The Enneagram – Are You a Type 1?

Do you like to be organized and orderly? Do you like to be on time? Do you tend to see things in terms of right or wrong, good or bad? Is it difficult to be spontaneous? You don’t like it when people break the rules! Do you think of yourself as practical, reasonable and realistic? If these statements resonate with you, then you may wish to look further at Type One on the Enneagram.

I will cover a basic overview of each of the nine types as we go through the next weeks.  What is most important to understand, is that we have some of all types within us so it is helpful to understand how each one looks at and responds to the world around them.  Besides, we are sure to have someone of every type in our own circle of influence and understanding someone who sees things differently than we do, creates opportunity for less stressful interactions.

Type One can be called the Reformer, The Perfectionist or The Judge. Ones are motivated from a deep inner message to be good, to have integrity and to be balanced. They are idealists and want to make the world a better place. There is an active inner critic that operates full time within the One’s mind steering their thoughts, feelings and actions to do the right thing. Ones are conscientious and ethical, with a strong sense of right and wrong. They are teachers, crusaders, and advocates for change: always striving to improve things, but afraid of making a mistake. Well-organized, orderly, and fastidious, they try to maintain high standards, but can slip into being critical and perfectionistic. They typically have problems with resentment and impatience.

My husband is a Type One and his favourite saying has always been, “ Good, Better, Best Never Let it Rest until Your Good is Better and Your Better Best”.  He takes life seriously and work always comes before play. This does not mean that Ones will never play, it just means they believe they must earn their play time, or even better, when they finally get away on that well deserved holiday.  Once away from all their responsibilities, a whole new expression of playfulness can emerge!

Type 1 at their best in relationships, are loyal, dedicated, conscientious and helpful.  They are well balanced and have a good sense of humour. Ones at their worst in a relationship, are critical, argumentative, nit-picking and uncompromising. They have high expectations of others.

Practical suggestions for Type Ones:

• Spend some time each day doing some recreational activities that you enjoy whether it be gardening, playing a sport, walking, being with friends or puttering in your workshop.
• Spoil yourself –flowers, chocolates, meals out – and regularly indulge in the things that you enjoy.
• Accentuate the importance of humour in your life.
• Avoid the shoulda, woulda, coulda’s
• Allow yourself to have one cluttered drawer, closet or room.
• Allow yourself to lose your temper.
• Welcome impulses and desires and see them as valid.

Famous One’s – Al Gore, Hilary Clinton, Harrison Ford, Margaret Thatcher, George Harrison, Katherine Hepburn, Jane Fonda, Martha Stewart, Vanessa Redgrave, Nelson Mandela, Pope John Paul II, Ghandi.

How about you? Do you relate to a type 1? I’d love to get your feedback.  Here on my blog, you’ll get commentluv. That’s a plug in that allows you to leave a link back to your own site when you leave a comment!

Until next time,

Karen