ESTP Description

"Believe in the argument you're advancing. If you don't, the other person will sense that something is lacking, and no amount of reasoning will win your case for you."

ESTPs as They Typically Are

Energetic, lively and active, ESTPs typically have a keen sense of presence and physical awareness of everything that goes on around them. They tend to come across as very animated and dynamic, often getting excited at seeing a new opening and playfully getting others on board with pursuing the possibilities inherent in that opening. Many ESTPs are natural leaders and centers of attention, and they are often seen as a confident and vibrant force that others look to for cues.

ESTPs tend to have a sense of excitement about them - that is to say, one often feels that big things are going to happen in their presence and they will rarely be boring to be around. And with their intense awareness of what is going on around them and uncanny ability to spot an opportunity and make the most of it, the expectations of others are rarely disappointed. ESTPs tend to be oriented towards the real world and the bottom line and many dislike sitting still or just staying at home. They wish to engage with the world to the fullest possible extent; to go out and create and chase opportunities that further the lot of themselves as well as everyone around them. Out of all the 16 types, ESTPs are usually the ultimate negotiators and win-win thinkers.

Many ESTPs enjoy talking to people and scanning their social network for talents and resources that others may possess, but which have not yet been put to their fullest use. Spirited, impressive, and perhaps slightly intimidating conversationalists, they will often talk with anybody about anything in order to try and figure out what people are made of, what their talents are, who they know, and so on. On the basis of this information, the ESTP can build a loose network of talented people over time so that, when they next see a golden new opportunity, they can assemble the ideal team to make the most of it.

Most ESTPs perceive the world and its people as being constantly in flux. They tend to see talent, opportunities, and resources as the 'raw stuff' of reality and are likely to regard things that fall outside these focal points (such as social hierarchies, organizational structures, traditional forms of address or academic discussions that never lead anywhere) as needlessly imposing and rigid. Well-developed ESTPs are very much mavericks; unorthodox forces of nature who make the most of life and follow their fancies into whatever uncharted territories they may lead.

Many ESTPs come across as socially confident and fluid. They're good at thinking on the spot and usually don't mind a little repartee or confrontation that allows them to see what others are made of. Some ESTPs don't always remember that not everyone can match their confidence and swagger and so they may take this confrontational element too far and can run the risk of seeming a bit abrasive to others at times. Such ESTPs can sometimes hurt the feelings of others without even meaning to - that is to say, not because they enjoy putting others down, but because they get carried away by the spirit of competition and the thrill of the game.

ESTPs tend to enjoy debate and open argument. Besides merely presenting an analytical argument, many are also adept at pitching and presenting their points in such a way that the points - like the ESTP themselves - seem not just like arguments, but like unswerving forces of nature that others would be silly to try and resist. Besides their gift for rhetoric and argumentation, many ESTPs are also uncannily good at reading the body language and physical cues of others, even while in the midst of a complex conversation. This ability equips the ESTP with a truly multifaceted approach to social interaction, which allows them to square whatever is happening on the verbal level with whether they've hit on a touchy or thorny issue, where they stand with others, the other party's degree of certitude in the claims he is making, and so on.

To many ESTPs, how someone says something and the emotions and energy they convey while doing so is very much a part of the point they're trying to make. Unlike the ENTP and INTP types, who often try to separate how something is said from the point being made - to look at utterances as naked analytical propositions in a vacuum, as it were - most ESTPs know that how something is said and the point that is being made cannot truly be separated like that. Though logical themselves, ESTPs understand that humans communicate on many levels besides the merely rational one. They understand that if you fail to get people excited, your ideas may never be heard, no matter how incisive your points may be. Because of their unique blend of communication skills and awareness of the importance of presentation and delivery, many ESTPs find that they have an easy time excelling as self-help and motivational speakers.

Bodily aware, many ESTPs tend to be active in sports and enjoy exercise and physical activities. They tend to be very competitive about their engagement in such things, where many are driven by a love of winning and coming out as number one. Many also enjoy the thrill of extreme sports and the rushes that come with these ostensibly dangerous activities.

Younger ESTPs may struggle with turning their energy level down at times. As said, many ESTPs are highly sociable and many have a quick pace of thinking and conversation. This may lead them to drown others out at times, or to forget to make room for the other party to leave their mark on the conversation. As they learn and grow, however, most ESTPs learn to strike more of a balance in social interactions, realizing that the greatest impact on others can often be achieved by giving them an active stake in the conversation, rather than simply treating them as inactive bystanders to impress or passive objects to be acted upon.

Overall, ESTPs tend to take an exploratory approach to life, where they seek to follow their impulses and capitalize on opportunities that they come across. This can make them seem hedonistic at times, as if they're just chasing thrills, but if one really studies their actions over time, one is likely to find that ESTPs have an ability to consistently deploy their energy, intensity, and ability to get things done in novel high-risk, high-reward situations. The combination of this undaunted approach with their sense of fluidity and play means that many ESTPs make good entrepreneurs who are able to add a sense of momentum to everything they do and that - though they are flexible and spontaneous - they really do innovate and make the most of things with the sky as the limit.