Hello all,
I've taken three different Enneagram tests and got different results every time.
The most common results are 1, 4, and 6 (not sure what order). I see qualities of myself in most of the types actually, but I don't identify completely with any of them. I can see a little 3 and 5 as well. The type that is least like me is 8. I'm not a 7 or a 2. Not optimistic or complacent enough to be a 9.
Feel free to ask me any additional questions. Would love an outside perspective.
Main Questions
1. What drives you in life? What do you look for?
For most of my life I have been driven to do the right thing, the good thing, the best thing. I sometimes feel convinced that if I just think a little harder, search my soul a little more, I will figure out the formula for a great life (and I’m rolling my eyes at myself even as I write this). I haven’t found it yet, but I’ll let you know when I do
I am curious about the world and love learning for learning’s sake (I am most interested in languages, literature, psychology, the arts, sciences—mainly biology and health). I also seek out ways to be moved, to feel awe—a piece of art, a passage, a landscape, a conversation. I look for rich experiences and people who are interested in a deep connection and mutual growth.
2. What do you hope to accomplish in your life?
It varies. There are times when I think my only goal is to be happy, that I’d be perfectly content with a simple life: starting a family, working honestly, traveling and appreciating the richness of the world, growing old wisely and gracefully. At other times, I fear mortality and desire to achieve some sort of posterity. I often dream of accomplishing something great and memorable and realize that would take great personal sacrifice. When I imagine achieving some sort of fame, it is always posthumous. I don’t have any attraction to celebrity.
3. What do you hope to avoid doing or being? What values are important to you?
I hope to avoid being mean, spiteful, vindictive, petty, shallow, stupid, lazy, and overly pessimistic (always have trouble with this last one!)
I value integrity, depth, authenticity, harmony, and compassion.
[/I]4. What are your biggest fears (not including phobias)? Why?
I fear being useless, insignificant, inane, and obscure. I often feel like my accomplishments define and distinguish me, give me worth. I am definitely conscious of what others think of me, and want to feel special in some way.
5. How do you want others to see you? How do you see yourself?
I want others to see me as brilliant, accomplished, admirable, artistic, enigmatic, compassionate, insightful, wise, graceful, kind. I see myself as perceptive, intelligent, earnest, and sensitive. I think I have the tendency to be self-absorbed and perfectionistic, which hinders my growth and causes me a lot of unnecessary suffering
6. What makes you feel your best? What makes you feel your worst?
I feel my best when my hard work has resulted in a significant insight or personal accomplishment, and also when I can express myself freely and honestly to connect genuinely with others. I feel my worst when I am disappointed in my failures or missed opportunities, or when others cause me to feel rejected, criticized, or betrayed.
7. Describe how you experience each of:
a) anger – I’ve always thought of myself as someone who doesn’t get angry easily. I’m beginning to see that in reality, I suppress a lot of my anger. I’m not comfortable with the emotion and feel deeply embarrassed if I ever let it loose. The primal, violent nature of anger frightens me a lot, and I find myself drawing away from people who are excessively angry and hostile.
b) shame – Shame is an emotion I am very familiar with. I am heavily influenced by an inner judge or critic and feel that in many ways, I can never quite stack up to what I feel I “should” be. I often feel embarrassed about something I’ve said, thought, felt, or failed to do.
c) anxiety – I seem to have trouble with obsession or fixation. I have an inordinate amount of anxiety when it comes to making decisions; I am always searching for the perfect solution, which obviously does not exist.
8. Describe how you respond to each:
a) stress - Several things happen when I am really stressed. 1. When I get really stressed I tend to fall apart. As stress accumulates, I try to ignore it until eventually I have to have some sort of emotional breakdown. It is necessary for me to let some of the tension loose, have a good cry or rant. If I don’t, I become overwhelmed and completely immobilized. 2. Stress can often help me accomplish great things. I am motivated by deadlines and spurred into action. Often a looming deadline is the only thing that allows me to cut ties with my perfectionism and good the job done. I can really turn out some great work under pressure. I have never missed a deadline or failed to complete a project.
b) unexpected change – I don’t like it at all. I often enjoy change when I am prepared for it, but I hate being blindsided. I am likely to complain about it and feel some level of anxiety about the unknown.
c) conflict – I don’t like conflict at all. I especially hate it with my loved ones. I’m getting better at talking through things with my boyfriend, but it is always so difficult. I sometimes feel embarrassed that I am upset about something, and want to always be fair. When it comes to working relationships, I am a bit more comfortable with it, especially when I feel I have to stand up for the integrity of the project. However, I would always want to be tactful and diplomatic.
9. Describe your orientation to:
a) authority – I am always respectful of authority. I know I can be trusted to do my own thing, and don’t expect the authority figure/entity to have any problems with me.
b) power – I have no attraction to possessing power. I simply want the freedom to do my own thing, because usually I feel like I’m the only one who will do things to my standards. I prefer for others to make the decisions, and don’t like bossing people around or even worrying about their performance. I can become uncharacteristically oppositional, however, if I feel one of my values is being violated.
10. What is your overall outlook on life and humanity?
My overall outlook is mostly positive, though I’ve been known to have an existential crisis or two. I think that life is an endlessly fascinating mystery.
