Introduction

WHO IS AN ENTERTAINER (ESFP)?

An Entertainer (ESFP) is a person with the Extraverted, Observant, Feeling, and Prospecting personality traits. These people love vibrant experiences, engaging in life eagerly and taking pleasure in discovering the unknown. They can be very social, often encouraging others into shared activities.

Live for each second without hesitation.ELTON JOHN

If anyone is to be found spontaneously breaking into song and dance, it is the Entertainer personality type. Entertainers get caught up in the excitement of the moment, and want everyone else to feel that way, too. No other personality type is as generous with their time and energy as Entertainers when it comes to encouraging others, and no other personality type does it with such irresistible style.

Living with Passion

Entertainers love the spotlight, and all the world’s a stage. Many famous people with the Entertainer personality type are indeed actors, but they love putting on a show for their friends too, chatting with a unique and earthy wit, soaking up attention and making every outing feel a bit like a party. Utterly social, Entertainers enjoy the simplest things, and there’s no greater joy for them than just having fun with a good group of friends.

It’s not just talk either – Entertainers have the strongest aesthetic sense of any personality type. From grooming and outfits to a well-appointed home, Entertainer personalities have an eye for fashion. Knowing what’s attractive the moment they see it, Entertainers aren’t afraid to change their surroundings to reflect their personal style. Entertainers are naturally curious, exploring new designs and styles with ease.

Though it may not always seem like it, Entertainers know that it’s not all about them – they are observant, and very sensitive to others’ emotions. People with this personality type are often the first to help someone talk out a challenging problem, happily providing emotional support and practical advice. However, if the problem is about them, Entertainers are more likely to avoid a conflict altogether than to address it head-on. Entertainers usually love a little drama and passion, but not so much when they are the focus of the criticisms it can bring.

A Spontaneous Spirit

The biggest challenge Entertainers face is that they are often so focused on immediate pleasures that they neglect the duties and responsibilities that make those luxuries possible. Complex analysis, repetitive tasks, and matching statistics to real consequences are not easy activities for Entertainers. They’d rather rely on luck or opportunity, or simply ask for help from their extensive circle of friends. It is important for Entertainers to challenge themselves to keep track of long-term things like their retirement plans or sugar intake – there won’t always be someone else around who can help to keep an eye on these things.

Entertainers recognize value and quality, which on its own is a fine trait. In combination with their tendency to be poor planners though, this can cause them to live beyond their means, and credit cards are especially dangerous. More focused on leaping at opportunities than in planning out long-term goals, Entertainers may find that their inattentiveness has made some activities unaffordable.

There’s nothing that makes Entertainers feel quite as unhappy as realizing that they are boxed in by circumstance, unable to join their friends.

Entertainers are welcome wherever there’s a need for laughter, playfulness, and a volunteer to try something new and fun – and there’s no greater joy for Entertainer personalities than to bring everyone else along for the ride. Entertainers can chat for hours, sometimes about anything but the topic they meant to talk about, and share their loved ones’ emotions through good times and bad. If they can just remember to keep their ducks in a row, they’ll always be ready to dive into all the new and exciting things the world has to offer, friends in tow.

Strengths & Weaknesses

Entertainer Strengths

• Bold – Entertainers aren’t known for holding back. Wanting to experience everything there is to experience, people with the Entertainer personality type don’t mind stepping out of their comfort zones when no one else is willing.
• Original – Traditions and expectations are secondary to Entertainers, if a consideration at all. Entertainer personalities love to experiment with new styles, and constantly find new ways to stick out in the crowd.
• Aesthetics and Showmanship – Not stopping at mere outfits, Entertainers inject artistic creativity into their words and actions, too. Every day is a performance, and Entertainers love to put on a show.
• Practical – To Entertainers, the world is meant to be felt and experienced. Truth is stranger than fiction, and Entertainers prefer to see and do than to wax philosophical about “what-ifs”.
• Observant – With all this focus on the here and now, on doing and acting, it makes sense that Entertainers are naturals when it comes to noticing real, tangible things and changes.
• Excellent People Skills – More so than things though, Entertainers love to pay attention to people. They are talkative, witty, and almost never run out of things to discuss. For people with this personality type, happiness and satisfaction stem from the time they spend with the people they enjoy being with.

