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Enneagram Type Determination Test

What is the Enneagram and what is its purpose?

The Enneagram (pronounced “any-a-gram”) is an extremely powerful psychological/personality system unlike any other.  The Enneagram simply reveals the self-inhibiting, unconscious pattern of the mind by which we organize and give meaning to all of our experiences.  If we could understand and learn to relax the self-inhibiting core pattern around which we interpret our life, we could make faster progress in our psychological and spiritual growth and thus lead a life of greater inner peace and happiness.  This unconscious pattern of the mind can be investigated by understanding our Enneagram type.  The Enneagram identifies nine distinctly different personality types, none better or worse than any other, yet each radically different in the way they view the world.  While each of us will identify with certain behaviors from each Enneagram type, everyone has only one type that subconsciously motivates his/her behavior throughout his/her entire life.  For identification purposes, each type is arbitrarily given a number from 1 – 9 (type #1, type #2, etc.).

The basic premise of the Enneagram is that each of us developed one of nine perceptual filters (Enneagram types) in infancy to protect a specific aspect of our Essential Nature (higher, or divine, self) which felt particularly vulnerable or threatened.  Depending upon the temperament of the infant and its relationship to the environment, it became so focused on protecting one of the nine specific aspects of our Essential Nature that an imbalanced, habitual focus of attention was developed.  This one habitual focus of attention (different for each type) is so deeply ingrained in our personality that we are not even consciously aware of it.  By the time we are adults it is an automatic, biased perspective.  Unfortunately, this unconscious, imbalanced focus of attention creates problems for us as we try to live a healthy, balanced life.  Fortunately, this test is designed to help you determine your habitual focus of attention and then you can consciously work on correcting the imbalance if you so choose.

The real purpose of the Enneagram is to help us grow and develop spiritually, ultimately leading to Self-realization through self-inquiry, but even a cursory understanding of the system will help you understand yourself and other people better.  So, whether you are a beginner or experienced self-explorer, the Enneagram has something to offer you!

Test Directions:  

Each Enneagram type is subconsciously motivated differently from every other type in very specific ways.  However, sometimes it is hard to tell your type because two different types can behave similarly even though the motivation behind that behavior is very different.  So, there are 4 parts to this test to make your Enneagram type determination more conclusive.  Once you think you know your Enneagram type you can go directly to the detailed description of your type.  If the detailed description doesn’t resonate with you, you can always come back and complete this test more fully.

Part I is composed of short sentences to help you identify which Enneagram type you might be fairly quickly.  Write down or remember those types you think you might be and go on to Part II.  In Part II you will read about each type at their best and at their worst.  Read about the type(s) you picked in Part I first and then read the other types, if you wish.  In Part III, you will be able to read how each Enneagram type is unique by its grouping into various triads (groups of 3 types each).  If you are unsure as to which Enneagram type you are, Part III should help you clarify it.  Part IV will be even more specific in showing how each of the Enneagram types are similar to and different from each other.  If you still cannot decide after Part IV, then I would suggest you purchase one of the books I recommend in the Resources section of my web site and read a chapter on each of the types in question.  Please allow 20 – 40 minutes to take this test.

Part I                    Brief Descriptions

ONES: Ones are conscientious DO-GOODERS motivated by a desire to live their life the right way, which includes improving themselves, others, and the world around them.  They try to avoid criticism by doing things perfectly.  They have a strong inner critic/conscience and live by their internal dictates of “shoulds” and “shouldn’ts.”  They discipline themselves to do what ought to be done.  They do everything they can to avoid: showing anger, losing self-control, or making mistakes.  Unconscious focus of attention: noticing imperfections; correcting errors; doing a job well; being competent.

