Many people think Extraverts like to talk all the time, while Introverts prefer not to talk at all. Superficially this might seem true, but it is a stereotyped version of the differences that mark the Introvert vs. Extravert dividing line.
While anyone could write off personality tests as just a form you have to fill for work, or a silly pastime from high school days, these reports can also be a powerful self-growth tool. After all, it’s always fun and validating to realize more people see the world in a similar way to you.
One of the most common mistakes people make when trying to find their Enneagram type is that they over-identify with a single specific trait. For example, someone who over-identifies with anger might assume they are an Enneagram type 8, another with anxiety assumes they are a Type 6, while someone who identifies with helpfulness assumes they are a Type 2.
Each of the 16 personality types has its strengths, struggles, and unique qualities. However, like with any other label, it has become common for certain stereotypes to come up when discussing different types within the 16-type system. Although these stereotypes may stem from surface-level facts, they can be harmful, limiting, and untrue.
This blog post is part of our Fundamentals of the Enneagram series, which takes a deeper dive into all the Enneagram elements - wings, arrows, subtypes, centers of intelligence, growth pathways and more. For an overview of the series, start with our introductory post here.
In the introductory blog post to Enneagram Fundamentals, I described defenses as being like band aids we have forgotten to take off. Covering up wounds that never quite healed.
INFJs may be good at many things, but dealing with conflict is certainly not our forte. If there’s one thing this personality type dislikes, it's the idea of having to confront someone. In our peace-making and harmony-seeking minds, everything should be solved without the need to argue. So when conflict arises, an INFJ will probably sweep it under the carpet, ignore it and hope it never comes up again.
The Enneagram Type 2 Giver and Type 9 Peacemaker have a lot in common, and it's easy to see how there could be confusion between the two. If you’ve ever felt conflicted trying to decide which one you are, you aren’t the first person to feel you could be both. Let’s explore some of the similarities and key differences between these two personality styles.
Since INFPs are one of the rarer personality types, I have not often gotten to know “one of my own kind.” At least, I don’t think I have.
But I do know what it’s like to live as an INFP. Based on this ‘insider knowledge’, I think I can make some reasonable conjectures about what might happen when an INFP meets another INFP — and it runs the entire gamut of experiences from total bust to mighty boom!
Here’s what happens when two of these imaginative idealists collide.
I was first introduced to the Enneagram while contracting for a company on a change project. They said “Our organization is mostly Sixes. That will make change harder. Here is Helen Palmer’s book. Go.”
As I cracked open the book I was thinking, “Six what?” And so I began my journey to determine my type and try to grasp how to apply this knowledge to the organization.
The Enneagram is a powerful tool for deepening one’s spirituality and in finding a truly fulfilling personal path. It’s also an incredibly helpful lens for improving unhealthy patterns and finding joy in your relationships.
THE FINE PRINT:
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