idealize a moral purity that both transcends reality and is the foundation of it. They see the world through their perceptual filter of how things could be improved, the ideal as opposed to the real, which leads to a constant dissatisfaction with reality. They are eternally frustrated with all the flaws around them and with their eye for improvement feel it is their mission to fix them. They take pride in not wavering in their convictions no matter how unpopular and in resolutely pointing out the right way everybody ought to abide by. When everyone adheres adh eres to the same rules/ideals/principles there is fairness and order...and when people break the rules ones truly resent that. "You can't do that because if everyone did what you did..." is a common type one stream of consciousness.
ONES
Ones have the strongest inner critic of all a ll types and justify their moral authority to "point out the right way" by constantly putting more e ffort into being good or virtuous than others. Due to their strict superego there is no type that feels as guilty for being "bad" and harder on themselves to be perfectly good. They are not just conscientious disciplined competent and reliable people who hold themselves accountable to do what they are supposed to do. They go further in the self-control department by continually repressing their "dirty" desires and restricting their indulgences. The more self-control they consistently maintain the more upright they are and the more they've earned both their right to point out how things should be and their duty to hold their environment as well as themselves to ideals. Ones being perfectionists tend to be uptight and anal-retentive about things and aren't the easiest people to get along with. They practice what they preach however which many find sincere and refreshing in an image-dominated society filled with hypocrisy. They continually hold themselves to their own h igh standards. They do their duty and are dedicated to standing up for what's right through thick and thin as those are extensions of their perseverance. They are also the least likely type to be full of themselves, so much so one gets the sense that they couldn't promote themselves even if they tried. Anger in particular is an emotion ones o nes have problems with. Ones pride themselves in being stoic and see emotional expression especially spontaneous outbursts as a lack of self-control, but being in the instinctive triad their dominant emotion is anger. Thus a one's relationship to their anger is like a self-imposed noose around their personal volcano that wants to erupt at the slightest thing that they see is wrong around them. The result is a seeping out of resentment agitation and overcriticalness unbeknownst to the one that others find very palpable. In enneagram theory type ones are (instinctive/gut)-(valuing/feeli (instinctive/gut)-(valuing/feeling/image)ng/image)(thinking/head) in that order. Due to their primary instinctive center ones focus on living out their convictions and neglect to use their tiertary thinking center when it calculates an exception to the rules. That's when wh en they turn their thinking center over to their superego to resolve the conflict. Turning themselves over to their superego also causes them to irrationally overvalue self-control which makes them take pride in repressing their "dirty" desires and restricting their indulgences. Ones think they are more rational than they really are due to their stoic nature. Much Mu ch distortion springs from their overvaluing self-control. This is the root of a one's contractive temperment.
are about love and other people and especially pride. Specifically twos are kind and gentle feeling types who take pride in being considerate of others o thers to feel worthy of being loved themselves. They take pride in seeing people as people. They like people and want to feel closer to them. They take pride in recognizing the importance of others...the "I"..."you"...and "me". They are receptive and responsive. They have strong empathetic feelings and take pride in being sensitive and compassionate towards others. They are attuned to what others might need. This can include people they hardly know or even in an abstract capacity. TWOS
Simply being caring and compassionate isn't enough though. Twos are natural givers and handpick themselves as the person to fulfill what others need. They feel drawn to be in a facilitating role where they feel they can make a difference in people's lives. They take pride in considering all people important especially the disadvantaged and the neglected. No one is left behind. They take pride in being willing to get involved in roles that require getting in the trenches. They The y are drawn to being mentors and facilitators and volunteer roles in general. A two whom no one notices does do es the thankless job of stocking shelves in the back. Another A nother two dutifully answers your questions and does whatever you ask. Another two greets you warmly at the door and offers to show you around the place. Another two organized all the twos together for the volunteer effort. While each of these twos are different fulfilling other people's needs gives all of them a sense of pride. Twos take pride in being strong enough to take care of themselves and not need help in addition to being strong enough to assist others who do need help. Twos are image types and maintaining a sense of dignity is central to the considerate of others persona they've cultivated. They don't need to "collect" for the good they have done for others. They take pride in not being a burden on others and don't like admitting they have problems to fix and needs to be met. They prefer to deal with their issues themselves as people depend on them not the other way around. It is others that need help and not the two. This twoish blindspot of others needing them more than vice versa is caused by b y their pride. They don't see themselves well due to their other-directed self-image orientation. They can be uncannily un cannily skilled at reading other people's emotional states and responding accordingly but often don't recognize their own needs and underlying un derlying motives. While they take pride in their loved ones' being better off due to them they need to be the main person in their lives. They need to feel essential to them in some capacity and have a knack for accomplishing that. If they have acted on good intentions they have earned the right to be loved and appreciated. If they go out of their way for others and get overlooked then they hurt a great deal. Even answering "no" is way better than not acknowledging their offer. They try to cover up the pain with their pride in being a good person and that it's others' fault for not recognizing that. In enneagram theory twos are feeling-gut-thinking in that order and pride themselves in being considerate of others. They go with their feelings at the expense of o f looking at the cold hard realities of others and seeing themselves clearly. Their biggest fear is being unworthy of love and no longer being essential to others they care about. Being superego
compliant types they justify being and existing in general b y their willingness to go out of their way for others and suppress their ugly and ag gressive tendencies. They are tougher than the kind and gentle persona they project and being image types their selfimage must be protected at all costs. They take pride in their own humility by being selfeffacing. They note others who are more worthy. They also downplay themselves relative to others and say the kindness they displayed was nothing major. They always seem to remember the special occasions about others o thers especially birthdays and anniversaries. Every good deed is an opportunity to score points with themselves over how unselfish they are. They try so hard to be unselfish that they ironically become selfish in the process. Living up to their "good" self-image also makes twos surprisingly perfectionistic about meeting their own standards and expectations. It's really more about meeting their demands than the demands of others. They willingly put themselves in positions where they enjoy being accountable to the bar they set for themselves. Typical type two streams of consciousness are "Does it make me a bad person if I don't d on't trust him?"..."What will I think of myself if I don't live up to this? I have to do this!" Their shame at not meeting their own expectations is a source of drive. Being image types the deeds they do equals who they are and being superego compliant they have the hardest time forgiving themselves. They have a lot of pride in being considerate so anything to the contrary is very difficult to swallow. are identity-seeking image types who believe they have the potential to become someone outstanding. Just as cream rises to the top so do they see it is their destiny to reach their potential. They want, even need, to become "winners in life" in the broader sense of the term, ie a positive version of anything but a "loser", to prove they have value and are valuable relative to others. A three is acutely aware of their selfdevelopment and evolution as a person, (“who they are" as a work in progress). They have a deep-seated awe a we of themselves, of their journey, as well as their de stination. They visualize "fulfilling the story of them" and "finally making it". They are resilient and bounce back from setbacks by detaching from their emotions and having a positive attitude. If they face failure or rejection they visualize how their journey must continue and pull themselves together to get back on track. They won't let circumstances get the best of them. They need to be moving forward otherwise they feel like they are falling behind. THREES
There is no type that is more aware aw are of how they come across to others. They can seem confident and self-assured on the outside yet have surprisingly fragile self-esteem on the inside. "Everyone loves a winner and no one loves a loser" resonates with all types but particularly with type three. They need to feel they are "winners in life" to feel they have sufficient self-worth to silence their internal voice of doubt. This causes a whole host of problems: focusing on becoming who they want to be instead of being who they are, and confusing being who they are with doing what they do. They fear others being able to see through them enough to discover they are not quite who they appear to be. This brings about deeper fears of possibly po ssibly being meaningless and worthless, and feeling they could be a loser beneath it all.
