Understanding the Enneagram: Discover your personality type

The Enneagram is the study of personality types; ennea is Greek for the number 9, and gram means a drawing with 9 points. The nine points on this diagram represent 9 different personality types. Understanding these 9 different views can help us to understand ourselves better and why other people and we do the things we do. It can offer us specific direction for personal growth.

Here is a brief description of the nine different types.

Type one: The perfectionist

Perfectionists believe that they have to be good and avoid error to be accepted. At best, they are ethical, conscientious and responsible, but at worst can also be judgemental, rigid and irritable.

Type two: The helper

Helpers believe that to get their own needs fulfilled, they have to give to others. At best, they are nurturing, generous and empathic, but at worst can also be intrusive, manipulative and martyr-like.

Type three: The achiever

Achievers believe that to be loved and accepted, they have to achieve things and be successful. At best, they are hardworking, motivated and successful, but at worst can also be unfeeling, superficial and workaholic.

Type four: The romantic

Romantics believe that something is missing in their lives, without which they are not complete. At best, they are creative, compassionate and deeply feeling, but at worst can also be moody, self-absorbed drama queens.

Type five: The observer

Observers believe that the world asks too much of them and gives too little in return. At best, they are analytical, objective and self-sufficient, but at worst can also be intellectually arrogant, emotionally detached and negative.

Type six: The questioner

Questioners believe that the world is a dangerous place and that they must constantly be on the alert. At best, they are loyal and practical with enquiring minds, but at worst can also be paranoid, defensive and self-sabotaging.

Type seven: The adventurer

Adventurers believe that to avoid pain and frustration in life, they need to always be looking for new options and ideas. At best, they are spontaneous, joyful and enthusiastic, but at worst can also be unreliable, manic and narcissistic.

Type eight: The asserter

Asserters believe that they have to be strong and powerful in a tough world. At best, they are direct, authoritative and protective, but at worst can also be excessive, bullying and insensitive.

Type nine: The peacemaker

Peacemakers believe that they have to blend in and go along with others to be accepted. Nines at best are friendly, unselfish and accepting, but at worst can also be spaced out, stubborn and unassertive.

What knowing your type can do for you

Understanding your personality type is very useful information to have, as no matter how much we want to achieve something, there will inevitably be difficult times ahead, and the more we know ourselves, the better equipped we are to discover and remove our own mental blocks to achieving our own goals. It is also useful to know how we deal with situations when we are at our best and also when we are at our worst, and to have better knowledge of ourselves and our effect on others. You may be more able to anticipate more accurately how we are likely to behave in the future, in as-yet unknown situations.

What to do next

There are a lot of automated Enneagram questionnaires on the internet that could quickly give you a rough idea. Be careful of them because they are not that accurate, and you can mistype yourself. A much better way is to have a qualified enneagram professional type’ you or read more about the enneagram numbers and see which resonate with you.