What is the enneagram (really) and why is it so important for entrepreneurs?
The first time I ever heard about the enneagram was in a group message with my friends.
“Have you ever taken the enneagram!?” My friend shared her results with excitement.
Ennea-what?
She encouraged us to take the test and provided the corresponding personality descriptions.
At first glance, I typed myself as an Enneagram Type 7 - the busy, variety-seeking type: spontaneous, versatile, and acquisitive. Sure, I was spontaneous, adventure-seeking and always on the go.
Seemed right.
However, to my surprise, the result came back as a Type 4 - the sensitive, introspective type: expressive, dramatic, self-absorbed, and temperamental. Woof.
I was far from pleased with the results, but I decided to take a deeper dive and was miraculously moved by my findings.
As most people do when they find the Enneagram, I felt seen. It was like finding a secret treasure map that displayed the coordinates to my heart, mind, and body. It put so eloquently into words all the things I desire, fear, and are motivated by. And most importantly, It allowed me to view myself truthfully and non-judgmentally, seeing the mechanisms of my personality in action.
Since then, I’ve become a student of the Enneagram. I use it as a tool to help my students and clients understand themselves on a deeper, more impactful level. It’s something I talk about frequently in my social media posts, during strategy sessions, and in my signature program, Personal Brand Accelerator.
This is the first blog post in the Enneagram Series. There will be as many parts as needed. The more I uncover the Enneagram, the more mystified and astonished I become: enlightened and enriched by my findings. I know you will be, too.
So let’s move forward together, consider me your guide.
Why the Enneagram is So Powerful
I recently read a Harvard Business Review article in which entrepreneur Anthony Tjan writes, “There is one quality that trumps all, evident in virtually every great entrepreneur, manager, and leader. That quality is self-awareness. The best thing leaders can do to improve their effectiveness is to become more aware of what motivates them and their decision-making.” Numerous magazines from Forbes to Fast Company all say the same thing: know thyself.
I always say that entrepreneurship is really just personal-development in disguise. When I first began my entrepreneurial journey, I thought I was developing a business. Little did I know, I was going to have to radically develop myself along the way in order to get things done. There is nothing else that requires as much grit, determination, and continual self-improvement than starting, managing and growing your own business. You are always accumulating new skills, using your intuition to make hard decisions, and broadening your perspective of the world and how your business seeks to affect it. Simply put: if you’re not developing yourself, you’re not developing your business to its highest potential.
So, how does one take an effective approach to personal development? There are many coaches and courses that will teach you how to do this or that; none of them are wrong per se, most of them are merely incomplete. An effective approach to personal development must take into consideration that there are different types of personalities who cope with life differently.
The enneagram is a system that shows you your core-psychological issues as well as your interpersonal strengths and weaknesses. It concerns itself with one important element that is fundamental to all walks of entrepreneurship and personal development: self-awareness. Without self-awareness, you will not go far in your entrepreneurial journey, and it will derail any of the progress you’ve already managed to make.
The Nine Types
Your work with the enneagram will begin with identifying your type. Remember, we have all nine personality types inside of us. However, there should be one type you predominantly identify with more than the others. I’ve copied them here for you to read:
Type One: The Reformer. The principled, idealistic type. Ones are ethical and conscientious, with a strong sense of right and wrong. They are teachers and crusaders, always striving to improve things but afraid of making a mistake. Well-organized, orderly, and fastidious, they try to maintain high standards but can slip into being critical and perfectionistic. They typically have problems with repressed anger and impatience. At their best , healthy Ones are wise, discerning, realistic, and noble, as well as morally heroic.
Type Two: The Helper. The caring, interpersonal type. Twos are empathetic, sincere, and warm-hearted. They are friendly, generous, and self-sacrificing, but they can also be sentimental, flattering, and people-pleasing. They are driven to be close to others, and they often do things for others in order to be needed. They typically have problems taking care of themselves and acknowledging their own needs. At their best , healthy Twos are unselfish and altruistic and have unconditional love for themselves and others.
Type Three: The Achiever. The adaptable, success-oriented type. Threes are self-assured, attractive, and charming. Ambitious, competent, and energetic, they can also be status-conscious and highly driven for personal advancement. Threes are often concerned about their image and what others think of them. They typically have problems with workaholism and competitiveness. At their best , healthy Threes are self-accepting, authentic, and everything they seem to be—role models who inspire others.
