ISFP Enneagram Types: The Fundamentals

ISFPs are explorers at heart who step into the world with sheer curiosity, eager to see, touch, smell, and feel everything that life has to offer.

The versatility of their personality is easier to understand when viewed through the lens of the different ISFP Enneagram subtypes. This is because they describe the myriad of ways in which ISFPs can manifest their fundamental sense of curiosity and spirit of adventure.

So, not all ISFPs will be equally sensitive, playful, or friendly. Analyzing and comparing ISFPs to their counter Enneagram types will allow a more in-depth understanding of this personality type, and that’s exactly what this guide brings to you.

So, without further ado, let’s dive in!

A Quick Overview of the ISFP Personality Type

Creativity, curiosity, and empathy are the words that first come to mind when describing the essence of the ISFP personality type. These individuals want to live exciting lives full of purpose, adventures, and lush experiences.

Kind and compassionate, they dream of a world in which everyone is free to pursue their passions. Therefore, they surely aren’t the type to conform to social expectations or care what other people say about them. Marching to the beat of their own drum, these people live in the present and can find beauty in everything.

Following rules and structure feels burdensome to ISFPs, so they often have unique, atypical work or lifestyles. Though friendly and caring, they are still introverts who need their precious time alone to process their experiences and impressions.

The Nine Enneagram Types of the ISFP

ISFPs rely strongly on their value system in every aspect of their lives, and their firm beliefs are their driving force. Let’s see how their core strengths and weaknesses change under the influence of different Enneagram types.

#1. ISFP Enneagram Type 1

One of the most pronounced ISFP traits is their need to stand up for the marginalized and less privileged. Since Ones often act as the moral guardians of the community, ISFP Enneagram One will have a very strong moral compass and an even greater need to fight for the right cause and live a purposeful life.

However, in terms of lifestyle, Ones and ISFPs are pretty different. Ones are organized, structured, orderly people who like to have everything planned in detail, and ISFPs are nothing like that. So, an ISFP Enneagram One will be less chaotic and probably have better organization skills.

These ISFPs will also have a strong inner critic and a desire to make the world better by actively engaging in humanistic activities in their community or at work. Compassionate and genuinely kind, they will always look for ways to help other people and improve living conditions for everyone.

In the ISFP Enneagram One personality type, hunger for lush adventures meets the desire to make the world a better place. Therefore, these people will fiercely engage in exciting endeavors with the purpose of improving the human condition. Their core fear will be of being trapped in a situation where they are pushed to make immoral decisions.

#2. ISFP Enneagram Type 2

Twos belong to the Enneagram feeling triad, which means they are led by their hearts, and ISFPs are also very emotional. So, logically, the ISFP Enneagram 2 will be even warmer, more generous, and more compassionate than a regular ISFP. They will also be less introverted and more perceptive of their surroundings.

Moreover, these ISFPs will be less adventurous and more in tune with other people’s needs. Optimistic and kind, they can always see the good in other people and lighten their lives. Relationships of all kinds play important roles in their lives, and they are more loyal and protective of their loved ones than other ISFPs.

These individuals mayalso sometimes feel thorned by their desire for excitement and novelty on the one hand and their need for security on the other. This inner conflict creates a lot of tension that they often resolve through creative expression.

What these individuals are afraid of the most is that unless they earn the love of others by pleasing them, they will never be free enough to pursue their passions. As for their desires, they are mostly about following their many interests while knowing they are loved for who they are.

#3. ISFP Enneagram Type 3

Resourcefulness and quick wit are some of the traits an ISFP Enneagram Three will have more of than a regular ISFP. Threes’ ambition and drive energize ISFPs, who become more passionate and adventurous thanks to it. They are also more goal-oriented and daring than a typical ISFP.

These ISFPs communicate easily with other people and are, in general, very sociable, despite the fact that they are essentially introverts. They also care more about the impression they give off and feel the need to be validated by the people with whom they interact.