TWOS: Twos are friendly GIVERS motivated by a desire to be loved and appreciated for their selfless generosity and helpfulness.  They take pride in their ability to make people feel special and to anticipate and fulfill other people's needs.  They like to express their positive feelings toward others and usually appear cheerful and self-sufficient.  They can be so busy taking care of others that they are often unaware of their own real needs.  They do everything they can to avoid: disappointing others, feeling rejected, and being seen as needy, clingy or possessive.  Unconscious focus of attention: anticipating/fulfilling needs of others; making others feel special; establishing warm, heartfelt connections.

THREES: Threes are ambitious ACHIEVERS motivated by a desire to be productive, efficient, admired, and successful at whatever they do.  Life is a series of tasks and goals to be completed and they keep pushing themselves to achieve more.  Diplomatic, image-conscious Threes like to shine and want to be esteemed by others.  They are often disconnected from their deeper feelings and can lose an inner sense of themselves.  They do everything they can to avoid: failure and uncomfortable feelings that may arise from slowing down their pace.  Unconscious focus of attention: optimal performance; achieving goals; winning; multitasking; efficient functioning; creating a successful image.

FOURS: Fours are romantic DREAMERS motivated by a desire to understand and express their deepest feelings.  These sensitive individualists want to create something beautiful and unique that will communicate their authentic feelings.  They want to feel special but often feel different and estranged from others.  They long for emotional connection and can become very depressed when feeling isolated.  They do everything they can to avoid: being rejected, abandoned or seen as ordinary.  Unconscious focus of attention: what’s missing, lacking or unavailable; finding true love; yearning and fantasizing about the ideal (relationship, job, self, etc.).

FIVES: Fives are cerebral OBSERVERS motivated by a desire to gain knowledge and be independent and self-sufficient.  They observe life from a distance, guard their privacy and space, and avoid being engulfed by others.  They feel more safe and in control when thinking and analyzing than when in their feelings.  They are individualistic and not influenced by social pressure or material possessions.  They can sometimes feel socially awkward.  They do everything they can to avoid:  intrusive/demanding people, expressing strong feelings, large crowds, feelings of inadequacy and emptiness.  Unconscious focus of attention: observing; analyzing; thinking; guarding their privacy of space and time.

SIXES: Sixes are loyal SKEPTICS motivated by a desire to have security, safety and predictability in their environment as well as feel a sense of belonging.  They live with a constant background of anxiety and fear that something might go wrong or that they’ll be defenseless against some imagined threat.  Some Sixes are phobic and withdraw from fearful situations to protect themselves, whereas others are counterphobic and confront fearful situations head-on, even seek them out.  They do everything they can to avoid:  unpredictability, being helpless in the face of danger, getting stuck in doubt, alienating people they depend on.  Unconscious focus of attention: what could go wrong; potential dangers/threats; who can be trusted/not trusted; looking for hidden meanings/messages; playing the devil’s advocate; being loyal to others.

SEVENS: Sevens are vivacious ADVENTURERS motivated by a desire to be upbeat and on the go, to keep their options open, and to plan for new, exciting experiences.  They view life as a fun-filled adventure, yet they also want to contribute to the world.  Sevens have fantastic imaginations and are constant seekers of excitement.  They do everything they can to avoid: boredom; painful emotions and anxiety; limitations, constraints and restrictions on their freedom; the drudgeries of life.  Unconscious focus of attention: planning for pleasureful activities; enjoying and experiencing life to the fullest; any new, fascinating information; seeing the interconnection and interrelationship between diverse areas of information; being spontaneous and on the go; new, stimulating people and conversations; what I want to enjoy.

EIGHTS: Eights are assertive BOSSES (figuratively speaking) motivated by a desire to be powerful, self-reliant, strong, and to have control over their lives.  Being respected for their strength is more important to them than being liked.  They are no-nonsense, lusty, robust people who go after whatever they want.  They are natural leaders who want to make an impact on the world.  They do everything they can to avoid being: weak, vulnerable, controlled, or dependent on others.  Unconscious focus of attention: wielding power and taking charge; being in control of my space; correcting injustices; protecting the weak/innocent; action and assertiveness.

