Enneagram Type 1 (A 9 point guide)

In this article, we will discuss Enneagram Type 1. We will describe their fears and desires along with their approach to emotions. We will also discuss their strengths, weaknesses, and possible areas of growth. Additionally, things that stress them and motivate them will be explained. Finally, how these types are at their workplace, in romantic relationships, and what role their childhood played in shaping their personality will also be discussed. 

Enneagram Type 1

Enneagram type 1 includes people who are objective and logical in their approach.  They follow their life according to certain principles and try their best to be fair in their behavior.  They have a strong desire for being just and treat people equally.  They also have a clear sense of right and wrong and their life choices are given by their moral code. 

Enneagrams

Enneagrams are a map or typology of human personalities. It was developed by George Ivanovich Gurdjieff, Oscar Ichazo, and Claudio Naranjo. It has nine personality types that are split across 3 triads i.e. Feeling triad, Thinking Triad, or Instinctive Triad. 

It describes a person’s fundamental psychological orientation based on the triad quality i.e. emotion, intellect or instincts most characteristic of his or her personality. 

Enneagram Type 1: The Idealist 

Key traits: principled, orderly, perfectionistic, and self-righteous. 

Type 1 under-expresses instinct i.e.it  represses instincts due to high superego/moral conscience. So, their actions are not driven by instincts rather it is dependent on feelings of the person. It has two subtypes:

• The one with wing 9 (Type1w9)

• The one with wing 2 (Type1w2)

Type1: ‘The Idealist’

Basic fear 

Type 1 is fearful of being incorrect and unjust.  They do not want to be out of control and be perceived by others as someone who is unfair.  To prevent this from happening,  they make sure that choices are according to the right path.  They can separate their emotions from their moral code and make objective decisions.  They especially dislike those people who are corrupt and do not have good intentions.

Basic desire 

Type 1 has a strong desire for being fair and orderly in their behavior.  They focus on accuracy and details.  These people can usually be found standing up for the rights of other people.  They challenge the status quo and push people for bringing reforms and equality into the system.  

Type 1 and emotions

  The idealists are not good with emotions.  Even if they feel negative,  they tend to redirect their emotions to get a sense of control.  At times,  they may distract themselves by busying themself in their work.

Strengths of Type1

Type 1 has many strengths.

•  They stand up for the rights of other people. 
•  They have a good awareness of right and wrong.
•  They are aware of the details and pay attention to them.
•  Their worldview is idealistic and optimistic.
•  They are driven by their personal values.
•  They can connect with their community and are quite caring about it.

The Weaknesses of Type1

Type 1 also has many weaknesses. These include the following:

• They have a tendency to be perfectionistic is take in whatever they do. This can’t consume a lot of their time and energy.
• They have difficulty accepting the hard realities of life
• At times, they can be highly critical of themselves. They also extend the same type of criticism to other people and point out their mistakes openly.
• Sometimes their moral code can get to their head and they become too self-righteous. They can become obsessive about doing the right thing.

If you’re facing this, it may be a good idea to seek the help of a therapist or other mental health professional. You can find a therapist at BetterHelp who can help you learn how to cope and address it.

Possible areas of growth for type 1

Type 1 can grow as a person buy the following:

• They can engage in deep breathing exercises.  This is because it can help them Slow Down And Get Connected with their body.
•  They can learn to recognize the beauty in flaws and mistakes.  In other words,  they can try to understand that perfection is not always possible and learn to let go.
•  They can try to be self-aware of their tendency to judge themselves in a critical manner. They can also catch themselves when they find that they are judging other people from a negative perspective.
•  They can come to the realization that life is not black and white.  Everything cannot be objective.  Consequently,  they need to accept that there are grey areas and subjectivity as well.

Source of Stress 

Type 1 gets stressed by the following:

•  Whenever they are perceived as rigid or inflexible by others,  they get upset. 
• Accepting criticism is quite hard for them especially if they receive it from someone they admire.
•  When they feel like they are not making a difference in the world, they feel hopeless
• Reminders that the world is full of evil and corruption can be mentally overwhelming for them.

Workplace and job

Type 1  prefer to work in jobs where they can have order and organization.  They also work best when they have the autonomy and power to change the existing system. Jobs most suited for them include judges, lawyers, politicians, doctors, etc.

At their workplace,  they play the role of someone who keeps the team grounded and stabilizes them.  They also work towards their goals in an orderly fashion.  Whenever their colleagues appreciate them and follow their way of doing things,  they do quality work.  

Furthermore,  if their Boss values ethics and fairness,  they can work well under them.  However,  if they are ignored and face the negativity from others,  they cannot perform well.  If their instructions and ideas are not followed,  they feel upset because their need for self-control and conscientiousness is not channeled out. 

Motivations

They are energized by the following:

• Whenever they are fighting for an important social issue or on a matter related to justice,  they feel like they are making a difference and are powered up.
• When they volunteer and help people around them who are less fortunate than they are,  they feel productive and happy to be contributing back to society.
• Finding the correct way of doing things and solving complex problems is enjoyable for them.
• They strive for personal growth and feel happy when they pursue such a journey.

Romantic Relationships

In romantic relationships,  these personalities are honest and open-minded.  They are usually relaxed and motivated to make a relationship work.  It is important for them that their partner shares their views because otherwise there is a high possibility of regular conflict.  Apart from that,  they try their best to treat their partner right and do what is best for them. They may struggle when they have to re-adjust their expectations about the relationship.  It is also hard for them to look past the imperfections of their partner.  They can also be quite unforgiving of mistakes which can make the relationship quite difficult.

Type 1 Childhood/development

Our childhood is shaped by the relationships we have with our parents and how we view the world and respond to it. During childhood, type 1 was disconnected from their father or the person who was responsible for establishing guidelines and discipline. Their life lacked structure and they felt that the rules were not fair. Accordingly, their superego did not develop properly. 

They decided to develop their own guidelines which ultimately became their code of life as they grew up. According to them, if they are strict with themself ethically, no one can blame or criticize them. In a way, they try to punish themself and act a step beyond the disciplinary guidelines set by their father and religious and moral upbringing. They learn to rely on themself for having discipline and structure in their life. When they disobey the ethical standards they have set, they feel guilty. 

 FAQs: Type 1

Conclusion

In this article, we discussed enneagram type 1. We found that Enneagram type 1 includes people who are objective and logical in their approach.  They follow their life according to certain principles and try their best to be fair in their behavior.  They have a strong desire for being just and treat people equally.  They also have a clear sense of right and wrong and their life choices are given by their moral code. 

I hope you found this article interesting. If you have any queries or comments, please state them in the comment section 😊

Citations

https://www.crystalknows.com/enneagram/type-1

https://www.psychologyjunkie.com/2020/03/10/the-childhood-wounds-of-every-enneagram-type/#

Personality Types – Using the Enneagram for Self-Discovery by Don Richard Riso with Russ Hudson

The Wisdom of the Enneagram by Don Richard Riso and Russ Hudson