All things Enneagram test and types that you want to know about.
At the beginning of the year, our life group went thru the book, The Road Back to You. It’s a fascinating look at the Enneagram test and weaving it into finding who God made you. I am no Enneagram expert, but love learning and sharing everything about this fascinating introspective inner look into our personality types.
Personality Enneagram Tests
While I have read books, attended a class, listened to podcasts – I’ll repeat – I’m not an expert. I am just someone who has found a great deal of value in understanding who I am, how Christ made me and have also found value in better understanding others.
I have done personality tests before and sure they told me about myself, but that’s the thing – a test is telling me about myself. That’s great. That’s how the world see me. So when I was introduced to the Enneagram – I loved the fact it was showing me how I see the world.
Free Enneagram Test – How to Find Your Number
WHAT NUMBER ARE YOU? This is something you will hear from people who are into this stuff – I myself am guilty. Maybe you want to find out your number. Sure, you can take a free Enneagram test online – but I learned something in the class I took.
According to the teacher, most free Enneagram tests are lies! After reading and learning more on this, I can totally see why the Enneagram test should just be a self discovery process rather than a literal test.
WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, MOLLY?
You Determine YOU
Here is what I mean. Learn about the various types and what each Enneagram number means. By doing this – you will find that you see yourself in numbers. For instance, I am an Enneagram Type 7. The Enneagram test with typical questions and answers isn’t needed.
I read thru all of the types and when I came to type 7, it was obvious. I will say that for some – my husband, for example – it took him a while to learn his type. After going thru The Road Back to You study, he was able to identify his type.
Remember what we said about the Enneagram vs Meyers-Briggs or other personality tests that you may have taken. The enneagram test is about YOU identifying how you see the world.
You are the best person to claim your type – but you need to do more than an online Enneagram test to learn this! Don’t worry – I am here to help with information about the various types and resources.
Why Learn the Types
As you go into more on the Enneagram, you will understand why it’s beneficial to have a general understanding of the types. Even if you are a Enneagram Type 9 – when you are in a time of stress or when you feel secure, you take on the characteristics of different types.
Let’s talk about the Enneagram types, after – I’ll share resources if you want to continue learning about this.
Enneagram Types
Lucky for you, leading the study we took a ton of notes. I’m sharing these here with you to help you gain a better understanding of the Enneagram and to help you determine you Enneagram type. There are a lot of other things that come into play, such as wings and what not.
I won’t go into all of that here, but this information should at least get you acclimated to what people are talking about when they say something like I’m an Enneagram Type 4!
These notes were taken from The Road Back to You. I strongly recommend going thru the book. It’s a fascinating look at who you are, made by Christ. Let’s look at the types!
Remember these are notes, a general overview of sorts. I didn’t intend for these notes to be a blog post when writing these, but totally applicable to this subject.
Enneagram Words
We have a complete list of Enneagram Definitions – but here is a general list of common words used.
Type and Title
You have your type and title (ex. The Perfectionist for Type 1).
Character of God
What character of God that this type represents.
Character Distortion
How that Enneagram type can distort that characteristic.
Enneagram Wings
The wings of that Enneagram number (you are typically 1 wing or another) and a description of what the wing means.
Stress and Security
Stress and Security shows you the type your personality goes to when in stress (so if you are a Type 4, in stressful situations – you become a type 2 and when you feel secure, you become a type 1.)
Deadly Sin
Your deadly sin is a characteristic that your type can portray.
Counter Virtue
Counter virtue to cultivate which is what you can do to learn to grow out of you sins.
Enneagram Type 1 – THE PERFECTIONIST
About the Enneagram Type 1 – Ethical, dedicated and reliable, they are motivated by a desire to live the right way, improve the world, and avoid fault and blame.
Type One is principled, purposeful, self-controlled, and perfectionistic.
Character of God
The goodness of God.
How We Distort That Characteristic
By becoming perfectionists.
Enneagram 1 Wings
1w2 – Extroverted, warm, helpful and empathetic on the high side of Two – but can be more critical and controlling on the low the low side of Two. Effective problem solvers.
1s9 – More introverted, detached and relaxed. More idealistic and objective.
Stress and Security
Stress – FOUR – inner critic starts working overtime
Security – SEVEN – more self-accepting, spontaneous, fun and open to trying new thing
Sin and Counter Virtue
Deadly Sin: ANGER
Ones compulsively strive to perfect the world and become chronically resentful towards those who cannot live up to their standards, particularly themselves.
Counter Virtue to Cultivate: PATIENCE
Enneagram Ones can learn to accept that there’s more than one way to do things and have more patience with the world – and themselves – for being imperfect.
Enneagram Type 2 – THE HELPER
About the Enneagram Type 2 – Warm, caring and giving, they are motivated by a need to be loved and needed, and to avoid acknowledging their own needs.
