Am I an Enneagram type 5?
5’s Core Motivation – I am striving to:
- Detached, capable, competent, and knowledgeable
I focus my attention on:
- Facts, logic, analysis
- If I will have enough of my own resources, including time and energy
- Protecting myself from being drained by others
I avoid:
- Demanding relationships and engagements
- Situations that require energy expenditure on feelings and emotionality
Typical characteristics and strengths:
- Objective, analytical
- Rational, logical
- Systematic, particular
- Innovative, inventive
- Curious, open to new ideas
- Observant, perceptive, cerebral
- Insightful
- Calm in a crisis
- Values simplicity and privacy
- Self-reliant, autonomous
Typical challenges or blindspots:
- Emotionally distanced and detached
- Overly-private, reclusive, isolated
- Stingy, avaricious
- Withholding, withdrawn
- Critical, superior – especially with knowledge
- Arrogant, haughty – especially with knowledge
- Aloof, preoccupied with own thoughts
- Lots of “should-ing”
- Inflexible, rigid, stuck thinking
- Negative, nay-saying, pessimistic
Typical patterns and behaviors:
- I spend my time thinking, learning, practicing and innovating.
- I tend to have expertise in something/s because of my curiosity and persistent drive to learn and become both an expert and an innovator.
- Having time and energy to pursue activities that are important to me is crucial. Management of my resources – time, energy, money – is a primary focus.
- Because people (and their emotional needs) tend to require time and energy, I deemphasize relationships and situations that require my emotional engagement.
- It is common for others to perceive me as a loner or isolated. I enjoy my solitude.
- I prioritize facts over feelings. Feelings are messy, subjective, often overwhelming and burdensome.

Considering your wings and arrows may help clarify nuances of your type.
- 5’s Wings: 4 and 6. Most of us “lean” more toward one of our two wings, sharing some behaviors with that type.
- Growth Arrow: 8. 5’s “move” toward 8 adopting 8ish behaviors and patterns for growth and development.
- Stress Arrow: 7. Where 5’s may go when they are experiencing acute stress or difficulty. Here we see the 5 demonstrate “low-side” or unhealthy type 7 behaviors.
Not sure what Enneagram type you are? Please contact me to learn more about Enneagram typing.