NINES: Nines are easy-going PEACEMAKERS motivated by a desire to keep the peace, harmonize with others, and create a comfortable life.  These nice people (who can have difficulty saying “No” and making decisions) can easily become distracted and then get off task on the important things they were trying to do.  Although they rarely get angry and will accommodate others to avoid conflict, they can be stubborn and non-commital at times.  They like to merge with others and their environment, and they gain their sense of self through these connections.  They do everything they can to avoid: confrontation, conflict and discomfort.  Unconscious focus of attention: all the things in the environment that beckon attention; keeping life comfortable, peaceful, harmonious, stable; being sensitive to others; doing the less essential, comfortable activities rather than the more important, disturbing ones.

Note:  If you identify with each of the Enneagram types in this test you are likely a Nine.

Write down those types from above you think you might be and then go on to Part II.

Part II

Enneagram Type #1 – “I like to be conscientious and do things impeccably”

Please read the following paragraph as a whole not sentence by sentence.  Does it sound like you?

I consider myself a practical, principled person with high expectations of myself.  I may even appear a little self-controlled or uptight at times since I hold myself (and often others) accountable to meet my high standards of competence.  I naturally notice flaws and imperfections in any situation (or person) fairly easily, as well as ways to improve them.  In fact, in my sincere interest to improve a situation, others have told me that I sometimes come across as nit-picking, fault-finding, or even critical.  That is not my intention (usually).  It is just hard for me to see something done ineffectually, incompetently or imprecisely.  When I say I will do something, I make sure it is done correctly and thoroughly.  I appear level-headed, responsible, and fair-minded but most people have no idea that inside I am constantly analyzing my thoughts and scrutinizing my behavior in order to avoid making a mistake, losing self control, or being judged harshly by others.  Although I try not to show it, I can get resentful when others act unfairly, incompetently, or irresponsibly.  The “at my best” and “at my worst” columns below do, have, or could describe me quite well.

Enneagram Type #2 – “I like to be loving and needed”

Please read the following paragraph as a whole not sentence by sentence.  Does it sound like you?

I consider myself sensitively attuned to the emotional states, needs, and feelings of others.  It is as if I have an inner antenna that tunes me in to other people’s needs – even people I don’t know.  It is very easy for me to give of myself.  In fact, if I am not careful, I am the type of person that could give too much and then become overburdened, overwhelmed, and emotionally drained from taking care of everyone else but me.  I consider myself a warmhearted, loving, and generous person. It is very important that people feel comfortable coming to me for guidance, advice, and support.  Relationships and love are major priorities in my life and I crave, yet sometimes fear, intimacy.  I appear cheerful, vivacious, and hospitable but most people have no idea that inside I suffer (or have suffered in the past) from well-hidden feelings of loneliness and/or rejection when my efforts to help are not appreciated or wanted.  When I feel totally neglected and/or used I can become very emotionally upset and distraught, inadvertently revealing the extent of my deep disappointment and loneliness I have been trying to hide.  The “at my best” and “at my worst” columns below do, have, or could describe me quite well.

Enneagram Type #3 – “I like to be accomplished and admired”

Please read the following paragraph as a whole not sentence by sentence.  Does it sound like you?

I consider myself someone who is strongly motivated by being outstanding at whatever I do.  I place great value on winning and being the best but, since I like to be appreciated and admired, I am also diplomatic and a good team player.  I like to present myself well and make a good first impression.  I usually feel pretty good about myself, have an optimistic, can-do attitude and don’t like to be burdened with others’ negative emotions.  I am almost always busy and at times I have driven myself relentlessly to achieve my goals.  To be honest, I generally am successful at almost everything I do because I have an innate need to be productive and accomplishing.  In fact, if I am not paying attention I can easily become impatient with people who waste my valuable time when I am busy.  I identify strongly with what I do because I believe (or used to) that to a large extent your value is based on what you accomplish and the positive recognition you get for it.  I project an image of self-confidence and self-assuredness but most people have no idea that inside I feel (or have felt in the past) a constant internal pressure to “have it together,” to present myself well, to perform at maximum efficiency all the time, and to not need much help or personal support.  The “at my best” and “at my worst” columns below do, have, or could describe me quite well.