On a more subconscious level threes are aware of the inconsistencies in their self presentation that are caused by their efforts to find the right angle with others. They can be either very boring or very fun for example. They may feel others are on o n the verge of seeing that they are not quite who they appear to be. Without fully realizing it they hint to others that they are "not just anyone". They excessively let slip clues like went to a good school, has a great sense of style, was good at soccer as a kid, has a great career, how good they are at their hobby, etc. They subtly remind others of the interesting person they are or the ideal person they are in the process of becoming. On a more conscious level they may even be excessively forthright about certain weaknesses to look more professional or to be seen as more humble, perhaps overcorrecting what feels "off" in themselves. Their body language reflects a very subtle eagerness for one to mirror back to them how they are doing in real time to give them a sense of direction. There's a lot on the line so they try their best to hit the right notes with people. This combined with confusing who they are with what they do can cause more superficial threes to confuse style with substance. They may have a checklist approach to selfdefinition and equate themselves with their resume. N ot surprisingly it may be hard for others to get close to the real them. In extreme cases the disconnect between who they are and what they project can become so large that once the three achieves everything they feel like a sham and their lives take a drastic turn to reflect that. Most threes aren't like that however. On the upside threes are very good at holding themselves accountable and aren't averse to putting in the hard work needed to become the person they have in mind. In addition to being ambitious they tend to be more responsible and more adaptive than the average person. While the more extroverted 3s are good networkers and salespeople, many 3s are content to live their lives in private trying to become the best "them" they can be. In enneagram theory 3s are image center primary which is said to be disassociated from their thinking and instinctive centers. Much of the three fixation can be traced to excessive consciousness in their image or valuing center. That is precisely why threes are both the most aware of how ho w they come across to others and most aware of their value in the eyes of themselves and others. 3s being part of the 3-6-9 group have a very fundamental desire to find their place among people and the world. Their awareness of how they come across to others o thers makes them do that by becoming the best or most they can be. When healthy they are able to get in touch with their real selves as they realize they don't have to trade in who they are to become the person they want to be. Healthy 3s are excellent at inspiring others how to reach their potential just as they have done. d one. are image types who primarily identify with their feelings. They are moody and self-absorbed as well as very sensitive. They are disdainful, hostile even, towards being "normal" or "common". On the deepest of levels they are "different from others" and "true to themselves" and therefore significant, special, and unique. They a re honest with themselves about how feelings are central to their lives and unlike twos and threes appear to wear their shame and vulnerability on their sleeve. Whether
FOURS
warranted or not fours attach subjective significance to their feelings from which they strive to create an identity embedded with their own stylistic signature that is their "personal statement" of who they are. Their stylistic "personal statement" of who they truly are is the image that fours create and project to others. It can be dramatically expressive, finely parisian, absurdly original, profoundly eclectic, or something else that reflects the four's aesthetic sense of how to fully express themselves and their opposition to normalcy. This eccentric, dramatic, or "weird" persona fours may take on can be a method of countershame which serves to cover up the deep sense of shame fours hold for themselves and transform it into an attack on the external world. To compensate for their shame and feelings of defectiveness fours exhibit a subtle snobbery and elitism and see others as ordinary and trite. They feel their outsider status, sophistication, aesthetic sensitivity, creativity, and personal insight place them above the "commoners". This is how fours feel authentic. Holding fast to living out their stylistic "personal statement" ideal to stay "true to themselves" despite seeming strange to others is how fours maintain being authentic. Their sense of being flawed, misunderstood, a nd of not being seen for "who they really are" only reaffirms to them that they are too different to live according to the terms and standards of normalcy as dictated by society. They were born to be outsiders and in order to be true to themselves they must live out their outsider destiny. This the very crux of the four's sense of identity and there is no type whose identity is as real to them as the four. Fours are especially aware of their identity as a creative construct based on what resonates emotionally with them. While they strive to be as true to themselves as possible they resonate most with an ideal image that has unattainable depth and complexity. They perpetually fall short of their own personal ideal which c auses shame and increased selfconsciousness over the rootlessness of lacking a stable identity. This makes them constantly feel inadequate, defective, flawed, frustrated, melancholic, and envious of others who are better off. To make up for the perennial sense of something essential missing inside themselves they indulge in amplifying their emotions in each situation in the name of authenticity and searching for meaning. They internalize and personalize their experiences to squeeze the emotional juices out of each situation. They probe the darker sides of life and deepest depths of their psyche where most people don't dare tread. They introspect and observe themselves far beyond the average person. They feel they have a cretain richness in their lives that other lack, for others haven't seen what they've seen, known what they've known, and felt what they've felt. The four's picturesque inner landscape is equally rich if not richer, a vast and endlessly deep treasure trove of murky nooks and crannies of emotional states to inhabit and indulge themselves in. They have a wistful side and dwell on the bittersweet nostalgia of past memories. They also create their own "personal story" filled with myth and metaphor and live it out as though it were as real as reality itself. Indulging their imagination to live out their emotional states and allow themselves to feel intensely is necessary to feel true to themselves. Part of their disdain for the ordinary has to do with
