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• Withholding, withdrawn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.