Enneagram Type 8

The Powerful, Dominating Type: Self-Confident, Decisive, Willful, and Confrontational. The Challenger, The Rampaging Spirit That Wants To Eat The World. Powerful & Self-Confident And Is Always On The Defense.

People with an Enneagram Type 8 personality tend to be self-confident, powerful, and assertive in their behavior. They love engaging in debates and are skilled at making difficult decisions. They are fiercely independent and dislike being reliant on others.

 Eights are people with high levels of energy, intensity and willpower. They project power and toughness and take challenges as an invitation to prove their strength. They enjoy open confrontation and don’t back down easily. Eights often have a fierce passion to protect the vulnerable and weak, but they have trouble admitting any kind of weakness or vulnerability themselves.

With a natural confidence and the charisma to get things done as well as their disinterest in taking no for an answer, Eights often automatically end up in positions of leadership. They find it easy to take care of things nobody else would, and are honest and upfront in their communication. Eights have the ability to inspire strength and endurance in others and can push through things that other people simply lack the will, energy and grit for. But their straightforward all-or-nothing approach often intimidates other people, and it’s hard for Eights to admit they’re wrong and respect people that aren’t as tough as them.

Eights (unconsciously) believe that the world is a place where only the strong survive. Deeply afraid of being powerless and weak, of being manipulated and taken advantage of, Eights build up a tough exterior that promises them to make them invulnerable against any threat. The main struggle of Eights is the risk of going too far and overdoing things. Their desire to dominate and win, for having absolute control over themselves and their surroundings at all times, keeps them from admitting weakness and puts them in danger of pushing themselves over the edge. Enneagram type 8 is a natural leader. Will and power sparkle at their hands. They want to rule the world and stand out.

Ready to set their kingdom up, Type 8s step up into life with strength. Self-assertive and always showing a half-smile, they want the world to know they are here. Eights are not scared at all. The world showed them how harsh and dangerous things can be, so now it’s Eights’ time to show the world how fearless and outstanding they are. Their fingers tickle for power. The Challenger will never settle for something small. They know they have the ability to rise higher and higher. If Type 8s know how to play their cards correctly and learn to reign in on their over-controlling obsessions, they’ll surely thrive and inspire others as the stars they are. Eights just need to learn to pick their battles and connect.

We have named personality type Eight The Challenger because, of all the types, Eights enjoy taking on challenges themselves as well as giving others opportunities that challenge them to exceed themselves in some way. Eights are charismatic and have the physical and psychological capacities to persuade others to follow them into all kinds of endeavors—from starting a company, to rebuilding a city, to running a household, to waging war, to making peace.

Eights have enormous willpower and vitality, and they feel most alive when they are exercising these capacities in the world. They use their abundant energy to effect changes in their environment—to “leave their mark” on it—but also to keep the environment, and especially other people, from hurting them and those they care about. At an early age, Eights understand that this requires strength, will, persistence, and endurance—qualities that they develop in themselves and which they look for in others.

Eights do not want to be controlled or to allow others to have power over them (their Basic Fear), whether the power is psychological, sexual, social, or financial. Much of their behavior is involved with making sure that they retain and increase whatever power they have for as long as possible. An Eight may be a general or a gardener, a small businessman or a mogul, the mother of a family or the superior of a religious community. No matter: being “in charge” and leaving their imprint on their sphere is uniquely characteristic of them. They want to be independent, and resist being indebted to anyone. They often refuse to “give in” to social convention, and they can defy fear, shame, and concern about the consequences of their actions. Although they are usually aware of what people think of them, they do not let the opinions of others sway them. They go about their business with a steely determination that can be awe inspiring, even intimidating to others.

Although, to some extent, Eights fear physical harm, far more important is their fear of being disempowered or controlled in some way. Eights are extraordinarily tough and can absorb a great deal of physical punishment without complaint—a double-edged blessing since they often take their health and stamina for granted and overlook the health and well-being of others as well. Yet they are desperately afraid of being hurt emotionally and will use their physical strength to protect their feelings and keep others at a safe emotional distance. Beneath the tough façade is vulnerability, although it has been covered over by layer of emotional armor. Thus, Eights are often extremely industrious, but at the price of losing emotional contact with many of the people in their lives. Those close to them may become increasingly dissatisfied with this state of affairs, which confounds Eights.  

Challenger works really hard to build their powerful and respectable persona. They think the world is tough—and they’re not wrong—but this belief causes them to always be on guard. Nobody challenges them easily, and if someone dares to, Eights fight back even harder, enforcing their self-confidence and self-assertive attitude. People see Enneagram 8s as dominating and unbreakable, and this image they project also reinforces their own beliefs. It’s easy for them to go around with their heart bursting with pride. Type 8s think their value relies on always being in control. Otherwise, they feel helpless and scared to death of being hurt.

Healthy Enneagram Type 8

When Eights are healthy, their strength turns into honor and groundedness. They start seeking justice not only for themselves, but for others, too. They no longer fear that control will be taken away from them as soon as they stop fighting, which gives them the ability to surrender it willingly. Making themselves vulnerable is no longer a threat, but a gift that allows them to become gracious with themselves and others. Healthy Eights use their commanding presence and assertiveness to battle injustices and build a better world for everyone in their lives and beyond.