feeling a need to amplify and intensify their feelings as ordinary experiences rarely satisfy them. Hence fours often find practical matters difficult. Such closeness with one's emotional states brings an a esthetic sensitivity most fours have in common. Fours have a natural creative process that is necessitated by using their feelings to create an identity. They are often associated with being artists in some sense even if they aren't in the literal meaning of the word. They seek out the beauty in every experience. As fours are especially attuned to what gives light to meaning they breathe new life into their experiences and transform them. This need to live out and even amplify their emotional states makes for anything but a trite existence. Fours can be paralyzed with self-hatred, and consumed with envy and even paralyzed with hatred for others. While fours are self-loathing they want to be heard out and understood more than offered a "patronizing" practical solution to their pain. They'd rather wallow in their suffering than have the depth of their turmoil trivialized and thus their feelings marginalized and invalidated. The combination of belonging to the reactive triad and being a feeling type means despite the four's fragility they can get hostile towards the person who clearly doesn't un derstand them. One should beware as there is no type that can hone in on another's emotional vulnerabilities and pierce others with their words like a venemous four. On the flip side fours can be very devoted and supportive. They can be deeply empathetic and very in tune with their partner's emotional states. Thus fours tend to be high maintainence. They envy happy people and dream of finding that special someone who can ca n rescue them from their melancholy. This shows up especially in relationships as fours hold their partners to high expectations. While fours are very accepting of a partner's quirks one should expect to be tested constantly by their drama which is really a fear of abandonment due to shame over their defectiveness. They are known for their "push-pull" behaviour behav iour where they share their deepest darkest secrets with their partner and then recoil in shame at what they revealed. They preemptively withdraw fearing their partner will see them as irredeemably flawed and will leave them. If their partner sticks with them the process repeats as long as the four fears abandonment. are intellectually curious types who love to explore what interests them. They frequently indulge in spending lots of time with what's impractical. While they put lots of effort into thinking about things they have deceptively strong feelings however. They state their points dispassionately and insure what they communicate is well thoug ht out which make them seem less emotional than they really are.
FIVES
Fives take it for granted they have an inherent ability to theorize and understand un derstand things more deeply than others, something they'd ne ver say openly. They are never quite "fully there" in their physical presence however. Their sensitivity to emotional stimuli plus a lack of smoothness from their less developed instincts always makes them removed to some degree to better handle situations. They withdraw from their environment and detach emotionally from others to shut out intrusions in their time and space. From the safety of their minds they can intensify their investment in their mental activities. They feel planning sufficiently and knowing enough can enable them to survive and thrive in
life despite being isolated. This overuse of their thinking center to navigate an intrusive world from a distance causes them to be both idiosyncratic in how they perceive reality and eccentric as others perceive them. This causes fives to exhibit a certain quirky cleverness. Fives are far more sensitive than they appear. Be ing fear types they tend to feel a crippling anxiety that's usually only noticed by close family and friends. Behind their distant exterior often lurks feelings threatening to overwhelm them. They prefer their privacy where they can immerse themselves in whatever interests them. Their limitless curiosity causes them to be self-motivated to learn challenging things and delve into subjects they truly enjoy, to the point of compulsion eve n. More than any other type they are connisseurs of knowledge. As a result fives tend to have a few intellectual areas of interest they have a deep understanding in which they take great pride in. Many fives withhold their knowledge just as they withhold themselves ho wever, hence the five stereotype of a reclusive expert that no one knows about. Fives see an interdependent world that desires too much from them. It's not uncommon to see them cut out dead weight and live minimalistic lifestyles to separate themselves from the world. They feel people want more of them than they have of themselves to give. They are affected by others easily and withdraw w ithdraw because they don't believe they have what it takes to deal with other people's demands and expectations. They are equally aware of being a burden on others and withhold both themselves and their emotions from others. Expressing emotions can make them feel vulnerable as they fear that will backfire in front of people who clearly don't d on't understand them. They don't care for superficial small talk and limit themselves to authentic people who do have the potential to understand them. At work they prefer to be given their assignment then left alone. Even in relationships they may withhold parts of themselves and keep many secrets. Simply put fives are fear types who are always wary of peo ple or things that come with "strings attached". Because their instinctive center is weak est they fear "giving their power away" would lead to them being a "sitting duck." This fear of being a "sitting duck" leads fives to focus on having power. p ower. They remove themselves from external activity in order to feel they have enough mastery of the situation to navigate it from a position of strength. They seperate what's important from what's irrelevant and have an unrelenting focus to get to the bottom of things. They delight in "checkmating" others' points that aren't as well thought-out as theirs along the way. Their intellectual curiousity for a subject is intense enough to eventually turn into mastery. They imagine scenarios to understand the world well enough to anticipate reality. They feel powerful trusting their own opinions over what society says. They think things are under control if they know enough. They think they can get on top of things on their own if they figure things out and plan sufficiently. They have delusions of grandeur that make them dream about how the world would be if they had the ability to set things. They feel powerful knowing that others haven't thought about stuff as deeply as they have and don't understand what they understand. This "claim" along with their borderline intellectual overconfidence is a cover on a more subconscious level for their heightened sensitivity and inadequacy though. It's one thing to create theories but quite another to put them into practice. They have trouble with simpler things that most people can handle
spontaneously. They know how odd they are and always feel fundamentally apart from others. In enneagram theory fives are thinking-feeling-instinctive in that order. This ca uses them to intensify their efforts thinking up scenarios to anticipate and ha ndle reality at the expense of being engaged in the real world. Because they are instinctive center last it is easy for fives to become ungrounded and spin out of control. They encounter new people in spontaneous situations and instead of acting naturally they detach or "freeze" (a very minor form of shutdown) to intellectualize their emotions("How do I express this emotion?") instead of using their feeling center to express their emotions(fear that could backfire on them). Opportunities to reach out to others are missed and fives loses confidence in their ability to act naturally around people. They spend more time alone a lone with makes them more out of touch with the world. This increases their loneliness and eccentricity which makes it even harder to relate to people, which makes them withdraw and isolate themselves even further. Once a critical point is reached their cynicism and disdain for humanity accelerates. The scenarios their imagination comes up with to understand the world become more disturbing and further removed from reality. Healthy fives though are able to both fully participate in life and contribute to an interdependent society while also being able to give more of themselves and handle greater degrees of emotional interdependency. Their greater engagement of life allows them to be more in touch with reality and better at anticipating things. is the most "human" enneagram type and arguably the most authentic in that respect. All enneagram fixations are coping strategies to deal with the world and the six gestalt is most representative of the struggles of humanity throughout its history. More than any other type the life story of a six is about "coming into their own".
