for rules and protocols can sometimes create friction, especially in more structured organizations. To work effectively with an ESTP, be prepared for their direct communication style and a results-driven approach. They can be exceptional collaborators, but their strong personalities may require some flexibility and adaptability from their business partners.
Romantic
Finally, the ESTP personality type can be passionate and adventurous partners in romantic relationships. They bring excitement and spontaneity to the relationship, keeping things from getting dull. They’re direct and open in their communication, which can be refreshing, but also occasionally blunt. Their confidence and ability to take risks can be alluring, but it might lead to occasional conflict as they can be impulsive. To make a relationship with an ESTP work, be ready to embrace their love for novelty and action, while also helping them find a balance between adventure and stability.
Signs You Might Be An ESTP
- You’re often the center of attention (life of the party), cracking jokes and keeping the energy high at social gatherings.
- You value loyalty & seek it from others, especially those you consider part of your “tribe” or family.
- You drive like you’re in a race, often seen weaving through traffic and making quick decisions on the road. People can’t seem to get out of your way fast enough.
- You have a no-nonsense communication style, known for being brutally honest even when others may sugarcoat.
- You’re not a fan of rigid rules & authority figures, and you may feel that “the man” is keeping you down in some form or another.
- You’re the one who spontaneously decides to throw a party and somehow manages to turn it into an unforgettable event.
- You have no problem addressing conflicts head-on, even if it means having difficult conversations or throwing some punches.
- “Kyle” isn’t just a name, it’s a lifestyle.
ESTP Celebrities & Characters
Chino Moreno Deftones
Danica Patrick
Dave Bautista
Dwayne Johnson (The Rock)
Gwen Stefani
Jennifer Lawrence
Mike Muir (Suicidal Tendencies)
Rob Halford (Judas Priest)
Serj Tankian (SOAD)
Vin Diesel
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an ESTP girl like?
An ESTP girl can be a dynamic and vivacious individual. They’re at ease being the life of the party, radiating confidence and enthusiasm wherever they go. With an adventurous spirit, they’re always up for new challenges and thrives in fast-paced, action-oriented environments.
This can be a girl known for her straightforward communication style, often calling it as she sees it. She may excel in sports, love spontaneous road trips, and wild nights out on the weekends. While she can be fiercely independent and assertive, her warmth and charm make her a magnetic presence in social circles.
How rare is ESTP personality type?
The ESTP personality type is somewhat common. You can often find them in pop culture movies as “the jock” and surely you’ve run across these types in your own life.
Sports are also a huge part of American culture & they are packed full of ESTPs. You can basically find them in all sorts of performance based team sports, and also including motorsports like NASCAR, motocross, drifting, and rallycross.
What are ESTP most known for?
They are perhaps best known for being the idealized “Chad” stereotype. Aside from that, they are also known for being extremely impulsive at times & throwing care to the wind when it comes to consequences.
Who is ESTP most compatible with?
The ESTP personality type is most compatible with the ISTJ. This is due to them having the exact opposite functions & you know what they say, opposites attract.
The function stack for both lines up like this:
Se- Si, Ti-Te, Fe-Fi, Ni-Ne
More on personality type compatibility
Can ESTP have anxiety?
Yes, ESTP types, just like everyone else, also have their own anxieties. For them, it mainly comes from their Introverted Sensing function which is in their shadow (5th slot). They seemingly worry about their past experiences, being obligated, not being dutiful enough, or feeling like they lack discipline.
What is an ESTP biggest fear?
An ESTPs fear is associated with their Introverted Intuition (Ni) inferior function. When it comes down to it, they are afraid of making choices that will affect their futures. Sometimes waiting till the last minute to think about life-changing actions which can then come back and bite them.
