(Want to take the Enneagram test? I recommend this paid version — just $12 — and I went with the RHETI version.)
It’s been a few days since I shared a blog post.
Life has been busy lately, and I’ve been feeling less motivated to blog recently, too. I’ve always wanted my blog to be a space that GIVES me energy rather than DRAINS me of it, and so I try to adhere to that mindset and blog when I feel inspired to do so. Because writing is such a natural outlet for me — it’s my go-to form of communication, and my favorite way to process events and feelings — most of the time blogging IS an energizing, motivating activity for me. So in those moments when it feels like too much — like one more thing on an already too-full plate — I remind myself that it will still be there when I feel inspired again.
So here I am. 🙂
I wanted to talk today about personality types and tests — namely the Enneagram Test. Have you heard of this personality test? It’s fascinating when you start to dig into it, and I’m a sucker for personality tests, so I was all in! (For those who are fellow Myers-Briggs lovers, I’m an ENTJ.)
I think being aware of your personality type — and also being aware of the personality types that surround you, both at work and in your personal life — is so helpful in building and maintaining healthy relationships and expectations. It’s a reminder that we aren’t the same. In fact, many of us approach problems and feelings and, well, LIFE very differently based on the way we tick.
The Enneagram test takes into account nine interconnected personality types, and in most cases you receive three types when you take the test. The Enneagram Institute writes, “The Enneagram, however, is ultimately subtle and complex, as you will appreciate the more you use it in your life.”
Now, there are tests you can take for free online (like this one), but I opted to pony up $12 and take my test through the Enneagram Institute. They have two test options (both $12), and I went with the RHETI (supposedly the world’s most popular Enneagram test).
The test took about 30 minutes to complete, and when I was done I received scores against all nine personality types.
My top three results were within four points of each other, so in that case the Enneagram Institute recommends you read the three types and see which resonates most strongly with you as your main (basic) personality. (Here are the nine basic types):
My top three were:
Type 9: The Peacemaker
Type 3: The Achiever
Type 6: The Loyalist
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After reading the descriptions of each, I feel like my personality most strongly resonates with that of The Achiever (Type 3).
Some highlights of that personality type:
The Achiever (Type 3)
The Success-Oriented, Pragmatic Type: Adaptable, Excelling, Driven, and Image-Conscious
Threes are self-assured, attractive, and charming. Ambitious, competent, and energetic, they can also be status-conscious and highly driven for advancement. They are diplomatic and poised, but can also be overly concerned with their image and what others think of them. They typically have problems with workaholism and competitiveness.
At their Best: self-accepting, authentic, everything they seem to be—role models who inspire others.
- Basic Fear: Of being worthless
- Basic Desire: To feel valuable and worthwhile
-Generally, Threes are effective, competent, adaptable, goal oriented, ambitious, organized, diplomatic, charming, into performance, and image-conscious.
-Threes get into conflicts by being expedient, excessively driven, competitive, self-promoting, “appropriate” instead of sincere, boastful, and grandiose.
-At their best, Threes are inner-directed, authentic, modest, admirable, well-adjusted, gracious, interested in others, and self accepting
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Then within that basic personality, there are expressions of different parts of your personality — connection points they call “wings.”
You then also have a direction of stress and a direction of growth. Direction of stress is telling you how you’ll react if you’re at an unhealthy point within your basic type, meaning you’ll start to behave as an unhealthy version of that second type. (For me, my direction of stress is to a Type 9.)
Conversely, there’s your direction of growth. For me, that’s toward a Type 6. That means when I’m at my healthiest as a Type 3, I start to also exemplify behaviors of a healthy Type 6.
From the Institute: “When moving in their Direction of Disintegration (stress), driven Threes suddenly become disengaged and apathetic at 9. However, when moving in their Direction of Integration (growth), vain, deceitful Threes become more cooperative and committed to others, like healthy 6s.”
There’s a LOT more to this test than that, and many more inferences that can be made based on your results, so I’ll let you read about some of those here if you’re interested.
If you’ve taken this test, too, I’d love to know what your results were! (Any other 3s out there?)
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