The adventures ISFPs typically engage in stop being just adventures but turn into endeavors in their pursuit of success. Action-oriented and energetic, they are constantly on the move and find it hard to relax and just rest for a while. For that reason, they will not be as in touch with their feelings as other ISFPs.

The core ISFPs’ fear of being trapped turns into the fear of being trapped by failure, not achieving enough to earn the freedom they need. On the other hand, what they desire most is to live a dynamic and exciting life full of adventures and crowned with success.

#4. ISFP Enneagram Type 4

ISFPs and Enneagram Fours have many common traits, so we can expect that this ISFP will be a typical one in many ways. Highly emotional, creative, and independent, ISFP Fours believe in self-expression and strive for authenticity in every sense.

Their response to life is deeply emotional, and they are not afraid to explore how they feel. On the contrary, they are eager to understand why they feel the way they do, who they are, and what their purpose in life is. Their need for adventure turns into the adventure of self-exploration, on which they fairly often use art or an awesome kind of creative expression.

ISFP Enneagram Fours have a strong urge to distinguish themselves from others and manifest their uniqueness through the way they talk, dress, and behave. They may occasionally struggle with the feeling that they don’t belong anywhere, and their sense of identity may oscillate depending on how they feel. For that reason, they may sometimes be a bit pessimistic.

What these ISPFs are afraid of the most is that they will never be able to express everything they are, and because of that, they will be seen as insignificant. Their biggest desire is to freely express themselves, either through art or in some other creative way.

#5. ISFP Enneagram Type 5

Despite seemingly big differences between Fives and ISFPs, these two types often blend well together. The strong logic of the Five acts as a support for all the passionate interests of an ISFP. Curiosity is where these two overlap, so ISFP Enneagram Fives will be exquisitely curious spirits, similar to the explorative nature of ESTPs!

The Five’s typical fear of being useless will be dominant in this personality type and stronger than the ISFP’s fear of being trapped. Therefore, these people will strive to become skilled and knowledgeable and contribute with their talent and competence.

Since Fives are one of the most introverted Enneagram types, this ISFP will be even more introverted than a regular ISFP. Socializing without any particular purpose doesn’t sound appealing to these individuals, who often struggle to understand how other people feel.

What they want the most doesn’t change significantly. ISFP Enneagram Fives still desire to be free to pursue all their interests, but their interests will be slightly more intellectual than in regular ISFPS.

#6. ISFP Enneagram Type 6

Sixes crave stability and are driven by their need for security, while ISFPs are adventurists at their very core. Still, many ISFPs identify with Enneagram Type Six, but these are surely not typical ISFPs.

An ISFP Enneagram Six invests a lot of energy into dealing with their introverted feelings. They take personal relationships more seriously than regular ISPFs and are more loyal and steady. That’s because they value the sense of security that comes from stable relationships.

They will also have a more serious approach to their work responsibilities. However, they will not be prone to administrative lines of work like typical Sixes but will show great creativity and enthusiasm that is more typical of ISFPs. Of course, the safer they feel, the more creative they will be. Additionally, they will be less prone to overworking themselves.

The biggest fear of these ISFPs is that they will be left alone without anyone to show them direction. In that sense, they may be mistyped as ISFJs. When it comes to their core desires, they will dream about stability, which allows them to embark on all the adventures they pass due to their fear of insecurity. For those interested in a playful portrayal of such personality interplays, the article Enneagram 6 memes offers a whimsical exploration.

#7. ISFP Enneagram Type 7

The enthusiastic Seven will boost all the natural adventurism of the ISFP, making them restless and idealistic. Because Sevens often avoid harsh reality, their aversion to unpleasant feelings may emphasize ISFPs' proneness to introversion in this combination. This makes them similar to the typically energetic and freedom-loving ESFPs, who also seek pleasure and adventure.

Therefore, ISFP Enneagram Sevens may create their own idealized little world, to which they will run whenever the burden of reality becomes too heavy on them. Sevens may also introduce a lot of confusion into the ISFP's mind, as their thinking process is often scattered and impulsive. Due to this, these ISFPs will be very unpredictable and even reckless at times.

