Square Pegs Vol 6: ENFP Preferences with an ADHD Capacity
- sarah89335
- May 1
- 4 min read
All about Labels
I remember sitting at my desk, looking at two pieces of paper that felt like they were arguing over who I was.
On one side: My MBTI* Personality Type - ENFP. Enthusiastic, creative, a lover of new ideas, and, (according to every MBTI meme ever) disorganised and easily distracted.
On the other side: My ADHD Diagnosis. Executive dysfunction, dopamine-seeking, "interest-based" nervous system, and a struggle with task initiation.
For a moment, I had a total identity crisis. I wondered: “Where does Sarah the ENFP end, and Sarah with ADHD begin?” Was my "zest for life" actually just a symptom? Or was my ADHD just my personality turned up to eleven?
*For those new to the world of MBTI, it stands for the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. It’s a psychological tool that looks at how we naturally prefer to take in information and make decisions. Think of it as a map of your personality’s 'default settings'.
The Reality and Research
It turns out, the overlap is huge. If you look at the ENFP preferences, they mirror the ADHD experience almost perfectly. But I’m not just making this up; the research actually backs this up.
The Myers-Briggs Company’s own research into neurodiversity notes that while type and neurology are different, they are deeply correlated:
"Research suggests a link between Extraverted Intuition and ADHD... Psychological type and neurodiversity are two different ways of helping people to understand themselves, and used together can give a richer picture" (MBTI Type and Neurodiversity report, Sept 2023).
Essentially, MBTI is about your preferences (how you choose to interact with the world), while ADHD is about your capacity (how your brain processes dopamine and executive function).
One is the map; the other is the engine. And while they both contribute to how you see the world, knowing one doesn't mean you automatically know the other.
It is important to say that just because you lead with Extraverted Intuition, it does not automatically mean that you have ADHD. Personality and neurology are different lenses. The research is clear that:
“Not all people with Extraverted Intuition as their favourite process will show signs of ADHD, and not all people with ADHD will have Extraverted Intuition as their favourite process.”
And that:
“Some forms of neurodiversity will not show any relationship with MBTI type at all.”
Knowing where they cross over helps us understand our individual "shape" better, but it isn't a shortcut to a diagnosis. It’s about building a richer, more nuanced picture of why we do the things we do.
The Square Peg Round Hole view
I often talk about the difference between "Square Peg" and "Round Hole" work. As an ENFP with ADHD, my natural Square Peg shape is fast, creative, and deeply empathetic. When I’m coaching, brainstorming, or connecting dots, I’m in total flow. I’m not just "doing a job"; I’m fitting exactly where I’m meant to be.
But then, the world asks me to step into a Round Hole.
When I try to force myself into the meticulous detail of a spreadsheet or the dry, linear world of a tax return, it’s not just "boring." For an ADHD brain, it’s physically exhausting. It’s the friction of trying to shave off my edges just to fit a shape that wasn't built for me. It’s like trying to run a marathon in shoes that are three sizes too small; you might finish, but the cost to your well-being is huge.
The "Aha!" moment? Realising that my Extraverted Intuition is exactly what makes me a "Squirrel!" chaser, but it’s also what makes me an incredible coach. Because my brain is constantly scanning for patterns and outliers, I can see the "Square Peg" in you before you can. I’m not distracted; I’m just tuned into a frequency that the "Round Hole" world has forgotten how to hear.
The Comparison: Personality vs. Neurology
To make it easier to see where these lines blur (and where they don't), I’ve put together this side-by-side comparison of how my ENFP personality traits often look like "twin sisters" to my ADHD symptoms:
Why the Label Matters
The reason I share this is because validation is the first step to self-compassion.
I spent years trying to fit into a different set of preferences; trying to be the ordered, factual, detailed person I thought a "serious" professional should be. I was trying to fix my personality.
When I accepted that I am an ENFP with an ADHD brain, the burnout started to lift. I stopped trying to change my personality traits and started building my toolkit to support it.
"Your personality is your gift; your ADHD is your operating system. You don't need to change either - you just need the right ways to work with both."
Let’s Chat
I’d love to hear from you. Do you know your MBTI type? If you’re neurodivergent, does your "type" feel like a perfect match or a total contradiction?
Let me know, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Stay Square,
Sarah
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