Hi, friends! I thought it might be kind of fun to share a little about my Enneagram scores with you. I find that I tend to talk about this type of thing with soooo many of my friends IRL so I thought why not chat about it with you all?! Plus, I would LOVE to hear what your Enneagram is if you’ve already taken the test.
If you’ve never heard of The Enneagram Institute (or test) before, please visit their website for way more information that has been more thoughtfully written than I could ever explain properly. But the Cliff Notes version is it’s a personality test where the types are a single number. Maybe you’ve seen memes of this online? If not, you must be following way different people than me. 🙂 There are free and shortened versions of the test you can find online, but I took the RHETI version on their website. It has 144 questions and cost $12. Again, take a free version if you like, but I personally thought the $12 version was well worth it as they email you a 26-page document afterwards that is all about your top three scores with lists of tips, advice, and ideas for self improvement. (Just FYI, we don’t have an affiliate or make any money from you taking the test; I’m just sharing my experience and opinion for fun here.)
To me that’s what any personality test can be useful for—a self-improvement tool. Sometimes, I’ve heard people use their “personality type” as basically a way to justify their behavior. Or even worse, they will view their type/score as a limitation. They will say things like, “Well, I’m just a type “XYZ” so I can’t change _________.” I really think this is missing the point. I really want to understand myself and those I am close to, and I also want to grow as an individual for my own happiness and hopefully to grow the happiness around me (for those my life can affect in some way).
Anyway … here’s my scores from the test:
I probably identify the most with Type 3, but I certainly felt a lot of connections and saw things in the Type 9 description that felt like me too. Obviously, all the types are awesome—this isn’t a Griffindor or Slytherin thing. 🙂 But I did feel sort of proud of my type(s).
Type 3 – I love that I am a driven, goal-oriented person. I’m proud of things I have achieved in life so far, and I look forward to many more of years of to-do list making. Ha. I also recognize that I do have a tendency to value what I can accomplish more than I value just me. I can take it really hard when I fail. I do have a lot of negative self talk in my head that I have been working on changing and will continue (probably for life, and that’s OK). One bit of advice that my type document gave me was to take time out of my day to connect with others and generally to work on my social awareness and be more social. I can get very caught up in all the things I want to accomplish that I have in the past neglected my relationships. One of my goals this year is simply to get more lunches (or coffees, or happy hours) with individual friends or very small groups. I want to invest more in the people I care about in addition to all the “doing” I am prone to do. 🙂
Type 9 – I actually think I have a very healthy mix of this type in my life. I think when I was younger (like high school and early college age), I was more prone to “just getting along” and not necessarily expressing my true feelings to those I was close to. I think I’ve grown a lot in this area over the last 10 years or so, and I am much more assertive and honest. That being said, I do think my gut reaction to fights or emotionally difficult situations is sometimes to disengage. So I can still grow in this area. One piece of advice my type document gave me is to workout frequently. Interesting, right? But it talked about how this can help me be more aware of my body and emotions. Probably good advice for everyone, but I’ll take it!
If you haven’t heard any of Ryan O’Neal’s (Sleeping At Last) songs about the Enneagram types, you need to! Ryan is such a talented musician—it’s very possible you’ve heard one of his songs in a movie or TV show already. But he creates really moving personal work and I love his thoughtful exploration of the types through his music. His Type 9 song isn’t out yet, but listening to the Type 3 song definitely had me feeling all the feels. He talks about the songs and the types in his podcast as well, and I LOVE how he describes the project as nine stories of redemption. That’s exactly what it should be. Let’s learn better how to love ourselves and love everyone around us; not limit ourselves or create dividers.
I also think it’s hilarious that my lowest score was Type 7—I’m pretty sure that’s Elsie’s type. So, that’s probably why we make such a good team. What’s your type?????? xo. Emma
44 Comments
i love that you’re into the enneagram! we’ve been into it for years, have done all the seminars and now go to couples enneagram meetings!
i got so excited when ryan started his series! 😀 😀 😀
i’m a 7 and my fiance is a 2. it’s a tough match, but a really good one 😀 <3 <3
Really interesting that your lowest could be Elsie’s Highest! I wonder which came first – that is, maybe her type shaped you and vice versa. Siblings are so critical to our development!
Great post! Enneagram is so interesting. I had not ever heard that word until I saw this blog post today! Learn something new everyday.
-Kate Christine
https://daysofkate.com
I personally prefer Myers-Briggs to Enneagram, but I am also a Type 3. When I was reading up on 3s I canme across something that said we can become “human doings” instead of “human beings” and that resonated with me SO MUCH. It’s definitely something I have started working on recently. I agree wholeheartedly that these tests should be used as a tool for introspection and self-improvement. Learning more about myself has really helped me restructure my life over the last year or so.
I am totally a 9.
