Enneagram Type #1

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Description of Type One: The Perfectionist

Ones are motivated by the need to live life the right way, including improving themselves, other people and the world around them. They try to avoid criticism by doing things perfectly. Ones have a strong inner critic or conscience; they live by an internal list of rules, and discipline themselves to do what they should do. Attention naturally goes to error to correct.

Healthy Ones Are: Self-disciplined, hardworking, organized, conscientious, and productive. They have high standards and moral principles.

Unhealthy Ones Can Be: Rigid, inflexible, controlling, self-righteous, overly serious, and hypercritical of themselves and others.

Enneagram Type #1 in Relationships

Strengths (healthy attributes)

· High ethical standards, ideals, and integrity

· Devotion to practical virtues and fairness

· Live by their convictions and principles, walk their talk

· Diligence, industry, responsibility, and dependability

· Constantly strive for improvement

· Commitment to excellence

· Self-restraint, self-control, self-reliance, and objectivity

· Make thought out, reasonable, and sensible decisions

· Organization, conscientiousness, and attention to detail

· Good sense of humor (healthy connection to 7 arrow)

· Put energy into being good family and community members

Weaknesses (average to unhealthy attributes)

· Perfectionism, self-righteousness, and obsessiveness

· Criticality (judging self and others)

· Difficulty expressing feelings

· Stance of moral superiority

· Suppression of natural desires and pleasures, can be tense

· Under-expression of positives

· Inflexibility and rigidity, see things as black or white

· Preoccupation with getting the details right, overly serious

· Can have overly high expectations of others

· Sensitivity to criticism from others

· Anxiety and worry about being wrong/making mistakes

· Overly conservative (for some types)

· Work too much and can’t find time to play

How to Get Along with Enneagram Type #1

	Appreciate their ethics and high standards.
	Encourage them to go easy on themselves.
	Help them accept error and differences.
	Help them make time for relaxation and enjoyment.
	Do your share of the household responsibilities.
	Try to be orderly, organized and on time.
	Try to be as nonjudgmental as possible.
	Show love and understanding if they make a mistake.
	Realize that if they correct your mistakes it is only because they care about helping you improve yourself.
	Own your own criticisms and admit your mistakes.
	Let them know that you will still love them when they express their anger. This opens up communication.
	Remind them that the goal is to be human, not perfect.
	Remind them that they are lovable even though they are not perfect.
	Respect their independence.
	Welcome suggestions for improvement.

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? My e-mail address is: grussrowe@cox.net

This page was last updated on 05/29/05.