Chances are you’ve encountered discussions or social media posts about the Enneagram, a personality framework that has seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years. With all the buzz surrounding it, you might be wondering: what exactly is the Enneagram, what’s your Enneagram personality type, and how can it aid in your personal growth? Let’s get to know the Enneagram!
What is the Enneagram?
The Enneagram is a personality typology consisting of nine distinct “types,” each represented by a number. These types highlight fundamental traits, including fears, desires, passions, sins, and virtues, as well as how individuals of each type react in times of stress and growth.
The primary aim of the Enneagram is to help us recognize behavioral patterns that may be obstructing our journey toward becoming our authentic selves. Chris Heuertz, a coach and author of “The Sacred Enneagram: Finding Your Unique Path to Spiritual Growth,” describes it as a “map to self-liberation.”
To illustrate the Enneagram’s unique perspective, Heuertz uses a housing analogy to contrast it with other personality assessments like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and Strengths Finder. In this metaphor, the MBTI represents “the specific room we stay in,” Strengths Finder pertains to “how we decorate our room,” and the Enneagram signifies “the type of home we build.”
Discovering Your Enneagram Type
If you want to identify your Enneagram type, there are several ways to explore this. You can take an official test that matches you with various types, but many find that reading through the descriptions of each type helps them identify their own.
Misidentifications are common when people focus on external behaviors rather than internal motivations. As a result, family and friends may not always accurately determine your type, as their assessments might be based on surface-level observations.
When considering your health and wellness, the Enneagram—and other personality frameworks—represents just one aspect of the bigger picture. While it doesn’t dictate your life course or encompass all your personal experiences, it can provide valuable insights into behaviors that might be obstructing the life you desire or reveal areas for growth.
Moreover, when paired with counseling, the Enneagram can serve as a powerful tool for self-exploration and personal development!
For more information, check out our other blogs on the Enneagram and this article from Forbes!