SIX
Sixes are head types that view the world as inherently unpredictable. They feel they came into an everchanging world without blueprints that account for the vagaries of life an d have to play catchup. They see the danger that lurks just around the corner and need to figure out how to either remove it or cope with it, as well as find some backup through allies or something else out there that's a strong enough foundation. They have a base state of unrest they may not be aware of but their anxiety is visible to others. Their worst fear is to come to the horrible realization that they put trust in the wrong peop le and find out the basis of everything they believe in is a lie. Simply put sixes fear being "uprooted" so they construct a strong enough mental framework and/or support system of people to navigate life with to prevent that from happening. hap pening. This means making sure as many things are as "clear" to them as possible. Due to their elevated who?/what?/when?/where?/why?/how? and "what if?" head center cognition they notice and assess seemingly everything and then some. They want to find out if a way of thinking is legitimate. They want points to b e unambigious and motives to be transparent. They want to see who knows what they are talking about and who is trustworthy. They want to be able to intuit where you are coming from and where you are going with this. Clear intentions are a sign of honesty and no hidden agenda and bring about parity and therefore fairness.
Fives naively downplay motives and are ignorant of procedures and policies within power structures. Sevens blindly rely on the future and think they can have their cake and eat it too. Sixes however refuse to take anything for granted until it passes their smell test. They have a heightened awareness of catastrophic scenarios and worry the rug will be pulled out from underneath them when they see bad things happen to innocent people. Heaven forbid any of these things should happen to their loved ones. They have little faith things will work out on their own and are natural "what's plan B" people. They feel compelled to anticipate and figure out how to cope with potential problems as they know what could happen if they don't. How sixes cope ranges from avoidance (phobic) to aggressively facing their fears head on(counterphobic). Due to their head center ambivalence sixes alternate between susceptibility and suspiciousness towards authorities and systems. They can instantly shift from fearful to aggressive and vice versa. There is no type that exhibits contradictory behaviour like a six. On a less conscious level they are on the lookout for someone or something worthy of trusting. On a more conscious level they keep a watchful eye out for who or what is most definitely not. They are very aware of when things are unfair or uneven between people. They sense who has power and who is likely to abuse it as they often see themselves as the underdog. This is frequently enhanced by the perception of being mistreated by authority figures during their formative years. Sixes may appear as devils advocates, skeptics, BS sniffers, self-doubters, pseudo-sevens, or something else but they all test for clarity and certitude a nd have an underlying und erlying state of unrest. Ironically they are often less unsettled during a real crisis since their mind doesn't have the time to blow things out of proportion. Even though the real source of anxiety is inside themselves it would be nice for things in life to be more clear. Sixes see the world as inherently unpredictable so they feel they must be prepared and have a minimum amount of certainty in their lives. Just as they are consistently loyal to who and what they believe be lieve in, the people close to them must also be trustworthy and loyal to them. Many sixes choose to root themselves in friends and family instead of more external things like systems and authorities. They form strong friendships and come across as genuinely honest and down-to-earth. They like people who are authentic and dislike smooth-talkers. They can be selflessly supportive and stay loyal even to those who are no longer worthy. Betrayal is the worst violation of trust so there's no way they'd let people close to them hang out to dry. If people have managed to earn their trust (not an easy task due to their testing) it's only fair they stick by them in bad times as well as good. In an uncertain u ncertain world one must hold onto the few that are worth it. It's hard to find people who are honest and dependable and who also do what they say they will do. True respect must be earned and those close to them have earned it. Being able to earn their way in the world is also important. They value resourcefulness and contingency planning, and find satisfaction in earning the fruits of their labors. They believe in a merit-based system where each person is treated fairly and proportionally to how they deserve to be treated. They respect people who are deserving and don't like it when people get to where they are unfairly. As long as working h ard and playing by the
rules is fairly rewarded they accept their circumstances. They hold themselves to their own standards despite how unpredictably difficult the world is so all they ask for is a fair shot in life. They intend to be treated fairly and for things to be okay as long as they follow the rules. Sixes favor spelled-out rules that make things more out in the open and fair for everyone. They feel them being responsible and following the rules despite how difficult things can be should count for something. Add to that they are already hard on themselves and they often feel justified in making excuses when bad things happen. While they doubt their decision-making it's not their fault the world's so unpredictably difficult. If they follow the rules it's not their fault if things don't work out. If they are responsible and things go wrong it's not their fault. If they don't stick their necks out no one can blame them for anything. They may criticize themselves to avoid criticism from others. They may even sabotage their success to avoid standing out and being a target for criticism. In their mind if you saw how difficult things are for them you'd see things from their perspective. Their enhanced head center cognition causes their superego to feel overburdened with constant self-criticism. They struggle to meet what they think is demanded of them due to believing the only way of being okay is to be loyal and follow the rules. They fear not being able to do anything right and that imminent punishment and criticism is just around the corner. They are looking for how to be or how to act. They want to be good and rule abiding, not deviant or culpable. In enneagram theory sixes are head center primary at the expense of their feeling and instinctive centers. Being in the center of the head triad they may not be fully aware of their anxiety because they're so used to it. Excess cognition in a six's primary thinking center can be compared to being inside the "eye of their hurricane". By looking at types five and seven outside the eye sixes are reminded of the full extent of "thinking triadness" in themselves. Head types especially sixes have lots of who?/what?/where?/when?/why?/how? cognition. This is the root of their underlying anxiety and the enviornment merely exacerbates it. The head center also has to do with the focus, distractability, and scatteredness, as well as motor and tempo. It contains the most hamster-wheeling and vascillating energy of the three centers. Type six has the most head center energy and there is no type that has as much ambivalence as a six. While all head types overthink to predict and protect themselves from the world, sixes are the types most prone to "thinking so much they fake themselves out" and turning to their superego to resolve their cognitive dissonance. Sixes excessively try to use their head center to nagivate life. The mental framework they construct for themselves is really a form of "shorthand" to map life's numerous contradictions to that their overactive who?/what?/when?/where?/why?/how? and "what if?" cognition burdens them with(anxiety by definition). By mapping to this internal shorthand they can be certain c ertain that at least most of what they conclude will be correct. In contrast to the fives's "nothing sacred" attitude sixes have an investment in keeping their own way of looking at things intact. They reject information to the contrary to protect the way of thinking they are loyal to. On a deeper level they know their defense mechanisms reduce anxiety via clarity but distort reality. They yearn to be able to get in touch with their "quiet mind" so that they can "just know" how things really are.
