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february / march 2017yogajournal.com.sgThe nine numbers, or personality types, of the Enneagram each have
corresponding qualities. To determine your number, read about each one’s
defining traits and key motivations here, and then see which number resonates
most strongly for you. (Keep in mind that we have aspects of all nine types inside
us, though we tend to have more of one type than the others.) With an open
mind and an investigative spirit, simply notice what resonates most.THE REFORMER
THE INDIVIDUALIST
THE ENTHUSIAST
THE HELPER
THE INVESTIGATOR
THE CHALLENGER
THE ACHIEVER
THE LOYALIST
THE PEACEMAKER
DEFINING TRAITS: Principle,
purpose, self-control, and
perfectionism
KEY MOTIVATIONS: To be right;
to strive for greater things
BASIC FEAR: Being corrupt, evil, defective
AT THEIR BEST: Ones are conscientious
and ethical, with a strong sense of right
and wrong. They are teachers and
advocates for change, always striving
to improve things.
AT THEIR WORST: Ones are afraid of
making a mistake; they can slip into being
critical and perfectionistic, and tend to
struggle with resentment and impatience.DEFINING TRAITS: Generosity,
people pleasing, and
possessiveness
KEY MOTIVATIONS: To be
loved, needed, and appreciated; to
vindicate their claims about themselves
BASIC FEAR: Being unworthy of love
AT THEIR BEST: Twos are empathetic,
giving, and driven to be close to others.
AT THEIR WORST: Twos can slip into
doing things for others simply to feel
needed. They typically have problems
with possessiveness and acknowledging
their own needs. DEFINING TRAITS: Adaptability,
desire to excel, and image-
consciousness
KEY MOTIVATIONS: To distinguish
themselves from others; to be admired;
to impress others
BASIC FEAR: Being worthless
AT THEIR BEST: Threes are self-accepting,
authentic, and role models who inspire.
AT THEIR WORST: Threes can be overly
concerned with their image and what
others think of them; they typically have
problems with workaholism and
competitiveness.DEFINING TRAITS:
Expressiveness, drama, self-
absorption
KEY MOTIVATIONS: To create
and surround themselves with beauty,
and to take care of emotional needs before
attending to anything else
BASIC FEAR: Having no identity
AT THEIR BEST: Fours are highly creative,
self-aware, sensitive, and reserved.
AT THEIR WORST: Fours can be moody
and self-conscious. They typically have
problems with melancholy, self-pity, and
self-indulgence. DEFINING TRAITS: Perceptiveness,
innovation, and isolation
KEY MOTIVATIONS: To possess
knowledge; to have everything
figured out as a way of defending
against threats from their surroundings
BASIC FEAR: Being helpless or incapable
AT THEIR BEST: Fives are visionary
pioneers, often ahead of their time, and
able to see the world in an entirely new
way.
AT THEIR WORST: Fives can become
detached. They typically have problems
with eccentricity, nihilism, and isolation.DEFINING TRAITS:
Responsibility, anxiety, and
suspicion
KEY MOTIVATIONS: To feel
supported by others, to test
the attitudes of others toward them
BASIC FEAR: Lack of security or guidance
AT THEIR BEST: Sixes tend to be stable,
self-reliant, and trustworthy. They foresee
problems and foster cooperation.
AT THEIR WORST: Sixes can be indecisive,
reactive, and rebellious. They can also
become defensive and evasive, and deal
with self-doubt and suspicion of others.DEFINING TRAITS: Spontaneity,
versatility, and scatteredness
KEY MOTIVATIONS: To maintain
their freedom and happiness; to avoid
missing out on worthwhile experiences
BASIC FEAR: Being deprived and in pain
AT THEIR BEST: Sevens are extroverted
and practical. They focus their talents on
becoming joyous and satisfied.
AT THEIR WORST: Sevens can become
distracted and exhausted by staying on
the go; they typically have problems with
impatience and impulsivity.
DEFINING TRAITS: Decisiveness,
self-confidence, willfulness
KEY MOTIVATIONS: To be self-
reliant and important in the world
BASIC FEAR: Being controlled by others
AT THEIR BEST: Eights are self-mastering,
and use their strength to improve others’
lives. They are self-confident and decisive.
AT THEIR WORST: Eights can be egocentric
and domineering. At times, they feel they
must control the people around them,
sometimes becoming confrontational.
They can have problems with their temper
and showing vulnerability.DEFINING TRAITS: Receptivity,
reassuringness, complacency
KEY MOTIVATIONS: To create
harmony; to preserve things as they are
BASIC FEAR: Loss and separation
AT THEIR BEST: Nines are able to bring
people together and heal conflicts. They
are accepting, trusting, and stable; they are
usually creative, optimistic, and supportive.
AT THEIR WORST: Nines can be too willing
to go along with others to keep the peace.
They want everything to go smoothly, and
so can also be complacent. They may have
problems with inertia and stubbornness.Sources: Enneagram in the Narrative Tradition, The Enneagram Institute