INFJ – How Can I Stop Overindulging?

Listen To The "10 Minute Type Advice" Episode: INFJ – How Can I Stop Overindulging?

It’s a quiet frustration that plagues so many INFJs.

You’ve done the work. You journal, meditate, reflect. You’re committed to your personal growth. And yet—there you are, binge-watching a show you don’t even like, polishing off that second (or third) glass of wine, or inhaling a bag of snacks you swore you’d portion out over the week.

You’re left wondering: Why do I keep doing this to myself?

If you resonate with this pattern of self-sabotage through overindulgence, you’re not alone—and there’s a very specific reason this shows up for INFJs. And it has everything to do with your personal growth journey.

Lydia, an insightful member of our Personality Hacker community, recently asked:

“I self-sabotage a lot through overindulgence—and I’m kind of tired of it. What causes this? And what can we do to stop it?”

This is one of those questions that goes right to the heart of INFJ. To answer it, we need to look at a part of your personality that’s often misunderstood and underdeveloped: your relationship with Sensation (Extraverted Sensing), your 3-Year-Old function in the Car Model.

The INFJ Car Model and Your Personal Growth Blueprint

At Personality Hacker, we use the “Car Model” to describe how your mind is wired. For INFJs, the model looks like this:

• Driver: Perspectives (Introverted Intuition)
  

• Copilot: Harmony (Extraverted Feeling)
  

• 10-Year-Old: Accuracy (Introverted Thinking)
  

• 3-Year-Old: Sensation (Extraverted Sensing)
  

Your personal growth as an INFJ relies on understanding and integrating all four of these cognitive functions. Most INFJs feel confident in their ability to introspect, strategize, and manage social dynamics. But when it comes to engaging with the present moment through Sensation, things get tricky.

The Overindulgence Trap on the INFJ Personal Growth Path

Sensation (Extraverted Sensing) is about immersing yourself in the here-and-now. It’s how your personality engages directly with the physical world, your senses, and your body. But because this is your 3-Year-Old function, it often gets neglected.

And when neglected, it gets loud—often through overindulgence.

“If you don’t pay attention to this part of who you are, it’s going to start throwing a temper tantrum,” says Antonia Dodge. “Just like any three-year-old that isn’t getting their needs met.”

INFJs overindulge not because they lack discipline, but because their personal growth journey has bypassed a crucial piece of their psyche. It’s not about willpower. It’s about integration.

Two Patterns Behind INFJ Overindulgence

1. Neglecting Sensation (Extraverted Sensing)

When you ignore the need for grounded, sensory experience, your 3-Year-Old function will demand it in whatever way it can get it—usually in unhealthy, compulsive forms.

2. Over-relying on Perspectives (Introverted Intuition)

INFJs tend to live in their heads, trying to think their way out of stress. But when your Driver function is exhausted, it creates a psychological vacuum that pulls in the least developed part of you: Sensation.

These two patterns stall growth by keeping you in a loop of disconnection, rumination, and self-sabotage.

Real Growth Comes From Integration

Here’s the good news: you can interrupt this pattern by consciously integrating Sensation into your life. Personal growth for INFJs doesn’t mean rejecting parts of yourself—it means developing a relationship with every part of your mind.

Practical INFJ Personal Growth Strategies:

• Engage with your body. Try movement practices, sensory-rich hobbies, or simply being present in nature.
  

• Pursue healthy challenges. Adrenaline-based experiences like public speaking or travel help satisfy Sensation’s craving for aliveness.
  

• Indulge mindfully. Replace mindless snacking or binge-watching with slow, present-moment enjoyment. Train your attention, not just your willpower.
  

Why It’s Worth It

This part of your personal growth journey may be uncomfortable at first. You’re retraining an inner pattern that’s been years in the making. But the more you build a healthy relationship with Sensation, the more courage, vitality, and grounded presence you’ll unlock.

“Our relationship to our 3-Year-Old function is part of how we get energy for life,” says Joel Mark Witt. “It’s not a liability—it’s a leverage point.”

Ready to Go Deeper in Your Personal Growth Journey?

Overindulgence isn’t a failure—it’s a signal. Your inner system is asking for balance, presence, and wholeness.

And if you’re serious about personal growth, the INFJ Owners Manual is your essential next step. It’s packed with practical tools and in-depth insights tailored to INFJs ready to stop the cycles of self-sabotage and start living with purpose.

👉 Click here to get your INFJ Owners Manual now and take empowered action toward your personal growth today.

What’s one way you can reconnect with the present moment this week?
Let us know in the comments—we’d love to hear how your personal growth journey is evolving.