9 Enneagram Type Descriptions

Below is a very brief description of the Enneagram of Personality types. For more information take the free enneagram test. There is also a wealth of information at The Enneagram Institute .

Type One: The Perfectionist or Reformer
The perfectionist or reformer believes that you have to be good and right in order to be worthy. Their focus is around improving things – situations and people. They can represent the moral compass of good society and have a lot of energy for helping others to achieve a more improved life. Perfectionists tend to be responsible, conscientious, honorable and can also be critical, judgmental and internally holding feelings of resentment.
 

Type Two: The Helper or Giver
The Helper believes that they will be loved by having what others need and giving it to them. Helpers tend to be very generous, loving, warm and deeply attuned to the needs of others. They can also appear as prideful, manipulative, intrusive and demanding.
 

Type Three: The Achiever or Performer
The Achiever believes that self-worth comes from successfully accomplishing what others see as valuable. They tend to be fast-paced, focused, efficient, goal-focused and image-oriented. The achiever can also be impatient, inattentive and driven by keeping the surface of life looking good.
 

Type Four: The Individualist or Romantic
The Individualist/Romantic believes that achieving the longed-for relationship or situation is what will bring love and that being “unique” is what brings a sense of inner-value. They are creative, witty, deeply passionate, empathetic, and authentic to self. They can also be moody, dramatic, self-absorbed and substitute the depth of feeling that is found in suffering for the presence of real love.
 

Type Five: The Investigator or Observer
The Investigator/Observor believes that knowledge is power. Their focus is on making sure that the demands of the world do not drain their limited and precious resources. They tend to be self-sufficient, demanding little of others, unobtrusive, analytical and inventive. They can also be aloof, withdrawn, stingy and secretive.
 

Type Six: The Skeptic or Loyalist
The Skeptic/Loyalist believes that the only way to be okay is to achieve security in a world that is fundamentally unsafe. They are gracious, attentive, loyal and trustworthy. They can also be defensive, suspicious, accusatory and overly doubtful.
 

Type Seven: The Enthusiast or Epicure
The Enthusiast believes that life is full of future possibilities that must be kept open, available and planned for. The Enthusiast is gregarious, energetic, upbeat and adventurous. They can also be uncommitted, self-serving and avoiding of situations which involve pain or boredom.
 

Type Eight: The Challenger or Protector
The Challenger/Protector believes that you must be strong and powerful in order to maintain protection in a tough world. They can be confident, powerful, just and protective of the underdog. Their demeanor is direct and practical. They can also be pushy, impulsive and rejecting of vulnerability.
 

Type NIne: The Peacemaker or Mediator
The Peacemaker/Mediator believes that to be loved you must blend and merge with others and lend your energy and support to the greater good. Nines are good listeners, able to embrace differing points of view. They are undemanding, comforting, steady but often indistinct and self-forgetting. They seek harmony and peacefullness and can also be disengaged and stubborn if pushed.