In this post, you’ll learn more about the Enneagram. With this Enneagram for Beginners introductory guide you’ll finally understand when other’s talk about “being a 1” or “channeling their inner peacemaker.” If you’ve come to this video in search of a beginners guide to the enneagram, you’re in the right place!
The Beginner’s Guide to the Enneagram
The following video will show you everything you need to get started with the Enneagram.
In the video, I briefly share the roots of the Enneagram personality test, go over each of the 9 types, and share ideas of how you can use this test as part of your personal identity blueprint.
The Enneagram is:
☑️ A theory of personality, grouping people into 9 distinct types
☑️ It was started by Bolivian psycho-spiritual teacher Oscar Ichazo from the 1950’s.
☑️ Each type is primarily focused on the fears and emotions that drive your decisions.
☑️ It’s used today to help us become more aware of our personal motivations and potential growth areas, and once we become comfortable with it, we can use it understand others better.
Why learn about the Enneagram? 🤔
☑️ It’s important because next time your friend shares an enneagram meme, you’ll finally get it! Just hope she isn’t making fun of your type…
☑️ It’s a way of seeing how are unique, but also different from others
☑️ It’s just a test and one way of viewing personality
☑️ It’s another tool used to build your own personality blueprint
The 9 Enneagram Types
As of the time of this writing, the Enneagram has experienced a surge of interest from those of all ages. It’s the “in” test right now. You might have heard comments such as:
“Are you a 9!? I’m a 7 and proud of it.”
“My mom’s a 1. Now I know why she never let me help with the chores!”
“My boss is an 8. He can be rude, but man does he get things done!”
“My spouse is a 4; now I understand why they’re so emotional..”
That last one hits a little too close to home… My wife may not have said that last one out loud, but I bet she’s thought it. I’m a 4 on the Enneagram, so I can make fun of 4s. Each type has strengths and weaknesses. The beauty of the Enneagram is it exposes where we struggle and where we have the most problems.
Focusing on strengths is excellent, but to get to the core of who you are, to get to know the real you, it’s important to recognize the areas where you struggle and will fall short. CliftonStrengths lifts you up, but the Enneagram slaps you in the soul. The power we have is learning to recognize ahead of time when life is getting ready to throw us a curveball so we can either adjust our swing or dive out of the way.
The Enneagram has nine main types, each with its own strengths and areas for growth. As we continue with this Enneagram for beginners guide you’ll be given points on each to help you analyze your type. No person is likely to fit the type 100%, but you’ll find you lean toward one or two.
One final caveat; as with the MBTI, there are ranges of maturity and development of each type. Mature 9s look almost completely different from developing 9s. This is the mistake people like Benjamin Hardy make when they say personality isn’t permanent. Yes, we can and certainly should change and grow, but it doesn’t mean our core selves are changing. It just means we are developing into the people we were meant to be.
Here are summary generalizations of the nine types, along with a few people who *might* align with the type):
1: The perfectionist (Harrison Ford, Julie Andrews, Eleanor Roosevelt)
- Patient and responsible
- Critical or judgmental
- Rule oriented
- Compare themselves to others
- Their word is everything
- Black and white worldview
- Produce monumental works when they finally finish
- Desire a life of service and integrity
2: The Helper (Glenn Close, Diana-Princess of Wales, Desmond Tutu)
- Takes care of others
- Think people should naturally understand other people’s needs
- Great listener; empathetic
- Can spot the need in others
- Great at giving but struggle with receiving
- Sometimes give too much and expect the same back
- Have a hard time saying no
- Care what people think
3: The Performer (Muhammad Ali, Lady GaGa, Will Smith)
- Competitive and loves to win
- Persuasive and cunning
- Go-getters
- Fast and furious
- Leave others in the dust
- Leaders who struggle to follow
- Win others over
- Workaholics
4: The Romantic (Cate Blanchett, Liam Neeson, Edgar Allan Poe)
- Dramatic
- Non-conformist
- Emotional
- Desire uniqueness and individuality
- Non-social but intense
- Sensitive and self-conscious
- Often misunderstood
- Extremely creative and attuned to the world’s needs
5: The Investigator (Marie Curie, Bill Gates, Nikola Tesla)
- Takes care of self first
- Deeply analytical
- Put thoughts over feelings to make decisions
- Prefer small groups over large crowds
- Can feel awkward around others
- Internal processors; need time to process what just happened
6: The Loyalist (Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Hugh Grant)
- Struggle with fear, anxiety, and the monster in the closet
- Strong observational skills
- Skeptical; likes to play devil’s advocate
- Loyal, understanding, funny, and compassionate
- Making decisions can be difficult
- Productive and logical thinkers
7: The Enthusiast (George Clooney, Whoopi Goldberg, Tina Turner)
- Full of life and energy
- Always ready for the next adventure
- More susceptible to addiction than other types
- Love to keep options open
- Struggle to get important things done
- Give others energy
8: The Challenger (Sandra Bullock, Winston Churchill, Frank Sinatra)
- Seek justice and rightness
- Can be blunt, aggressive, and argumentative
- Stand up to bullies, usually not bullies themselves
- Loyal to a fault
- Tough exterior but are often passionate and sensitive underneath
- Leaders
9: The Peacemaker (Abraham Lincoln, Matt Damon, Queen Elizabeth II)
- Natural mediators who desire harmony
- Conflict avoidant
- Great followers and members of a team
- Non self-starting; think about themselves last
- Thrive with routine and organization
- Slow to start but hard to stop
The Enneagram highlights character flaws and strengths. Use it to understand your inner workings at a deeper level. If you don’t agree with the findings, keep asking why to gain clarity so you can take the best next step for you.
🧙 If you liked this post, I have two freebies to share with you:
🔥 Unlock secrets to your personal identity here. Use 15 self-discovery tools to build your personal blueprint: https://jmring.lpages.co/get-to-know-yourself/
🔥 Grab your free guide to make progress your #1 goal in 90 days! http://jmring.com/free-90-day-action-plan/
The free guide includes five templates you can use right away no matter your planning style. :
1) Trello Board: Sign into your free account and select “copy board” from the menu.
2) 90 Day Plan PDF
3) Action Plan Template Excel file
4) Updated 90 Day Plan Word Doc
5) Google Document link
What is your Enneagram type? Share in the comments below!
All the best,
-Jordan
PS: Haven’t taken the test yet? Don’t miss out! Take the eat https://www.truity.com/test/enneagram-personality-test
Recent Comments