Enneagram Types

Type 1s, known also as the reformer, the perfectionist or the idealist, are known for being rational, serious, and idealistic. They are purposeful, precise, disciplined, self-controlled, conscientious, and highly principled with very strong convictions and senses of right and wrong.

The fundamental goals, desires, and motivations for a type 1 revolve around perfection. 1s seek justice, accuracy, and order. With very high internal standards, they can be control-oriented and can push themselves and others quite hard. Aptly named the reformer, type 1s look for reform and improvement. As a result, they put a good amount of energy into reckoning with these internal standards and their opinion of what is right, working to avoid wrong choices and striving for integrity. To accomplish this goal, they will push aside their own needs and wants . Accordingly, their basic fear is a loss of control or to be incorrect. This can cause a type 1 to be judgmental and critical. However, they can be a great ally. 1s are quick to defend the rights of others and have a great ability to connect with and care for others and their community.

With these qualities, type 1s often excel at leadership due to their strong convictions and desire for fairness and excellence. 1s tend to be ambitious and driven, gifted at organizing with a sense of practicality. This tireless effort toward perfection can cause a 1 to have a hard time relaxing and to deny themselves pleasure.

Being a part of the reactive triad, a 1's basic emotion is anger. Provoked by dissonance between their ideals and reality their anger may seem to be directed outwardly, but typically it's directed internally. However, 1s sometimes feel guilty about their anger and regard it as a "bad' emotion.

In supporting and communicating with a type 1, encourage them not to be so hard on themselves and to accept their flaws from a nonjudgmental viewpoint. A 1s communication style clear, precise, and direct. Others may perceive them to be overly detailed, judgmental, or closed-minded. But recognize that this comes from a place of conviction and that a 1 behaves in line with their own internal standards and values. A 1 can develop by accepting that they are perfect as they are and by appreciating diverse perspectives.

Type 3s, known also as the achiever or the performer, are among the most motivated, ambitious people. They are goal-focused, success-oriented, efficient, confident, and competitive. 3s, with their intense enthusiasm and a go-getter attitude, can often become so focused on their goals that they inadvertently neglect their wellbeing and their relationships.

For a 3, it's all about success. 3s want to feel valued, accepted, and seen as being accomplished. With a placement in the feelings triad, the achiever's basic fear is failure and worthlessness, possibly having a belief that in order to be worthy they must be seen as successful. This can cause them to seek admiration and do whatever it takes to succeed, and they put much of their energy into getting things done quickly and efficiently. They will keep very active and busy and have an innate sense of competitiveness. Where a 1 is focused on perfectionism for the sake of perfection, a 3 is focused on perfectionism for the sake of success. An unbalanced 3 will take on the role of the performer, playing whichever character they must to gain favor or to adapt to different environments.

However, a 3's adaptability and strong motivation are their greatest strengths, instilling them with an ability to easily understand and connect with others. They tend to be very personable, inspiring, and to have a knack for leadership.

When engaging with a 3, know that, similarly to a 1, they value direct and topic-focused communication. 3s may come across as impatient, emotionless, or that they're overly concerned with others' views, but remember that they place a great deal of importance on image. Encourage them to pay attention to their feelings and appreciate themselves for who they are, not for what they've accomplished

For a 3 to grow, they must realize that self-love is more valuable than the approval of others. They should be reminded to moderate themselves and to cut themselves some slack.

Type 5s, known also as the investigator, the observer, or the thinker, have a reputation of being isolated, self-sufficient, knowledgable, and analytical. They tend to be very inquisitive and have a thirst for knowledge. This comes from their desire to feel helpful and to be seen as competent, stemming from their fear of being useless or inept.

5s prioritize developing their intellect or skillsets over most other things in life, directing their energy inward and constantly working to refine themselves and acquire new skills. A common concern of the investigator is that they don't have enough inner strength or resources to face life, often causing them to be introverted to conserve these resources and recharge. They prefer to observe and allow themselves time to think and assess. Much like a 4, they're very introspective. In fact, 5s and 4s are two types that are most assimilated; it is very common for a 5 to have a wing of 4 and vice versa.

