Enneagram Type 1

The Enneagram is just a tool to greatly help individuals understand their personalities and identify patterns of their lives.  Improving self-awareness and recognizing re-occurring traits is particularly attractive to an enneagram type 1.  An Enneagram Type 1 is commonly referred to as “The Perfectionists,” and recently, as “The Improver.”

The enneagram type 1 or “perfectionist” personality is set to uphold specific values and standards they deem essential; however, they often feel it is necessary to justify their behavior.  Enneagram ones can lead successful lives by achieving their goals; however, they may be too strict on themselves and others as you go along without awareness.

Understanding an Enneagram type 1 could be a little intimidating at first.  While this sort may seem to carry everything together at face value, under the surface, enneagram ones could be overflowing with unresolved expectations and desires.  Read onto learn more about Enneagram Type 1's and how to identify the most frequent characteristics.

Enneagram Type 1 Characteristics

The Enneagram type 1 personality cares deeply about quality and the quest for improving standards to accelerate purpose and goodness on the planet around them.

Referred to as perfectionists, enneagram ones will uncompromisingly use laser focus, strictly adhering to an ideal standard they believe is good. Enneagram Ones will tirelessly work until they're content with results, which can have positives and negatives, depending on the situation.

When healthy, an enneagram type 1 can perform their goals and enjoy success.  When an enneagram one is unhealthy, negative situations can cause them to become obsessive.

The next headings will explore the dichotomy of how enneagram 1's behave for their motives.  The driving force behind a ones desire for improvement could be a catalyst for change or crippling to the individual.

The characteristics of the enneagram type 1 often develop due to growing up in unstable, chaotic environments.  Within these structures, enneagram ones begin constructing ways to establish order and purpose.

Healthy Enneagram 1

A healthy enneagram 1 understands their tendency toward being rigid and seeks to rehearse empathy when communicating their expectations.  To avoid being blinded by their ambitions, they will seek to know the more significant interests of the group rather than their desires. 

When healthy, an enneagram one can take space for competing opinions without being overly critical or harsh.  They are able to relax, knowing that they may disagree without judging or being demanding.

Healthy enneagram type 1's can approach their use reason, avoiding obsessive characteristics. They are able to hold both a powerful desire for work and the capacity to have a break and enjoy other things. A healthy enneagram one can loosen up, realizing not everything needs to be so serious.

For one's, learning to give themselves and others grace is a vital step toward growth.

Unhealthy Enneagram 1

An unhealthy enneagram 1 tends to focus on the shortcomings of others. By being critical of others, they don't really have to handle their problems, allowing them to safeguard their misshapen standards of what is right.

When unhealthy, an enneagram one will generate a narrative in their mind which includes or eliminates details that best support their point of view.  Doing this creates a dissonance between right and wrong concerning how they interact and communicate with others. 

Overlooking their judgemental attitude, they neglect to start to see the hypocrisy of the standards. This misstep can cause misunderstanding themselves and others, preventing any meaningful or productive change in their life.

An unhealthy enneagram type 1 can have poor ability to focus on achieving their goals and express frustration when their strict expectations are unmet.  However, rather than taking responsibility to better their lives, they will look for others to blame.  This destructive behavior allows for a construct within them that they're still correct and that everyone is wrong.

Concerning their goals, an unhealthy one can be an obsessive workaholic. This pattern can develop depressive or obsessive-compulsive disorders ultimately causing breakdowns.

Unfortunately, the driving passions within enneagram 1's can manifest in cruel methods destroy themselves and those around them. Without realizing their standards, unhealthy practices can develop to preserve their self-image and must be correct.

Enneagram Type 1 Conclusion

Utilizing the Enneagram is not about conforming to a stereotype; instead, it will also help individuals identify traits and develop healthy patterns to overcome the shadow sides of the personality.

Enneagram type 1's walk a precarious line between passion and obsession in life. Driven deeply by principles and a must be moral, they base their lives about what they believe is correct. This path can have a wrong turn and cause a poor outlook on themselves and their surroundings. If channeled into a positive direction, 1's can be shining examples of justice to those around them https://myownterms.com/enneagram/enneagram-type-1/.