Cognition is the result of where you naturally focus your attention, your desires, and your interests. Regardless of what your momentary desires or interests may be, each of us has certain deep, secret hopes that mean more to us than anything. While moods and opinions may change, these deepest desires are such a pure reflection of who we really are. In a world where there is so much to do, so much to experience, so much need and so many discoveries waiting to be found, we each inadvertently focus the most on some things over others. The things that we focus on most of all reflect what we want most out of life, deep down. This comes out through cognition, as the unique specialization of your cognitive type.
As the ENFP Standard Bearer, perhaps nothing is more important to you than becoming the noble, heroic figure you see in your heart, and helping others do the same. Cognitively, you focus on the potential meaning (NF) that people (EP) can have, most especially yourself. This causes you to think of everything in terms of how it applies to particular, real people you know, rather than to theoretical people as a trend. What matters most to you, deep down, is finding the hidden worth within everyone, and waving its banner high.
This gives Standard Bearers a dramatic fascination with heroes and heroism. While colorful superheroes might naturally excite the imagination of everything a person can become, ENFPs tend to care a great deal more about “regular” heroism, the sincere and selfless deeds that normal people can freely choose in their own daily lives. They enjoy encouraging others, rallying them around the meaning and significance that each person can find in themselves. As an ENFP, you may have a flair for the dramatic, for bold and inspiring idealism, or instead you may find that you quietly and unassumingly lift and inspire those around you, who will come to treasure your friendship.
None of this means that your specialization of lifting and inspiring comes easy for you. You have to work at it, just as much as anyone else would. The difference between you and other types is that you care to work at this, above all else. Some may say that it’s just easier for you to be optimistic, encouraging, or passionate, but that’s not true; you simply care enough about unlocking and enjoying the potential in people, that you’re willing to work much harder at it.
No cognitive type has it easy; every type has to work just as hard at their specialization as anyone else would have to. And every type has to deal with social pressure that tries to make them feel ashamed or embarrassed of their unique specialization. This pressure results in unhappiness and deep, internal conflict, as people feel tempted to ignore their specialization in an effort to not stand out, rock the boat, or look foolish or make anyone else uncomfortable. When we try to ignore our own deepest desires, the reflection of who we really are and really can be, we feel torn, frustrated, and unfulfilled.
This is why understanding our own cognition is so important! As we come to understand what we already wanted in the first place, we learn how to get out of our own way. We learn to let ourselves shine, rather than hiding our light. The world needs what each of us can uniquely offer. We need all the strengths of all the types; each is special at the same time, because each is special in a different way. You don’t do anyone any good when you hide your unique strength, even if you’re afraid it will make others feel uncomfortable. Let yourself be the Standard Bearer you are, wave your banner high, and do it in your own personal way. As you do, you’ll implicitly give others permission to embrace their own potential and raise their flags alongside yours.
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