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  • Withholding, withdrawn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.
Enneagram 5

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.