Type: ESTP
Value: Truth Sub-value: Curiosity
Looking to the Five Human Values, we see how one value – Truth – is illustrated by its sub-value of curiosity in the roles and tasks taken up by the ESTP – the freedom-seeking inquisitor.
People with ESTP preferences are energetic, active problem solvers, responding creatively to challenging situations in their environment. They seldom let rules or standard procedures interfere, finding new ways to use existing systems. They develop easy methods to do difficult things and make their work fun. They are flexible, adaptable, inventive, and resourceful, can pull conflicting factions together and are good team members.
They are popular companions for activities (parties, sports or work) because of their zest for life and enjoyment of the moment.
ESTP’s are interested in everything going on around them—activities, food, clothes, people, the outdoors, and everything that offers new experiences. Because they learn more from doing than from studying or reading, they tend to plunge into things, learning as they go, trusting their ability to respond resourcefully.
Human Values
What are Human Values? Human Values are those universal concepts, behaviours, emotions, drivers of action which are found in all cultures. Indeed Human Values are found in all societies at all times and in all places where human beings live out their lives. The five human values—which are found in all cultures—are Truth, Right Conduct, Love, Peace and Non-Violence. These values are eternal; they are eternal essences, which elevate human life to its highest expression, its highest capacity.
Our values are our principles, our guides. Values are our internal codes of conduct, the principles upon which we spend our lives and make our decisions. Our first values are given to us by our parents; more values are gained by those given to us by our peers, our teachers, the workplace, the wider community. Our moral values are often sourced from our faith systems. It is from these that we select the principles and guides by which rule our lives and our behaviours.
Truth and Curiosity
Truth is the basis of the Universe; truth is the same in all times, time past, time present, and time future. Truth is eternal, and emerges from the life principle within, the soul. Actions which give expression to Truth are reflection, trust, fairness, determination, honesty, creativity, conscience and curiosity. Truth is primarily known in speech, but is also the origin, guide and foundation for action. Truth emerges from the intellect which is the internal faculty nearest the Soul. Curiosity is one of the sub-values (or expressions of) Truth.
Curiosity is the state when you want to learn more about something; it is closely related to wonder. Synonyms for curiosity include: inquisitiveness, interest, eagerness to know, wonder. It is the drive to know more, experience more and take up discovery.
Curiosity is a function of the inquisitive self. The inquisitive self is characterized by curiosity, exploration, and learning—all ways of seeking new ideas and information. All values have a limit beyond which the opposite of the value confronts action and self-awareness. There is a limit curiosity: when curiosity is detached from truth, it becomes certainty bias: assumptions are made without foundation. One is inquisitive, nosy, presumptive, questioning and probing.
Dogmatism demands that reality conform to existing beliefs. (This is NOT the ESTP way!) The ESTP uses curiosity to explore and experience reality in a manner that reveals beliefs based on Truth.
ESTP and Self Discipline:
Many would say that the keyword for ESTP peoples is Freedom. This is true, and self-reported by many with the ESTP preferences. THey are known to be observant, practical and realistic, actively involved in their immediate experience. What, then, is Self Discipline for ESTP’s?
Self-Understanding
ESTPs don’t sit in a room and journal to figure out who they are; they learn who they are by pushing against the world. They discover their limits, preferences, and talents through trial, error, and physical or social experimentation. Their self-understanding is stripped of romanticism or fluff. Thanks to auxiliary Ti, an ESTP evaluates their capabilities with ruthless honesty: “I am good at rapid problem-solving under pressure, but I get bored with long-term theoretical maintenance.”
Self-Awareness
ESTPs have exceptional situational and bodily self-awareness (Se). They know their exact energy levels, physical limits, reaction times, and immediate impact on the room. Rather than analyzing past motives or future existential goals, their self-awareness is operational. They pick up on subtle social cues or environmental shifts and adjust their approach instantly to stay ahead of the curve.
Self-Discipline
ESTPs rarely enjoy traditional, scheduled discipline like detailed 5-year plans or rigid daily itineraries, which clash with their adaptable nature. Their discipline looks like intense, immersive practice when mastering a tangible skill, sport, trade, or high-stakes project. When an ESTP sees a clear, immediate outcome, their focus and drive become formidable. If you want to see self-discipline in action, watch an ESTP at sports training.
Self-Confidence
ESTP confidence isn’t built on pep talks or affirmations—it’s forged in experience. They know they can handle crises because they’ve successfully improvised their way through them before. They have a bold, grounded physical presence. They naturally trust their ability to read a situation on the fly, think on their feet, and take decisive action when others freeze.
Self-Respect
ESTPs demonstrate self-respect by protecting their freedom and refusing to be micro-managed or controlled. They value personal efficiency and take pride in being competent, self-reliant “fixers.” They move forward without drama. They respect themselves enough not to dwell in victimhood, self-pity, or over-analyzed drama. If something isn’t working, their self-respect manifests as cutting their losses, taking accountability, and moving on to the next solution.
It is said that there is no progress without adherence to discipline. While ESTP’s can look extremely undisciplined in behaviour, pursuits, romance, study and commitment, there is an internal framework of discipline that produces strong, reliable results – in endeavours, in competitions, in teams, in teamwork at the workplace. Integrity is unity of thought, word and action. When the ESTP steps up to the challenge, masters the terrain, and trusts their ability to adapt to whatever comes next, this reveals integrity in action. For curiosity to serve Truth, it must be paired with self-discipline and integrity.
This page is © Rev. Chris Parnell, who learned about type in 1975; completed a workshop with Isabel Briggs Myers in 1986 and is a member of the Australian Association for Psychological Type. He completed the Diploma in Human Values in 2004. ✺ All Rights Reserved.