Entertainer Weaknesses

• Sensitive – Entertainers (especially Turbulent ones) are strongly emotional, and very vulnerable to criticism – they can feel like they’ve been backed into a corner, sometimes reacting badly. This is probably Entertainers’ greatest weakness, because it makes it so hard to address any other weaknesses brought to light.
• Conflict-Averse – Entertainers sometimes ignore and avoid conflict entirely. They tend to say and do what’s needed to get out of such situations, then move on to something more fun.
• Easily Bored – Without constant excitement, Entertainers find ways to create it themselves. Risky behavior, self-indulgence, and the pleasures of the moment over long-term plans are all things Entertainers get into a little too often.
• Poor Long-Term Planners – In fact, Entertainer personalities rarely make detailed plans for the future. To them, things come as they come, and they rarely bother with taking the time to lay out steps and consequences, with the belief that they could change at any moment – even with things that can be planned.
• Unfocused – Anything that requires long-term dedication and focus is a particular challenge for Entertainers. In academics, dense, unchanging subjects like Classic Literature are much more difficult than more dynamic, relatable subjects like psychology. The trick for Entertainers is to find day-to-day joy in broader goals, and to tough it out with those tedious things that must be done.

Romantic Relationships

Entertainers are social, fun-loving, free-spirited people who live life in the moment and squeeze every little bit of excitement from everything. Naturally, they don’t spare any of this freshness and energy when dating. For people with the Entertainer personality type, relationships aren’t about slowly building foundations for the future, or planning out a life – they are bubbling, unpredictable things to be enjoyed for as long as there’s enjoyment to be had.

The Spark of Love

Of course, when that enjoyment does burn out, it’s gone. Entertainers reevaluate their situations and commitments constantly, regardless of professions of love and dedication today. If a week later they just don’t feel the same, that’s it, and Entertainer personalities have no problem seriously considering breaking things off. While Entertainers can be willing to work on their relationships rather than swap them out, it takes a great deal of maturity and experience for them to realize that it can be worth the bother.

While they do last though, relationships with Entertainers are simply unforgettable. People with this personality type always have some new and exciting activity up their sleeves, and they genuinely enjoy spending each moment with their partners. Entertainers enjoy physical intimacy immensely, and they prove themselves affectionate, inquisitive, and open-minded lovers who love to share pleasure with willing and reciprocative partners.

Conversation with Entertainers is similar, focusing on fun, sometimes quirky subjects rather than deep, soul-searching expressions. The past and the future, the sciences and politics, and long-term plans and commitments are all routinely ignored by Entertainer personalities. They slow things down and add too much weight to Entertainers’ freewheeling style.

Entertainers happily chat about just about anything or anyone that comes to mind, but won’t have a topic forced.

Highly emotional people, and sensitive, Entertainers respond poorly to outside “suggestions” on how to manage their love lives. They respond even worse if criticisms come from their partners, and trying to take emotions out of the picture by telling Entertainers to “not take this personally” isn’t helpful either. Handling these situations better is a definite area for improvement for Entertainers, as there are entire dating strategies (pretty distasteful, manipulative ones) that revolve around exploiting this very trait.

On the other hand, the issue can be a lack of criticism at all. Entertainers value social input a lot, and are almost as affected by their friends’ opinions of their dating partners as their own. Since Entertainers are attracted to people who share their attitudes, whether dating partners or friends, this can leave them in an echo chamber that only tells them what they want to hear, reinforcing immature behaviors.

A Joyful Heart

All of these tendencies can really come back to haunt people with the Entertainer personality type later on. Entertainers’ tendency to avoid promises and commitments and jump from partner to partner sabotages necessary long-term goals like retirement planning. Building real relationships takes time and conscious effort.

Luckily, Entertainers are incredibly likeable people who enjoy life’s small pleasures, and hardly want for diversity in their partners. Enthusiastic and affectionate, with a pure and down-to-earth love that just takes things at face value, Entertainers are fortunate that they take the time to find someone they truly enjoy being with every day, rather than settling too soon for stability over happiness, only to lose both.

Friendships

Entertainers are known for their irrepressibly social and excited attitudes. They don’t internalize much of anything, sharing it all with their extensive circles of friends with wit, style, enthusiasm, and optimism. Entertainers are explorers of the pleasures of life, and they take particular pleasure in sharing those experiences with others. For Entertainers, there’s no point in living if you can’t feel alive.

Making Life Interesting

Entertainers are people of action. Getting out with activities that engage all five senses is Entertainer personalities’ idea of a good time. Sometimes though, Entertainers may go too far with risky or careless behaviors, and try to bring others along for the ride. People with this personality type are sensitive, and rejecting these pastimes can be taken personally, ending friendships then and there. Entertainers don’t have time to be lectured.

Making new friends isn’t a problem for Entertainers though – they use an alluring combination of blunt truths and disarming openness and charm to keep things moving. Where Entertainer personalities falter is in keeping the friends they already have. In their excitement and focus on here and now over history, Entertainers too easily exhaust the adventure one person has to offer, moving on once one person’s novelty has worn off.