When this "shorthand" gets taken far enough it becomes "projection". They may see a person act in a certain way and based on their history project that person had such and such motivations behind that action. On a more subconscious level delving into further analysis could cause cognitive dissonance so they go for the answer that is most "clear" to them. This may be what they would wo uld do if they were in their shoes or what "side" or group that person appears to be most aligned with. If a person supported something politically they might be more inclined to project that person has the same belief system of others that had the same yes/no position on that issue. Due to projection sixes are prone to confusing what's clear to them with what the truth is. In order to find out if what's clear to them is not correct they have to go against their way of thinking before b efore they have "proof" so there's internal resistance to going down that murkier mental path. This is most obvious in their implicit bargain with the world: how it's "clear" that they will be okay if they are loyal and follow the rules. To "realize" one may be screwed even if they follow a particular set o f rules is to open a pandora's box of possibly never being safe no matter what. This may be more correct but is anything but nice and clear. Sixes are the most likely types to believe in Murphy's law: "whatever can go wrong will go wrong". Unhealthy sixes are very programmable due to their head center being "shortcircuited". They succumb to their anxiety and either become sheep..."I can't cope so you do my thinking for me since you are authorities"...and/or excessively project their insecurities onto others. Healthy sixes have learned to access their "quiet mind" to manage their fears and put them into perspective. Once they have mastered their internal anxiety they can become pillars of strength without losing their gift for being "human". What was "us vs them" is now the courage to fight for something bigger than themselves. Healthy sixes like Joe Gibbs have a talent for leading while remaining "one of o f the guys". More than any other coach he made the redskins a family centered around "core redskin values" where no player was unfairly above another. Winning three different superbowls with three average quarterbacks was a testament to his ability to get the most out of his players. are gluttonous fun-loving types who believe in experiencing what they want in life without restrictions or obligations. They want a lot and are gnawed by their wants enough to see them as needs so they "need" that juicy steak and "need" that vacation. They take care of their stuff themselves and aren't a burden on anyone so why shouldn't they be entitled to a good life? These natural optimists have a hard time accepting the stark reality that the world isn't as accomodating as they would like. Being head types they understand that but sevens are sevens so understanding something and coming to grips with something are two different things. SEVENS
Sevens have a blind faith in the future working out for them. Their jumping-the-gun streams of consciousness cause them to distort the future as being just around the corner. If they keep their options open a little longer they are sure to get what they want. They also frequently believe they can have their cake and eat it too. They enthusiastically plan out rosy scenarios in their mind. The future h asn't yet made the details apparent that might show their optimism is misplaced, nor does it make demands on them or slow them
down like people in the present do. They feel if they keep moving and anticipating they can stay one step ahead of being bogged down by all that. It goes without saying they don't sweat the small stuff and are always on the lookout for shortcuts that would get them to their happier hap pier more fulfilling future faster. Sevens have addictive personalities. They tend to be adventurous, impulsive, exciting, and enthusiastic. The more common sensing-perceiving sevens tend to be focused on more physical gluttony and are the typical party p arty animals. The less common intuitive seven is no less addictive but has as much a need for mental stimulation as a need for physical stimulation. All sevens need the potential for a more fulfulling life more than anything. They need something better in their future to look forward to. The one thing a seven wouldn't relate to in a million years is contentment and a lack of wants. With their monkey minds sevens tend to be b e mentally agile and versatile enough to quickly pick up the basics of many things. They frequently have a wide range of intellectual interests and can converse about anything. They tend to find it difficult to focus however and are easily distracted by the temptations in life. More importantly they often overestimate their abilities and confuse what they kn ow with true mastery. More than any other type they tease others with their unrealized potential. Between experiencing the fullness of life in the present and restlessly thinking up rosy future scenarios their mind is in high gear and their attention is diverted. On a more subconscious level coming to grips with sobering realities in the present and unflattering things about themselves is put on the back burner. Wants are reframed as needs and real inner needs are neglected. Emotional pain is seen as unpleasantness and avoided. These potentially painful feelings are compartmentalized and take awhile to hit home but when they hit they hit hard. On a more conscious level the seven primarily fears being trapped or stuck in a rut. Being bored or deprived from experiencing exp eriencing life triggers "rut" fears. Sevens find it much easier to acknowledge ackn owledge that they fear a "rut" than they fear "pain". The fear of being stuck or trapped in a rut conveniently relegates the fear of emotional pain to a more subconscious level in the fear queue. Sevens are image center last which makes them shameless, insensitive, and cocky. Like eights they don't see how they come across to others well. Sevens move the enviornment towards them to accelerate their mental gears to distract themselves. Fives in contrast remove themselves from their enviornment to deal w ith things from a position of strength. Sevens are unprententous and young at heart. Don't let their youthful energy fool you though. Sevens have one of the stronger egos. Should they face obstacles these resilient types have confidence that they'll land on their feet...and they do. Sevens are naturally egalitarian. They don't like playing power games and would rather just be concerned with themselves. They are grateful for their "lucky" lot in life which makes them fun to be around. They tend to give people the benefit of the doubt. While sevens generally aren't nitpicky of others' minor flaws they often underweight or even overlook major ones.
