Typology

What is right and what is wrong? What is good? What is not good? We all tend to believe we know, but each one of us would answer these questions differently. Enneagram Ones, in particular, tend to be pretty black and white when it comes to right and wrong. Typically, it's harder for Ones to see the gray. So, learning to see the fundamental perfection, or goodness, at the core of all things is an i...

This week I continue the conversation with Leeann and Michelle. Blending humor, motherhood, and the Enneagram, Leeann and Michelle show how they approach self-awareness and personal growth with lightheartedness and compassion towards themselves and others. Tune in through the end of the show to hear the advice they each share for processing big emotions. With backgrounds in commercial acting, tele...

What happens when two comedians who love the Enneagram get together to make YouTube videos?  You get over 50 amusing Enneagram-related videos to entertain you. With backgrounds in commercial acting, television news and comedy, Leeann Dearing and Michelle Fortin are a firehouse duo who create great comedy in many mediums: parodies, sketch humor and live shows.  You can catch their "Enneagram Funnie...

Enneagram Sevens typically appear confident, optimistic, and sunny.  They're experts at finding the silver lining in any given situation in an attempt to avoid psychological and emotional or even sometimes circumstantial discomfort or distress. But what people don't understand about Sevens is if you scratch the paint just a little bit you'll find a lot of anxiety and unattended sorrow, unattended...

The Enneagram is a wonderful instrument that helps us develop self-awareness and self-knowledge that allows us to move through the world more intelligently, with more love and compassion, but it doesn't define us.  It helps us develop an internal witness who can stand back and observe when we need to make a different choice or action.  So, when life throws you a curveball, as it did for our guest,...

I'm often asked what it's like for specific type-pairings to be in a relationship?  I believe that any type can have a successful partnership as long as they are healthy in their type.  That doesn't mean there won't be challenges along the way, but when you're self-aware and also understand how your partner sees the world, it allows for more grace and compassion towards each other. Today, Lee and...

We know that Enneagram Ones have a strong inner critic, but they're not alone.  Just how loud is that inner critic for an Enneagram Four?  What does it sound like?  Tune in this week as former Bachelor, Ben Higgins talks about his inner critic, the healing journey of getting over his "Self," and the role the Enneagram has played in finding true compassion and connection among all of his relationsh...

Enneagram Eights are charismatic individuals who lead through strength, competence, stability, and control. When self-aware, they learn to balance their intensity with a strategic approach and bring community leaders together to execute big changes. Today's guest, one of our country's top voices on community partnerships, Joshua Dubois, joins me in a discussion about the Enneagram and how it has m...

One of my favorite quotes by M. Scott Peck is, "Life is difficult. This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths." Once you accept that life is hard, and the sooner that you accept it, the better off you'll be. With all the craziness of 2020, it's important to remember that life is full of struggles and we all have to live with a certain amount of pain. If we let it, our negative thoughts can...

When trying to figure out your Enneagram type it's important to know all nine types. If you think you know your type and just read up on that type, you may actually do confirmation bias and just automatically assume, "That sounds like me."  But when you know all 9 types, you can really dig into the underlying motivation of each type to see which one resonates strongest for you. So, when Ken Colema...

There's no question that we're living in a time where a lot of unprecedented decisions are being made all around us. In our current climate, it couldn't be more evident that we all approach decision-making in different ways — even our responses to decisions other people make vary. Last week, host of The Andy Stanley Leadership Podcast, founder of North Point Ministries, and author of Better Decisi...

How do you make decisions?  Does your initial response come from the head, heart, or gut?  Our natural tendency is to think that everyone makes decisions the same way that we do.  But the reality is that each Enneagram type takes information in through a different lens which impacts the decisions we make on a daily basis.   This week we've got a special treat for you. Host of The Andy Stanley Lead...

What is your relationship with money?  Do you have a healthy one? Do you have a conscious one? Most of us don't receive a financial education or an emotional literacy education as we are growing up.  But, given how much we think about money, understanding what it is for, and why it is uniquely important to you can help foster a better, more intentional relationship with money. Bari Tessler, Financ...

