I think I have my Enneagram type wrong!

Are you confident that you’ve found your Enneagram type? 

Discovering your Enneagram type can be one of the most meaningful insights in your life. It can describe your internal motivations and thoughts so well that it feels as if someone were reading your mind. But what if you’ve been studying the Enneagram for years and have “taken the test,” and yet, you still don’t resonate with the results?

I have a couple of strong beliefs about the typing process:

1. I believe about 1/4 to 1/3 of people I meet just don’t have their type right.
2. I believe a mistaken typing makes the tool feel kind of ‘meh’ and causes people to “work on the wrong stuff.”

One of the gifts of the Enneagram is that it is not one-size-fits-all. Each of the nine types has a tailor-made growth path that can liberate you, leading you to be all that you were made to be. Add in the subtype information, and you get 27 individualized templates for life-changing growth. What a shame to miss out on the information that could really help you overcome limiting beliefs, feelings, and habits!

I find three main reasons why people don’t have their type right:

1. Someone else told them what THEY thought their type was. Maybe you had a mentor or supervisor who said, “You’re such a SEVEN!” (or SIX or TWO or whatever type). They based their information on some particular aspect or behavior THEY witnessed. A close friend was told he was a TWO, because he was helping a band load up their gear after a gig. (He wasn’t a TWO.) And who came up with the crazy idea that only TWOs can help? Hate to break it to you, but anyone can help.
2. They are a look-alike of another type. What’s a look-alike? It’s a type that behaves like a certain type, but for a completely different motivation. Look-alike types are very common. Each of the Enneagram’s 27 subtypes has at least one look-alike. Knowing the look-alikes is a key to unlocking the understanding of your type.
3. They don’t have an accurate assessment of themself. Self-awareness is hard work, and we all have blind spots. We tend to ignore parts of ourselves that we’d rather not see. An outside guide or tool is essential in moving past our own biases. Author Richard Rohr wrote, “If you don’t sense the whole thing as somehow humiliating, you haven’t yet found your number.”

If you feel like your type doesn’t totally fit and want to know more, let’s connect. The Enneagram can be such a powerful resource for a lifetime of personal growth. It’d be a shame to miss out on that.

Wouldn’t you like to know your type with confidence? Sign up for a 45-minute Enneagram typing assessment and consultation. You’ll take a high-quality assessment that will give you both your type and subtype, as well as a 20-page report and the chance to process your results with a certified Enneagram professional. It’s only $125 to get started!