Something interesting came my way again, and I took an Enneagram test at Eclecticenergies.com. The result was: Enneagram Type 4 – The Individualist. This calls for further investigation.
My Enneagram Test Results
You are likely a Type 4. Considering the wings, you seem to be a 4w5. Enneagram Type 4 – The Individualist: Identity seekers who feel unique and different.
Type 4. The Individualist
People with this personality type tend to build their identity around their perception of themselves as somehow different or unique; they are thus self-consciously individualistic. Fours tend to see their difference from others as both a gift and a curse – a gift because it distinguishes them from those they see as somehow “ordinary,” and a curse because it often seems to separate them from the simpler forms of happiness that others so easily seem to enjoy. Thus, Fours can succeed in feeling superior to others while secretly harboring a degree of longing and envy. A sense of belonging to the “true aristocracy” alternates with deep feelings of shame and fears of being somehow deeply flawed or defective.
Fours are emotionally complex and highly sensitive. They long to be understood and appreciated for their authentic selves but easily feel misunderstood and unappreciated. They tend to withdraw in the face of a world that seems harsh or coarse and are often somewhat moody or temperamental. They are emotionally centered and spend much of their lives in their internal mental landscapes, where they feel free to cultivate and analyze their feelings. A desire to manifest this internal world often leads Fours to an interest in the arts, and some become actual artists. Whether they are artistic or not, most Fours are aesthetically sensitive and concerned with self-expression and self-revelation, whether through the clothes they wear or the overall nature of their often idiosyncratic lifestyle.
Fours are somewhat melancholic by nature and under stress tend to fall into depression. They also tend to be egocentric, even under the best circumstances, but when out of balance, they easily succumb to self-indulgence, which they see as fully justified as a way to compensate for the general lack of pleasure they experience in their lives. Instead of seeking practical solutions to their problems, Fours tend to fantasize about a savior who will rescue them from their unhappiness.
Intellectual Fours tend to mistype themselves as Fives, and a strong wing can certainly exacerbate this tendency. However, unlike Fives, Fours tend to reveal themselves and feel comfortable with emotional expression.
Wing 5
Type 5 – The Investigator: Thinkers who tend to withdraw and observe.
Fives are essentially afraid that they don’t have enough inner strength to face life, so they withdraw, retreating into the safety and security of the mind where they can mentally prepare for their emergence into the world. Fives feel comfortable and at home in the realm of thought. They are generally intelligent, well-read, and thoughtful, and they often become experts in the fields that interest them.
The Investigator 5
People with this personality type are essentially afraid that they don’t have enough inner strength to face life, so they withdraw, retreating into the safety and security of the mind where they can mentally prepare for their emergence into the world. Fives feel comfortable and at home in the realm of thought. They are generally intelligent, well-read, and thoughtful, and they often become experts in the fields that interest them. Although they are sometimes scientifically oriented, especially with the Six wing, just as many Fives are drawn to the humanities, and it is not at all uncommon for Fives to have artistic inclinations.
Fives are often a bit eccentric; they feel little need to change their beliefs to accommodate the opinion of the majority, and they refuse to give up their freedom to think as they wish. The problem for Fives is that while they are comfortable in the realm of thought, they often feel much less comfortable when it comes to dealing with their emotions, the demands of a relationship, or the need to find a place for themselves in the world. Fives are generally shy, non-intrusive, independent, and reluctant to ask for help that others might be happy to offer.
Fives are sensitive; they feel insufficiently defended against the world. To compensate for their sensitivity, Fives sometimes adopt an attitude of carefree indifference or intellectual arrogance, which has the unfortunate effect of creating distance between themselves and others. It can be difficult for Fives to bridge the distance because they rarely feel comfortable with their social skills, but when they do succeed, they are often devoted friends and lifelong companions.
Fives are generally somewhat reserved when it comes to emotional expression, but they often have stronger feelings than they let on. Few people know what goes on beneath the surface because Fives often have an exaggerated need for privacy and a deep-seated fear of intrusion. Because of their sensitivity and their fear of inadequacy, Fives fear being overwhelmed, either by the demands of others or by the strength of their own emotions. Sometimes they cope with this by developing a minimalist lifestyle in which they make few demands on others in exchange for few demands being made on them. Other Fives make peace with the messiness of life and engage with it more fully, but they almost always retain their fear that life will somehow demand more of them than they can deliver.
Fives, particularly with the Four wing, sometimes mistype themselves as Fours. Such Fives recognize that they have strong emotions and do not identify with the often extremely cerebral portrait of Type Five. But Fives, unlike Fours, always retain a degree of discomfort when it comes to expressing their emotional states. No matter how easily they may handle it, the language of emotion is not their native tongue.