In enneagram theory 7s are thinking-instinctive-feeling in that order. Their default emotion is fear and their principal defense mechanism is distraction. They accelerate their thinking center mental gears to escape the need to come to grips with inner issues in their feeling center. They conjure up potential rosy scenarios, crazy schemes, exciting ideas, and creative ways of looking at things. They use all that to keep mental activity high enough to keep their mind off coming to grips with unflattering inner issues, unpleasant feelings, and sobering realities. It's much like running a round to keep their kite in the air. Once it's time for follow-thru, examining the details brings them closer to reality which is a drag: the sticktoitiveness needed for that job training, that having a website business b usiness means having to cold-call to get customers, having to get up at 5 am for that job you thought you wanted, that cute girl sure is clingy. Once details are involved the grass isn't as green on the other o ther side so the seven finds new grass starting from the mental realm and repeats the process. On a smaller scale sevens may engage en gage in wordplay or other shameless nonsensical "crazy funny" behaviour to distract themselves simply because they got the "itch" to discharge their excess head energy into their enviornment. Many sx-firsts think they have more seven in them than they do because sx is a probing deeply energy to squeeze the most out of an experience while sevenness is about staying in motion to keep their kite in the air to avoid coming to grips with inner issues and feelings. are strong-willed rugged streetsmart types who like feeling "grand" about themselves. They are competitive and decisive. They are gluttonous types who like to "live life hard"...like "work hard play hard"..." h ard"..." I want to really sink my teeth into that juicy steak." They delight in seeing themselves as animalistic yet think about things more deeply than they let on. Eights "just know" they have an inherent "gravitas" that most people don't have. They are anything but apologetic for taking up space around them. Others can immediately feel an eight's physical presence from their uninhibited "I am aligned with myself not you" expansiveness that is a reflection of their grand personality. They are naturally confident enough to not need to prove their strength to others or themselves. They simply assume they are both formidable enough and mentally tough enough to do whatever they gotta do, no discussion necessary. As tough as eights seem on the outside, what largely seperates eights from eight-lookalikes is how eights are even tougher from the neck up. They stomach the harsher realities of life that most others find unsettling. They are the least likely type to crack or break down psychologically. While they prefer being independent they know they can lead should they choose to. On the flip side they know deep down they are outsiders who can never fully be "one of the guys". EIGHTS
In a dog-eat-dog world eights feel they must be masters of their own destiny. They are unwilling to be controlled in any way. They tend to either run things or be independent contractors. They are wary of any interdependent setup where they aren't calling the shots. The eights that do work for others place a premium on getting financially independent as soon as possible. Even the mere possibility of being controlled triggers a need to prevent that from happening at all costs. That means controlling others if necessary whether it be dominating them or taking charge in a more formal capacity. The eight delusion is that they intend for reality to comply with ho w they want things to be.
When that doesn't happen it feels like losing control. Basically the eight reframes not getting what they want as losing control con trol which triggers increased anger and dominating behavior. This invites needless friction and makes them have to repeatedly learn life's lessons the hard way. Where it really costs eights is emotionally though. They pit themselves against the world so much that they deprive themselves from experiencing what it's like to be fully human. They miss what it's like to feel elated and discouraged, to be awed and apalled, to feel other emotions fully other than pu re visceral anger. Letting their guard down and opening up is difficult for them. Eights have a very strong sense of o f justice. There is nothing that ticks them off more than getting a raw deal. Eights have the biggest tempers and the english language often feels too trite to express their anger with. If there's one thing the eight feels compelled to do it's cuss. As eights don't like to be "moved" against their will, they are very aware when others are unfairly "moved" against theirs. They have a soft spot for innocence as it reminds themselves of what they've lost and are eternally trying to reclaim. In a dog-eatdog world full of bad people peo ple it's one of the few things that makes them think the world isn't broken beyond repair. When they see innocent people getting the shaft it makes them very angry. Their protective instincts quickly kick in. They k now someone's going to feel some pain and it's not going to be them. Eights are comfortable seeing themselves as monsters and have no inhibition against being "badder" than the bad to meet out punishment. "Judgment day" is where they feel most at home, where they are judge, jury, prosecutor, and most importantly, executioner. "Executioner" in this case means due to the eight the life of the perpetrator will never be the same. Eights do not trust easily but once you're in you're in to stay unless you really screw up. If an eight yells at you he sees you as a decent person who did a bad thing. That's not as bad as him giving you the silent treatment which means he's cutting you out. Eights like to test people not to see where they stand but more to putting the finishing touches on whatever they have compiled on you. They pride themselves on having the ability to see what makes a person tick. They prefer to enter the fray only at the very end when they are about to finish things as opposed to lashing out in the middle of things. When an eight starts testing you it means he already found a red flag, like an "any last words before I get rid of you". They don't like to show their full hand until the end. Of course if you betray them you are gone. Due to their more unconscious sense of self they aren't as aware of how they come across to others. They shamelessly assert their selfishness which others find refreshing. They do not feel the need to justify themselves in the least. They do they feel the n eed to hold themselves to any standards. Their streams of consciousness are "I choose to" as opposed to "I feel obligated to" or "I hold myself to". They revel in being "bad" and in not needing validation. In response to being called ca lled a thug, they may respond "damn "da mn straight" while kneeling down to give a child a free ice cream cone. They assume others don't like them until proven otherwise and therefore they don't need validation from others. When they don't get validation v alidation it confirms their self-image of someone who doesn't need validation.
