Identify Your Type
It’s now been 8 months since my daughter’s diagnosis. She is certainly making progress. It is getting easier to communicate with her both because she is starting to use words with consistency and because my husband and I are getting really good at intuiting what she means when she makes seemingly meaningless sounds. We are still a long way from hearing her share her thoughts and opinions, but I am finding that I can wait more patiently for this goal when I remember the full meaning of Psalm 139:14.
Today, I reread the entire chapter of Psalm 139 in the New Living Translation. I especially loved the wording of verses 13-16. They reminded me that nothing about my daughter is a surprise to God. He made her body and brain work exactly the way He wants them to work, and everything she does is according to His plans for her. God’s plan is not hindered by our imperfect world. Verses 17-18 reminded me that He is thinking about her constantly. He never stops paying attention to her in order to focus on something more important. This is knowledge that no longer hangs out in my head. I am finally moving this knowledge into my heart where it is becoming faith. I believe God is calling me to practice strengthening this faith. I know that He will be walking with me as I do, and He will continue teaching my daughter to talk.
Which of your personal struggles is God using to strengthen your faith in Him and your understanding of His plan for you? Read Psalm 139 and know how much He loves you and cares about what you experience.
The Enneagram is a complex personality typology system, so anyone new to this system may come across a few hurdles when trying to find their core type. If it can be so hard, why do you need to find your type? The Enneagram is an excellent tool for developing your self-awareness, which is critical for building healthy relationships with yourself and with others. So, let’s start by listing your options for identifying your type.
Take an online test.
Learn all you can about each Enneagram type’s core motivations, and practice self-observation.
Work one-on-one with an Enneagram coach.
You don’t have to use all three of these options, and you don’t have to use them in any certain order. However, there are some important things to consider when deciding where to start. Here are some tips for each option.
1. Take an Online Test
First of all, an Enneagram test is only ever 60-80% likely to correctly identify your core type. I only recommend that you use an Enneagram test as a starting point when finding your type. Responding thoughtfully to the test questions can help you stretch those self-observation “muscles” that eventually build your self-awareness. After you have completed the test, look at how you scored for each type. Don’t just look at the highest scoring type. Then, take the top three scores, and start learning about those three types to see which one applies most completely to your personality.
Secondly, some online tests are free, but other tests require a fee. The price (or lack thereof) for a test is not always an indication of the test’s accuracy. A few (not many) paid tests are not scientifically evaluated for validity and reliability, and the same is true for tests free of charge. Again, most tests, regardless of price, will be 60-80% accurate. Here are two tests that I trust to be at least 80% accurate: Your Enneagram Coach (FREE) and Integrative9 ($60-$120).
2. Learn and Self-Observe
Let me be honest here, this is the most time-consuming option for identifying your Enneagram type. However, it is also the most essential. You are the only person who can identify your core type. No one else can do this for you (although some may try). The Enneagram types are based on a person’s core motivations, not their behaviors. You are the only person who can know your motivations! Of course, not all of your motivations are easy to determine. You are born with your personality, but your personality is then shaped and molded according to your experiences, relationships, culture, and many other factors. You may need to dig through all of these influences to identify your core motivations. This is why it is so helpful to learn about every single Enneagram type before trying to identify your core type. I always suggest that people start with two basic aspects of the Enneagram.
Core motivations
Centers of intelligence (also called Triads)
The core motivations are the driving forces behind each of the nine personalities. Beth McCord likes to break them up this way: core fear, core desire, core weakness, and core longing. When you look at these four motivations and how they are different in each type, you can start to discern which ones are most prevalent in your life.
The centers of intelligence (triads) is a theory based on the assumption that all humans use three different aspects of themselves to make decisions. These centers are Gut Center, Heart Center, and Head Center. You use all three of these, but one of these centers is dominant. When you learn about all nine Enneagram types, you soon see that certain types have certain dominant centers. When you learn which intelligence center is dominant in you, then you will be able to narrow down your core type to three possibilities.
So, learn about the nine types, observe your motivations, learn how you make decisions, and you will soon be able to identify your core type. This may take weeks, months, or even years. That is okay! The Enneagram is a tool for growth and self-awareness; it is not a descriptive label.
Here are a few books and resources that will help you learn more about the core motivations, centers of intelligence, and other attributes of the Enneagram:
Self to Lose, Self to Find by Marilyn Vancil
The Complete Enneagram by Beatrice Chestnut
The Essential Enneagram by David Daniels and Virginia Price
“The Enneagram Journey” podcast with Suzanne Stabile
“Enneagram 2.0” podcast with Beatrice Chestnut and Uranio Paes
3. Work with a Coach
An Enneagram coach is someone who has thoroughly studied the Enneagram and how to apply its principles for growth. If you are struggling to identify your Enneagram type, a coach will teach you how to study the Enneagram and how to practice self-observation so that you can more easily uncover your core motivations and find your type. Remember that only you can identify your core type. Enneagram coaches are very adept at asking questions that will help you notice more about your motivations, but the best coaches will never tell you that they definitely know your type. Instead, they will give you the most effective tools to find it yourself.
If you’re already certain you’ve found your type, though, an Enneagram coach is still a valuable resource. They use the Enneagram as a tool to facilitate self-growth. Anyone who is interested in learning more about their motivations, their strengths and struggles, or how to get along well in relationships can work with an Enneagram coach to achieve these goals. As a coach, myself, this is my favorite part of working with clients. It is a celebration every time a client finds more clarity and confidence in who God has created them to be!
If you would like to work with a coach, click back over to my home page to book a free consultation call with me. I would be happy to help you meet your goals. I know that I am not necessarily the right person to help everyone, though, so if you would like to meet some more coaches, take a look at the Your Enneagram Coach Network.
However you choose to identify your core type, learning about the Enneagram can be truly transformative. I often hear people say, once they know about all nine types, that they find they can be more understanding of people who see the world differently. It is such a blessing to ourselves and to others when we can offer grace and compassion to the people and circumstances around us.