Enneagram Type 1

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

The enneagram type 1 or “perfectionist” personality is determined to uphold specific values and standards they deem essential; however, they often feel it's 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 type may appear to put up everything together at face value, under the surface, enneagram ones may be filled with unresolved expectations and desires.  Read on to find out about Enneagram Type 1's and how to acknowledge the most typical characteristics.

Enneagram Type 1 Characteristics

The Enneagram type 1 personality cares deeply about quality and the pursuit of improving standards to accelerate purpose and goodness in the world around them.

Known 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 could 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 make them become obsessive.

The following 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 approaches to establish order and purpose.

Healthy Enneagram 1

A healthy enneagram 1 understands their tendency toward being rigid and seeks to practice empathy when communicating their expectations.  To prevent 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 having to be overly critical or harsh.  They could relax, knowing that they'll disagree without judging or being demanding.

Healthy enneagram type 1's can approach their use reason, avoiding obsessive characteristics. They could hold both a solid desire for work and the ability to have a break and enjoy other things. A healthy enneagram you can loosen up, realizing not everything must be so serious.

For one's, learning how to give themselves and others grace is an important step toward growth.

Unhealthy Enneagram 1

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

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

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

An unhealthy enneagram type 1 will have poor ability to concentrate on achieving their goals and express frustration when their strict expectations are unmet.  Even so, rather than taking responsibility to higher 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 everybody else is wrong.

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

Unfortunately, the driving passions within enneagram 1's can manifest in cruel techniques 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

Using the Enneagram isn't about conforming to a stereotype; instead, it can benefit individuals identify traits and develop healthy patterns to overcome the shadow sides of these 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 result in a negative outlook on themselves and their surroundings. If channeled in to a positive direction, 1's can be shining samples of justice to those around them.