THE NINE PERSONALITY TYPES · 2017-03-16 · 1 THE NINE PERSONALITY TYPES The Enneagram teaches that there are nine different personality styles in the world, one of which we naturally

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THENINEPERSONALITYTYPESTheEnneagramteachesthatthereareninedifferentpersonalitystylesintheworld,oneofwhichwenaturallygravitatetowardandadoptinchildhoodtocopeandfeelsafe.Eachtypeornumberhasadistinctwayofseeingtheworldandanunderlyingmotivationthatpowerfullyinfluenceshowthattypethinks,feelsandbehaves.Ifyou’relikeIwas,youwillimmediatelyobjecttothesuggestionthatthereareonlyninebasicpersonalitytypesonaplanetofmorethansevenbillionpeople.AsinglevisittothepaintaisleatHomeDepottohelpanindecisivespousefind“thatperfectred”forthebathroomwallsmightquellyourremonstrations.AsIrecentlylearned,thereareliterallyaninfinitenumberofvariationsofthecolorredfromwhichyoucanselecttobrightenyourbathroomandwreckyourmarriageatthesametime.Inthesameway,thoughwealladoptone(andonlyone)ofthesetypesinchildhood,thereareaninfinitenumberofexpressionsofeachnumber,someofwhichmightpresentinasimilarwaytoyoursandmanyofwhichwilllooknothinglikeyouontheexterior—butyouareallstillvariationsofthesameprimarycolor.TheEnneagramtakesitsnamefromtheGreekwordsfornine(ennea)andforadrawingorfigure(gram).Itisanine-pointedgeometricfigurethatillustratesninedifferentbutinterconnectedpersonalitytypes.Eachnumberedpointonthecircumferenceisconnectedtotwoothersbyarrowsacrossthecircle,indicatingtheirdynamicinteractionwithoneanother.Hereisasnapshotofthediagram,aswellasthenamesandaquickdescriptionofeachEnneagramnumber.Fortherecord,nopersonalitytypeisbetterorworsethananother,eachhasitsownstrengthsandweaknesses,andnoneisgender-biased.TYPEONE:ThePerfectionist.Ethical,dedicatedandreliable,theyaremotivatedbyadesiretolivetherightway,improvetheworld,andavoidfaultandblame.TYPETWO:TheHelper.Warm,caringandgiving,theyaremotivatedbyaneedtobelovedandneeded,andtoavoidacknowledgingtheirownneeds.TYPETHREE:ThePerformer.Success-oriented,image-consciousandwiredforproductivity,theyaremotivatedbyaneedtobe(orappeartobe)successfulandtoavoidfailure.TYPEFOUR:TheRomantic.Creative,sensitiveandmoody,theyaremotivatedbyaneedtobeunderstood,experiencetheiroversizedfeelingsandavoidbeingordinary.TYPEFIVE:TheInvestigator.Analytical,detachedandprivate,theyaremotivatedbyaneedtogainknowledge,conserveenergyandavoidrelyingonothers.

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TYPESIX:TheLoyalist.Committed,practicalandwitty,theyareworst-case-scenariothinkerswhoaremotivatedbyfearandtheneedforsecurity.TYPESEVEN:TheEnthusiast.Fun,spontaneousandadventurous,theyaremotivatedbyaneedtobehappy,toplanstimulatingexperiencesandtoavoidpain.TYPEEIGHT:TheChallenger.Commanding,intenseandconfrontational,theyaremotivatedbyaneedtobestrongandavoidfeelingweakorvulnerable.TYPENINE:ThePeacemaker.Pleasant,laidbackandaccommodating,theyaremotivatedbyaneedtokeepthepeace,mergewithothersandavoidconflict.

FromTheRoadBacktoYou:AnEnneagramJourneytoSelf-DiscoverybyIanMorganCronandSuzanneStabile,InterVarsityPress,2016.