Enneagram: A Comprehensive Guide to Personality Types and Testing
Table of content:
Introduction
Have you ever heard one word that perfectly describes you? What about a number? The Enneagram personality test identifies nine unique personality types that everyone falls under, each with their own set of strengths, weaknesses, and quirks that make us tick.
The Enneagram is also a powerful tool to integrate into your therapy sessions; it can illuminate aspects of your own identity while simultaneously strengthening your relationship with your therapist. The depth of the Enneagram personality types goes beyond online quizzes and can be an empowering tool for self-discovery, self-improvement, and facilitating change. Read on for a comprehensive guide explaining each of the Enneagram types and how each Enneagram type can benefit from seeking out therapy.
What is an Enneagram?
The Enneagram refers to nine distinct personality types that make up the human experience. Enneagram personality tests are administered either online or by a professional consultant and measure the slight differences in what motivates each one of us: traits such as perfectionism, selflessness, optimism, or inquisitiveness. Essentially, everyone has a different makeup of these attributes. The Enneagram personality test will assign a number that most closely describes your unique makeup. You will also score in other numbers that are second-place or third-place Enneagram types, explaining peripheral aspects of your personality.
The Enneagram is a useful tool in psychotherapy settings to validate struggles you may be experiencing as it provides a researched explanation behind some of your most inexplicable default reactions or thought processes. A therapist might recommend introducing the Enneagram into the conversation if you are feeling out of balance in areas of life like the workplace or social relationships. The Enneagram lens can assist in identifying relationship incompatibility and clarify goals like work-life balance. Knowing you’re not alone is also a powerful message that the Enneagram types explain — many others with similar core personalities may experience the same struggles as you, and talk therapy that integrates the Enneagram can illuminate that for many patients.
History of the Enneagram
Oscar Ichazo is the creator of the Enneagram as it relates to personalities. He sought to explain the relationship between our essence — the core of who we are — and our ego — the psychology term for our conscious mind or personality that is expressed to others. The way Ichazo saw it, there are nine ways we can lose balance between three critical aspects of life: thinking, feeling, and doing.
The nine Enneagram types are divided into multiple triads of behavior. Knowing whether you lie in the thinking, feeling, or doing triad can help illuminate areas for self-improvement wherever you might feel out of balance. For example, Eights can be passionate about justifying their actions logically, whereas they might struggle to acknowledge their feelings. Twos and Threes, in the feeling triad, may find themselves more in their head as opposed to acting on their thoughts or feelings. Talk therapy that incorporates the Enneagram can also address this balance and identify goals for getting back in touch with thinking, feeling, or doing.
A Personality Typing System
Enneagram types explain and explore a large scope of subjects, like our perspectives on self-worth, our orientations when it comes to time management, and the ways we express our emotions — internally or externally. Enneagram personality tests work by measuring the motivations behind your actions, thoughts, or behaviors using questionnaires. For example, do you make lists because it alleviates the tasks circling around in your head, or do you make lists because it allows you the satisfaction of checking tasks off? If you have difficulty asking others for help, is it because you don’t want to be a burden, you don’t trust someone else to do it correctly, or you want to prove you can do it alone? The key lies in measuring the motivation, not the behavior itself.
Nine Enneagram Types
In order from one through nine, the Enneagram personality types are named The Reformer, The Helper, The Achiever, The Individualist, The Investigator, The Loyalist, The Enthusiast, The Challenger, and The Peacemaker. Each Enneagram type fits on a nine-pointed star and is united by a circle. When you first receive your Enneagram result, you’ll score higher in certain numbers and lower in others — like a pie chart. The Enneagram types explain your most dominant personality traits in the form of a personalized number reading that’s unique to you.
The Nine Personality Types
Each Enneagram type has their own unique set of strengths and weaknesses, so none are inherently positive or negative. Anyone’s biggest strength can also be their biggest weakness, whether it be perfectionism, loyalty, obstinance, or curiosity. Your Enneagram type isn’t a pros and cons list; the Enneagram should give a voice to the highs and lows you experience as well as key insight into how your one-of-a-kind disposition might benefit from a therapy journey.
