Are Enneagram 5s Lazy? (A Complete Guide)

This article will explore the question as to whether the type 5 enneagram is lazy or not and what traits could possibly contribute to such a perception of this unique enneagram type. The article will also introduce this enneagram type to the audience in detail and point out what ways this enneagram could improve their behaviour so they can appear less ‘lazy’ and become a healthier version of themselves.

Are Enneagram 5s Lazy?

Enneagram 5s are not lazy but they can be perceived to be so because of their traits and unusual interests. They are individuals who prefer to contemplate over things and hence wander around in their thoughts; to others they may appear as someone who is least bothered about what is going around them or a person who just doesn’t have the energy or will to get up and look around. However, the type 5 enneagram is just someone who has picky interests; it is not the common thing that interests them but the rarer ones!

Before we look at some of their traits that may contribute to this perception of them being lazy, we will introduce this enneagram type in detail!

Who Is A Type 5 Enneagram?

These individuals are very much interested in learning things that are relevant to their area of interest. They will investigate its elements and try to gather as much information as they can! The enneagram type 5 is alert, innovative but secretive at the same time.

People with this enneagram type have the ability to build complex ideas and skills; this is possible only because of their focus on the specific area they are working within and their dedication to master it.

The type 5 enneagram has an innate need to learn continuously. They want more and more information and want to increase their reservoir of knowledge. It bothers them if they have an interest in a certain thing or phenomena however, they are not able to learn more about it. Their curiosity is indeed a problem for them. At the same time, this desire to learn more about their interests distracts them from other things in their life, especially the practical ones. 

Another defining trait of this enneagram type is that they want to be different from others in what they learn or study. They want to discover a new area or an area that is least researched by others. They do not want to focus on things that are common or conventional; they want to study the bizarre, unknown, beyond limits, unexplainable topics on the list!

The Basic Fear – Type 5 Enneagram

The basic fear of these enneagrams is that they will become useless in the sense that they have no skill or knowledge. They are scared they will not be competent in any field of life which they can master. The fear is not associated with showing off but to give their own self a sense of assurance that they have a skill they know very well and it makes them stand out from others.

The Basic Desire – Type 5 Enneagram

Their basic desire stems from their fear of not being competent. The desire is to learn so that they are competent and skilled in a certain area that is of much interest to them and not so common or known amongst others. They desire to be different in the knowledge they possess and skills they can employ. It gives them a sense of competence, capability and assurance.

Just Lazy Or Other Bad Traits Too?

Apart from being seen as lazy, this enneagram type has some other bad traits that erupt when they become a more unhealthier version of themselves. Although these individuals may seem very intellectual because of how they work out everything in their head, this may take a deep dive if they do not work on their self improvement. Slowly, but gradually, enneagram type 5s start to stay in their head. Because of this they like to test and imagine whatever idea they have in their minds and not practically.

This may seem okay but it allows them to touch upon areas that are unlikely to happen and this will engage in overthinking. They will think of scenarios which may scare them from taking practical steps and it is unfortunate that their thoughts take irrational forms which are dark.

Enneagram type 5s will become isolated from others because they are wound up in their imaginations. They are prone to look into darker things and this will further twist their thoughts causing them to be more and more negative. This is dangerous because they become fixated on their ideas and beliefs. If someone opposes them they will become reactive and take on an antagonistic stance without really considering what the other person says.

If this enneagram does not take care, they will become highly detached from others fearing opposition or aggression for their ideas or thoughts to the extent they can become schizophrenic or even suicidal. 

This, folks, is why they need to constantly focus on self improvement like everyone else!

Traits That Make Them Look Lazy!

Here are some traits of the type 5 enneagram that further add to the perception that they are lazy and least bothered by what is going on around them!

Rare Interest

This enneagram type needs something very unusual to actually get them interested! They are not lazy but are not easily interested in what is going on around them. They prefer to study things that are not commonly found in the environment and this is why others may think they just like to stay in bed.

Don’t Need Validation

The type 5 enneagram doesn’t need others’ approval or recognition. They don’t have to show others what they like or do and hence stay in the scene or picture! They are not under the pressure of maintaining a social image to show people that they too are up and running or hard working. They do things when they want and seldom worry about what other people think!

Internal World Explorers

Most of the time of the type 5 enneagram is spent in their thoughts. They are not lazy but just like to observe or explore their thoughts – fortunately this does not involve running around but sitting in one place and you can even have your eyes closed – maybe this is why people think they are lazy!

What To Do?

In this section, we will advise how the type 5 enneagram can seem more active and less lazy!

Think Less, Work More

This enneagram obviously has a problem with overthinking – a big one actually. The first thing they need to do is realize they have an issue with overthinking. They must monitor their thoughts and determine if they are spending too much time on thinking over the same things.

They can dedicate separate time for thinking over things they are looking into, already researching or finding interesting. However, they need to be very careful in the sense that they actually monitor how much time they are working on the topic. After that, they can encourage themselves to actually take some practical steps on the topic like testing it, asking people what their views are on it or even studying what others have written about it. However, they must be careful not to keep thinking about it and just assuming!

Small Steps In Planning

This enneagram often runs away from their practical work! They actually look for something that keeps them distracted and involved so they don’t have to do things they find hard to do. For example, there was one person who found it difficult to participate in sports class hence they would skip it and read. They no doubt developed very good reading habits and stored a lot of new knowledge, but they found it difficult to pass the physical fitness tests at the end of the year.

Teach What They Learn

One of the problems these enneagrams face is that they become detached from others and fear opposition for their ideas or beliefs. They must realize that in order to avoid these problems they must share their knowledge – bit by bit if it is too complex or new!

This will help them develop tolerance, interaction with others and help them feel competent in their field in an acceptable and healthy way as they are teaching others.

Conclusion

This article not only answered the question as to whether enneagram 5s are lazy or not but also introduced them in detail. The article also highlighted other bad traits of this enneagram and suggested ways to improve their image. Furthermore, the article also listed traits that contribute to their perception of being seen as lazy.

References