Core Fears
- making mistakes or being imperfect
- not meeting expectations
- being criticized or judged by others
- being seen as irresponsible or unreliable
- being out of control or lacking self-discipline
- being morally corrupt or unethical
- being seen as lazy or unproductive
- being blamed for problems or failures
- being seen as incompetent or inadequate
Core Desires
- a sense of purpose and meaning in their lives
- to be good, right, and moral in all their actions
- order, structure, and organization
- perfection and excellence in everything they do
- to be responsible, reliable, and trustworthy
- justice, fairness, and equality
- to make a positive impact on society
- a drive to improve themselves and others
Healthy Ones are individuals who possess a strong sense of ethics and principles, valuing honesty and reason above all else. They are diligent, organized, and productive, with a keen sense of right and wrong that guides their actions and decisions. While they hold themselves to incredibly high standards, they are also understanding of the fact that humans are inherently flawed and imperfect. Healthy Ones are self-disciplined and strive for excellence in all aspects of their lives, whether it be in their personal or professional pursuits. They are service-oriented and have a deep desire to contribute to the well-being of others, often driven by a strong sense of purpose or mission that they want to fulfill. In addition to their strong convictions and unwavering commitment to their principles, Healthy Ones are also fair and just, impartial and objective, and respectful of others' values and opinions. They are highly idealistic and always aiming to improve themselves, others, and the world around them.
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​Average Ones, like healthy Ones, strive to live life the right way and improve themselves, others, and the world in general. However, unlike healthy Ones, they tend to be highly opinionated about everything. They believe they know what is best and that people need their guidance. Unfortunately, this can lead to resentment and resistance from others, leaving average Ones chronically dissatisfied with reality, other people, and themselves. Ones have high standards, which can lead to impatience with perceived incompetence and lack of conscientiousness. Some average Ones feel they have a mission in life and are very careful about how they use their time and resources. They can be very vocal and convinced that their views are right. Average Ones also tend to worry and get overwhelmed easily, feeling like the weight of the world is on their shoulders.
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​Average Ones struggle with their inner critic, which can lead to suppressing their true feelings and desires. They often discipline themselves to do what they believe is right, even if it goes against their personal wishes. This can cause them to come across as tense and repressed, especially when under stress. Despite their judgment of others, they are sensitive to criticism and strive for perfection to avoid it. Thus, they're known for their perfectionistic tendencies, often nitpicking and fault-finding when under pressure. Average Ones live by strict internal list rules and schedules, making them meticulous planners. While they can be orderly, methodical, and well-organized, they may also come across as impersonal, rigid, and emotionally constricted. Their fear of making mistakes drives them to be incredibly scrupulous and painstakingly thorough in their work. Unfortunately, this level of detail, coupled with a strong sense of obligation and an idealistic, mission-oriented mindset, often causes average Ones to become driven workaholics. Ones who value punctuality may become frustrated when others are late. They may struggle internally with whether to be nice or point out the other person's "imperfection." Ones tend to see things in black and white and have difficulty accounting for subtlety and individual differences.
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Unhealthy Ones can be impatient and frustrated with anything less than perfection in themselves or others. They can be closed-minded and convinced that they’re always right. They tend to alienate others by being dogmatic, controlling, rigidly inflexible, self-righteous, and intolerant. They can be moralizing and preachy, scolding and lecturing others to try harder. It is not uncommon for unhealthy Ones to experience feelings of depression and isolation. They may feel as though their values and beliefs are not understood or appreciated by others, leading to a sense of hopelessness and frustration. These individuals may become withdrawn and melancholic, harboring feelings of anger and resentment towards those who seem to have it better. They spend more time daydreaming and fantasizing about a different life, feeling envious of others' successes and resentful of their own circumstances. This can lead to a painful self-consciousness and social withdrawal, making it difficult to connect with others.
Natural Talents & Gifts
• organized and detail-oriented, making them excellent at planning and executing tasks efficiently
• strong sense of responsibility and committed to doing what is right, making them reliable and trustworthy
• highly self-disciplined with a strong work ethic, allowing them to achieve their goals and succeed in their endeavors
• a keen eye for detail, able to spot errors and inconsistencies quickly; excellent at quality control and problem-solving
• highly principled with a strong sense of justice, making them passionate advocates for fairness and equality
• able to inspire and motivate others to achieve their best, making them excellent managers and mentors
• highly analytical and logical, making them excellent at critical thinking and decision-making
• strong sense of duty and commitment to serving others, making them excellent caregivers and volunteers
• highly conscientious with a strong sense of personal integrity, making them honest in all of their dealings
• strong sense of purpose and desire to make a positive difference in the world; excellent agents of change and reform
Instinctual Variants
Instinctual variants are crucial in the Enneagram as they significantly shape our personalities. All animals, including humans, possess three survival instincts: Self-Preservation, Sexual (One-to-One or Relational), and Social.
