Ennea Type Summary: 9 Personality Types of The Enneagram

Your Ennea type describes your personality. Understanding your personality is very important, because you gain insights into the deep-rooted motivations, desires and fears that drive your behaviours. Hence, it helps you work on your strengths and limitations, so you can find deeper satisfaction in work and relationships. While there are many personality-typing frameworks available, we use a psycho-spiritual tool in our work, called the Enneagram. According to this approach, there are 9 Ennea types i.e. 9 distinct ways of viewing and being in the world.  You will find a little bit of yourself in all the 9 Ennea types summarised here, but one of them will stand out. This is likely to be your basic Ennea type.

Ennea Type Summary

1. The Reformer

ennea type 1 male ennea type 1 female

The Reformer is the principled, idealistic Ennea type. Ones are conscientious and ethical, with a strong sense of right and wrong. They are teachers, crusaders, and advocates for change: always striving to improve things, but afraid of making a mistake. Well-organized, orderly, and fastidious, they try to maintain high standards, but can slip into being critical and perfectionistic. Also such people typically have problems with resentment and impatience.

At their Best: Wise, discerning, realistic, and noble. Can be morally heroic.

Unique Gift: To live for a higher purpose

Basic Desire: To be good, to have integrity, to be balanced

Basic Fear: Of being evil, corrupt, defective

Passion: Anger

For more details of the typical Stressors & Strengths of the Ennea Type 1, please click here.

2. The Helper

ennea type 2 male ennea type 2 female

The Helper is the caring, interpersonal Ennea type. Twos are empathetic, sincere, and warm-hearted. They are friendly, generous, and self-sacrificing, but can also be sentimental, flattering, and people-pleasing. They are well-meaning and driven to be close to others, but can slip into doing things for others in order to be needed. Also such people typically have problems with possessiveness and with acknowledging their own needs. 

At their Best: Unselfish and altruistic, they have unconditional love for others.

Unique Gift: To nurture oneself and others

Basic Desire: To be loved

Basic Fear: Of being alone and unwanted

Passion: Pride

For more details of the typical Stressors & Strengths of the Ennea Type 2, please click here.

3. The Achiever

ennea type 3 maleennea type 3 female

The Achiever is the adaptable, success-oriented Ennea type. Threes are self-assured, attractive, and charming. Ambitious, competent, and energetic, they can also be status-conscious and highly driven for advancement. They are diplomatic and poised, but can also be overly concerned with their image and what others think of them. Also such people typically have problems with workaholism and competitiveness.

At their Best: Self-accepting, authentic, everything they seem to be—role models who inspire others.

Unique Gift: To develop oneself and set an example

Basic Desire: To be valuable, worthwhile

Basic Fear: Of being worthless, of no inherent value

Passion: Deceit

For more details of the typical Stressors & Strengths of the Ennea Type 3, please click here.

4. The Individualist

ennea type 4 maleennea type 4 female

The Individualist is the introspective, romantic Ennea type. Fours are self-aware, sensitive, and reserved. They are emotionally honest, creative, and personal, but can also be moody and self-conscious. Withholding themselves from others due to feeling vulnerable and defective, they can also feel disdainful and exempt from ordinary ways of living. Also such people typically have problems with melancholy, self-indulgence, and self-pity. 

At their Best: Inspired and highly creative, they are able to renew themselves and transform their experiences.

Unique Gift: To let go the past and renew oneself constantly

Basic Desire: To find true identity and purpose

Basic Fear: Of having no personal significance

Passion: Envy

For more details of the typical Stressors & Strengths of the Ennea Type 4, please click here.

5. The Investigator

ennea type 5 female

The Investigator is the perceptive, cerebral Ennea type. Fives are alert, insightful, and curious. They are able to concentrate and focus on developing complex ideas and skills. Independent, innovative, and inventive, they can also become preoccupied with their thoughts and imaginary constructs. Further, they become detached, yet high-strung and intense. Also such people typically have problems with eccentricity, nihilism, and isolation. 

At their Best: Visionary pioneers, often ahead of their time, and able to see the world in an entirely new way.

Unique Gift: To bring insight without judgment or expectation

Basic Desire: To have something to contribute

Basic Fear: Of being useless, incapable,  overwhelmed

Passion: Avarice

For more details of the typical Stressors & Strengths of the Ennea Type 5, please click here.

6. The Loyalist

ennea type 6 female

The Loyalist is the committed, security-oriented Ennea type. Sixes are reliable, hard-working, responsible, and trustworthy. Excellent “troubleshooters,” they foresee problems and foster cooperation, but can also become defensive, evasive, and anxious—running on stress while complaining about it. They can be cautious and indecisive, but also reactive, defiant and rebellious. Also such people typically have problems with self-doubt and suspicion. 

At their Best: Internally stable and self-reliant, courageously championing themselves and others.

Unique Gift: To have faith in oneself and trust others

Basic Desire: To have guidance and support

Basic Fear: Of being lost and insecure

Passion: Anxiety

For more details of the typical Stressors & Strengths of the Ennea Type 6, please click here.

7. The Enthusiast

The Enthusiast is the busy, productive Ennea type. Sevens are extroverted, optimistic, versatile, and spontaneous. Playful, high- spirited, and practical, they can also misapply their many talents, becoming over-extended, scattered, and undisciplined. They constantly seek new and exciting experiences, but can become distracted and exhausted by staying on the go. Also such people typically have problems with impatience and impulsiveness. 

At their Best: Focus their talents on worthwhile goals, becoming appreciative, joyous, and satisfied.

Unique Gift: To celebrate joyously and share happiness

Basic Desire: To be content, to have all needs fulfilled

Basic Fear: Of being deprived and in pain

Passion: Gluttony

For more details of the typical Stressors & Strengths of the Ennea Type 7, please click here.

8. The Challenger

The Challenger is the powerful, aggressive Ennea type. Eights are self-confident, strong, and assertive. Protective, resourceful, straight-talking, and decisive, but can also be ego-centric and domineering. Eights feel they must control their environment, especially people, sometimes becoming confrontational and intimidating. Eights typically also have problems with their tempers and with allowing themselves to be vulnerable. 

At their Best: Self-mastering, they use their strength to improve others’ lives, becoming heroic, magnanimous, and inspiring.

Unique Gift: To stand up, speak out and act with courage

Basic Desire: To control their own life and destiny

Basic Fear: Of being dominated, harmed

Passion: Lust

For more details of the typical Stressors & Strengths of the Ennea Type 8, please click here.

9. The Peacemaker

The Peacemaker is the easy-going, self-effacing Ennea type. Nines are accepting, trusting, and stable. They are usually creative, optimistic, and supportive, but can also be too willing to go along with others to keep the peace. They want everything to go smoothly and be without conflict, but they can also tend to be complacent, simplifying problems and minimizing anything upsetting. Also such people typically have problems with inertia and stubbornness. 

At their Best: Indomitable and all-embracing, they bring people together and heal conflicts.

Unique Gift: To bring harmony and healing to the world

Basic Desire: To have inner stability, peace-of-mind

Basic Fear: Of being  disconnected, cut-off

Passion: Sloth

For more details of the typical Stressors & Strengths of the Ennea Type 9, please click here.

Further Exploration

To take a comprehensive online Enneagram test, or learn more about your Ennea Type, please click here.

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