Type Four: The Individualist. The romantic, introspective type. Fours are self-aware, sensitive, reserved, and quiet. They are self-revealing, emotionally honest, and personal, but they can also be moody and self-conscious. Withholding themselves from others due to feeling vulnerable and defective, they can also feel disdainful and exempt from ordinary ways of living. They typically have problems with self-indulgence and self-pity. At their best , healthy Fours are inspired and highly creative, able to renew themselves and transform their experiences.
Type Five: The Investigator. The intense, cerebral type. Fives are alert, insightful, and curious. They are able to concentrate and focus on developing complex ideas and skills. Independent and innovative, they can become preoccupied with their thoughts and imaginary constructs. They become detached, yet high-strung and intense. They typically have problems with isolation, eccentricity, and nihilism. At their best , healthy Fives are visionary pioneers, often ahead of their time and able to see the world in an entirely new way.
Type Six: The Loyalist. The committed, security-oriented type. Sixes are reliable, hardworking, and responsible, but they can also be defensive, evasive, and highly anxious—running on stress while complaining about it. They are often cautious and indecisive but can also be reactive, defiant, and rebellious. They typically have problems with self-doubt and suspicion. At their best , healthy Sixes are internally stable, self-confident, and self-reliant, courageously supporting the weak and powerless.
Type Seven: The Enthusiast. The busy, productive type. Sevens are versatile, optimistic, and spontaneous. Playful, high-spirited, and practical, they can also be overextended, scattered, and undisciplined. They constantly seek new and exciting experiences, but they can become distracted and exhausted by staying on the go. They typically have problems with superficiality and impulsiveness. At their best , healthy Sevens focus their talents on worthwhile goals, becoming joyous, highly accomplished, and full of gratitude.
Type Eight: The Challenger. The powerful, dominating type. Eights are self-confident, strong, and assertive. Protective, resourceful, and decisive, they can also be proud and domineering. Eights feel that they must control their environment, often becoming confrontational and intimidating. They typically have problems with allowing themselves to be close to others. At their best, healthy Eights are self-mastering—they use their strength to improve others’ lives, becoming heroic, magnanimous, and sometimes historically great.
Type Nine: The Peacemaker. The easygoing, self-effacing type. Nines are accepting, trusting, and stable. They are good-natured, kindhearted, easygoing, and supportive but can also be too willing to go along with others to keep the peace. They want everything to be without conflict but can tend to be complacent and minimize anything upsetting. They typically have problems with passivity and stubbornness. At their best , healthy Nines are indomitable and all-embracing; they are able to bring people together and heal conflicts.
How You Can Leverage the Enneagram as an Entrepreneur
When you observe yourself objectively, it enables you to make wiser decisions, strengthen your personal and professional relationships, and manage yourself more effectively. The Enneagram makes real development possible. It reveals the entrepreneurial heights we are capable of reaching, while also shedding light on the areas of our lives that are weaker and underdeveloped. If we are going to build businesses that seek to change the world, then these are the areas we must explore.
Contrary to popular belief, knowing your type is actually not the final destination. Our personality is not who we are, but rather how we have limited who we are. You actually have a large range of potentials that are left untapped because of a biological tendency to acquire strategies, self-images, and narratives which have helped you cope with your environment and survive the painful experiences which have happened to you.
You will never “lose” your personality, it will never go away, but it can become something that helps you, rather than something that prevents you from operating at peak performance.
Imagine what your life would be like if your sense of self was not based on painful past experiences that limit your beliefs? Imagine if you could rid yourself of negative learned behaviors that do not support the sensational vision you have for your future? The Enneagram shows us where our personality prevents us from going. It does not put us into a box, it shows us how to escape the box we’re already in. When entrepreneurs stop defending the unconscious reactions of their personality, they have the capacity to reach their highest potential and become influential leaders.
Recommended Resources for Your Personal Development Journey
To find your type:
Best books to read:
Personality Types: Using the Enneagram for Self-discovery
The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery
The Sacred Enneagram: Finding Your Unique Path to Spiritual Growth
Best All-Around for Quick Information:
Discovering your personality type is just the beginning.
I know you will be continually astonished and transformed by the insight you gain from the Enneagram. For the first time in your life, you may discover revelations about yourself that clarify the way you’ve always lived and behaved.
It’s like waking up.
The Enneagram doesn’t just give us important information about ourselves, it guides us on the ultimate path to freedom and fulfillment. And, after all, isn’t this what every entrepreneur is really after?
If you’d like to become a student of the Enneagram and read more posts like this one, please enter your name and email address and I will add you to an exclusive list.
