THE ROAD BACK TO YOU: AN ENNEAGRAM JOURNEY TO SELF-DISCOVERY
BY
IAN MORGAN CRON AND SUZANNE STABILE
The Enneagram is an ancient personality typing system, and The Road Back to You explains how it works and applies it to the Christian life.
This is part two of the Enneagram series. See part one here.
To review, there are nine personality types, divided into:
Heart personalities – Types 2, 3, and 4
Gut personalities – Types 8, 9, and 1
Head personalities – Types 5, 6, and 7
In part one, we covered the “gut” personality types, and in part two, we’re talking about the “heart” types.
TYPE 2 – THE HELPER
General characteristics:
Knows and takes care of the needs and desires of others
More comfortable giving than receiving and doesn’t know when to say no
Needs to feel accepted and appreciated by others
Healthy Type 2’s:
Can name their own needs and feelings without fear of losing relationships
Have appropriate boundaries and know what is and what isn’t theirs to take care of
Are aware of the true self that exists beyond their relationships
Average Type 2’s:
Are convinced that the expression of their needs and feelings will threaten the stability of their relationships
Want something in return for their generosity whether they admit it or not
Don’t appear to expect anything from others but secretly think, “If I can see your needs, you should be able to see mine.”
Unhealthy Type 2’s:
Are codependent
In their desire to be loved, will accept almost any substitute (appreciation, neediness, companionship, etc.)
Can be insecure, manipulative, and often play the role of a martyr
TYPE 3 – THE PERFORMER
General characteristics:
Thrives on efficiency, productivity, and being acknowledged as the best
Would rather lead than follow
Competitive to a fault
Healthy Type 3’s:
Have transcended the goal of just looking good and impressing others
Are truly loved and known for who they are, not what they’ve accomplished
Feel valuable already, so they work toward a common good
Average Type 3’s:
Are overachieving, highly-driven workaholics
Have a need to perform that transcends everything else
See love as something to be earned
Unhealthy Type 3’s:
Find failure totally unacceptable and don’t admit their mistakes
Are desperate for attention
Can be petty, mean, vengeful, and act like they’re better than everyone else
TYPE 4 – THE ROMANTIC
General characteristics:
Embraces uniqueness, feels different and misunderstood
Comfortable with melancholy and annoyed by overly cheerful people
Emotionally intense, complicated, sensitive, and self-conscious
Healthy Type 4’s:
Have a large emotional range but mange it well
Don’t speak or act on every single feeling they have
Understand that they don’t have to be special to win God’s unconditional love
Average Type 4’s:
Struggle with accepting themselves as they are
Seek to find their identity by exaggerating their uniqueness
Want to be wanted and pull people in but then get nervous and push them away
Unhealthy Type 4’s:
Tend to be manipulative
Play the role of the victim in order to maintain relationships
This is just an abbreviated outline. Listen to the podcast for more detail, including tips for spiritual transformation and famous people of each personality type. Tune in next week for part three!