When healthy, Enneagram Type 8s don’t need to demonstrate they are always in charge of everything. They open-heartedly know that trusting other people (following their instincts) can be fruitful. Now their power rises from the bottom of true confidence and peace with the world. It’s not necessary to be on guard, understanding that it’s exhausting; Eights know that being ok with themselves, they are never alone. Self-assertive and ingenious, they make things happen. People get inspired by the Challenger and its strong presence. Strategic and determined, there is nothing that resists their will. Unstoppable, their natural leadership skyrockets without conflicts with the environment and other people because it comes from a safe place and is constructive. Self-reliant, Type 8s know they can do anything and they know it from their souls, not their ego.

Healthy Levels:

Level 1 (At Their Best): Become self-restrained and magnanimous, merciful and forbearing, mastering self through their self-surrender to a higher authority. Courageous, willing to put self in serious jeopardy to achieve their vision and have a lasting influence. May achieve true heroism and historical greatness.

Level 2: Self-assertive, self-confident, and strong: have learned to stand up for what they need and want. A resourceful, “can do” attitude and passionate inner drive.

Level 3: Decisive, authoritative, and commanding: the natural leader others look up to. Take initiative, make things happen: champion people, provider, protective, and honorable, carrying others with their strength.

Average Enneagram Type 8

Average Eights build their identity on their strength and toughness. They like confrontation, especially since they are used to winning. They usually only respect people who meet them eye to eye. Their urge to stay in control, their competitiveness and intimidating aura are all there to make sure no one can take advantage of them. That’s why average Eights feel such compassion (and rage) when they see other innocent and helpless people being the victims of injustice. At the same time, they can get carried away by their own aggression, especially when they overreach, thinking they have unlimited energy resources.

Average Levels:

Level 4: Self-sufficiency, financial independence, and having enough resources are important concerns: become enterprising, pragmatic, “rugged individualists,” wheeler-dealers. Risk-taking, hardworking, denying own emotional needs.

Level 5: Begin to dominate their environment, including others: want to feel that others are behind them, supporting their efforts. Swaggering, boastful, forceful, and expansive: the “boss” whose word is law. Proud, egocentric, want to impose their will and vision on everything, not seeing others as equals or treating them with respect.

Level 6: Become highly combative and intimidating to get their way: confrontational, belligerent, creating adversarial relationships. Everything a test of wills, and they will not back down. Use threats and reprisals to get obedience from others, to keep others off balance and insecure. However, unjust treatment makes others fear and resent them, possibly also band together against them.

Unhealthy Enneagram Type 8

Unhealthy type Eights reflexively push back against anything that seems threatening to them. They are quick to resort to violence – physical or verbal – to defend themselves. When their methods reach their limits, they retreat and start rejecting people in an attempt to not be rejected first. Their fighting spirit turns into cynicism and brooding contempt. Unhealthy Eights become increasingly sensitive to any perceived violations of their self-respect and authority and shut down or lash out in their desperate attempt to stay in control and protect their inner child.

The constant feeling of danger makes Type 8s paranoid and aggressive. They protect themselves by being a step forward and displaying their power before someone has a chance of even considering hurting them. Pain and fear are difficult to face since they make Eights feel so weak that they start with self-destructive attitudes without considering the limits or danger. Isolated behind their power masks, Eights’ main fear comes true: the world turns into a wilder place full of threats and they are alone. This increases their hate, driving them to be vengeful and delaying their pace in anger.

Unhealthy Levels:

Level 7: Defying any attempt to control them, become completely ruthless, dictatorial, “might makes right.” The criminal and outlaw, renegade, and con-artist. Hard-hearted, immoral and potentially violent.

Level 8: Develop delusional ideas about their power, invincibility, and ability to prevail: megalomania, feeling omnipotent, invulnerable. Recklessly over-extending self.

Level 9: If they get in danger, they may brutally destroy everything that has not conformed to their will rather than surrender to anyone else. Vengeful, barbaric, murderous. Sociopathic tendencies. Generally corresponds to the Antisocial Personality Disorder.

Growth opportunities that are typically associated with the Enneagram 8

• Listening attentively to and considering others’ ideas

• Sharing and expressing how they’re feeling

• Recognizing when to step back and allow others to lead

• Understanding the value in vulnerability

Be aware of your impact: It might be a surprise to you, but your presence is usually twice as large as you think it is. What feels like passion to you often feels like intimidation to others. And no, that doesn’t make them weak. Learn to accept that you have a unique personality and offer an apology when others report that they are overwhelmed by it.

Vulnerability doesn’t make you weak: Whatever it is that convinced you to equate weakness and vulnerability, make an effort to find out what that is. Befriend your inner child. If this sounds like a waste of time to you, you know you’re on the right path. Take it as the ultimate challenge: Making yourself vulnerable takes real courage. On the other side of it you will find real intimacy.

Rediscover the color gray: Not everything in this world is black or white, win or lose, strong or weak. The middle ground is an actual thing, and compromise is not the equivalent to defeat.

Double-check your irritation: When you feel your blood starting to boil, stop and ask yourself what’s truly firing up those engines. Are you trying to hide or deny a vulnerable feeling? Check if you’re really angry at someone else or if your aggression is just a way for you to hide that feeling.

Seek out moderation: You have a lust for life that can take you overboard. Allow a friend or your partner to remind you when you ignore your own or other people’s boundaries again. “Everything in moderation“ might sound like a cliché to you, but when you think of all the Eights who have died of heart attacks, you realize that it can be a literal life saver for you.