The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) categorizes personality types into 16 distinct types based on preferences across 4 dichotomies: introversion/extraversion, sensing/intuition, thinking/feeling, and judging/perceiving. This framework allows us to better understand motivations and behaviors between different personality types. An interesting question to explore is which of the 16 MBTI types is most likely to start a revolution? Revolutions are radical, ambitious, and disruptive – so we would expect the revolutionary personality to be someone visionary, passionate, and willing to upset the status quo. In this article, we will analyze the traits of each MBTI to determine which type sounds most like a burgeoning revolutionary.
The 16 MBTI Types
Before guessing which type is most revolutionary, let’s do a quick overview of the 16 MBTI types:
Extraverted Types
ESFP – Outgoing, fun-loving, spontaneous, excited by sensory experiences.
ESTP – Bold, rational risk-takers who live in the moment.
ENFP – Imaginative, energetic, independent, value inspiration and integrity.
ENTP – Quick, ingenious, stimulated by intellectual debate, good at reading people.
ESFJ – Warm, enthusiastic, populist, loyal, want harmony and cooperation.
ESTJ – Practical, organized, matter-of-fact, value security and tradition.
ENFJ – Charismatic, empathetic leaders who love helping others reach their potential.
ENTJ – Strategic, efficient, effective visionaries with high standards for performance.
Introverted Types
ISFP – Gentle, sensitive, artistic, love nature and beauty, live in the moment.
ISTP – Analytical, pragmatic, spontaneous, understand how things and systems work.
INFP – Idealistic, principled, sensitive, imaginative, value authenticity and compassion.
INTP – Logical, precise thinkers who love theorizing and intellectual exploration.
ISFJ – Reliable, devoted altruists who love providing practical care for others.
ISTJ – Responsible, sincere, and sensible with a matter-of-fact approach.
INFJ – Insightful, purposeful, passionate leaders who want to understand and inspire people.
INTJ – Analytical, strategic thinkers who love perfecting complex systems and ideas.
This gives us a broad overview of each type’s core characteristics. Next, let’s analyze the traits that might incline a type toward revolutionary thinking.
Traits of a Revolutionary Personality
What qualities might drive someone to radically change the status quo? Here are some key traits a revolutionary thinker likely possesses:
- Visionary – can imagine an alternative future reality
- Passionate – driven by intense feeling and purpose
- Principled – holds strong ideological values
- Decisive – willing to take bold, decisive action
- Strategic – can plan how to make their vision a reality
- Charismatic -能说会道,可以鼓动群众的人
- Inner directed – follows their own compass over social norms
- Purposeful – revolution is their calling or mission
A revolutionary has a powerful vision and is decisive enough to act on it. They don’t just theorize or talk – they strategize how to achieve sweeping changes. Their intense passion and principles drive them past skepticism or resistance. While they may seem single-minded, their ambition comes from a sense of purpose.
Let’s explore which MBTI types strongest exhibit these revolutionary qualities.
MBTI Types Most Likely to Start a Revolution
Based on the traits that incline someone to revolutionary thinking, we can make an educated guess about which MBTI types seem most inclined to start a revolution:
ENFJ
ENFJs’ charisma and empathy make them natural leaders capable of inspiring revolutionary fervor. As idealists, they have strong principles and values driving them towards change. They can communicate their vision passionately to mobilize people. ENFJs are skilled at understanding how to motivate and organize movements.
ENFP
ENFPs are highly imaginative, principled and passionate – a potent combination for a revolutionary visionary. They think big and consider unlikely possibilities. With their enthusiasm and communication skills, ENFPs can excite people around bold new ideas and movements. They are inner-directed, following their convictions over conventions.
ENTJ
ENTJs have the strategizing skills and decisiveness to turn revolutionary ambitions into realities. As natural leaders, they can direct and motivate people towards radical change. They have clear visions for how things could be improved and the logic to bring alternate systems to life. ENTJs won’t hesitate to upset norms to achieve progress.
INTJ
Brilliant INTJ masterminds could formulate revolutionary ideologies or manifestos. They can also strategically analyze how to systematically disrupt and replace current systems. INTJs go their own way, driven more by their internal visions than social conventions. The combination of vision and strategy makes INTJs revolutionary architects.
While other types have revolutionary traits, these four seem especially inclined. Let’s compare the relative likelihood of each type starting a revolution.
Comparing the Revolutionary Potential of Each MBTI Type
To directly compare how likely each MBTI type is to spearhead a revolution, I’ve ranked them on a scale of 1 to 5 for each key trait of revolutionaries.
5 = Very High 4 = High 3 = Moderate 2 = Low 1= Very Low
| MBTI Type | Visionary | Passionate | Principled | Decisive | Strategic | Charismatic | Inner Directed | Purposeful | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENFJ | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 36 |
| ENFP | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 35 |
| ENTJ | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 32 |
| INTJ | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 33 |
| INFJ | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 30 |
| ENTP | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 31 |
| INTP | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 26 |
| ENFP | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 28 |
| INFP | 4 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 27 |
| ESTJ | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 21 |
| ESFJ | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 22 |
| ISTJ | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 19 |
| ISFJ | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 16 |
| ESTP | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 24 |
| ESFP | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 19 |
| ISTP | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 19 |
| ISFP | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 17 |
This comparative ranking shows that the ENFJ, ENFP, ENTJ, and INTJ types score highest on the qualities that characterize a revolutionary personality. The other Diplomats and Analysts types (INFJ, INFP, ENTP, INTP) still show solid potential while the Explorers and Sentinels are less inclined towards revolutionary ideas overall.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the ENFJ, ENFP, ENTJ, and INTJ MBTI types seem most likely to spearhead revolutionary movements based on their visionary, passionate, principled, decisive, strategic, charismatic, inner-directed, and purposeful traits. These types exemplify the leadership, conviction, strategic thinking, and ambition needed to drive radical change. While revolutions can arise from many sources, these four types embody the core profile of a revolutionary personality. Understanding these connections between personality and behavior can help us better engage questions of social change and progress.