Type Two is generous, demonstrative, people-pleasing, and possessive.
Character of God
The love of God.
How We Distort That Characteristic
By becoming codependent.
Enneagram 2 Wings
2w1 –Concerned about doing things properly. More critical of themselves, more controlling and more prone to guilt.
2w3 –More ambitious, image-conscious and competitive.
Stress and Security
Stress – EIGHT
Become demanding and controlling. Blame others for what makes them unhappy.
Security – Four
Understanding of the need for self-care and can focus inward.
Sin and Counter Virtue
DEADLY SIN: PRIDETwos secretly believe other people have more needs than they do and would be lost without their help.
Counter Virtue to Cultivate: HUMILITY
Twos can develop humility when they acknowledge their own needs and ask others directly for their help and support.
Enneagram Type 3 – The Performer
About the Enneagram Type 3 – Success-oriented, image-conscious and wired for productivity, they are motivated by a need to be (or to appear to be) successful and avoid failure.
Type Three is adaptable, excelling, driven, and image-conscious.
Character of God
The glory of God.
How We Distort That Characteristic
By promoting oneself.
Wings
3w4 – Experience tremendous confusion and interior dissonance. More introspective and in touch with their shame and other feelings than 3w2s.
3w2 – Charming and intimate – make great entertainers, politicians, salespeople and pastors. Strong desire to be recognized for their achievements but also use some of their energy to help other people be successful.
Stress & Security
Stress – NINE – Retreat to the couch and lose themselves in unproductive busywork.
Security – SIX – Become warmer and more in touch with their feelings and the feelings of others.
Sin & Counter Virtue
Deadly Sin: DECEIT – To satisfy their craving for admiration, Threes project crowd-pleasing images that deceive even themselves.
Counter Virtue to Cultivate: INTEGRITY – By discovering and sharing their true selves with others, Threes learn they are loved for who they are and not for what they do.
Enneagram Type 4 – The Romantic
About the Enneagram Type 4 – Creative, sensitive and moody, they are motivated by a need to be understood, experience their feelings and avoid being ordinary.
Type Four is expressive, dramatic, self-absorbed, and temperamental.
Character of God
The beauty of God.
How We Distort That Characteristic
By becoming self-absorbed.
Wings
4w3 – Want to be the most unique AND the best. More frequent mood swings than 4w5.
4w5 – More introverted and unconventional. Concerned with uniqueness but have less to need to be noticed by an audience.
Stress & Security
Stress – TWO – Repress their own needs and become excessively dependent on others.
Security – ONE – They stop talking about their creative ideas and actually become disciplined enough to buckle down and realize them.
Sin & Counter Virtue
Deadly Sin: ENVY – Fours believe they lack an essential element and will never have the wholeness others enjoy. They envy the normalcy and happiness of others.
Counter Virtue to Cultivate: GRATITUDE – Fours counteract envy when they dwell not on what’s missing but what’s present in the way of their gifts and blessings.
Enneagram Type 5 – The Investigator
About the Enneagram Type 5 – Analytical, detached and private, they are motivated by a need to gain knowledge, conserve energy and avoid relying on others.
Type Five is perceptive, innovative, secretive, and isolated.
Character of God
The omniscience of God.
How We Distort That Characteristic
By becoming excessively detached.
Wings
5w4 – More creative, sensitive, empathetic and self-absorbed than 5w6. Healthy 5w4 are able to communicate their own feelings to the people they love.
5w6 – Anxious, cautious and skeptical – but they’re also more social and loyal than 5w4.
Stress & Security
Stress – SEVEN
Hoard and cling tightly to things, which only makes their world feel smaller and smaller.
Security – EIGHT
Become infinitely spontaneous, outspoken and physically present.
Sin & Counter Virtue
Deadly Sin: AVARICE
Afraid they lack the inner resources to meet the demands of life and to preserve independence and energy, Fives hoard knowledge, privacy, time, space and affection.
Counter Virtue to Cultivate: GENEROSITY
Fives become generous when they relax their mindset of scarcity and embrace the reality of abundance.
Enneagram Type 6 – The Loyalist
About the Enneagram Type 6 – Committed, practical and witty, they are worst-case-scenario thinkers who are motivated by fear and the need for security.
Type Six is engaging, responsible, anxious, and suspicious.
Character of God
The steadfastness of God.
How We Distort That Characteristic
By doubting excessively.
Wings
6w5 – More introverted, intellectual, cautious, self-controlled and apt to seek security through allegiance to an authority figure. Because they over analyze things for too long without taking action, these Sixes can suffer from analysis paralysis.
6w7 – Delightful surprise, reflects playfulness of a Seven. Far more extroverted and willing to sacrifice themselves for loved ones than 6w5.
