All About the Adventurer Personality Type & Their Characteristics

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Get insight into the adventurer’s lifestyle, strengths, and weaknesses

Co-authored by Glenn Carreau Reviewed by Allison Broennimann, PhD

Last Updated: August 7, 2023 References

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What is an adventurer?

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Strengths

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Weaknesses

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Relationships

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Careers

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Are adventurers common?

Your MBTI (Myers-Briggs type indicator) test says you’re an adventurer—also called an ISFP. That sounds pretty cool, but what does it really mean? We’re here to tell you everything you need to know! MBTI questions test for core personality traits like introverted or extroverted, sensing or intuition, thinking or feeling, and perceiving or judging—and the adventurer (ISFP) personality says a lot about who you are and how you think. Read on to discover more about adventurers, from their core traits to ideal careers and their approach to romantic relationships.

Things You Should Know

According to the Myers-Briggs personality test, adventurers (also known as ISFPs) have introverted, sensing, feeling, and perceiving traits.
A adventurer’s strengths include optimism, curiosity, and empathy. They’re warm, passionate people who strongly believe in individuality and creative expression.
Adventurers prefer flexible, hands-on careers that provide them with creative freedom. They make great artists, designers, and musicians, for example.

Section 1 of 6:

What is the adventurer (ISFP) personality type?

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Adventurers have introverted, sensing, feeling, and perceiving traits. The “adventurer,” also known as an ISFP, is one of 16 Myers-Briggs personality types. People with the ISFP (or adventurer) personality type tend to be independent, creative, curious, and spontaneous. As their title suggests, they love adventure! They’re natural explorers and artists, always searching for a new interest or passion to capture their imagination.^{[1]
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- “Introverted” (in ISFP) means that adventurers are private people who need alone time to recharge their energy and reconnect with themselves. They may come off as reserved around strangers.
- “Sensing” means that adventurers rely more on their senses and observations than their intuitions.
- “Feeling” means that adventurers value emotional factors over logic and facts when making decisions.
- “Perceiving” (also called “prospecting”) means that adventurers tend to be flexible and open-minded rather than rigid and organized.

Section 2 of 6:

Adventurer Strengths

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Adventurers (ISFPs) tend to be warm, laid-back, and optimistic, able to find joy wherever they go. This gives them a natural charm—ISFPs are super likable because they set the people around them at ease and know how to keep the mood light. They generally go through life with a “live and let live” attitude, which basically means they’re pros at going with the flow.^{[2]
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Empathetic Most adventurers can relate to the emotions of others pretty easily; they have big hearts and often carefully observe the people around them to pick up on what they’re feeling. They also tend to go out of their way to be accommodating and accepting wherever they can, which is why their high levels of empathy and sensitivity really pay off.^{[3]
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- Adventurers don’t like conflict either and tend to avoid it when possible. Rather, they prefer to create harmony among the people around them and use their sense of empathy to do so.
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Imaginative and artistic Adventurers are full of bold, creative ideas! They have vivid imaginations and tend to channel that into tangible works of art. They prefer to express feelings and ideas visually—and because they’re highly sensitive and empathetic, they often use their art to relate to the people around them.^{[4]
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- In fact, the “adventurer” personality type is also called “the artist” and “the composer.”
  - That doesn’t mean every ISFP is an artist in real life (although many have the potential). Rather, it simply means that ISFPs tend to have a creative mindset.
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Passionate It can be surprising to people who don’t know them very well because adventurers are pretty reserved on the surface—but underneath, they’re very passionate people. When something interests or excites them, an enthusiastic ISFP will drop everything and hone in on it.^{[5]
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- ISFPs also feel things very deeply (because they’re so empathetic). They may not openly bring up their feelings unless they feel comfortable with someone, but they’re much more emotional than they may appear.
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Curious Adventurers are born to explore! As their personality type suggests, they love going on adventures—and it’s because they’re so curious. They want to see the world, discover new ideas firsthand, and learn whatever they can. In fact, this MBTI type is also a gifted researcher and can even be a gifted scientist, so long as they get the freedom to do things their way.^{[6]
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- ISFPs are also pretty spontaneous—they can change gear at a moment’s notice, especially if something new and interesting catches their eye and they want to learn more about it.
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Observant ISFPs focus on whatever is happening right in front of them and take in all the details of their environment. They’re also gifted problem-solvers who can take the information they absorb and use it to get a sense of the bigger picture; they can find creative connections and possibilities that other people might miss. They’re very down-to-earth and practical, and like to learn by getting hands-on experience.^{[7]
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- They’re also “doers.” In other words, ISFPs typically don’t sit around thinking when they could get out in the world and do something for themselves. They want their thoughts to be actionable!
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Original Adventurers march to the beat of their own drum! They’re not very concerned with existing standards or traditions; instead, they prefer to rely on their instincts. Their independent spirit and creativity make them very individualistic, and ISFPs naturally stand out from the crowd without trying to. They don’t do it for attention; they simply believe that everyone’s path in life—including their own—should be unique.^{[8]
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- This also makes ISFPs super principled. They hold tight to their ideals and won’t sacrifice them for anyone!

