Nov 22, 20234 min read

The Enneagram and You: Where to Start

Updated: Aug 5

Our goal with personality resources is to provide a method to reflect on who we are. This is why only using one type of personality assessment does not give us a complete picture. For example, the work of Carl Jung, as popularized by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), only explores our personality through how we make decisions and how we tend to perceive the world around us. However, it is limited in explaining other aspects of our personality. This is where using other systems like the Enneagram can help paint a more complete picture of who we are.

The Enneagram diagram with connecting lines.

According to the Enneagram, there are nine distinct but interconnected personality types. The Enneagram defines each type by their core motivations, fears, desires, and behavioral patterns. While there are nine personality types, each person is at least a little bit of all nine, though we tend to default to one of them. While the MBTI focuses on decision-making and perception, the Enneagram seeks to explain our underlying motivations and inner dynamics and how those shape our worldviews and actions.

There are so many resources out there that, rather than rewrite everything, I will present each of the personality types and my favorite resources for them!

Also, the Enneagram is quite popular in Christian communities, but it is not a strictly religious system. While the language of the Enneagram comes from Christianity, it can often be misleading. My goal in this blog post is to provide you with resources that apply to everyone, no matter their beliefs.

The Enneagram - Where Do I Start?

Personality systems often start with an assessment. However, these assessments are not the best and can often leave you mistyped. For example, there are rumors that most Enneagram assessments do not type enough people as a type 6. That said, an assessment is a good place to get started. I suggest using the Truity Enneagram test. It will give you a number at the end, but it will also give you a pie chart - the bigger the slice of a pie, the more like that personality type you are. I suggest reading about your highest-scoring personality types and deciding which one most closely matches you. For example, my wife is an Enneagram 6 but often tests as a 5. After reflection and research, we both know she is a 6. It also helps to go through this process with someone who understands the system and can guide your reflection.

What I Include

First, as part of the musical project discussed in the second bullet point, Elicia Edijanto did original artwork to reflect each Enneagram type. I think they are beautiful, so I wanted to include them!
Next, I will include a song by the musician Ryan O'Neal, who performs under the moniker Sleeping at Last, for each type. Released as a collection in 2019, O'Neal spent a lot of time researching each Enneagram type and writing a song about them. When I first talk to someone about the Enneagram, I will ask them to listen to the song about their type. Often, people have said, "Oh! I already liked my type's song! I didn't even realize that!" They are great songs, and people often feel seen by what O'Neal has done.
In addition to each Enneagram track, O'Neal recorded a podcast on how he wrote each song. Most of the podcast explores and defines that type with his friend and Enneagram practitioner, Chris Heuertz. I love these podcasts! He also talks about the recording process and piecing the songs together. If you only want the Enneagram information, skip around the music-making parts.
The first link will be to the website Truity. Truity's goal is to make self-discovery easier to understand. Truity is a great place to start any journey!
Next, I include a link to the type descriptions from Enneagram Explained. I found Brittany's work on Instagram. I save a lot of what she posts. Her writing is clear, and she presents the Enneagram in an easy-to-understand way.
The last of the written resources is the Enneagram Institute. This group goes in-depth into the Enneagram. If you are ready to dive into the weeds of the Enneagram, this site is for you! Started in 1997, the Enneagram Institute provides resources and workshops for self-growth and discovery through the Enneagram.