Typology

In today's episode, Enneagram Four and author of "Get Weird: Discover the Surprising Secret to Making a Difference," CJ Casciotta joins us to talk about becoming more comfortable in your own unique self and how using your innate ability to be creative can lead to success in your personal and professional life.   Each of us has our own version of "weird" that is calling to be brought forth into the...

Enneagram Ones, or the Perfectionists, often have an idealized view of how things should be and constantly strive to improve themselves, others, and the world.  With a strong desire to do the right thing and not make mistakes, Ones tend to control feelings that they deem inappropriate to the point that it is difficult for them to access or express negative emotions, such as anger, fear, or even an...

This week we're taking a break to spend time with our families over the holidays and hope you are doing the same.  Enjoy this replay of one of our most downloaded episodes. Annie F. Downs, discusses how she stopped running from pain and is learning to share more of her true self through her own path to transformation.   

This week Ian continues the conversation with pastor, author, and leader at Church of the City, Darren Whitehead, as he discusses where he gets stuck as an Enneagram 3, why he learned to say no, and how he measures success through spiritual growth rather than statistics. About Darren Whitehead In 2013 with a small team, Darren and Brandy Whitehead founded  Church of the City . They had a vision to...

Enneagram Threes, when not self-aware, are plagued with comparison. They compare themselves to other people who seem to be more successful and feel some sense of shame about that. On the flip side, when they look at people who aren't as successful, they can feel a sense of pride. Because unhealthy Threes believe their value comes exclusively from their performance or achievements, they tend to pus...

On this episode, Ian and Anthony drink WAY too much egg nog and start calling unsuspecting (former) friends to ask for the perfect gift for their type!

Not only is the Enneagram a great tool for gaining self-knowledge, but it is also a gateway for building strong relationships. When you understand that your way of seeing the world is not the only way to see the world, it creates room for compassion and appreciation toward others. The Enneagram teaches us how to communicate, and in turn, strengthens our relationships with family, friends, and co-w...

Whether there's a three in your life or you are a three yourself, you're probably aware that threes are not naturally self-reflective. They tend to be externally focused rather than internally focused. The big message that threes receive growing up is that it's not okay to have your own feelings and identity, so they expend a lot of energy creating, projecting and maintaining a false image in orde...

Eights are motivated by a powerful need to be strong and, when unhealthy, can have a hard time lowering their guard in fear of appearing weak or vulnerable.  Healthy Eights understand that there is strength and power in vulnerability. Yes, it takes courage to risk vulnerability. But if Eights want to love and be loved they will have to risk opening their heart and revealing their innermost feeling...

Last week, StoryBrand's Don Miller joined Ian to discuss the importance of directing your own story. Tune in today as the conversation turns toward understanding how each Enneagram type tends to lead and how that can impact the broader culture of a workplace.   About Don Miller: Donald Miller is the CEO of StoryBrand, and every year he helps more than 3,000 business leaders clarify their brand mes...

The Enneagram is not just meant to help people understand themselves and then do nothing about it. Rather it is a tool for fostering deep, inner work. In order to make lasting changes in your life, you need to know the story and themes that run beneath the surface. The Enneagram reveals what story you are programmed with and how a self-limiting narrative drives a lot of thoughts, actions, and beha...

One of the gifts of the Enneagram -- the wisdom that we can gain from it -- is self-knowledge. No matter your Enneagram type, self-knowledge can help you dis-identify with those aspects of your personality that put you in an unhealthy place of habitual reactivity.  And once you start to observe those unhealthy aspects, and dive into your work, you'll no longer be ruled by your personality. Our gue...

Enneagram Threes, or The Achievers, see a world in which people only value others for what they can do versus for who they are. They tend to be driven, task-oriented, visionaries, goal crushers who want to avoid failure at all costs.  Threes are very concerned with what other people think of them and are able to look in anybody's eyes and respond instinctively to whether or not they're being appro...

