A few months ago, a friend introduced me to the Enneagram personality test, and my life was forever changed.
At first, I was skeptical: I had taken other personality tests before, and they seemed to be either inaccurate or overly complicated. It seemed to me like personality tests just spewed out generalized statements that anyone could relate to, but I decided to go ahead and explore the Enneagram. I filled out a free online test and got my results—9w1—within 10 minutes.
The Enneagram sorts people into nine types. In order, they are Reformer, Helper, Achiever, Individualist, Investigator, Loyalist, Enthusiast, Challenger, and Peacemaker. From there, the Enneagram further divides people with wings one number above or below their primary type.
After a little research, I was shocked by how accurately I fit within my type. As a type Nine, I am a Peacemaker and want to avoid conflict at all costs. However, my type One wing means I am also a Reformer and want to help others be the best they can be. These two categories completely encompassed me and my goals in life in a way no other personality tests had ever done.
Photo credit: Instagram @brushandbarley
The best part about discovering the Enneagram, however, was not the description of my own personality, but rather getting an insight into other people’s personalities through connecting the Enneagram types to pop culture references.
Photo #2. Instagram @enneagramandcoffee
There is a whole sub-section of Instagram just dedicated to the Enneagram—with memes, life advice, and more—and it is easy to spend hours categorizing friends, family, and pop culture characters into the nine categories. These accounts made the types easier to understand as I began to associate certain celebrities with each type. For example, Jess from New Girl is a type Two, Oprah is a type Three, and John Mulaney is a type Nine.
While I’m still doubtful that any test can accurately describe the complexities of human personality, the Enneagram provides a fun method to better understand myself and others and what makes all of us unique.
Want to keep up with HCBU? Make sure to like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, check out our Pinterest board, and read our latest Tweets!