It's All In the Numbers

If you are reading this blog entry, be glad I managed to post it because I have a passion toward laziness. Also, I tend to confuse easily, so it's surprising that I could even remember the password to my blogger account in order to post it.

Today I received some insight into my personality through the use of an Enneagram personality system. The origin of the Enneagram as a personality tool is uncertain, but it is thought to have been developed thousands of years ago by the Sufi tribe. Basically, this system classifies people into nine different types of personalities which are points on an enneagram (a nine-sided polygram). Each category has positive and negative traits, and when a person is at his, best he will project the positive attributes of his number. Sometimes a person can have "wings" or secondary attributes, but when a person is his true self or stripped of his crutches and cloaks, he will project only the traits of his primary number. These are the nine traits:

1. Reformer/Perfectionist--Does everything right

2. Helper/Giver--Attains to the needs of others

3. Performer/Status Seeker--Needs to achieve

4. Artist/Romantic--Must be special and unique

5. Thinker--Wants to understand everything

6. Skeptic/Loyal Friend--Wants security and approval

7. Enthusiast/Epicure--Seeks adventure and happiness

8. Leader--Values power and strength

9. Peacemaker--Wants union with others

Each number directly connects to two other numbers. To move in a positive direction, a person will pick up the healthy traits of one connecting number, but can also go in a negative direction and pick up the unhealthy traits of another number.

Enneagram:



Listening to this in class, it all seemed a bit hokey. But, I went along with it because I am pretty open-minded. That's one of the good traits that others have pointed out within me, along with patience and friendliness. However, I cringe when people say that I withhold or don't formulate opinions and that I am slow to respond because I know this to be true of myself.

However, when we came to number Nine, I became a believer a Enneagrams because I saw my personality. Nines seek union with others, want peace, and avoid conflict with others. At their best, nines are nice, good-natured and empathic. Typically, they can be too easygoing and are unresponsive. At their worst, they are repressed, withdrawn and don't take action.

This relates to mission life in that if we can learn more about our personality and the personalities of others around us, we won't begrudge negative traits and can learn to counteract weaknesses. Personally, I think that following the Enneagram led me here.

Eight months ago, I felt stagnant in many areas; career, relationships and spiritual growth. I was showing the tendencies of a nine at its inefficient worst and wasn't facing my unhappiness about my situation. In order to better myself, I took on the positive traits of three (a performer). Threes challenge themselves, focus on self-improvement and accomplishment and do things that get attention.

I have learned that once I go to Mexico and into Mission life it can be positive to be naturally laid-back Nine because life is more slow-paced. I'll need to take time to talk and learn from others instead of instantly trying to help. Still, I may have to take on the traits of Three in order to make an impact and avoid withdrawing from others. For the next few years, I may bounce around between numbers, but at my core, I am a child of God and everything will get figured out.