Here are some brief descriptions of each Enneagram type.
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Type 1: The Reformer
Intelligence Center: Gut/Body – Instinctive, Wanting Autonomy
Behavior Style: Compliant – Structured, Disciplined, Sacrificial
Coping Style: Competency – Logical, Methodical, Not showing emotion easily
Enneagram Ones have an instinctive sense of the way things should be and are consistently comparing the way things are. They tend to take certain rules seriously – whether those rules are from legal, cultural, religious, or other sources, the rules are always decided by some higher authority.
They desire goodness and integrity and can get angry or resentful when that integrity is threatened. While seeming to be critical of others and hypocritical, they have an internal critic directed even more at their own behavior and personal qualities.
Type 2: The Helper
Intelligence Center: Heart – Feelings, Wanting Love & Attention
Behavior Style: Compliant – Structured, Disciplined, Sacrificial
Coping Style: Positive Outlook – People Oriented, Not concerned with self
Enneagram Twos live to serve others and see their value in terms of how helpful they can be. They are keenly aware of what others need while having little awareness of their own needs. This leads to a “give-to-get” pattern in their generosity, and while they may not be consciously aware of this, they may become resentful when their giving is not reciprocated.
Twos tend to have warm and nurturing personalities and to be sensitive emotionally. They want connection and appreciation and try to earn it with their service.
Type 3: The Achiever
Intelligence Center: Heart – Feelings, Wanting Love & Attention
Behavior Style: Assertive – Hard Working, Action Immediacy, Insistent
Coping Style: Competency – Logical, Methodical, Not showing emotion easily
Enneagram Threes value being successful, or at least appearing successful to themselves. Having a constant view of their goals, they tend to be motivated to take action toward achievement. As soon as they reach a goal, they already have their sights on the next goal – Achievement is always elsewhere. Driven to demand attention, they are working to prevent rejection.
Threes love efficiency, and that can sometimes result in cutting corners or breaking some rules in order to reach their outcome. They tend to have a fear of stopping – because their action is so tied to their value and perceived source of love, stopping could make them feel worthless.
Type 4: The Individualist
Intelligence Center: Heart – Feelings, Wanting Love & Attention
Behavior Style: Withdrawn – Reserved, Introspective, Compromising, Mediating
Coping Style: Reactive – Emphatic, Demonstrative, Showing emotion easily
Enneagram Fours tend to be the most comfortable with the full range of human emotion. They may even enjoy times of sadness or melancholy, and don’t believe those emotions need to be “fixed.” They may feel like they are deficient in some way, or unlovable, and that they need to show how they are unique or special in order to attract love and attention – Though they deeply fear that no one will care.
Fours like to withdraw and focus in their inner-world, careful not to show too much of that world to those they want love from. This contributes to many fours’ creativity through music or visual arts, or even in clothes and hairstyles. For a Four, being ordinary can mean being worthless.
Type 5: The Observer
Intelligence Center: Head – Thinking, Wanting Safety & Security
Behavior Style: Withdrawn – Reserved, Introspective, Compromising, Mediating
Coping Style: Competency – Logical, Methodical, Not showing emotion easily
Enneagram Fives are the most obvious thinkers of the Enneagram. They enjoy the feeling of mastery when they have a deep understanding of the information that interests them. They have little desire to engage in the drama of the people around them and instead focus on the data and the logic. While they do feel deeply, they rarely let anyone in on their feelings.
Fives value independence and privacy, and so boundaries are very important to them. It can be easy for them to isolate themselves from others altogether. They tend to procrastinate because understanding the concepts is satisfying enough, so they don’t feel as much need to engage physically and emotionally.
Type 6: The Loyalist
Intelligence Center: Head – Thinking, Wanting Safety & Security
Behavior Style: Compliant – Structured, Disciplined, Sacrificial
Coping Style: Reactive – Emphatic, Demonstrative, Showing emotion easily
Enneagram Sixes focus on the structures and traditions that give certainty and safety. They believe the world to be generally unsafe and look for authorities and systems that offer protection and guidance. When those systems are not providing adequate protection, the six may challenge the structure to call for correction.
Once sixes find people and systems they can trust, they tend to be endlessly loyal, even blindly loyal. And when looking to an uncertain future, the six will try to plan for all possible risks and threats before feeling safe to take action. Sixes can get stuck in indecision, doubt, and fear if they are unable to mitigate all of the risks.
Type 7: The Enthusiast
Intelligence Center: Head – Thinking, Wanting Safety & Security
Behavior Style: Assertive – Hard Working, Action Immediacy, Insistent
Coping Style: Positive Outlook – People Oriented, Not concerned with self
Enneagram Sevens love to focus on the positive and tend to be the most optimistic. Always looking toward the next excitement (or distraction), they may miss the pleasure in the present moment – Pleasure is always elsewhere. Sevens tend to be deep thinkers, though they keep that to themselves in order to keep their environment light and fun.
Sevens sometimes seem like they are trying to outrun pain or discomfort or boredom. Believing that if they stop moving, they will get stuck in a place of deprivation – though they may not be consciously aware of that belief.
Type 8: The Challenger
Intelligence Center: Gut/Body – Instinctive, Wanting Autonomy
Behavior Style: Assertive – Hard Working, Action Immediacy, Insistent
Coping Style: Reactive – Emphatic, Demonstrative, Showing emotion easily
Enneagram Eights have the most energy of the Enneagram types. They are the ones most comfortable with anger and conflict, seeing it as growth, challenge, productivity. Eights value strength, and tend to see vulnerability and softness as “weakness.” This can lead to others perceiving them as harsh or angry.
Eights tend to go all-in with their activities and commitments. There is no half-way with them – always 120%. Wanting to have control over their own lives, they can have difficulty submitting to other authorities – Being under someone’s thumb would make them vulnerable. Eights love justice and can be very protective of their loved ones and their own space.
Type 9: The Peacemaker
Intelligence Center: Gut/Body – Instinctive, Wanting Autonomy
Behavior Style: Withdrawn – Reserved, Introspective, Compromising, Mediating
Coping Style: Positive Outlook – People Oriented, Not concerned with self
Enneagram Nines display the least energy of the Enneagram types. Wanting to maintain a sense of calm in their internal world, as well as their external world, takes a lot of energy. When things do get too dramatic, Nines will need to withdraw, rest, and regain peace.
Nines can be really good at seeing all perspectives and helping others to understand each other and work together. Though the Nine will tend to be asleep to their own perspective and have difficulty expressing their opinions, desires, feelings, or plans. It’s much easier to go with someone else’s agenda.