There may also be a significant amount of inner conflict, as ISFPs are essentially feeling type, and Sevens run away from every, even mildly unpleasant, feeling. Therefore, the ISFP Enneagram Seven will function smoothly as long as no problems are on the horizon. Yet, their first reaction to crises will be to escape instantly and avoid facing the feelings related to it.

The deepest fear of ISFP Enneagram Sevens is confrontation and negative emotions. All they want from life is to be carefree and enjoy the moment, and their deepest desires mostly revolve around freedom.

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#8. ISFP Enneagram Type 8

Eights are strong and domineering people and the most self-assured Enneagram type. They are power-driven and can't stand to be under anyone's control. Therefore, ISFP Enneagram Eights crave freedom and independence and are way more focused and energetic than typical ISFPs.

These ISFPs feel good as leaders and enjoy risky endeavors. They are vibrant and like to see the results of their actions, but they will not be as domineering as Eights—they will strive for freedom and independence in every area of their lives.

In personal relationships, ISFP Eights are very intense, passionate, and sometimes very possessive. They also have a pronounced hedonistic streak since Type Eight strongly supports their sensing function.

At their best, these people are self-confident and enthusiastic, full of zest for life. Their biggest desire is to experience many adventures in life and keep their independence. The ISFPs’ typical fear of being trapped becomes even stronger in this personality combination, and these ISFPs can become very aggressive if they feel their autonomy is jeopardized.

#9. ISFP Enneagram Type 9

ISFP Enneagram Nines will be largely oriented toward protecting and maintaining interpersonal and personal harmony. They will be very sensitive to the atmosphere in their surroundings, so their moods can vary a lot as a result.

The depth of their compassion is unimaginable. Calm and tender, these people are great at soothing and mediating conflicts. Still, if there are too many conflicts in their surroundings, they will suffer and withdraw into their inner world.

These ISFPs will also be the most adaptable of all ISFPs, but never to the point of losing their identity. Making decisions will often be a challenge for them, as they may take too much time to limit themselves to only one option when they see so many possibilities. Therefore, they will often procrastinate, which is very typical of Type Nine.

Enneagram 9 hobbies, such as hiking, gardening, or reading, can help them find balance and inner peace, as these activities allow them to retreat into peaceful, calming environments.

Finally, while ISFP Eights have a huge appetite for the pleasures of life and a keen sense of adventure, they will value peace more than the thrill of new experiences. They dream of a peaceful life full of beauty and pleasure and deeply fear that the ones they love the most will eventually leave them for some unknown reason.

The Most and Least Common ISFP Enneagram Types

Every combination of ISFP and Enneagram personality types can blend into one character, but not all combinations are likely. Since ISFPs’ dominant function is feeling, these people will most often identify with Enneagram types who are just as sensitive.

Most Common ISFP Enneagram Types

The most common ISFP Enneagram types are Nines, Fours, and Sixes.

ISFP Enneagram Nine is the most common combination of the types, which makes sense since both Nines and ISFPs are mellow, friendly, sensitive, and kind. Fours, the investigators of the inner worlds, also make up a large proportion of all ISFPs, followed closely by sensitive, security-driven Sixes.

Least Common ISFP Enneagram Types

The least common ISFP Enneagram types are Threes, Sevens, and Fives.

Threes are all about achievement and easily lose touch with their feelings, which is quite the opposite of how ISFPs function, so this combination is very rare. Sevens are also highly unlikely to be combined with ISFPs because they are all about suppressing and not expressing their feelings, as well as detached, cerebral Fives.

Conclusion

Regardless of the ISFP Enneagram subtype, the core ISFP traits will always remain the same—they will always follow their hearts, show compassion, and need time alone. Still, in this article,we’ve focused more on differences because our goal was to help you understand more easily how ISFP and Enneagrams combine.

Nines, Fours, and Sixes are the most common ISFP subtypes, and you’ll notice that all of them are highly emotional, despite the fact they belong to different Enneagram triads. The least likely types are the Threes, Sevens, and Fives, the Enneatypes who struggle the most with accepting their emotional side.