This can all give the impression that Entertainers are shallow, pleasure-centric creatures who care little for anyone but themselves. This is a terrible misunderstanding, and far from the truth, but nevertheless makes friendships with Intuitive (N) personality types challenging. Entertainers care sincerely about their friends – it’s why they put so much effort into coming up with group experiences they believe everyone will enjoy – and they are deeply distressed by the occasional conflicts that end these relationships.

As they grow and mature, Entertainers respect different personality types and approaches more and more.

Novelty is king for people with the Entertainer personality type, and there’s only so much diversity among fellow Explorer types. Entertainers love touching on intellectual and philosophical subjects, and they seek out a diversity of personality types and perspectives to keep among their friends. But as these friends grind into the details of some esoteric topic about the long-term consequences of faltering European economic output, Entertainers inevitably find their minds wandering, hoping for someone to rush up and say “Guess what just happened!”

Parenthood

Entertainers are some of the most relaxed, fun-loving parents out there. Playing with children is a genuine pleasure for them, and people with the Entertainer personality type constantly devise new and exciting ways to enjoy their time with their children. From the first moment they hold their babies, Entertainers are taken with the joy and wonder that their children experience in everything around them, and share and encourage it as much as possible.

Wild and Free

Exploration and experiences are key philosophies for Entertainer parents – when their children ask questions, the answer is “Let’s find out!” Overbearing structures and tightly scheduled activities aren’t a big part of Entertainer personalities’ parenting. They’d much rather take things day by day and break up the crust by letting their children explore something new in their own way, something much appreciated by Entertainers’ children.

Of course, this doesn’t mean there aren’t any rules – Entertainers were young once, too!

Discipline is far from their strongest suit, but hindsight and maturity have their effects, and Entertainers are often keen to prevent their children from suffering the same hurts and setbacks they themselves experienced. People with the Entertainer personality type are quite sensitive themselves, and expect their children to be respectful and considerate with what rules there are, a point of contention through the teenage years.

Entertainers always keep up their end of the bargain though, providing plenty of emotional support. While not especially demanding parents, warm affection and a sense of practicality give Entertainer personalities a very nurturing and encouraging parenting style, filling the gap nicely. When their children declare themselves future astronauts, Entertainers happily build make-believe spaceships, and later use those declarations to help their children focus on their schoolwork and goals. After all, successful astronauts need to know their math!

Career Paths

Entertainers have a unique quality that makes them exceptional in some careers, and miserable in others – they mirror the mood around them. When people with the Entertainer personality type are at a party or concert, they reflect that mood, giving them that “party people” image. When their friends are sad, they mirror that with sympathy and empathy. And when there is a crisis, Entertainers adapt as well, matching the intensity of the situation.

Seeking New Challenges

As a result, just about any career that focuses on working with others is a good fit, and is even essential for Entertainers to be happy and productive. Entertainer personalities are natural event planners, sales representatives, trip planners, and tour guides, as each of these creates a sense of excitement, stimulation, and novelty between them and their customers.

Entertainers balance their emotional sensitivity with a strong sense of independence and resourcefulness, making each experience unique.

Entertainers genuinely enjoy spending time with others and getting to know them, and have a knack for making people happy, even in the most frustrating situations. A good challenge is always appreciated by Entertainer personalities, and they make wonderful and inspiring counselors, social workers, personal coaches, and consultants who improve employee or customer satisfaction.

With their ability to respond with resourcefulness and passion when their help is badly needed, Entertainers make brilliant medical professionals, especially as EMTs, paramedics, and nurses. They quickly pick up information about others, helping them get straight to the heart of the issue when dealing with the sick or injured. Entertainers thrive on intense emotion, and there’s hardly a better place for it.

Not everybody has the energy for that though, or wants the responsibility of life and death – some Entertainers prefer to make people happy and excited by creating beauty instead. People with this personality type have plenty of creative energy, and many build fulfilling careers in music, fashion, photography, and interior design. With the best aesthetic sense of any personality type, Entertainers are renowned for their sense of style.

A Touch of Chaos

However, jobs that eliminate human contact and focus on impartial, data-driven decisions are torturous to Entertainers. Some Entertainer personalities do well enough by blowing off steam with friends after work, but for the most part, careers like technical writing or data analysis are poor fits. Add Entertainers’ loathing for schedules, structures, and repetition, and nine-to-five administrative work is quickly sent to the “nope” bin.