I really appreciate this insight! I always wonder if I’m a 4 based on circumstances in my life and if I’m meant to be another type I identify with. I’m ENFP and sometimes that doesn’t seem to add to 4 types.
Ok so I thought this part was funny, you take pride in being a 3! Why? Because being recognized as such is in its own way an achievement! I’ve not heard of enneagrams in respect to numbers but very familiar with their descriptions.
Huge fan of personality tests here!! And a proud ENFJ :). I will definitely check this out though, thanks for the recommendation!
Woof Xo,
Michelle & Watson
https://www.watsonandwalls.com/blog/west-hollywood
So funny, I was just revisiting my type this morning after listening to a podcast on it. I have a book on it as well. I am a type 9 as well, and they say that you take on 3 characteristics when you are at your healthiest, so kudos to you! My husband is a 3, the enneagram says we make a great match and I tend to agree!
I’m a 4w5 and I love talking about the Enneagram too! I’ve been reading The Road Back to You and really enjoy it so far.
Hi Emma!
I’m also a 9, and find that I channel a 3 when I’m feeling healthy… I work with a coach who gives me a program with practices to help my 9 be healthy and happy! It’s been really great, and one of my favorite resources is the Enneagram in Love & Work book. The cover art is pretty outdated, so don’t judge it on that. I forced my husband to take the test (he’s a 3) and I was really shocked to see how accurate their depictions of the strengths and weaknesses of our relationship were. It’s also really great for work relationships, and has totally helped me understand my business partner better.
If you’re really in the mood to nerd-out, I also got the Wisdom of the Enneagram book, which was totally worth it. Not gonna lie, my husband thought I was a total freak when that arrived in the mail, but it’s been great for me! Haha
Love the Enneagram and it’s grown me so much in empathy for people I interact with. I’m a 7 and the Enneagram has helped me in more ways than i know to count! One thing to note is that we are never two numbers BUT have characteristics of a number in healthy or unhealthy seasons. For example, a 9 displays characteristics of a 3 (confidence, wooing, etc) I’m health. On the flip side, a 3 moves towards the less fun parts of a 9 (apathy or sloth) in a less healthy season. This might be helpful for you to consider as you determine which of the two numbers you truly are!
Some parts of the Enneagram seem pretty close, although I still think the Myers-Briggs is the most accurate for me. I’m a 6 BTW.
I loooove this! I haven’t been able to figure out my enneagram number yet, but I’ve taken the Meyers-Briggs personality test several times over the yrs and I’m an INFJ. I learned so much about myself! I had my husband (when we first started dating) take the test and it was so helpful for getting to know him better.
You might enjoy looking up Katherine Fauvre’s videos on YouTube. She’s an Enneagram expert who draws correlations between Enneagram & MBTI. I am certified in both instruments & although they can’t be directly correlated, it’s a fun, thought-provoking exploration. 🙂
Imma say he’s a 7
and i would have totally guessed you were a 3.
Read the description of what a 7 & 3 relationship is like and if you start crying or laughing then it’s correct. 😉
I’m so excited to meet another female 3. Once I found out I was a three I started to look into what other threes were out there. I feel like I’ve found a lot of threes that are men, but not many who are posting about it, that are women. I kept hearing podcasts that would have a “three” as the guest, and they were all men! Nice to know I’m not the only one out here that is a female three and proud of it!! We’ve got this! We just also need to learn balance sometimes lol, learning and growing I guess.
I have never heard of enneagrams. Is it like the Myers-Briggs tests? We did them in school (ahem) 20 years ago
I feel like I”ve been under a rock. I never hear of this test. I would think that I would be a peacemaker but I guess I’ll really have to find out!
I LOVE the Enneagram! It’s been a HUGE growth marker in my life! I’m a 7w8 wing!
I’m a 2 through and through!!
I tried to intuitively guess your Enneagram before reading the article and HA! Was torn between 3 and 9.
Just needed to let y’all know.
You’re welcome.
My family created an Enneagram Jar a la New Girl for me, so yay an outlet! I’m a 4w5 and while I’m so hesitant to ever box myself in (lol individualist), using Enneagram as a tool to know myself better (a HUGE thing for 4s) has been one of the best gifts. I really recommend taking the subtype quiz from Enneagram institute. That test is shorter and shows you your subtype. I’m still learning about subtypes, but is basically one of three categories you filter your number through (Social, Sexual, Self-Preservation). It’s been such a helpful tool in learning about myself, but also in navigating my relationships with others.
your comment made me so happy! My family is like STOP WITH THE ENNEAGRAM… usually after I say “oh honey, you’re being such a nine” 🙂
4w3! My whole family works together (parents siblings in-laws!) and we all have been learning about the enneagram together! It’s been SO helpful to understand where people are coming from – help with communication, not assuming motives, learning how to encourage- all the things. SO cool. And the sleeping at last 4 song makes me cry
According to your scores, it looks like you would be a 9w8, but most enneagram experts talk about taking the test as a starting point, and then reading through all the descriptions to see what resonates.