I've taken three different Enneagram tests and got different results every time.
The most common results are 1, 4, and 6 (not sure what order). I see qualities of myself in most of the types actually, but I don't identify completely with any of them. I can see a little 3 and 5 as well. The type that is least like me is 8. I'm not a 7 or a 2. Not optimistic or complacent enough to be a 9.
Feel free to ask me any additional questions. Would love an outside perspective.
Main Questions
1. What drives you in life? What do you look for?
For most of my life I have been driven to do the right thing, the good thing, the best thing. I sometimes feel convinced that if I just think a little harder, search my soul a little more, I will figure out the formula for a great life (and I’m rolling my eyes at myself even as I write this). I haven’t found it yet, but I’ll let you know when I do
I am curious about the world and love learning for learning’s sake (I am most interested in languages, literature, psychology, the arts, sciences—mainly biology and health). I also seek out ways to be moved, to feel awe—a piece of art, a passage, a landscape, a conversation. I look for rich experiences and people who are interested in a deep connection and mutual growth. 2. What do you hope to accomplish in your life?
It varies. There are times when I think my only goal is to be happy, that I’d be perfectly content with a simple life: starting a family, working honestly, traveling and appreciating the richness of the world, growing old wisely and gracefully. At other times, I fear mortality and desire to achieve some sort of posterity. I often dream of accomplishing something great and memorable and realize that would take great personal sacrifice. When I imagine achieving some sort of fame, it is always posthumous. I don’t have any attraction to celebrity.
3. What do you hope to avoid doing or being? What values are important to you?
I hope to avoid being mean, spiteful, vindictive, petty, shallow, stupid, lazy, and overly pessimistic (always have trouble with this last one!)
I value integrity, depth, authenticity, harmony, and compassion.
[/I]4. What are your biggest fears (not including phobias)? Why?
I fear being useless, insignificant, inane, and obscure. I often feel like my accomplishments define and distinguish me, give me worth. I am definitely conscious of what others think of me, and want to feel special in some way.
5. How do you want others to see you? How do you see yourself?
I want others to see me as brilliant, accomplished, admirable, artistic, enigmatic, compassionate, insightful, wise, graceful, kind. I see myself as perceptive, intelligent, earnest, and sensitive. I think I have the tendency to be self-absorbed and perfectionistic, which hinders my growth and causes me a lot of unnecessary suffering
6. What makes you feel your best? What makes you feel your worst?
I feel my best when my hard work has resulted in a significant insight or personal accomplishment, and also when I can express myself freely and honestly to connect genuinely with others. I feel my worst when I am disappointed in my failures or missed opportunities, or when others cause me to feel rejected, criticized, or betrayed.
7. Describe how you experience each of:
a) anger – I’ve always thought of myself as someone who doesn’t get angry easily. I’m beginning to see that in reality, I suppress a lot of my anger. I’m not comfortable with the emotion and feel deeply embarrassed if I ever let it loose. The primal, violent nature of anger frightens me a lot, and I find myself drawing away from people who are excessively angry and hostile.
b) shame – Shame is an emotion I am very familiar with. I am heavily influenced by an inner judge or critic and feel that in many ways, I can never quite stack up to what I feel I “should” be. I often feel embarrassed about something I’ve said, thought, felt, or failed to do.
c) anxiety – I seem to have trouble with obsession or fixation. I have an inordinate amount of anxiety when it comes to making decisions; I am always searching for the perfect solution, which obviously does not exist.
8. Describe how you respond to each:
a) stress - Several things happen when I am really stressed. 1. When I get really stressed I tend to fall apart. As stress accumulates, I try to ignore it until eventually I have to have some sort of emotional breakdown. It is necessary for me to let some of the tension loose, have a good cry or rant. If I don’t, I become overwhelmed and completely immobilized. 2. Stress can often help me accomplish great things. I am motivated by deadlines and spurred into action. Often a looming deadline is the only thing that allows me to cut ties with my perfectionism and good the job done. I can really turn out some great work under pressure. I have never missed a deadline or failed to complete a project.
b) unexpected change – I don’t like it at all. I often enjoy change when I am prepared for it, but I hate being blindsided. I am likely to complain about it and feel some level of anxiety about the unknown.
c) conflict – I don’t like conflict at all. I especially hate it with my loved ones. I’m getting better at talking through things with my boyfriend, but it is always so difficult. I sometimes feel embarrassed that I am upset about something, and want to always be fair. When it comes to working relationships, I am a bit more comfortable with it, especially when I feel I have to stand up for the integrity of the project. However, I would always want to be tactful and diplomatic.
9. Describe your orientation to:
a) authority – I am always respectful of authority. I know I can be trusted to do my own thing, and don’t expect the authority figure/entity to have any problems with me.
b) power – I have no attraction to possessing power. I simply want the freedom to do my own thing, because usually I feel like I’m the only one who will do things to my standards. I prefer for others to make the decisions, and don’t like bossing people around or even worrying about their performance. I can become uncharacteristically oppositional, however, if I feel one of my values is being violated.
10. What is your overall outlook on life and humanity?
My overall outlook is mostly positive, though I’ve been known to have an existential crisis or two. I think that life is an endlessly fascinating mystery.
