6’s Core Motivation – I am striving to be:

• Secure, and feel safe and supported

I focus my attention on:

• What can go wrong, establishing certainty
• Determining who and what I can trust
• Preparing to prevent bad things from happening and how to respond when they do (phobic 6)

I avoid:

• Situations and people that are perceived as dangerous, untrustworthy or risky

Typical characteristics and strengths:

• Dependable, dutiful, reliable
• Trustworthy, loyal
• Team player
• Responsible
• Protective, supportive
• Perceptive, mentally sharp
• Troubleshooters, problem solvers
• Hardworking, persevering
• Strategic
• Convicted to beliefs, steadfast
• Sensible, cautious

Typical challenges or blindspots:

• Anxious, worrisome
• Defensive, reactive
• Over analyze, analysis paralysis
• Rigid
• Projectors (project thoughts and feelings on to others)
• Overcommunicates
• Question and challenge authority
• Overly cautious and risk-averse
• Paralyzed by fear
• Skeptical, suspicious, paranoid
• Lots of “should-ing”
• Inflexible, rigid, stuck thinking
• Negative, nay-saying, pessimistic

Typical patterns and behaviors:

• Once you prove trustworthy, I am steadfast in my loyalty and devotion to you or your cause.
• I work hard. I want you and the team to know you can rely on me.
• I typically see issues and problems coming before others do.
• I tend to project my feelings of anxiety outward, sharing my concerns often and with urgency that is not always acknowledged (or appreciated) by those around me.
• I worry about a lot of different things. While I wouldn’t say I like to worry, I do like that worrying keeps me thinking and well-prepared for whatever may happen.
• I go to great lengths to avoid negative scenarios becoming realities (phobic behavior.)
• I face my fears head-on, meeting danger when I can (counterphobic behavior.)
• When my worry gets the better of me, I become suspicious and paranoid seeing trouble at every turn.

Considering your wings and arrows may help clarify nuances of your type.

• 6’s Wings: 5 and 7. Most of us “lean” more toward one of our two wings, sharing some behaviors with that type.
• Growth Arrow: 9. 6’s “move” toward 9 adopting 9ish behaviors and patterns for growth and development.
• Stress Arrow: 3. Where 6’s may go when they are experiencing acute stress or difficulty. Here we see the 6 demonstrate “low-side” or unhealthy type 3 behaviors.

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