You may be a little late to the party if you haven’t yet heard of the Enneagram. It’s been around for years, but I only got on board about three summers ago. Some friends at church were talking about it, and I got sucked in.
When it comes to the Enneagram, you’re in one of these four categories:
- I have no clue what Enneagram is,
- I’ve heard of it but don’t very much about it,
- I know about it but not to the full extent,
- I know it all and am crazy about it. (This is me)!
The Basics
What is the Enneagram?
en·ne·a·gram/ˈenēəˌɡram/ noun. A nine-sided figure used in a particular system of analysis to represent the spectrum of possible personality types. It is a typology system that describes human personality as a number of interconnected personality types.
Where Did It Come From?
According to Wikipedia:
“Oscar Ichazo (1931–2020) is generally recognized as the principal source of the contemporary Enneagram of Personality, which is largely derived from some of Ichazo’s teachings, such as those on ego-fixations, holy ideas, passions, and virtues. The Enneagram symbol has roots in antiquity and can be traced back at least as far as the works of Pythagoras.”
How Does It Compare to the Myers-Briggs Personality Test?
The biggest difference between the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and the Enneagram is that the Myers-Briggs test focuses on nature, while the Enneagram is more about nurture.
After some research, I found that the website Statistics Solutions reported that The Enneagram Institute’s Riso-Hudson Enneagram Type Indicator (RHETI) is 72 percent accurate, which is a pretty high score for this type of test. It was deemed scientifically “valid and reliable” as a test instrument with “solid psychometrics.”
How to Find Your Enneagram Type
I went to Your Enneagram Coach and took the free test to find my type. I also recommend the assessments on Truity and Cloverleaf. My result was Enneagram 2, which is known as “the Helper.” It was seriously 100% accurate for me.
These assessments feature multiple choice questions and should take less than fifteen minutes.
An Overview of the Nine Enneagram Types
4. The INDIVIDUALIST: The sensitive, withdrawn type: expressive, dramatic, self-absorbed and temperamental.
6. The LOYALIST: The committed, security-oriented type: engaging, responsible, anxious and suspicious.
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 Are Enneagram Wings?
Each Enneagram type has wings. They are the numbers on each side of your main Enneagram type. For example, Type 2’s have 1 and 3 as wings, though one may be more dominant than the other.
If You Want More: Instagram, Books, and Podcasts
Once you find out your type, you may want to dive in deeper. There are several Instagram accounts I follow that feature pretty graphics and things based on your type such as:
- Which Disney princess are you?
- What Taylor swift song are you?
- What Starbucks drink are you?
- And your Enneagram type quotes from songs, movies, etc.
I recently came across one about what Disney couple are you and your spouse. It came back perfect. My husband (a type 6) and I (a type 2) are Kristoff and Anna from Frozen–which I love by the way!
Here are a few of my favorite Instagram Enneagram accounts to follow:
- @enneagramashton
- @mirabellecreations
- @theletteringlane
- @virgdoodles
- @yourenneagramcoach (Christian based)
Books
If you like to read, here are some book choices: The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery by Ian Cron and Suzanne Stabile, two Enneagram experts.
The Path Between Us: An Enneagram Journey to Healthy Relationships by Suzanne Stabile.
Podcasts
If you like to listen to podcasts, Annie F. Downs is doing her third Enneagram summer series of her “That Sounds Fun” podcast here.
How about you? Let us know your Enneagram type in the comments below! And if you have any websites or further reading about the Enneagram that you enjoy, please share those below, too!