Our psyche is comprised of three instincts, which are present in everyone but to varying degrees. One of these instincts takes precedence over the others and is referred to as our dominant subtype. This instinct is the first aspect of life that we attend to, and it can be related to security and wellbeing, intimate relationships, or social belonging.
Self-Preservation
Those who fall under this subtype are particularly focused on ensuring they have the necessary resources to survive. This includes providing for their partner and children, if they have any. Their concerns typically revolve around physical comfort, food, money, room temperature, health, housing, and overall well-being. Although they may have fulfilling relationships and social lives, if their self-preservation needs are not met, they may feel uneasy and uncomfortable.
Sexual
While most people desire one-to-one relationships, sexual subtypes have a strong preoccupation with intimate connections, particularly with their partner. They constantly seek to be in a relationship and strive to get closer to their partner. Sexual subtypes are highly attuned to the chemistry and level of stimulation between themselves and others. Without deep intimacy in their primary relationships, they feel emotionally unsatisfied and ill at ease.
Social
Social subtypes have an inherent need to belong to the culture they identify with, which drives them to adapt to the culture's needs to be accepted and protected. They are highly aware of how others perceive them, but not all social subtypes enjoy group activities. Unlike self-preservation subtypes, who enjoy their alone time, and sexual subtypes, who value exclusive intimacy, social subtypes prefer to be involved with people.
Enneagram 1 Subtypes
Self-Preservation Ones tend to suppress their anger, which often results in them exhibiting good intentions, following rules, and striving for perfection. They hold the belief that being angry is a negative trait and, therefore, try to be tolerant, forgiving, and sweet. However, this can lead to a buildup of anger inside, which can manifest as irritation, resentment, frustration, or self-righteousness when they are under pressure. Self-Preservation Ones are always on high alert, fearing that anything could go wrong at any moment. They have a faulty sense of security and an implicit anxiety about failure, which can make them feel uneasy and restless. Although they may let go of worrying if there is nothing they can do, they find it difficult to stop being vigilant if they can have an effect on the situation. This can lead to obsessive-compulsive defenses, where they become obsessive in their thinking and compulsive in their behaviors to reduce anxiety. The Self-Preservation One is a true perfectionist who finds it hard to relax due to the many things they have to do and worry about. They are constantly striving to achieve their goals and meet their responsibilities, which can make them feel overwhelmed and stressed. They are particularly hard on themselves if they don't get things right and have difficulty letting go of control. As a result, they feel compelled to scrutinize and perfect every detail.
Sexual Ones are driven by a need to improve others rather than themselves, which sets them apart from the other two One subtypes. They are more known for their explicit anger, impatience, and sense of entitlement, sometimes making them challenging to deal with. However, their intensity of desire fueled by anger motivates them to want to improve others, which can be expressed as excitement, passion, or idealism. This makes them compelling and vehement in their beliefs, and they possess the mentality of a zealot, feeling entitled to assert their will over others. The Sexual One's intense desire can lead them to make the world a better place according to their beliefs, and their unique approach to life can be both inspiring and challenging. Sexual Ones are characterized by their goals to ameliorate others, which can be attributed to a genuine belief in idealism or the subtype's need to make others more "perfect." Among the three subtypes of Ones, Sexual Ones are known to bring the most intensity and energy to their relationships, and they may feel a sense of higher calling or authority to reform their partners and friends. They are particularly skilled at pointing out what others need to do to meet specific standards, but they may not spend enough time focusing on reforming their own behavior.
The Social One strives to be a perfect example for others, representing the ideal way to be or do things through their actions. They rigidly adhere to their own particular ways, expressing exclusive ownership of the "right" way to be, think, and behave. This character tends to be a cooler, more intellectual type, in which the main characteristic is control. Despite their efforts to repress it, the Social One's anger can still surface due to their passion for being the owner of the truth and resistance to anyone trying to correct them. This can lead to an overconfidence about being right or "perfect" in their actions and beliefs. The Social One is often driven by an unconscious urge to feel superior to others. This urge is so deeply ingrained that having a conscious desire to be superior would be considered inappropriate behavior. This behavior is akin to implicitly stating, "I'm right and you're wrong." The Social One has an inherent need to make others wrong to exert power over them. By being right, they believe they have more authority to control the situation. However, this behavior can lead to a number of negative consequences. For example, a Social One may resist adapting to changing times or customs, persisting in their preferred way of doing things despite others evolving differently. They may have a rigid attitude of "This is how it is and this is how it should be."