Regardless of where their diverse passions lie, Entertainers need freedom, novelty, and above all, human contact. People with the Entertainer personality type need to know that they aren’t just appreciated, though that is very important, but liked. When Entertainers come in to work, they want to see a touch of chaos, and to navigate it with a crack team of capable friends who are all too happy to take action by their sides.

Workplace Habits

Regardless of what position Entertainers find themselves in at work, they share a desire to make the environment as friendly and enjoyable as possible. People with the Entertainer personality type are able to take a social and relaxed attitude and use it to get everyone else on board with practical tasks that just need to get done. The more freedom Entertainers have to meet these needs, the better the results, so long as they know what the goal is, and there’s hardly a better personality type to have around in a dynamic, hectic work environment.

Entertainer Subordinates

As subordinates, Entertainers thrive on change and new ideas, and loathe repetitive and strictly defined tasks. Entertainer personalities’ managers find willing and able experimenters who can brainstorm, quickly grasp new methods, and actually put those methods to practical use – so long as Entertainers have a little leeway apply their own creative style. Changes may take a few tries though, as Entertainers can be forgetful in the heat of the moment, and can get more caught up in trying to get quick returns.

Entertainers give honest feedback on whether things make sense, but are quite sensitive to others’ criticism of their own habits. Under fire, people with this personality type (especially Turbulent ones) become defensive and are easily upset. But in the end, if they believe that the criticism comes from an honest intent to help, not hurt, Entertainers take it to heart. The biggest struggle for Entertainers in subordinate positions is that they value freedom and independence far more than safety and security – if their conditions aren’t met, they’re as likely to leave as make do.

Entertainer Colleagues

If anyone can make friends with their colleagues and keep tension at bay within their team, it’s Entertainers. A fun atmosphere is important, and people with the Entertainer personality type use their strong observational and social skills to bring everyone together, shifting a souring mood if need be. Entertainers rarely want for ideas on how to make this happen, happily organizing events and activities inside and outside the workplace. Entertainers’ spontaneity, wit, and enthusiasm have no equal.

Entertainer Managers

As managers, Entertainers do everything they can to pump energy and fun into the day-to-day work that needs to be done. Entertainer personalities enjoy being the center of attention, and even more so to feel like they’re needed and appreciated. Jumping into the thick of the work and applying themselves to anything they’d ask their subordinates to do is something Entertainers consider part of the job. Authority and social status are secondary to feeling like they’re an important part of a team that gets the job done.

Entertainers are great at noticing others’ moods, and there are few personality types better at preventing conflict and encouraging relaxed, enjoyable workplaces. Subordinates are always welcome to speak their minds, and people with this personality type are always happy to hear others out, especially if something is upsetting them. Entertainers’ ability to relate to others and think on their feet makes them resourceful and inspiring leaders.

Conclusion

Few personality types are as charming and attractive as Entertainers. Known for their ability to improvise and focus completely on the present, Entertainers are great at finding exciting new things to explore and experience. Entertainers’ energy, enthusiasm and down-to-earth attitude are invaluable in many areas, including their own personal growth.

Yet Entertainers can be easily tripped up in situations where their focus on practical matters is more of a liability than an asset. Whether it is finding (or keeping) a partner, reaching dazzling heights on the career ladder, or learning to plan ahead, Entertainers need to put in a conscious effort to develop their weaker traits and additional skills.

What you have read so far is just an introduction into the complex concept that is the Entertainer personality type. You may have muttered to yourself, “wow, this is so accurate it’s a little creepy” or “finally, someone understands me!” You may have even asked “how do they know more about me than the people I’m closest to?”

This is not a trick. You felt understood because you were. We’ve studied how Entertainers think and what they need to reach their full potential. And no, we did not spy on you – many of the challenges you’ve faced and will face in the future have been overcome by other Entertainers. You simply need to learn how they succeeded.

But in order to do that, you need to have a plan, a personal roadmap. The best car in the world will not take you to the right place if you do not know where you want to go. We have told you how Entertainers tend to behave in certain circumstances and what their key strengths and weaknesses are. Now we need to go much deeper into your personality type and answer “why?”, “how?” and “what if?”

This knowledge is only the beginning of a lifelong journey. Are you ready to learn why Entertainers act in the way they do? What motivates and inspires you? What you are afraid of and what you secretly dream about? How you can unlock your true, exceptional potential?

Our premium profiles provide a roadmap towards a happier, more successful, and more versatile YOU! They are not for everyone though – you need to be willing and able to challenge yourself, to go beyond the obvious, to imagine and follow your own path instead of just going with the flow. If you want to take the reins into your own hands, we are here to help you.