120: Countertypes Within the Enneagram: Why some Enneagram types don’t fit the typical stereotypes

If you’re new to the Enneagram, today’s episode might seem a little bit over your head⁣⁣But it doesn’t mean it’s not important—especially if you love the Enneagram and know the amazing, incredible, powerful, effective tool that it is.⁣⁣Listen now⁣⁣⁣As I’ve said before, the Enneagram is super complex, but not complicated⁣⁣And today’s episode dives into one of the more complex parts of it. A lot of times, when we go on journeys, we leave wondering if we got everything out of it—thinking there might be something we missed. I’m here to be your guide in order to ensure that doesn’t happen.⁣⁣A quick recap⁣⁣If you know the Enneagram, you know there are nine basic types and three centers of intelligence—the head, heart, and body. Each basic type has three subtypes that live in these centers, called instinctual variants or “influencing behaviors.” This gives us 27 subtypes all together.⁣⁣Within the subtypes, there is something called the Countertype⁣⁣I like to describe the Countertype like this: “One of these things does not look like the other.” The Countertype is a big reason why some people have a hard time identifying with their core types.⁣⁣Identifying the Countertypes within each subtype⁣⁣The Countertype is the type that usually goes against the usual flow or passion of our core types. In this episode, I go into the Countertype that exists with the Subtypes of each Core Type. Having trouble following? Here’s an example:⁣⁣Enneagram Type: 1⁣Subtypes: Self Preservation 1, Social 1, and One-to-One 1⁣Countertype: In the One-to-One 1⁣Quotes:1:20To do anything having a guide definitely makes things more fun, more effective, and it’s a lot easier. 6:58The countertype quite honestly is the big reason why people have a hard time really identifying with their types sometimes. 10:55 The 1-to-1 subtype within the 1’s is the countertype, so this one doesn’t look typical of the other ones. 12:01 The social 2’s seduce groups from a position of power, so the social 2’s do that by being people smart and competent. 14:50Social 3’s have a hard time being vulnerable and can be very sensitive if they feel like they’re made to look bad. 17:05In contrast to the 1-to-1 four, the social 4 is not competitive though they often compare themselves to others and find themselves lacking. 20:05 Usually the ones who say that they can’t find their enneagram type, a lot of times end up being self-preservation fours. 23:51 The social 6 relies on abstract reason as an impersonal frame of reference. These 6’s have a love of precision and efficiency. 28:01 The social 7 is more about support, the support role I see a lot of entrepreneur healthy 7s that are in this social subtype. 34:02 The 1-to-1 nine express a need to be through the other, they try to gain a sense of being not found inside themselves by fusing with somebody else.