Enneagram Type #4 – “I like to be authentic and out of the ordinary”

Please read the following paragraph as a whole not sentence by sentence.  Does it sound like you?

I consider myself a sensitive person with powerful feelings and a rich, creative imagination.  I feel (or have felt in the past) as though I am not like other people and nobody really understands me.  That’s because I seek depth, meaning, and authenticity of feeling and self-expression in my life.  Beauty, love, sorrow, and pain touch me deeply.  I am unusually self-aware and intuitive, sometimes painfully so.  I am very sensitive to critical remarks and often feel hurt at the tiniest slight.  My ideals are very important to me and I won’t compromise them.  I can’t stand insincerity and lack of integrity in others; I try to be as authentic and real as I possibly can.  I don’t like this about myself, but I have a habit (or used to) of focusing on what’s wrong with me rather than what’s right.  I am a romantic at heart and have spent years longing (or used to) for the great love of my life to come along.  Although the quest for emotional connection has been with me all my life I often experience (or used to) a poignant inner sense of disconnection and estrangement from others.  This has led to periods of loneliness, melancholy and depression.  The “at my best” and “at my worst” columns below do, have, or could describe me quite well.

Enneagram Type #5 – “I like to be intellectually stimulated and self-sufficient”

Please read the following paragraph as a whole not sentence by sentence.  Does it sound like you?

I consider myself a self-contained, perceptive person with a questioning, analytical mind.  I relish my time alone and prefer for people not to place too many demands on my time or energy.  I identify strongly with my thoughts and have an intense desire to investigate and understand an issue deeply when it interests me.  In fact, it is easy for me to get lost in my interests and be alone with them for hours.  When a situation gets emotionally intense, it is really hard for me to express my feelings in the moment.  I need time alone to process my feelings and thoughts.  With my great need for independence and privacy, if I am not careful, I can easily isolate myself from others socially.  I am observant and actually enjoy watching what is going on around me just as much, if not more than, being in the middle of the action.  I project an image of emotional reserve, self-sufficiency, and independence but most people have no idea that I too desire companionship and connection as others do.  The trouble is I fear (or used to fear) that if I get too close to others they may make unreasonable demands of me or, even worse, I may lose my independence and freedom.  The “at my best” and “at my worst” columns below do, have, or could describe me quite well.

Enneagram Type #6 – “I like to be loyal and supportive”

Please read the following paragraph as a whole not sentence by sentence.  Does it sound like you?

I consider myself one of the most dependable and loyal people you will ever meet.  Once I have committed myself to a cause (or person) I am able to support it (him or her) through thick and thin.  I seem to have a knack for envisioning impending danger – whether real or imagined!  In fact, I have been told that I get way too fearful and anxious anticipating worst-case scenarios that never happen.  Perhaps it’s true.  I do tend to question what might go wrong sometimes.  When I anticipate something potentially dangerous happening my mind just revs up and I sometimes experience as much anxiety as if the event were actually happening.  I would like for life to be more certain (less unpredictable) and for people to be more trustworthy.  I am compassionate towards others, faithful to family and friends, and hard working.  I am not particularly comfortable being seen as the authority figure because I tend to doubt myself and my capabilities (or used to).  I project a cautious, responsible and reliable image but most people have no idea that I often (or used to) experience feelings of self-doubt, uncertainty, ambivalence and anxiety.  The “at my best” and “at my worst” columns below do, have, or could describe me quite well.

Enneagram Type #7 – “I like to be enthusiastic and free to seek new experiences”

Please read the following paragraph as a whole not sentence by sentence.  Does it sound like you?

I am a lively, idealistic, optimistic person (generally) with a very active mind, especially for exciting and interesting things to do!  I am co