The Enneagram

Goals are linked to values and values are linked to identity. The more you understand who you are, the easier it is to set and achieve goals that fit with your true sense of self. One of the most powerful tools for gaining deeper insight into your identity is the personality typology known as the Enneagram. The Enneagram is made up of nine different personality types. Each type has an essential quality and a particular way of viewing or interpreting the world.

People who are this type are critical of themselves and others. They take responsibility seriously and are often perfectionists. Their high standards lead them to regard themselves as ethically or morally superior to others. While they can be excellent organisers they may also procrastinate from fear about 'doing it perfectly'.

Their greatest challenges are to identify and manage the anger that is part of them, to allow pleasure into their lives and to accept multiple points of view rather than 'always being right'. Errors sometimes occur and it is important for Type Ones to learn from mistakes rather than criticising others or as more often happens, being highly critical of themselves.

Type Two

Type Twos impress people as cheerful, energetic and helpful. They prefer giving to receiving. Although they appear self sufficient, their lives revolve around relationships and the acceptance and approval of others is essential to their wellbeing. Rejection can sometimes lead to an expression of anger that surprises others.

Their greatest challenges are to hold back from excessive giving, to develop interests and activities that can be done on their own, to value their own achievements and their own worth and to look beneath initialemotional reactions - particularly anger - to see what emotions are being masked.

Type Three

Type Threes appear confident, ambitious and successful. They work hard to achieve their goals and can be
good motivators. Their image is important to them and they don't like failure. Because of this, they choose
projects that will succeed rather than take risks.

Their greatest challenges are to recognise that beneath the striving for success is a striving to be accepted
for who they are. It is important for them to be more aware of their physical sensations so that when they are
tired they can slow down and to use physical reactions as a means of gaining access to their emotions

Type Four

Type Fours are characterised by a sense of their own uniqueness. They are creative, emotional, intense and at times, highly dramatic. Relationships and feelings are very important to them. While their company can be exhilarating, they have a down side and can be melancholy and sad.

Their greatest challenges are learning to be grounded, finding the positive in everyday life, learning to recognise the value in what appears ordinary and recognising that self absorption can mask fears of abandonment. 

Type Five

Type Fives appear as withdrawn, intellectual, unemotional and self-sufficient. They enjoy the analytical realms of the mind and are constantly seeking and absorbing knowledge. They compartmentalise their lives - work colleagues and friends can be quite separate - and need time for privacy to decide how they think and feel.

Their greatest challenges are to be grounded, to practise self-disclosure, to allow themselves to feel physical sensations and emotions as they are happening, to trust in abundance and to let themselves be seen.

Type Six

Type Sixes are usually loyal, hardworking and dependable. They are good team players although they have a distrust of authority and look  for leaders who are honourable. As they often imagine the worst possible outcome, they are emotionally guarded. Real danger, however is dealt with calmly and effectively.

Their greatest challenges are to balance physical and mental growth so they are not 'stuck' in their heads, to learn to trust, to imagine positive outcomes as well as negative ones and to practise becoming their own authority. 

Type Seven

Type Sevens appear to be eternal optimists. They can be cheerful, energetic and charming and like to have many options open to them at work and at play. There is an aspect of 'eternal child' in their nature and  they like their world to be happy. Pain is avoided by moving away either physically or in their highly creative imagination.

Their greatest challenges are to stay and acknowledge painful experiences and to learn from them, to slow down and accept the present rather than running to more options, to restrain themselves from fixing problems so that everyone can be happy and by doing and completing one thing at a time.

Type Eight

Type Eights are energetic, intense, bossy and dogmatic. They work hard, play hard and are usually in charge. While they seem aggressive, they view this as being direct. They value truth, integrity and justice and will fight for the underdog. Their response to a situation is immediate and they respond angrily to anything not to their liking.

Their greatest challenges are to use their anger constructively by checking that they are not avoiding feelings of weakness, by listening to the other side, and checking that they are not pushing themselves too hard. Eights need to check consequences before moving to action and to make sure that when they feel like breaking a rule, it is appropriate for the circumstances rather than an impulsive act.

Type Nine

Type Nines are usually warm, friendly, tolerant and uncompetitive. They prefer a peaceful, structured and predictable life. They swing between high levels of energy and inertia and it is easy for them to be distracted from their priorities. What is important gives way to unimportant tasks and new interests so they seem like procrastinators. They loose track easily of how they think and feel.

Their greatest challenges are to decide on clear goals with action plans and time frames, to identify the feelings that go with distraction and explore them, to be aware of passive resistance and state reasons for their disagreement, to follow their anger and passive aggression back to its source. They need to practise taking a position and maintaining it.