The Enneagram Reveals Motivation

What the Enneagram Reveals about our behavior

Photo by Alex Radelich on Unsplash

Many people try to describe a type or to type others by their behavior. This is rarely accurate. The problem is that behavior is dependent on many factors. And given the right situation any type can potentially exhibit any behavior.

The key to understanding each type is motivation. The Enneagram is a map first and foremost of what motivates us at a subconscious level.

The way to think about it is like this. Each type has a set of core fears. Each type was born with these fears. I see them as biologically hardwired into the type. They are not a result of childhood experience.

The types Core Fears are like kryptonite. The type wants to avoid feeling them at all costs. To feel the core fear for each type is painful. The type will automatically without conscious thought do whatever they can to avoid feeling them.

This then creates the motivation for each types behavior. Read that again. It’s the key to understanding why each type acts the way they do.

Each type is motivated to avoid feeling their core fears. This creates a very powerful motivation that is often not conscious for that type unless they have done the work to become self aware and worked with the Enneagram.

I think about it like this:

Core Fears>Motivation>Behavior