Understanding your enneagram

The enneagram is a system of nine personality types where a person is identified by a number scaling from one to nine. In addition to the primary number, there is a wing, either one number higher or lower than your main number. This number signifies the less dominant aspects of your personality. 

 The nine types are as follows:

The Reformer: Rational, purposeful and perfectionistic

Core Fear: Being wrong
Core Desire: Having integrity

The Helper: Caring, loving and generous

Core Fear: Being rejected
Core Desire: Being loved

The Achiever: Success-oriented, driven and determined

Core Fear: Being exposed
Core Desire: Having high status

The Individualist: Sensitive, empathetic and creative

Core Fear: Being mundane
Core Desire: Being unique

The Investigator: Introspective, curious and secretive

Core Fear: Being incapable
Core Desire: Being competent

The Loyalist: Committed, anxious and responsible

Core Fear: Being without security
Core Desire: Having guidance

The Enthusiast: Spontaneous, excited and fun

Core Fear: Being deprived
Core Desire: Being happy

The Challenger: Dominant, willful and decisive

Core Fear: Being weak
Core Desire: To protect themselves

The Peacemaker: Neutral, easygoing and receptive

Core Fear: Being in conflict
Core Desire: Having stability

Senior Samantha Bradley took the enneagram test in AP 2D Art for her first graded project of the year. The goal was for students to see themselves through their art and express their identity. 

“I am someone that needs a lot of reassurance and that is a big part of number two,” Bradley said.

Through learning this, it gave her more comfort in her personality.

“You can get an idea of who you are,” Bradley said when asked what the enneagram offers to most people.

The enneagram shows core desires, motivations and fears for each number. 

“I was able to understand why I react in some ways or why I partake in certain behaviors and my inner motivations behind my behaviors,” senior Jordan Mitchell said. 

According to Healthline, knowing your enneagram helps you understand yourself and learn how to cope with stress.

“[Learning my type was] really helpful for me to be more emotionally intelligent and just know more about myself to prevent some behaviors that are not very good,” Mitchell said. “It helped me to be more forgiving towards people because I know that all behaviors stem from some sort of trauma, or maybe just an issue that they have had in the past.”

The uses of the enneagram can be seen throughout many different aspects ranging from understanding to expression. While it is important to not isolate yourself with your number, it can still be a powerful tool in gaining insight about yourself.

Whether taken just for fun or to make a portrait in art, the enneagram can be a powerful tool to learn more about yourself and others around you. A deeper understanding can occur and a new view of yourself and others by learning core desires, fears and motivations can be found.

Linked below is a test to find out your enneagram number and wings:

https://assessment.yourenneagramcoach.com/