The word Enneagram comes from the Greek words enea (nine) and gram (what is written or drawn). It refers to the 9 different Enneagram profiles, identified as numbers from 1 to 9. Each number represents a worldview and an archetype that resonates with your main motivations, strengths, weaknesses, fears, beliefs and potential, reflecting your personality, as well as their way of thinking, feeling and acting.
The Enneagram is a helpful guide on your journey of self-development, building relationships, resolving conflicts, and improving team dynamics. However, it is not intended to "label", limit or categorize you. As an individual, you are unique and far more complex.
Your Enneagram Profile and Self-Awareness
Knowing your Enneagram profile helps you do the hardest part of self-awareness work: realizing and accepting your strengths and weaknesses, motivations, beliefs, fears, triggers, blind spots etc. Through your Enneagram profile, you begin to question the motivations that drive your personality and behaviors, you also access both aspects of yourself that you love and from which you draw strength, as well as bring to light some aspects that are more uncomfortable and still need to be explored.
When your Ennea Type brings you information that makes you uncomfortable, pay attention, as it likely contains the seeds for the next step in your personal growth journey .
See now the 9 basic types of the Enneagram with some of their main characteristics. Which of them do you identify with?
• Conscious
• Perfectionist
• Critical
• Controlled
Strong sense of “right” and “wrong”, believing that things are not worth doing if they are not done correctly.
Main motivations: Do the right thing, avoid mistakes and work for self-improvement and self-control.
• Careful
• Generous
• Friendly
• Warm
You see your self-worth reflected in your ability to be reliably supportive and available to those close to you.
Main motivations: To be useful and reliable, to support and anticipate the needs of others.
• Ambitious
• Focused
• Adaptable
• Cunning
Your focus for action, results and ambition combine to drive you to accomplish things and achieve success in life.
Main motivations: Achieve objectives, present an image that supports what success means to you, being productive, performing well.
• Creative
• Intense
• Emotional
• Expressive
You have a deep connection to emotions and a desire to live a meaningful and authentic life of self-expression.
Main motivations: Be authentic and express your individuality, keep yourself attuned and true to your emotions, make a difference.
• Private
• Intellectual-minded
• Curious
• Unsocial
By trying to objectively understand the world, you explore concepts and gain in-depth knowledge.
Main motivations: Make sense of the world, conserve resources, avoid dependency, seek knowledge.
• Cautious
• Loyal
• Anxious
• Alert
Very aware of the threats and what can go wrong, you are careful who you trust, working to create security and stability.
Main motivations: Create stability and security, protect yourself, avoid threats and risks, be loyal and responsible.
• Optimistic
• Spontaneous
• Anxious
• Uninhibited
Actively seeking pleasure and stimulation, you are forward-looking, active, and positive in your approach to life.
Main motivations: Avoid boredom and pain, experience the multiple possibilities of life, pursue different interests, pleasure and freedom
• Assertive
• Direct
• Decisive
• Self-confident
You expand your influence by taking control of situations firmly, promptly and focusing on results.
Main motivations: To be strong and in control, to avoid weaknesses and vulnerabilities, make things happen, make decisions.
• Flexible
• Gentle
• Cooperative
• Patient
You work patiently to create a harmonious environment, and you go with the flow while being attentive to others.
Main motivations: Promote harmony and peace, obtain information of others, create comfort and routines, avoid conflicts.
Using the Enneagram for Self-Development
There are many keys to personal development within the Enneagram. Based on your unique profile, different development paths can be applied. From your Ennea type's perspective, you can reflect and process the insights that come from a deeper understanding of your motivations, strengths, weaknesses, defenses, and potential. This is the journey that allows the subconscious to become conscious.
Once you are more aware of your ego fixations, explore alternative behaviors that are more in line with your potential and your highest intentions. This path is called 'integration'.
I invite you to explore your Enneagram profile on a journey of self-discovery and growth. See here how this process works. Or contact us at contact@attainx.net to discuss the best solution for your needs!
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