Am I an Enneagram type 3?

3’s Core Motivation – I am striving to:

  • Feel outstanding, valued, desirable and successful

I focus my attention on:

  • Achieving goals, accomplishing tasks, being efficient and getting results
  • Gaining the respect and esteem of others often by showing my worth and capability

I avoid:

  • Circumstances where I feel like a failure
  • Drama and situations that are emotionally demanding

Typical characteristics and strengths:

  • Accomplished, highly-regarded
  • Success-oriented
  • Goal-oriented, motivated
  • Driven, ambitious
  • Hard-working, productive
  • Efficient, competent, often well-organized
  • Energetic, task-oriented
  • Well-developed interpersonal skills
  • Pragmatic
  • Confident

Typical challenges or blindspots:

  • Competitive
  • Opportunistic, calculating
  • Image and appearance-conscious, sometimes vain
  • Workaholic, task-obsessed, over-extended
  • Standoffish, inattentive to feelings and relationships
  • Impatient, rushed, abrupt
  • Intense
  • Self-promoting, arrogant

Typical patterns and behaviors:

  • I enjoy being productive. I focus a lot of my time and attention on my work.
  • Whether at work or at play, I endeavor to excel at what I do. I enjoy competition and being the best.
  • Some may say I am a bit of a chameleon. I am able to “read the room” and quickly adapt to fit in.
  • My communication skills are an asset. I am confident talking to people. Conversation comes easily.
  • My life is busy. My schedule is often packed. It is common for me to feel pressured that I have more to do than time to do it in.
  • Feelings – mine and others – often interfere with productivity and efficiency so I try to keep things pragmatic and business-oriented.
  • I can come off as rude or abrupt when I am stressed or feel pressed for time.
  • I have a temper especially when obstacles impact or slow the achievement of goals and/or the completion of tasks.
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Considering your wings and arrows may help clarify nuances of your type.

  • 3’s Wings: 2 and 4. Most of us “lean” more toward one of our two wings, sharing some behaviors with that type.
  • Growth Arrow: 6. 3’s “move” toward 6 adopting 6ish behaviors and patterns for growth and development.
  • Stress Arrow: 9.  Where 3’s may go when they are experiencing acute stress or difficulty. Here we see the 3 demonstrate “low-side” or unhealthy type 9 behaviors.

Not sure what Enneagram type you are? Please contact me to learn more about Enneagram typing.