We all view the world through a different lens and the motivations that drive the decisions we make also vary.  The Enneagram is a valuable tool for helping us understand those motivations so we can become more patient parents, communicate better with our spouses, and extend compassion to our coworkers. Our underlying motivations even play a large role in how we behave when it comes to money. When...

The ever-present passion (fear) that drives the Enneagram Six's way of acting, thinking, and feeling, is actually experienced as anxiety. Fear is what arises when you're in the presence of a clear and immediate source of danger.  Anxiety, in contrast, is a vague, free-floating sense of apprehension that arises in response to an unknown or potential threat. For Sixes, anxiety plays a role in all as...

The more I know about life and people, the more I love Enneagram Sixes. Called Loyalists, Sixes are the most faithful and dependable people on the Enneagram. They keep a watchful eye over us. They safeguard our values. In my opinion, they're the glue that holds our world together. And, by the time this episode is over, you're going to understand why Enneagram Sixes have a reputation for being some...

Another one of my favorite episodes is my interview from Season 1 with Jo Saxton.  She's an author, speaker, podcast host, and leadership coach who has dedicated her career to growing leadership teams around the world and empowering women to find their purpose in their personal and professional lives.  She's also a strong voice for Enneagram Eights. Healthy Eights are great friends, exceptional le...

As we continue to celebrate reaching over 11 Million downloads, I'd like to revisit my interview with Fr. Richard Rohr.  I first encountered the Enneagram when I was a graduate student at a conservative seminary. While on a weekend retreat I came across a copy of Fr. Richard Rohr's book, Discovering The Enneagram: An Ancient Tool for a New Spiritual Journey . In that book Richard describes the tra...

We want to thank all of our listeners for tuning in and sharing our episodes -- helping us reach our biggest milestone yet -- 11 million downloads! As we celebrate this month, we'll be revisiting a few of Ian's favorite episodes that show just how powerful the Enneagram is as a tool for personal transformation. In today's replay, we take a look at the adaptable, caring, and "go with the flow" natu...

Driven by the desire to appear successful and distinguish themselves through their achievements, image-focused Enneagram Threes often appear confident, ambitious, and goal-oriented. At their best, they are self-accepting, authentic role models who inspire others. Today, author and leadership coach, Jenni Catron explains the pivotal role the Enneagram has had played for her personally and professio...

Known for their playful, high-spirited, and spontaneous personalities, Enneagram Sevens infuse optimism and adventure in their daily interactions.  But their fear of boredom can lead to impulsive decision making and difficulty committing to plans in advance. So, what happens when an Enneagram Seven focuses on doing their work and allows the knowledge to penetrate and break the patterns that typica...

Enneagram Eights are real forces of nature.  They are incredibly hardworking with a great deal of energy, and their self-confidence and take-charge personality make it easy for them to make difficult decisions.  So, when it comes to finding the job you love, Enneagram Eight, Ken Coleman couldn't be a better guide.  Today on Typology, Ken not only outlines the questions any Enneagram type needs to...

As a map of our interior world, the Enneagram is meant to bring about or enable spiritual transformation. But what does it look like when we are far enough down our path to see a difference? Our guest, actor/musician and Enneagram three Josh Radnor illustrates that vision today. Josh talks to Ian about growing in his compassion for himself and others, transforming from an unevolved three to an evo...

We're kicking off season 4 with a great episode! Today, Enneagram Four pop star Tori Kelly and former professional basketball player André Murillo join me to talk about how the Enneagram has impacted their relationship.  Right out of the gate the conversation goes deep into how the Enneagram fosters a better understanding of the needs of their friends and family, encourages them to respect each ot...

When I first heard an Improver wrote a book titled, The Lazy Genius Way , I had to get her on the show.  How on earth does an Enneagram One, who typically can't stop working to perfect the world and relax, come to embrace laziness? In today's episode, author Kendra Adachi explains why it's so important to be a genius about the things that matter, but to be lazy about things that don't.  She also t...