This type tends to be a bit eccentric, not feeling much of a need to adjust their believes or opinions for accommodate. Though, their eccentricities and skillfulness proves to be desirable. 5s have a great ability to focus, observe and analyze their environment, and to remain calm during times of crisis. They are very thoughtful, respectful, and dependable.

When engaging with a 5, know that what may be perceived as unemotional, overly-factual, wordy, and aloof is a result of their generally calm demeanor. So be sure to respect their need for privacy and space and make clear distinctions between requests and demands. Importantly, encourage them to open up and disclose their feelings. In order to grow, 5s should work to allow themselves to experience their emotions rather than detaching from them and recognize that withdrawing and withholding can invite intrusion.

Type 7s, known also as the enthusiast, the epicure, or the adventurer, are among to more optimistic, upbeat, and charming people. They value the pursuit of pleasure above all else and have a basic desire for stimulation, making them exuberant, spontaneous, versatile, quick-thinking, adventurous, and pain-avoidant. Similarly to a type 3, type 7s tend to be highly-goal oriented and they'll go to great lengths to seek excitement and new experiences. However, they often have such abundant, exciting ideas that many go unfulfilled or forgotten.

Accompanying their pursuit for pleasure and stimulation is their fear that they're missing out or being deprived of excitement. They tend to bore easily and put much of their energy into enjoying and living life to its fullest––it's a compulsion. Often, 7s will avoid concrete schedules or plans to keep their options open. At the unhealthiest points, may struggle to focus on the task at hand if it feels that it's keeping them from a more interesting experience. Accordingly, it may be difficult to get a 7 to commit to plans in advance. 7s may come across as vain or self-centered and that they make impulsive or rash decisions.

Commonly, 7s will have a high opinion of themselves. While this can be perceived as arrogant, for the type 7 this is just a recognition of their talents and strengths. With a high level of energy and optimism, 7s think quickly and creatively boasting an ability to see many options or solutions that allows them to acquire new skills and abilities. They are also extremely adaptable, easily handling a change in plans.

When a type 7 does slow down and stick with their commitments, support them. Understand the value they place on their needs and wants, and reassure them. 7s are fast-paces, spontaneous, idea-oriented, and analytic, so keep this in mind when communicating with them. For a 7 to grow, they must keep in check their quest for pleasure in response to a fear of deprivation. They may have a desire to escape from situations that limit their freedom, so they should make the effort to stick with something and practice patience. Work on one thing at a time until it's complete and recognize how limiting it can be to only focus on the positive and avoid the negative.

Type 9s, known also as the peacemaker, the peacekeeper, or the mediator, tend to be passive, placative, adaptable, affable, and easygoing. A 9's most basic desire is to attain and maintain inner peace. Very conflict-averse, this type is quick to jump into the role of the mediator. Due to their easygoing-ness and desire to please or accommodate others, 9s can at times be indecisive.

9's fear that they'll lose or be separated from others. In an attempt to prevent this from happening and to keep the peace, 9s put their energy into adapting to others' preferences rather than stating their own in a very similar way to type 2. Much like types 4 and 5, 9 and 2 are very closely assimilated, causing 9s and 2s to commonly mistype as each other. One key distinction between these types (9 and 2) is the 9's membership of the reactive triad. Though seldom expressed 9s have a deep well of anger that they suppress. If left unchecked, this causes anger to build inside the 9 and erupt into occasional fits of temper, though they quickly blow over. For 9s, there is also a tendency to minimize problems and avoid difficult or upsetting situations, causing them to be passive aggressive rather than directly addressing conflict.

Although, this imparts an ability in type 9 to see many perspectives and resolve conflict diplomatically. They remain calm and adaptable, supporting and reassuring those around them. 9s are very openminded and attentive to others. They also have a great capacity for empathy, accountability, and being receptive and accepting.

In communicating with a 9, being sensitive to their conflict-aversion. Encourage them to express what's on their mind and their position on the matter. Directly ask them what they want and what is good for them. For 9s to grow, they need to pay attention to their needs and wellbeing. When experiencing anger, take that as an emotional cue that signals being upset and be communicative rather than suppressing those feelings. Accept discomfort as a part of the process and come to navigate it smoothly.