They also like to have a disconnect between them and others' perceptions of them to reinforce what others think of them doesn't matter. It reinforces their outsider nature, how they are "here" others are "there". That's how things were always fated to be. It goes without saying as outsiders eights also view many societal rules as stupid. In enneagram theory eights are instinctive-thinking-feeling in that order. On a much deeper level eights really want power to make sure they are never vulnerable. Eights unconsciously do everything from a position of strength. They h ave a nose for what detracts from gravitas in realtime and avoid that. They live large and move against a gainst the world at the expense of feeling soft and tender emotions, and coming co ming to grips with neglected feelings. They "trivialize" emotions and avoid both feeling them and coming to grips with them. The eight fixation in its purest form is an aversion to being "moved" by soft and tender emotions that make them feel weak. During a "moment" they become even more grand to avoid being moved emotionally. Their speaking becomes more measured as if to try to slow down time itself. With their fear buried deep in the unconscious position they can walk and talk like they have gravitas. The inhibition against being "moved" also applies to the physical and thinking realms. Everything seems so clear when they keep themselves pitted against the world. They know who their enemies are. They have a purpose and a mission. Simply put they feel engaged and alive. But it only serves to keep their mind off of coming to grips with their feelings they've put off processing. Their internal landscape feels like a purgatory as they forever battle unresolved emotions and issues that linger. They feel emotions most deeply when they leave them behind as if to finally give them a proper burial after a long period of neglect. They are much more sentimental than they let on and feel regret and nostalgia over not having felt more in the moment that had come and gone. Unhealthy eights are totally out of touch with their feelings. They are often outlaws. They brag about having no n o conscience and more importantly they mean it. They are totally insensitive to others and have no remorse. They focus exclusively on living hard and large. They can be very destructive. In extreme examples they are brutal dictators. Saddam Hussein was a good example but not just because he was a brutal dictator. Eights in general don't like feeling they need to understand the world to navigate it. They see it as the world "telling them what to do". But most eights come around to reality and do what they gotta do to survive. Saddam was totally delusional. He ignored the advice of his generals and drew up the battle plans himself without regard to logistics. His plan was to have his army fall back in concentric rings around Baghdad despite there being a limited number of crooked roads. He had no desire to play his hand the best he could. He just didn't care he was out of touch with reality anymore. Healthy eights in contrast are magnanimous. They acknowledge their emotions. Although they are naturally selfvalidating they accept being "touched" by others. They are willing to make themselves vulnerable emotionally as the hardest person to conquer is oneself. are the most patient and tolerant types in the enneagram. They have an innate belief that other people are similar to them underneath in a way they can't can 't explain that makes them anything but megalomanic. They are truly accepting of peoples' faults and are biased to give others the benefit of the doubt. They are good listeners and one can talk NINES
to them about almost anything. They are able to see where others o thers are coming from and can genuinely sympathize with what it feels like to not be listened to. They can make people feel good about even the deepest gloom. They are easygoing and low-maintenance. They enjoy relaxing and letting their minds wander. They like immersing themselves in their hobbies and are often drawn to the outdoors. They don't impose their preferences and aren't sticklers over little things. They don't need for things to be spelled out. They are good-natured and unflappable. They have the ability to stay hopeful as well w ell as level-headed and calm during d uring a real crisis. Whether they are anxious, frustrated, angry, excited, or enthused, they show less than most people and appear stable no matter what. They see being united and coming together in a positive light. They believe in "flow", whether it's going with the flow, idealizing a reality or philosophy that has flow, synchronizing themselves with the ebbs and flows of life, or being attracted to what naturally flows. They have a knack for waiting for the right time when things to co me to them instead of them forcing the action. They have just enough of a positive outlook to favor letting things work out on their own ow n but are anything but full of themselves. They have a good balance between being competitive and someone to simply hang with. All in all nines tend to be likeable. As gut types nines are very "present" in their bodies in a naturally grounded and inert way. From being in the center of the gut triad they are saturated with enough earthy energy to make staying in their comfort zone their main priority, to the point where they block out the harshness and complications of life, and whatever doesn't "jive" with them in general. They want as much as possible for things to go smoothly and resist what bothers them. Their autonomy is important to them an d a lot of things that make life more complicated aren't worth the trouble. With their instinctive energy trapped inside them they tend to stick with what's familiar, sometimes to the point of inertia and complacency. They go with the flow and are reluctant to assert their preferences ou tside of their comfort zone. They like feeling invited and feeding off others' energy but not to the point of no longer being able to slip in a nd out seamlessly. They lack strong personal boundaries in that they rarely tell people to go away so they don't want to risk a level of involvement that could lead to unwanted obligations. When they don't take the initiative to make themselves heard it often leads to a self-fulfilling prophecy of others ignoring them. They hold back their frustrations although they may not realize how much they do this. On a much deeper level the underlying current of "anger" in gut types is traced to the eternal frustration of not being able to see themselves well due to being overly present in their bodies, similar to the fustration of groping in the dark. Inner needs like cultivating an identity have trouble being met with an unconscious sense of self, which in conjunction with being "held back" b ack" by their inertness makes it hard to get out from inside of them what they really mean and how they really feel. This constant low-idle "groping in the dark" rhythmic body-consciousness from which frustration and anger springs is the
primary backdrop of the "overly present in their body" gut triad, similar to anxiety and shame for the head and image triads respectively. Although nines may deny their annoyance and irritation as forms of anger, they loathe being pushed or bothered, and especially anything that even faintly smells of obligation. Like eights and ones a nine's underlying frustration is there but instead gets redirected into less visceral forms like stubbornness and digging in their heels. If they are dragged into doing something they grit their teeth and an d make the best of it. Nines have an easier time accessing sadness, fear, hurt, confusion, numbness, than anger itself though ironically they get mad at themselves for saying yes when they didn't mean to. Nines being very present in their bodies comes at the expense of having a conscious sense of "self" or awareness of having a persona. This makes them seem the least "put on" and adds to their likeability. On the flip side this lack of an identity makes them prone to self-neglect and introjecting aspects of o thers without them realizing it. That's why nines have difficulty vocalizing what they want or how they are feeling. When they say yes to the possibility of something in general others misinterpret that as committing to a real yes. They also have difficulty saying no with enough conviction for others to get the message that it's non-negotiable, especially when they feel pushed to defend and justify the no to someone who refuses to take no for an answer. This is a source of frustration for them and only adds to why they think communicating their wants and needs isn't worth the trouble. In an external sense nines tend to believe b elieve "everything will turn out fine"..."no need to get panicky"...”there are ways to work around that and we'll find them”, while on an internal level nines have lowered expectations and are less positive thinking. They tend to see a bland neutral world with many shades of grey and prefer to be positive as they find negativity draining. That is why nines are more positive outlook than pure optimists like sevens. Nines see the waves of conflict between them and others larger and more treacherous than they really are. They can be unnerved by focused negative energy and to a lesser extent relentlessness. What others see as a spirited discussion they see as a needlessly argumentative atmosphere. They don't like it when people feel compelled to fight over stuff in raised voices rather than try to discuss and merely understand each other. They feel people interrupt them and never nev er give them an opportunity op portunity to say something important. They settle for an illusion that if they don't invite c onflict or rock the boat everything will be okay. They bury their anger and fustration and are happy that their boat is still floating even if it's just drifting out of inertia. Steering the boat through problems would require a sense of direction so they are content to let it drift along. By ignoring problems they make them worse which causes them to ignore them even eve n more and a negative feedback loop ensues. When there's too much swept under the rug to "numb out" any longer they finally erupt. This takes others aback and reinforces to them that anger is bad. On a more subconscious level they try to neutralize their anger by seeing the good in people. Much of a nine's issues surface in relationships where it's about two people getting what they want from each other. It's not uncommon for nines to seem apathetic and invest less of themselves in something to protect themselves emotionally in case things go bad. To
