Learn about the Enneagram 3 types.
Success-oriented, image-conscious and wired for productivity, they are motivated by a need to be or appear successful.
Enneagram Type 3
Enneagram type 3 are also known as the performer. This personality type tends to be image-conscious and worried about appearance. Enneagram 3s are also adaptable, excelling and driven.
Let’s look at this type, who they are, their characteristics, wings, stresses and more.
Need
Type 3 Enneagrams typically have a need to be (or to appear to be) successful and avoid failure.
3s Need to Succeed!
Characteristics
Type 3s are hardworking and success-oriented people. Enneagram type threes fear failure and worthlessness. Often they believe to be worthy, they must succeed, or at least be perceived as successful. Because of this, they seek validation through success.
Character of God
Here is the character of God for an Enneagram 3: The glory of God.
- Learn about Character of God
How We Distort That Characteristic
Enneagram Type 3s distort this characteristic by promoting oneself.
Heart Triad
Type 3 fall into the heart triad, motivated and fueled by shame.
- Learn more about Triads
Harmonic Approach – Competency
Enneagram 3 fall into the Competency Approach in regards to Harmonic Approach. Threes try solving problems in an objective, unemotional manner.
- Threes can get into conflicts by being too competitive, insincere, and boastful.
- Threes focus on being efficient and meeting their goals.
- When confronted with problems, they can easily set aside their own feelings and focus on the task at hand.
- In general, Threes want to follow existing structures.
- Threes are pragmatists that will cut corners to realize their goals.
source: fitzel.ca
- Learn more about Harmonic Approach
Wings of Enneagram 3
Enneagram 3 wings are 3w2 or 3w4. No one is a pure personality type: everyone is a unique mixture of his or her basic type and usually one of the two types adjacent to it on the circumference of the Enneagram. One of the two types adjacent to your basic type is called your wing.
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.
- Learn about Wings
Stress and Security
Here are what stress and security types that Enneagram type 3s go to when in stress or (security) success.
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.
Learn about Stress and Security
Sin and Counter Virtue
The deadly sin and counter virtue that Enneagram 3 need to watch for are:
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.
- Learn about Sin and Counter Virtue
Best Careers for Enneagram 3
Careers that require goal setting are great for type 3s. Here are careers that a typical Enneagram 3 would be successful in:
- Sales
- Advertising Consultant
- Marketer
- Financial Analyst
- Entrepreneur
- Surgeon
- Lawyer
- Politician
- Banker
More Enneagram Resources
Learn more about your type and others with our resources, including these hilarious Enneagram memes and images.
The best place to start on your journey is learning about the Enneagram test. There are a total of 9 Enneagram types, click below to learn more about each personality type.
- For readers, here is a list of Enneagram books.
- Prefer audio? here is a list of Enneagram podcasts.