Type 1: The Reformer
Also known as the Perfectionist, Ones are dependable, ethical, inspiring, and hard-working, never shying away from completing the task at hand. The Reformer’s adherence to rules (sometimes self-imposed) and judgment of anything less than perfection can make it feel as though they’re constantly battling an internal critic that makes them question whether what they do is ever good enough. In therapy, Ones might bring up topics of resentment or anxiety and might find solace in acknowledging that not everything is ideal, and that’s okay — making peace with imperfection.
Type 2: The Helper
You can always count on this Enneagram type to be unconditionally caring, selfless, generous, and attuned to wherever they might be able to lend a hand. Unfortunately, they may let others take advantage of their kindness. Twos may be familiar with people-pleasing, abandonment issues, or self-sabotage by avoiding pruning areas of their life that don’t serve them. A Two might benefit from therapy to master control over their emotions, set much-needed boundaries, and indulge in some self-care and solitude to focus on themselves as more than just a Helper.
Type 3: The Achiever
Threes might refer to themselves as the “best” Enneagram type because they love to be winners. The Achiever is goal-oriented, motivated, and productive, and they flourish when they feel fulfilled. Threes might struggle with feeling performative, hyper-fixating on what they believe others want and defining success as achievement in the eyes of others — criticism isn’t something they’re very comfortable with. Vulnerability or authenticity may feel unnatural for an Achiever, but they benefit from therapy when they tune into their own desires and cultivate an identity they can be proud of regardless of who’s watching.
Type 4: The Individualist
The Individualist — sometimes also referred to as the Romantic — is a rare Enneagram type that is known to be creative and highly individual, valuing introspection and curation of ideals meaningful to them. Fours operate on passion, sometimes at the cost of romanticizing or envying what others have. A Four wants to be extraordinary without feeling incomplete or misunderstood. Their fear of the monotonous can drive them to moodiness, isolation, or fantasizing. A Four turns to therapy to practice living in the present — not future or fiction. Mindfulness exercises like appreciating each of our differences and remembering, “I’m good enough,” serve Fours the best.
Type 5: The Investigator
A Five finds the most solace in their own mind, being inquisitive, analytical, detail-oriented, intellectual people. Even when something may not need to be scrutinized, the Investigator expresses curiosity on how it can be improved. Fives might struggle with choosing facts over feelings, often opting for observation or knowledge over unpredictable relationships and emotions. Fives would benefit from therapy to tune into their emotions as well as practice gratitude for the intangible — love, trust, health, joy — which can also offer fulfillment.
Type 6: The Loyalist
The Loyalist is the Enneagram type you’d want on a deserted island with you. Sixes are pragmatic, clever, seemingly always prepared, calm in a crisis, and, yes, loyal. They didn’t get to where they are now without work, however: Type Six expends lots of energy on predicting obstacles or mitigating risk. As much as the Loyalist wants to trust, they may feel insecure with themselves and others. Sixes seek stability on a fundamental level, which is why therapy can help a Six overcome anxiety and imposter syndrome to move forward in secure attachment.
Type 7: The Enthusiast
The Enthusiast, or the Optimist, is a stereotypical adrenaline junkie who thrives off of adventure, trying new things, keeping busy, and positivity. Sevens are always looking forward to something fun, leading them to constantly start new activities. To a Seven, leaving behind a string of unfinished projects feels better than the stillness of being in between them. The Enthusiast doesn’t like to pause to acknowledge pain or unpleasantness, but what they need to realize is that reality is up-and-down. Something therapy can illuminate to a Seven is that it’s healthy to accept negative feelings, and what’s hard to talk about may need to be addressed the most. At the end of the day, joy can be found in ordinary life just by slowing down.
