You and Your Enneagram Type

“I don’t want to be pigeonholed! You can’t define me with a number!”

I get it. We are all unique and you may not like the idea of being categorized. Still, there are certain ways we approach the world that are similar, and the Enneagram helps us to understand not only our personal approach but also some deeper issues like why we have the personality type we do and how we can live more out of our true, authentic self.

The idea behind the Enneagram is that, as children, we all go through difficulties. We don’t like that and, wired for survival, we develop a way to protect ourselves and cope with pain. That “way” becomes our personality type. We can also use these personality patterns to try to please people and to prove our worth to others and ourselves.

The Enneagram reveals nine personality types. Chris Heuertz writes, 

“The contemporary Enneagram of Personality illustrates the new ways we get lost, but also the nine ways we can come home to our true self. It exposes nine ways we lie to ourselves about who we think we are, nine ways we can come clean about those illusions, and nine ways we can find our way back to God.”

In my last blog article, I gave a kind of primer to the Enneagram which you can read HERE.

If you want to discover your type, you can find free and relatively inexpensive (about $10-$12) Enneagram tests online. To get you started, I’ll share some words people might use to describe a person of each of the nine types. As you read these descriptive words, there will likely be one or two types where you think, “Hey, that sounds like me! I think people would describe me that way.”

Type 1:

·      Words that probably describe you include perfectionist, idealist, critical, orderly, careful, disciplined, gets work done, detail oriented.

Type 2:

·      Words that probably describe you include servant-hearted, relational, humble, caretaker, insecure, listener, generous, emotional, not self-aware, supportive.

Type 3:

·      Words that probably describe you include ambitious, image-conscience, efficiency, competitive, competent, can seem superficial, motivated, performer, goal-oriented, vain.

Type 4:

·      Words that probably describe you include unique, imaginative, melancholy, envious, emotional, moody, sensitive, creative, romantic.

Type 5:

·      Words that probably describe you include investigator, observer, capable, competent, perceptive, withdrawn, cynical, self-sufficient, careful, detached, wise, introvert, private.

Type 6:

·      Words that probably describe you include anxious, loyal, understanding, compassionate, fearful, overwhelmed, pessimistic, skeptical, reliable, hard-working.

Type 7:

·      Words that probably describe you include fun, happy, enthusiastic, spontaneous, impatient, impulsive, uncommitted, argumentative, outgoing, popular, pain-avoider, promotional.

Type 8:

·      Words that probably describe you include energetic, assertive, controlling, intimidating, protector, all-in, honest, courageous, domineering, intuitive, self-sufficient, decisive, just.

Type 9:

·      Words that probably describe you include peaceful, easygoing, supportive, conflict-avoider, lazy, daydreamer, not assertive, listener, procrastinator, go-along-with-the-crowd, passive-aggressive, distracted, approachable, reliable, diplomatic.

As I mentioned, you can take an Enneagram test online that will reveal which type you are. It’s a helpful tool (like the Myers-Briggs personality test or the DiSC test) that can help people understand why others are different from them and what sins they might be most prone to struggle with. They help a person see tendencies in their life which they can take to Christ for greater direction.

To be clear, there is no personality type that is right or better. You may feel like you don’t like your type or be drawn to another personality. That’s natural but know that every personality type has positives and negatives.

Speaking of those negatives… Each personality type has a lie or two they’re tempted to believe and a signature sin. In my next blog article, I’ll share those lies and signature sins and also some ideas for a spiritual growth plan specifically tailored to each type.