Section 3 of 6:

Adventurer Weaknesses

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Unpredictable Spontaneity has a downside—adventurers tend to have trouble planning for the future. They don’t care for long-term commitments and may feel restricted by too much future planning. In turn, their reluctance to plan for the future can cause problems for adventurers in romantic relationships, especially when it comes to making lasting promises.^{[9]
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- If you’re an adventurer, practice planning for the future bit by bit. You don’t have to map out your entire life!
- Start out doing small things like making a to-do list on days you have a lot of work or creating a budget to ensure you don’t overspend your money.
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Competitive Because they live in the moment, ISFPs tend to focus on succeeding in the here and now without really thinking about how to make a name for themselves in the long term. They also tend to get a bit upset when they lose to someone else since they’re so competitive. They may need to work on being less competitive and more accepting when someone else “wins” instead of them.^{[10]
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- For example, if you’re an adventurer, try to stop comparing yourself to other people and remember that your self-worth isn’t based on winning.
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Independent Adventurers value freedom of expression above all else. That’s certainly not a bad thing—on the contrary, it’s a great trait to have! Nonetheless, independent adventurers may have difficulty with some things because of their need for autonomy, like rigidly regulated jobs and environments. They may struggle to adjust to a highly structured academic setting, for example, or feel unsatisfied with jobs that come with a clearly-defined role and no room for exploration.^{[11]
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- If you’re an adventurer, you don’t have to curb your sense of independence. Just be aware of what works for you and what doesn’t, and don’t try to force yourself to do something that’s unsatisfying for you.
  - For example, if your job takes place in a very rigid work environment and you don’t like it, don’t force yourself to work there endlessly. Start looking for something that appeals to you more as soon as you can.
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Sensitive ISFPs may struggle with fluctuating self-esteem because it’s so easy to hurt their feelings. They’re often sensitive about their work (and easily upset if their efforts are dismissed), and they tend to be people-pleasers because they prefer to avoid conflicts at any cost. At times, an adventurer personality may get so caught up in keeping the peace to avoid trouble that they suppress their own needs in favor of someone else’s.^{[12]
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- If you’re an ISFP, remember to set boundaries for yourself and look out for your own needs. Being considerate is a wonderful trait, but that consideration should apply to yourself as much as anyone else!
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Easily overwhelmed ISFPs tend to get overwhelmed pretty quickly under pressure; they don’t like to be interrupted while working and especially dislike feeling as though their freedom is being restricted in any way. They often get stressed when forced to adhere to strict deadlines or when they feel like too much is happening and they can’t give everything as much attention as they’d like.^{[13]
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- If you’re an adventurer, find ways to manage your stress and practice self-care so you don’t get so worked up. For example, doing breathing exercises, meditating, and journaling may help!

Section 4 of 6:

Adventurer Relationships

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ISFPs tend to be reserved around new people. Because introversion is such a major trait for adventurers, they may seem quiet and shy the first few times they meet a new friend or whenever they hang out around strangers. They’re private people and prefer to keep their thoughts and feelings to themselves, especially when they don’t know or trust the person they’re with, so it can be tough to get to know them.^{[14]
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- If you’re an ISFP, build up your confidence so you can stop being shy around people you don’t know so well. It’s okay to be protective of yourself, but making new connections can be surprisingly fun!
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Adventurers open up to people they really trust. It’s usually easier for an adventurer to express themselves when they do it with a close friend or trusted romantic partner. They tend to come out of their shell and let a select few people see them for who they really are—and, so long as they feel appreciated, they have no problem giving affection back to their partner or friends. They’re kind, warm, and loyal people!^{[15]
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- Sometimes, an adventurer may actually avoid sharing their feelings with their partner. If that’s the case for you, work on building more trust between you and your partner, so you’ll feel comfortable opening up to them.
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ISFPs express love through sweet gestures and acts of service. Because adventurers are naturally action-oriented, their preferred way of expressing love and affection tends to be very hands-on. Talking things out isn’t their first choice; rather, they look for ways to show people how much they care. For example, an adventurer might help out with chores, give their partner a spa treatment, or take them out on a fun, romantic date.^{[16]
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- If you’re an adventurer, look for even more ways to express affection and love.
  - Things like physical touch (hugs, kisses, holding hands, and so on) and verbal affection (saying “I love you” or “I care about you”) may be just as important to your partner as meaningful gestures.

Section 5 of 6:

Adventurer Careers

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ISFPs prefer hands-on jobs that let them maintain their autonomy. They also tend to use their jobs as an outlet for creative expression! Adventurers thrive in relaxed work environments that give them the freedom to operate as they see fit, and there aren’t a ton of rules to hold them back. They prefer solo work but can also work with others as long as their colleagues are easygoing and supportive.^{[17]
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Research source} Ideal ISFP jobs include:
- Artist
- Musician
- Designer
- Chef
- Social worker
- Gardener
- Carpenter
- In terms of their hobbies, adventurers tend to enjoy the great outdoors! They love spending time in nature and exploring. They also enjoy hobbies that require physical activity or art skills, like swimming, dancing, or photography.

Section 6 of 6:

How common is the adventurer personality type?

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ISFP is the fourth most common MBTI personality. Out of 16 different MBTI personality types, about 9% of the general population are adventurers (or ISFPs).^{[18]
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Research source} This personality type is also slightly more common in women, with roughly 10% of women being adventurers compared to about 8% of men. Famous ISFPs include:
- Avril Lavigne
- Britney Spears
- Cher
- David Beckham
- Frida Kahlo
- Marilyn Monroe
- Michael Jackson
- Rihanna