others they can seem emotionally disconnected or "numbed out". In relationships they are often able to shrug off disappointments easier becau se they had already left internally to some degree. It's not a matter of them not being accepting enough for if anything they hold out too much hope. They feel that people ignore them as well as don't pay attention or listen to them. Once they've determined d etermined things are passed the point of no return, they try to get the other person to leave by being unavailable and unappealing so that they have a guilt-free conscience. They don't think they make waves or invoke strong feelings in others. This way they confirm to themselves that they are invisible enough to slip in and out of situations without making enough enou gh waves to be responsible for whatever happens. In prematurely resigning themselves to being less visible they underestimate the effect they have on others and are surprised at how blindsided close ones can be. Because nines are less "present" on the inside their cognition has less "form" or "definition" and therefore less of the restrictions that accompany them. This enables nines to gloss over negative scenarios just enough enoug h to think they can live a simple and easy life without disruptions, provided they don't invite conflict that could lead to estrangement from others(9w1), or make life more difficult for themselves(9w8). They especially fear being separated from loved ones(9w1), on es(9w1), or losing loved ones permanently(9w8). Emphasizing they are distinctly separate individuals goes against their ego in not having self-importance(9w1), or in their self-importance not mattering(9w8). With their ability to subtly gloss over what's uncomfortable to think about nines are able to drown out what disturbs their peace of mind(9w1), or their rhythm(9w8). While the seven's jumping-the-gun cognition makes them clearly see positive scenarios before the future can disprove them, the nine's more elastic cognition makes them block out what they consider disruptive. Due to having less "form" or "definition" "d efinition" their cognition is often more in symbols and images and other things of a less conscious nature than concrete words. They can be complacent and selectively not remember things. Any one thing can possibly lead to anything, for unlike fives there are no dead ends or other cognitive co gnitive restrictions to their thinking process. They tend to explain ex plain things in stories where one thought naturally flows to another. This type of internal wiring though can make it harder to discriminate between what is essential and what isn't, and makes it more difficult to find their calling in life and set priorities. Although their ability to see many shades of grey gives them a talent for mediating others' disputes, it makes it harder to isolate what they really want in life. In an everchanging world they are reluctant to commit on the spot as they feel a need to have something "jive" with them to tell if they really want it or not. They fear being swept up in the wrong thing and the obligations that come with it..."do I really want this or not?" Enough stress makes them hunker down and avoid everything as well as numb out. "Why bother?"..."which way to go?..."it doesn't really matter does it?"..."I it?"..."I don't know so I'll stay here and hope h ope it goes away." Therefore their top priority remains to be as comfortable as possible with what's familiar, internally as well as externally. To achieve this their more amorphous cognition makes them block out what is outside of their comfort zone, particularly the harshness and complications of life.
In Enneagram theory nines are instinctive(gut) center primary at the expense of their thinking and identity centers. This leads them to become more "checked out" and numb to their feelings in response to conflict or another stessor, as well as overfocus on living comfortably at the expense of critical thinking beyond their comfort zone and a developed identity. However a sense of self even if it's false helps one "get out there" and have one's self-perception and version of o f reality regularly tested. On a deeper level nines take pride in their invisibility as otherwise it would be too much of a blow for their invisibility to be "confirmed" by others on top of not being able to see themselves. Twisting their perceived invisibility into a strength also enables them to use it as an excuse to do whatever they have to do to stay in their comfort zone. On a deeper level they want to be stay in their comfort zone zon e and avoid taking responsibility for their true needs and desires. A person needs to be a part of themselves before they are a part of anything though. Hence nines need to see themselves as distinctly seperate to connect with greater humanity. Nines attempt to reach a state of premature comfort and/or enlightenment. Seeing friction and a lack of fluidity in eights and ones next to them may awaken some nines to the possibility that an easy life without disruptions may lead to missing out on essential parts of the human experience like being involved. Other nines may immerse themselves in activities to feel more alive to counteract inertia. Yet other nines may be surprisingly intellectual and even indulge in introspection, though the latter is usually on their terms. Similar to sixes there can be a wide range of nines. While it's not uncommon for nines to seem like fours, fives, sixes, and sevens ev en, what all nines have in common is presuming that things will be okay if they stay in their comfort zone by minimizing conflict and tension as well as blocking out the harshness and complications of life, numbing out what's unpleasant, an attraction to "flow" or willingness to go with the flow, and an underdeveloped sense of identity so that they often feel "invisible". To get healthier nines need to wean themselves off autopilot mode or away from any delusion that they can ascend to a nirvana-like state without going through the arduous process of figuring out who they are and what they really want in life. They need to accept the reality that emotional pain cannot be numbed or escaped and instead comes with simply being present. They then need to learn to put themselves out there and allow for the discomfort that comes from being more emotionally honest and engaged with others. They need to stand by b y their own convictions and accept the risk that they will find conflict and come up against others' opinions. To live a more honest life they have to lay it out there and accept that whatever happens happens. If others reject their right to see things the way they do they are rejecting their truth which is unacceptable. Thus conflict can finally lead to closure. Once they see that anger is conviction in their truth they can see it as a constructive force that they could and should experience in realtime. When healthy nines are able to stay focused and rational during anger and let it run its natural course. They can then utilize their strength at seeing the merits of others' views without losing themselves in the process. With new self-assertion victories their sense of identity is developed enough to enable them to escape inertia instead of pain.
They can become more "alive" and begin the positive feedback loop of engaging life more fully, releasing the logjam of instinctive energy that's trapped inside them. The instinctive triad seems to "just know" compared to the relatively ungrounded cognition of other types so being in the center nines present an interesting paradox. They are more in touch with less conscious processes and the collective unconscious, yet have a tendency to be disengaged and subtly gloss over things that go against their preferred way of seeing reality. They have a knack for going with the flow and waiting for things to develop instead of forcing the action, but are also more prone to seeing what they want to see and living in their own bubble. Being in the center of o f the instinctive triad they are saturated with enough o f the less conscious gut energy(not to be confused with not being intellectual) that it can be difficult to overcome their inertia and "get up an go". It's similar to sixes who "what if" so much they fake themselves out and threes who try too hard ha rd to hit the right notes with people.