I’m definitely a 1w2, although the first test I took said I was a 2. The enneagram has made my relationship even more amazing than it already was (my partner is a 9 and this page on relationships was spot on and has helped to improve our communication https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/the-enneagram-type-combinations/).
I feel like people who are into the enneagram never shut up about it, and I am one of those people! I suggest everyone follow @enneagramandcoffee on Instagram, it’s the best page around 🙂
Listen to Haley all! A test really isn’t sufficient to determine your true type. Learning all you can about the types and self-identifying is the best way to find your numbers. I thought I was a 9 first, but through study have found myself to be a 5w4..
Im a 5w6! I have never felt more SEEN then when i discovered this.
The Enneagram has helped me (a 5) in SO MANY ways. The way I always explain it to others is that most personality typing systems just tell you about your personality, but the Enneagram tells you about the *motivation* of your personality and why you do/think/feel the things you do. Knowing the WHY has helped me understand myself and others so much!
I am taking a class at church with my husband right now about Enneagrams in Relationships. I have always tested as a 7, but I also identify with a lot of type 1 traits – I did a little more research and found that 7’s often misidentify as 1’s but never the other way around. I had always thought my husband was a 9 but we’re finding he is probably a 6. It’s been super fun to learn together.
Well that’s fun. I am so curious to see what Trey is if I can get him to take the test. 🙂
I find it fascinating that everyone is really getting into enneagrams lately. It was actually part of my high school curriculum (I went to Catholic school and we had a whole section in our Morality class about enneagrams).
I was sorted as a 6 and every time I read about enneagrams, it still resonates with me. I am very into loyalty and am also extremely sensitive. I feel like the enneagram fits me better than my zodiac sign.
It’s really interesting that you are equal in 3 and 9 because for sixes, if you are growing, you can become a nine but if you encounter a lot of stress, you “disintegrate” into a 3. I never expected the two to coexist in one person, ha.
Yes, as I was reading more about my score it did seem kind of weird that I might be both a 3 and 9. But… Idk. I guess it works for me. 🙂
That’s cool that your school taught it. Would certainly be an interesting way to explore yourself at that age. I don’t think I took any personality tests or really thought that much about this kind of thing until after college.
My partner is a nine and sometimes feels he identifies more with other numbers, but if you read more from people who have been studying the enneagram for years, they say that many people who are a nine encompass significant parts of all the other numbers. I wonder if that’s you? I would read The Road Back to You as previously suggested, you can take or leave the spiritual stuff but it really helped me understand the enneagram as a tool in all areas of my life.
3s and 9s are related, so I’m not at all surprised that you scored high in both. If you look at the enneagram symbol, you’ll see the lines between them. If you are a 3 and not doing well, you will take on a lot of negative characteristics of a 9 (maybe like when you were in high school?). If you are a 9 and doing well, you will take on a lot of positive characteristics of a 3. I recommend poking around on enneagram institute’s website. https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/misidentifying-3-and-9/
Not to throw in an “Actually…” in here, but actually 🙂 part of the beauty of the enneagram is the relationships between the types. I find it more helpful to think of the related numbers as where we go in times of stress and times of health/security. As an 8, I look more like a 5 in times of stress, but that doesn’t mean I have to look like an unhealthy 5 or take on the negative characteristics of a 5. A healthy 8 in times of stress starts to look/behave more like a healthy 5, which in my case means I can recognize that I’m in an unstable/stressful period when I start doing tons of research and become more observational and contemplative – characteristics of a 5.
This is so fun! I’m a 7…it’s so interesting now I want to do the paid one.
What is your wing? I think there’s a test that tells you your type and your wing? I need to go find it.
You know, it didn’t really explain the “wing” thing in the test I took? So I don’t know for sure but I’m guessing since I had two that both scored the highest one of those might be my wing?
Wings are the numbers to each side of your enneagram #. So a 9 could only be wing 1 or 8. 3 can only be wing 2 or 4. The EnneaApp goes into greater detail and that’s how you can further identify what you truly are.
I’m a 1! 🙂 And so is my best friend … which is also why we get along so well. 🙂
I love the enneagram! I highly recommend anyone interested in the enneagram to read “The Road Back to You.”
It almost feels like someone is inside your head when you figure out your number. Being a 6, it explains why I do some of the things I do. And learning how to better build relationships with others is always a win. Thanks for sharing, Emma!
Thanks for the recommendation!
Ooh, going to take this now! Reminds me of the 16 personalities quiz!
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
4w5 here married to a 9w1. We’re a pretty solid team but sadly, we can also be very stubborn and don’t do well in the whole “follow through” department ????