When the topic of personality tests is brought up, my mind has always instantly pictured the 16 four-lettered personalities of the Meyers Briggs test. However, I have discovered this test to be unreliable at best, as I am characterized as a different letter combination each time I take it. I easily find myself lost in these algorithms, seeking a specific result that answers every question I have about myself. While I have learned that no personality test can accurately sum up a person entirely, there is one personality test that has proven to be extremely eye-opening, even brutally honest at times: The Enneagram.

The Enneagram characterizes people into nine numbered groups. There is so much about the core motivations and deepest desires within each type that it is impossible to describe each one in a few brief adjectives; however, out of word-conservation efforts, we can briefly try to identify the specific characteristics of each type. Type One is known as The Reformer, known for their qualities of perfectionism and rational thinking. Type Two is known as the Helper, commonly seen giving gifts to win over the people they love. Then there is Type Three, which can also be called the Achiever, driven by success and the prospect of achievement. Type Four is the individualist, self-expressive and occasionally dramatic. Next comes Type Five –  known as the Investigator, commonly described as innovative and secretive. Type Six is called the Loyalist, anxious yet responsible. Type Seven is the Enthusiast, spontaneous and outgoing. Type Eight is briefly described as The Challenger, dominating and confrontational. Lastly, Type Nine is called The Peacemaker, receptive and complacent. 

A spider web-like diagram depicts the types, with arrows to each type’s healthiest and unhealthiest state. For example, Type One shows growth by adopting Type Seven characteristics, and shows stress by adopting Type Four characteristics. It is interesting as each type is one type’s healthiest state and another type’s unhealthiest state. Each type is also identified to be a mix of their general type and also one of the two adjacent numbers, which is known as their “wing.” For example, Type Two can either be a Two-wing-One or a Two-wing-Three, which adds more layers to the personality description. 

Although I believe there is surface level truth to many personality tests, the Enneagram has transformed me into a devoted user with its multi-dimensional elements depicting how personalities interweave in a community. I will forever continue to read and study this intricate web of personalities. I believe it will help me to understand the people around me, shedding light on misunderstandings and relationships in my life, providing resolutions and insights.