I Love Myself When I Am Laughingã¢â‚¬â¦and Then Again When I Am Looking Mean and Impressive

Enneagram Series by Mark McGuinness

Having introduced the 3 Enneagram Center types in my terminal post, I’ll at present motility on to the three thinking or ‘Head types’.

The minimum you need to know well-nigh the Enneagram symbol is that information technology is divided into three parts, representing the three ‘centres’ or types of intelligence in human being beings – emotional, mental and physical. Some other manner of looking at the three centres is to run across them equally corresponding to different types of action – relating, thinking and doing.

In this post I volition outline the three ‘Head’ types – types V, Six and Seven. These types’ strength lies in their mental intelligence – their power to think clearly, to penetrate deeply into a subject or to create new options for action.

It’s of import to recall that no types are ameliorate or worse than the others. Each type has strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and obstacles. And the Enneagram is non well-nigh putting people in boxes – we all have the potential to occupy any position on the Enneagram, and in dissimilar situations we tin accept on the characteristics of any of the nine types.

Type 5 – The Observer

Blazon V has a gift for focused concentration and deep thought, able to analyse a problem, topic or state of affairs and achieve carefully reasoned conclusions. Fives take their identity from their status as guardians of knowledge and founts of wisdom. Considering of their patient ability to explore a field of study in depth, they become authorities on whatever they set their heed to. Issues arise when thinking becomes a substitute for activity, and when they get so used to ‘living in their heads’ that they lose affect with their own feelings and become insensitive to others.

The stereotype of the Five is the ivory tower intellectual, but they are not necessarily academics – they are the deep thinkers and reserved characters to be found in any walk of life, the ones near likely to take a step back from a situation and requite it considered idea.

At their best Fives are wise teachers, generous with their learning and eager to help others. They are able to fix aside their own prejudices and examine the data impartially, ofttimes reaching an original conclusions that information technology is difficult to contest. They know the joy of learning for its own sake, regardless of trappings such as qualifications or loftier status positions. They are able to balance deep idea with a healthy awareness of their own feelings and deeply felt connections to those around them.

At their worst Fives are cold and afar, cutting themselves off from others and withdrawing into a globe of abstruse thought. The respected authority becomes a tiresome know-all, highly sensitive to any perceived slight on their status as the fount of all wisdom. The thirst for knowledge turns into an obsessive drove of data, without regard for its utility or relevance. Lost in a world of abstract thought, they lose touch with their real feelings and can recoup through compulsive or addictive behaviour. The dark side of The Observer is the paranoid Pedant.

We all feel bespeak Five when we become so absorbed in learning about a topic that nosotros experience a deep pleasure in marshalling all the facts and seeing meaningful patterns emerge – and mayhap feel slightly superior to those who haven’t looked into it so deeply?

Blazon Six – The Guardian

Type Half dozen is a hard-headed thinker who applies applied intelligence to securing the wellbeing of a group – such as a family, circle of friends, team, visitor or country. Sixes have their identity from their position as loyal members of the group. Considering of their ability to spot danger and put the grouping involvement outset they are dependable team players. Problems ascend when their identification with the group leads to an ‘us and them’ mentality and they become suspicious of ‘outsiders’.

The stereotype of the Vi is the policeman or security baby-sit, prepared to put their life on the line for the status quo, simply they can be institute as loyal members of any kind of team – such as those in concern, sport, the armed services, politics or the family.

At their best Sixes are loyal, trustworthy guardians whose ‘sixth sense’ for danger is placed at the service of their community. They are able to go along a clear head even when alert for danger, and come across potential threats in perspective, responding appropriately. They are happy to work tirelessly in the background, without the need for special recognition. They are wise enough balance their identification with their group with a healthy respect for others and their differences, and extend a warm welcome to strangers.

At their worst they are suspicious and volatile, quick to accuse and irksome to trust or forgive. Their alertness spills over into paranoia. Both Fives and Sixes experience paranoia, with the difference that Fives are typically paranoid about themselves equally individuals, Sixes on behalf of the group. Tormented by anxiety, they encounter everyone as a potential threat – ‘insiders’ are potential traitors, ‘outsiders’ are viewed with prejudice and tin even exist persecuted. The dark side of the Guardian is the paranoid Bigot.

We all feel point Six any time nosotros experience part of a squad and experience the sense of everyone pulling together to reach a common goal – and maybe commencement to see ‘outsiders’ as ‘the opposition’?

Type 7 – The Optimist

Type Seven has a gift for looking on the vivid side of life and thinking upwardly heady new options. Sevens see themselves as ‘the life and soul of the party’. Whether at piece of work or play, they take it upon themselves to lighten the mood and help others to come across the glass equally half-full (and just waiting for a elevation-up). Considering they are and then skillful at infecting others with their enthusiasm they are mannerly company and unremarkably surrounded by a group of friends. Problems arise when their optimism leads them to gloss over difficulties and makes them afraid of facing up to the darker side of life.

The stereotype of the Seven is the bon viveur and party animal, and there’s no denying nearly Sevens have a taste for the finer things in life – but their optimism can also be applied to serious technical, concern or life bug, where they can be relied upon to bring a solution-focused mindset and plenty of applied creativity.

At their best Sevens are delightful people, the showtime names on the list when invitations are going out and the concluding to leave at the end of the evening. They are concerned with others’ pleasure as much equally their ain, and volition go to considerable lengths to ensure that everyone has what they need for a skilful time – all the while insisting that ‘it’south my pleasure’. They are also wise enough to admit problems when they arise, and to utilise their intelligence and creativity to finding workable solutions.

At their worst Sevens cling to pleasure, sometimes to the point of addiction, as a way of fugitive difficulties and shirking their responsibleness. Delight in the good things in life becomes a sense of entitlement, and they react angrily when others refuse to play the game and indulge their whims. Formerly charming, they can exist bitterly critical and hurtful of their ‘so-called friends’. The dark side of the Optimist is the selfish Hedonist.

We all experience point 7 when nosotros are filled with an irrepressible sense of the joys of life and its possibilities, and an eagerness to share these with others – and maybe when we know it’s fourth dimension to face up to our responsibilities, but want to keep playing just a little longer?

Questions

• Practise you recognize yourself in any of these descriptions?
• Can you retrieve of an example of someone making an outstanding contribution by playing to the strengths of the Five, Six or Vii?

Part 4 in Enneagram — a Brief Introduction, The Body Types, will appear Mon, July 2, at about this same fourth dimension.

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Mark studied the Enneagram as office of his training as a psychotherapist. He has used it for his ain personal development and in his work with individuals, families, and organizations. Mark McGuinness' business Wishful Thinking, is a specialist coaching and preparation service for creative businesses such equally design studios, ad agencies, film and Boob tube production companies, computer games developers, architect’s practices and fashion designers.

Thank you, Mark,
–ME "Liz" Strauss

Related:
Encounter the complete series listing at Serial: The Enneagram – a Brief Introduction

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Source: https://www.successful-blog.com/1/3-the-head-types/

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