Stress & Security
Stress – THREE
Become workaholics who pursue material success or hoard resources to make themselves feel more secure. They won’t try anything they don’t think they can do successfully – which, since they already lack confidence, means they are reluctant to take necessary risks.
Security – NINE
Less prone to getting worked up about potential threats in their environment, feel less anxious about life in general.
Sin & Counter Virtue
Deadly Sin: FEARNeeding to feel secures, Sixes rehearse the worst-case scenarios and seek out and attach to strong authority figures and belief systems.
Counter Virtue to Cultivate: FAITHSixes can develop faith that renders worst-case-scenario planning unnecessary and learn to trust their inner compass to guide them to making good decisions.
Enneagram Type 7 – The Enthusiast
About the Enneagram Type 7 – Fun, spontaneous and adventurous, they are motivated by a need to be happy.
Type Seven is spontaneous, versatile, acquisitive, and scattered.
Character of God
The joy of God.
How We Distort That Characteristic
By avoiding pain.
Wings
7w6 – More settled than other Sevens. They give both projects and people more time before moving on to the next things. More sensitive and anxious, but they successfully use charm to disarm.
7w8 – Competitive, bold and aggressive – they are persuasive and assertive in relation to their ideas and agendas and they usually get their way.
Stress & Security
Stress – ONE
Pessimistic, judgmental and argumentative.
Security – FIVE
Stop consuming and start contributing, comfortable with silence and solitude become more serious and begin to think about the meaning and purpose of their lives.
Sin & Counter Virtue
Deadly Sin: GLUTTONYTo avoid feelings of pain and chronic deprivation, Sevens compulsively devour exciting experiences, fascinating ideas and the best life has to offer.
Counter Virtue to Cultivate: SOBRIETY For Sevens sobriety means exercising self-restraint, accepting and integrating both the joys and sorrows of life, and following through on long-term commitments with projects and people.
Enneagram Type 8 – The Challenger
About the Enneagram Type 8 – Commanding, intense and confrontational, they are motivated by a need to be strong and avoid feeling weak and vulnerable.
Type Eight is self-confident, decisive, willful, and confrontational.
Character of God
The power of God.
How We Distort That Characteristic
By becoming vengeful and controlling.
Wings
8w7 – Outgoing, energetic and fun – reflecting the Sevens sunny personality. Live life to the fullest.
8w9 – Have a measured approach to life. More approachable and more open to cooperation over competition
Stress & Security
Stress – FIVE
They withdraw and become even less connected to their emotions. Some experience insomnia and neglect to take care of themselves.
Security – TWO
Become more caring and aren’t so conscious of hiding their tender and gentle nature.
Sin & Counter Virtue
Deadly Sin: LUSTEights are intense, excessive people who want to be in control and project strength to mask weakness or vulnerable feelings.
Counter Virtue to Cultivate: CHASTITY
Eights can moderate their intensity, excessiveness and need for control and recognize the value of vulnerability.
Enneagram Type 9 – The Peacemaker
About the Enneagram Type 9 – Pleasant, diplomatic and accommodating, they are motivated by a need to keep peace, merge with others and avoid conflict.
Type Nine is receptive, reassuring, complacent, and resigned.
Character of God
The peace of God.
How We Distort That Characteristic
By avoiding conflict.
Wings
9w8 – One of the most complex combinations on the Enneagram, given Eights need to go against power and the Nine’s need to avoid conflict. Find it much easier to be clear and direct about things that are important to them. More confrontational than other Nines.
9w1 – Strong sense of the difference between right and wrong. More critical, orderly, introverted and passive-aggressive than other Nines. These Nines are principled and modest as leaders, and people want to follow them because of their integrity and steadfastness.
Stress & Security
Stress – SIX
Become overcommitted, worries rigid, wary of others and anxious – even though they don’t know why.
Security – THREE
Take command of their lives, become more goal-oriented, decisive, self-confident and in touch with their life’s agenda.
Sin & Counter Virtue
Deadly Sin: SLOTH
Nines are spiritually lazy people who merge with the priorities and values and preferences of others to avoid conflict and maintain inner peace.
Counter Virtue to Cultivate: DILIGENCE
Nines can assert themselves and self-actualize through consciously pursuing their life’s agenda, even if it arouses conflict and their fear of disconnection.
Enneagram Chart
So, the Enneagram chart may look scary and a bit satanic (kind of looks like a weird Pentagram, right?) – but it’s not! How it works is that you follow the two lines from your number.
This shows you which other types you go to in time of stress and security.
Enneagram Resources
Here are suggested Enneagram resources if you want to dig in and learn more about this ancient typology.
Love to read? Learn about our favorite picks for best Enneagram Books
Websites
- Learn about the History of the Enneagram – enneagramspectrum.com
- About Wings – Integrative9.com
Podcasts