To be honest, I’ve never been into anything astrology, zodiac, or horoscope related. I also haven’t ever loved the idea of a 10-minute test telling me “ALL THERE IS TO KNOW” about “my type” of a human. This is why the Enneagram Test didn’t initially appeal to me. I mean, come on people – are there really only NINE types of humans out there?! Regardless, I decided that it’s time to step out of my comfort zone, and I figured this also might be a fun way to share a little more about who I am with y’all! So today, you’ll find out my results + my reaction to the results of the Enneagram Test!
If you want to learn more about me, check out my Get to Know Me post where I answer 26 random questions!
What’s an Enneagram?
For those of you who aren’t aware of what the Enneagram Test is – it’s basically a personality test that assesses you as one of nine types. Each type has a corresponding set of strengths and weaknesses, and supposedly the accuracy is uncanny. (We will see…) In addition to a type, we also have what is called a “wing”. Your wing must be adjacent to your type. For example, if you are a Type 5, you can either have a Wing 4 or Wing 6 – whichever is the strongest match. I’ve listed the nine types below, and I’m linking the test that I took HERE in case you’re interested in finding out what type YOU are!
- 1 THE REFORMER -The Rational, Idealistic Type: Principled, Purposeful, Self-Controlled, and Perfectionistic
- 2 THE HELPER – The Caring, Interpersonal Type: Demonstrative, Generous, People-Pleasing, and Possessive
- 3 THE ACHIEVER – The Success-Oriented, Pragmatic Type: Adaptive, Excelling, Driven, and Image-Conscious
- 4 THE INDIVIDUALIST – The Sensitive, Withdrawn Type: Expressive, Dramatic, Self-Absorbed, and Temperamental
- 5 THE INVESTIGATOR – The Intense, Cerebral Type: Perceptive, Innovative, Secretive, and Isolated
- 6 THE LOYALIST – The Committed, Security-Oriented Type: Engaging, Responsible, Anxious, and Suspicious
- 7 THE ENTHUSIAST – The Busy, Fun-Loving Type: Spontaneous, Versatile, Distractible, and Scattered
- 8 THE CHALLENGER – The Powerful, Dominating Type: Self-Confident, Decisive, Willful, and Confrontational
- 9 THE PEACEMAKER – The Easygoing, Self-Effacing Type: Receptive, Reassuring, Agreeable, and Complacent
What’s my enneagram?
When I first read through the possibilities, these were my thoughts… I knew there was NO CHANCE that I could be a 4, 5, 6, 7, or 9. I narrowed down the possibilities to either 1, 2, 3, or 8. The test results yielded a pretty spot on match based on my pre-test guess…
Type 3W2
According to the Enneagram Institute: 3’s are success-oriented, 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.
- A 3’s Basic Fear: Of being worthless
- A 3’s Basic Desire: To feel valuable and worthwhile
- Enneagram Three with a Two-Wing: “The Charmer”
Threes are often successful and well liked because, of all the types, they most believe in themselves and in developing their talents and capacities. Threes act as living “role models” and paragons because of their extraordinary embodiment of socially valued qualities. Healthy Threes know that they are worth the effort it takes to be “the best that they can be.” Their success at doing so inspires others to invest in their own self-development.
When I read all of that, this is what I understand: When a 3 is “healthy” – it’s a great thing to be a 3! Some of the things I pride myself on are my authenticity, my self-deprecatory humor, and my fullness of heart and drive for success. However, when a 3 is “unhealthy”, this can lead to weaknesses such as finding an identity through public perception, struggling to accept failure, and being overly competitive. Something I have ALWAYS struggled with is the need to achieve. I’ve an avid over-committer due to my inability to say the word “no”. And as much as I hate to admit it, I am extremely image-conscious. How others perceive me is something that matters in my mind, and it’s also been an inward battle I’ve struggled with for what feels like forever. I sometimes ask myself, “Am I really doing this for ME?”
MY Reaction
Honestly, the only word that comes to mind is “WOAH“. I read the set of results to my mom, and even she told me that my results were spot on. She also said that it aligns with who I was as a child, a teenager, and now as an adult. As much as I don’t like to admit it, I now see how taking this test helps people to GROW. I feel like I better understand why I am the way I am, and it motivates me to be as healthy of a 3 as I can be. It also helps me to recognize the tendencies that I have that can be considered “unhealthy” or “weaknesses”. Now it’s time to apply these learnings IN REAL LIFE – to my career, to my marriage, and to my relationships/friendships.