Sevens have a core belief that in order for them to be secure, loved and valued they have to bring the energy and excitement into every situation.  There's this expectation and pressure to be on all the time. And though they are generally wired with a great deal of energy, so it does come easily to them, Sevens have a lot more to offer than just their energy and humor. The struggle for a Seven com...

For those of you who are new to the Enneagram and listening, Eights are called the Challengers. Sometimes they're called the Boss. Eights are typically people who are real forces of nature in the world. They live larger than life. The deadly sin or passion of Eights is lust. That doesn't necessarily mean in the sexual sense of the word, although Eights do have a hunger for excess in every area of...

What's your best friend's number? Understanding the Enneagram can profoundly impact how you relate to others and help you build strong friendships. Knowing your friends' number allows you to understand each other's tendencies and creates space for conversation and compassion.  Today on Typology, listen as Michael Gungor and Mike McHargue, co-hosts of the wildly popular podcast, The Liturgists, dem...

In last week's episode, Mark Scandrette shared some simple steps to help you begin using the Enneagram to move from unconscious to conscious living. In part two, Mark and Ian continue their conversation by discussing the importance of doing work within a community and asking the right questions.  Mark Scandrette has written five books on practical spirituality that seek to apply spiritual wisdom t...

Every day listeners email asking, "I know my type, now what?" Well, the truth is that simply knowing your Enneagram type doesn't change anything in and of itself other than to arm you with a little bit of self-knowledge. Understanding where you go in points of stress and where you go in growth helps explain a lot about why each of us has particular struggles. But to really begin to heal and experi...

Open to new experiences, Sevens are self-confident, optimistic and joyful people who exude loads of energy. They bring a sense of adventure and energy to their relationships and generally try to avoid negative feelings. But that doesn't mean that Sevens aren't emotionally articulate. In fact, as part of the Head Triad, Sevens are very intelligent about a variety of subjects, including emotions.  I...

The Enneagram is a great tool for discovering why we feel the way we feel, act the way we act, and think the way we think.  For Fives, who are unconsciously motivated by Avarice (or Greed), the Enneagram can help identify when fear begins to take over and they are operating with a perpetual scarcity mentality.  On auto-pilot, Fives can be inclined to disassociate and observe from a distance, rathe...

Sixes have excellent analytical minds, are great strategists, troubleshooters, problem-solvers, and of course, see worst-case scenarios that other people don't see. The passion of the Six is fear which is often experienced as anxiety…anxiety that the unexpected could happen at any time. Sixes are really good at playing out all the worst-case scenarios in any given situation. But once they launch a...

When you truly begin doing your work, the Enneagram really should mess with you. It should dis-equilibrate you, throw you back on your heals, make you wonder, "Who am I? Who is everybody else? What am I supposed to do now? This week we're back with part 2 of Claire Diaz-Ortiz's interview revealing how her research into Enneagram Threes has helped her dig beneath the surface and shift her focus tow...

Welcome back to Season 2 of Typology.  I'm thrilled to continue Season Two with a really great friend who I've known for many years, Aaron Niequist. Though Aaron is a four on the Enneagram, we're actually going to explore some new territory today. We're going to go into some content that'll be great for every single number to know and learn about. With two fours on the line, I do need to say that...

Claire Diaz-Ortiz first discovered the Enneagram in 2005 and typed herself as an Enneagram One. When Ian first interviewed Claire in Season One, she came onto the show sharing her life through the lens of a One.  But the more she and Ian dug into her narrative, the more Ian began to sense there was more to Claire's story.  Ian suggested she consider reading up on Enneagram Threes...and she did. To...

Enneagram Twos are called The Helpers.  They are some of the most loving, kind, supportive, upbeat, and—when healthy—genuinely helpful to other people.  Their underlying motivation is to feel loved and needed. But sometimes that need to be needed can lead to burn out. In this week's episode of Typology, we revisit our Panel of Twos who describe what it's like to view life through the eyes of The H...