Type 8: The Challenger
The Challenger makes a great boss — Eights are authoritative, focused, assertive, and confident. They can also be confrontational and controlling, which both helps and hurts them. Eights feel responsible for outcomes and protecting others, sometimes without focusing on themselves. An Eight might fall victim to overworking or neglecting their own needs in favor of basking in toughness or intensity. They might not feel like they need help, especially with their mental health, but therapy can help an Eight acknowledge powerlessness in some situations and, most importantly, empower themselves.
Type 9: The Peacemaker
One of the most commonly occurring Enneagram types, the Peacemaker is warm, agreeable, and relaxed. Nines are proponents of harmony and peace who enjoy going along with what others want. Where a Nine might struggle is when they’re faced with suppressing their own feelings in favor of appearing easy-going. Conflict avoidance is one aspect of the Peacemaker that can be addressed in a talk therapy setting, along with establishing comfort in individuality and pursuing their own agendas, not just those of others.
Enneagram Personality Test Methods
In most cases, your Enneagram type is self-diagnosable. One number’s description should stand out above all the rest, but the Enneagram is far from black-and-white. Everyone has multiple dominant and subservient Enneagram personalities.
Online assessments
There are many online Enneagram tests available to help determine which of the archetypes resonates most with you. After answering a series of quiz-style questions, a variety of organizations can provide you with a comprehensive report on how you score across all nine Enneagram types. While some online tests come with a price tag between $20-120, not all online Enneagram tests cost money. However, the paywall typically safeguards more detailed information about your specific Enneagram scores, relationship compatibility, professional development coaching, and recommendations for growth. No matter where you go from here, an online test can be a good baseline for discovering your initial Enneagram personality test leanings before you take the next step.
Professional assessments
Another way to determine your Enneagram type is to go to a trusted professional, like your therapist or an Enneagram coach, for a consultation. In an Enneagram consultation, you will take an in-person or online assessment. The evaluation is followed up with in-depth discussion of your number and how it manifests itself in your life, as well as strategies for managing your Enneagram type for growth, in as many sessions as you feel comfortable with.
Once you know your Enneagram personality type, utilizing the knowledge in any of your therapy sessions can be a tool that strengthens your relationship with your therapist and opens your eyes to trends you may not have noticed before. At the end of the day, discussing your Enneagram type with a professional is the best way to grasp the full scope of your archetype and understand how external and internal factors may reveal themselves in your lifestyle.
Self-assessment
One way to determine your own Enneagram type that can be more researched and insightful is self-assessment. Similarly to online quizzes, it’s up to you to determine which of the Enneagram types resonates most with you. Reading Suzanne Stabile’s books can provide a more in-depth analysis of how the Enneagram types react to stress, navigate romantic relationships, or process their emotions. Other alternatives to testing include going back to Oscar Ichazo’s original research and reading organizations like the Enneagram Institute’s documentation to determine which corner of the Enneagram spectrum sounds like home to you.
Suzanne Stabile, the coined Godmother of the Enneagram, has said that the Enneagram personality tests that circulate online are often misguided or superficial ways to label your own Enneagram. The reason behind a quiz’s shortcoming is that questionnaires are designed solely to measure behavior, whereas the Enneagram’s purpose is to measure the motivation behind behaviors. Self-assessment can be a beneficial alternative to formulate your own baseline before discussing what the Enneagram means for you in a professional setting like talk therapy.
The Enneagram in Relationships
Knowing the Enneagram type of someone close to you can offer further insight into the minds of your family, friends, or partners. Without labeling them, an Enneagram number can clue you into pet peeves or boundaries that open up conversations and strengthen your relationships. The Enneagram is a tool above all else — not an end-all. It can be used to dismantle assumptions and build empathy in relationships in addition to simply getting to know someone you love.
For example, whereas Twos and Nines love to be of assistance, even when unsolicited, an independently minded Eight or Three might feel offended when they aren’t given the space to do things themselves. You can allow the Enneagram to open up a dialogue between you and a loved one and learn something new about them while building understanding and commonality.
