[TruthDismantled]

Enneagram seems too vague to me and the quiz questions leave too many possible answers for me to feel confident with whatever reason seems to come up. I've received 4,5,6 and 7 before some to lesser degrees but still, such vast differences when taking tests.
Any clear cut ways to proper determine your type and wing?

I find that I'm an ever-changing person through the day and I'm constantly in different states and motivated by different things, energised through the release of creativity/accomplishment in different ways.

For instance, I often feel great when I'm being random, spontaneous, drawing crazy connections, making jokes acting immaturely.
Though sometimes I can sink into my zone and, with mellow music in the background, can create really elaborate, metaphorical, meaningful poetry that I'm really proud of myself for doing.
I have a great desire for sports, to be the best at everything I do. Constantly changing desires, wanting to pursue intellectual goals for however long the inspiration remains.

So how can you really determine your enneagram type is what I'm asking, I'm a little lost?

Thanks

[Midnight Runner]

Just reading what you've said here, I'd go out on a limb and say you're a 7. I'd suggest reading this as a place to start.

Anyways. The enneagram can seem very vague if all you're using is online descriptions (it did to me for a long time), but those generally only cover the surface traits of each type instead of the core motivations that the enneagram really goes into. Authors like Claudio Naranjo, Helen Palmer, Susan Rhodes, Sandra Maitri, and Almaas are good ones to read from when trying to learn about the types in a more in-depth sense.

Personally, I had some trouble deciding between 9 and 2 for a while due to some issues with really understanding the self-anesthetization, but never really went away from thinking I was a 2 for long. Getting one of Palmer's books helped a lot, and then Character and Neurosis (a book practically worshiped by some here) sealed the deal on my type for me. Since then, I've not doubted my type in the slightest, and have seen no reason to start.

[Cerasi]

I've had the same difficulty determining my type. For the moment I'm going with 5w4, since that is what I got on the test, but I'm still not completely confident that that is correct.

Reading some of the Enneagram books sounds like a good idea, I've been meaning to do that. In the meanwhile I'm continuing my online research into the subject.

[heavydirtysoul]

Me! And the funny thing is the more I read about it, the more confused I become. I guess some people are really extremely hard to type.

[incandesce]

Me too. I've at least narrowed it down to a triad (147) but I have no idea what order those numbers are in, their wings, or my instinct stacking. I keep reading and things just get more confusing.

[rajAs]

Quiz questions aren't the best way to understand your Enneagram type. You'll answer quickly, while Enneagram requires a deeper understanding of your personality, instead. As we know, it's mostly about motivations rather than behaviours.

When someone asks me to find his E-type, I usually ask him:

1- What do you avoid? (Maximum 3 answers)
Anger
Need
Failure
Ordinariness
Emptiness
Deviance
Pain
Weakness
Conflict

This helps a lot as a first step.

2- I've found it's very important to understand how does a person feel at his worst: which are the causes that break his personality, which kind of sentiments consume him.

3- Palmer's thought about how different E-types pay attention is quite interesting. Every E-type has his own focus. There should be a topic about this in these forums.

At this point there should be enough informations to understand how to proceed (with other questions based on the previous results or not).

Sadly, Enneagram is quite hard for the beginners and it often requires a person able to introduce you to this knowledge. Once your Etype is found, you can try to make it by yourself.

[OldManRivers]

I find that I'm an ever-changing person through the day and I'm constantly in different states and motivated by different things, energised through the release of creativity/accomplishment in different ways.

That is true of everyone - people, that is. A defining character of human beings is variability.
Will knowin some alphanumeric code make you different? Don't sweat it, Embrace and tenjoy your variability.

[monemi]

I've gotten 7w6 and 7w8. Neither is spot on. I've had 6 and 8 suggested to me. I'm not really sure. I go with 7w6 because I prefer to see myself that way over 7w8. This was tricky but socionics was way harder.

[heavydirtysoul]

Quiz questions aren't the best way to understand your Enneagram type. You'll answer quickly, while Enneagram requires a deeper understanding of your personality, instead. As we know, it's mostly about motivations rather than behaviours.

When someone asks me to find his E-type, I usually ask him:

1- What do you avoid? (Maximum 3 answers)
Anger
Need
Failure
Ordinariness
Emptiness
Deviance
Pain
Weakness
Conflict

This helps a lot as a first step.

I equally avoid failure, deviance, weakness, pain, and conflict. I have trouble determining my heart type, but I am interested what would you say.

[rajAs]

I would say you have been thinking enough (= too much) about your Etype. The answers may come more easily if you think about your whole life and especially childhood and adolescence (relationship with parents, especially).