The Enneagram in the workplace
Enneagram personality tests are increasingly incorporated in workplaces as a streamlined way to maintain awareness and integration of different personalities to contribute to a streamlined work environment. Different individuals bring different strengths to the table and can offer assistance to their neighbors on the Enneagram diagram. In a work setting, discussing who’s a One or an Eight can help structure who is more fond of taking charge — or reveal who might be suppressing an urge to take that responsibility. Being creative types, Fours and Sevens are great idea generators, and Fives help to see things logically. It’s a team-building exercise that has continued to grow more popular, as it strengthens teams and enhances diversity in mindsets.
The Enneagram and Personal Growth
Part of the joy of discovering an archetype of your identity that resonates with you is that feeling of belonging. Understanding yourself and those around you through a lens like the Enneagram can empower you to admire your own nature. On top of that, developing a grasp of your weaknesses is something that illuminates where you might be able to implement change in your life.
Using the Enneagram for self-improvement
The Enneagram is not an automatic formula for self-improvement, but it can help with reframing. Remember: Your greatest strength is also your greatest weakness. For Ones, perfectionists may consistently produce high-quality work, but how many times did they make themselves start over because it wasn’t “good enough”? And for Twos, helping others is a widely admired virtue, but what about when it’s unwarranted?
Suzanne Stabile, the Enneagram Godmother, says the Enneagram is a tool for wielding each person’s unique predisposition to navigate and overcome the challenges life presents — rather than seeking self-improvement by changing or casting out a part of yourself as “flawed.” In other words, it’s important to embrace the distinct qualities that distinguish yourself from others because looking inward can be your own key to success — you’re already equipped with what you need, and the Enneagram can shine a light on that.
Overcoming unhealthy patterns and behaviors
Self-awareness about subconscious motivations behind your behavior or decision-making processes can be a positive thing. Beyond being aware of the factors that have cultivated who you are today, accepting yourself for what you are comes first, and the Enneagram is designed to assist with that. Understanding an Enneagram type that you identify with can illuminate patterns and areas for growth, leading to treatment tailored for your personality, preferences, and goals.
Conclusion
It’s important to remember that the Enneagram is just a number, and the purpose of identifying with one set of attributes is validation or empowerment of long-held beliefs or practices that make you who you are. Your Enneagram type does not dictate how you should navigate challenges or relationships as a mold to fit into. Instead, it gives a voice to thoughts or an explanation for actions you may have either wondered about or never noticed before. Most importantly, the Enneagram does not serve to list flaws to resolve; the efficacy of Enneagram-integrated therapy lies in aligning treatment with each patient’s needs and intentions.
The Enneagram personality test can be an infinitely useful tool in not only understanding your own personality but also accepting it and making your own unique traits work for you. Enneagram-integrated psychotherapy can be an empowering way to explore yourself, particularly in your relationship with others or in your response to obstacles. You don’t need to change; sometimes it just helps to feel understood.
Trust Mental Health offers free 15-minute consultations and Enneagram-integrated psychotherapy to take action in empowering you. Book an appointment today.
FAQs:
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The Enneagram personality test includes nine numbers, or types, that define naturally occurring archetypes in everyone. The Enneagram can tell you what your dominant personality type is as well as others that include your own unique strengths and weaknesses.
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The nine Enneagram types are the Reformer, the Helper, the Achiever, the Individualist, the Investigator, the Loyalist, the Enthusiast, the Challenger, and the Peacemaker.
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None of the nine Enneagram types are better than the others, and none are overarchingly positive or negative because they each have skills that define them and areas for improvement.
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The Enneagram Institute and Integrative Enneagram Solutions (iEQ9) each sell in-depth Enneagram tests ranging from $20-120. Free online tests at Truity.com or EnneagramTest.com also include plenty of information to get you started on your Enneagram journey.
Disclaimer: Trust Mental Health blog contributors have not taken these tests and cannot endorse one over another. The best way to determine your Enneagram type is to discuss it with a professional and determine a method that’s right for you.
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You can learn your own Enneagram type by taking tests available online, conducting a self-assessment by reading research surrounding the Enneagram or requesting a consultation or professional assessment with a clinic like Trust Mental Health.