Are you a 5 guarded by walls of logic, a 6 seeking safe haven in others, or a 7 forever chasing the next thrill? Unravel your Enneagram Head Type here.
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Enneagram Head Types, also referred to as the Enneagram Head Triad or Thinking Triad, include three personality types: 5, 6, and 7. They share the same underlying and dominant feeling of fear, even if they do not acknowledge it, and a desire for safety, security, and predictability. However, the way each particular type within this triad navigates life’s challenges and deals with their controlling emotion of fear is different. Dive into this writing now and figure out how each Enneagram Thinking Type dances with fear.
Head Types, with Enneagram types 5, 6, and 7, are associated with the Thinking Center in Enneagram’s center of intelligence triads. Despite being associated with the Thinking Center and called the Head types, it doesn’t mean that this triad is more intelligent than the others.
In fact, Thinking Triad members highly focus on analysis. They are considered very analytical people and just trust their logical thoughts and the processes of careful thinking, planning, and foresight. That’s the way they attempt to gain better control over potentially dangerous or painful things and situations. These individuals are often
perceived as intelligent, analytical, and capable but may also struggle with excessive thinking, self-doubt, and a tendency to withdraw from emotional expression.
Due to the core emotion of fear, which is the feeling of being threatened or insecure, individuals with Head triad are motivated by a desire to be mentally and emotionally safe. They use their intellect and logic to understand the world and cope with it. Still, they typically have issues with anxiety, making them always seek security.
However, it’s worth emphasizing that each type of this triad has its way of expressing and dealing with fear, depending on the core motivation and instinct. To be more specific, individuals with type 5 express their fear through withdrawal, while members of type 6 seek security from the external world but may often experience anxiety. On the other hand, those in type 7 tend to distract themselves from fear.
For personal growth and overcoming challenges associated with the dominant emotions, the Head types should put effort into balancing their thinking with their feelings and instincts and facing their fears with courage and faith. It’s also good to learn from each other within the same triad, as each type has something to offer and something to learn from the other two.
Here’s a deeper and closer look at the significant insights of each personality type within the Enneagram Head Types, or Enneagram Head Triad:
People with Type 5, the Investigator, are known for their profound intellect and an insatiable thirst for knowledge. Deep inside individuals of Type 5 lies the motivation and desire to be mentally and emotionally safe through knowledge, skill, and competency. That’s why they are ardent seekers, delving into the depths of ideas, theories, and information to build a mental fortress of understanding.
As part of the Head or Thinking Center of Intelligence, people type 5 also focus on their thinking and their areas of expertise and deal with the emotion of fear by withdrawing from the world. Those with type 5 conserve their energy and resources. They value privacy and independence. They fear being incompetent, overwhelmed or invaded.
Fives are smart and love to think, contemplate, and observe life, while their thoughts are considered a way for them to collect information about reality. However, when getting lost in their own thoughts, combined with hesitancy to tap into emotional reserves, they can detach from other people and real life, leading to a state of isolation.
For that reason, striking a balance between the pursuit of knowledge and genuine engagement with the external world is the real challenge for The Investigator. However, through the journey of self-discovery, they can unravel the layers of their intellectual cocoon, learning to share their wisdom with others and cultivate meaningful connections. Fives can also benefit from recognizing their inherent worth and value, regardless of their knowledge or skills. When healthy and balanced, they are insightful, visionary, and original.
People with Enneagram Type 6, or the Loyalists, are reliable, responsible, loyal, and hardworking; however, these individuals can also be evasive, defensive, and even extremely anxious. Marked by a deep-seated need for security and a penchant for preparing for all possible scenarios, Loyalists tend to navigate life with a constant undercurrent of doubt and a keen awareness of potential threats.
When it comes to the core emotion of fear, people type 6 deal with it by seeking guidance and authority from others or within themselves and by being alert and vigilant to potential dangers. It’s not exaggerated to say that Type 6 is a complex blend of analytical prowess and a vigilant mind.
The Loyalists, as the name suggests, value loyalty and trust. However, self-doubt and suspicion are typically the problems for Sixes, and they also fear being unsafe, unsupported, or betrayed.
Type 6 can grow by becoming more confident and self-reliant. Through the journey of self-discovery, Loyalists themselves can unravel the layers of anxiety, gradually learning to rely on their inner strength and intuition. They can also benefit from facing their fears with courage and faith. When healthy, the Loyalists are engaging, supportive, and courageous, and they use their thinking constructively to foresee and prevent problems as well as support the weak and powerless.
Those belonging to Type 7, known as the Enthusiast, are motivated by a desire to be mentally and emotionally safe through positive and stimulating experiences. They are often optimistic, curious, extroverted, versatile, and spontaneous; however, Enthusiasts can be scattered, overextended, and undisciplined.
As you can probably guess from its name, the Enthusiasts are great exuberant explorers constantly seeking new experiences and opportunities to stave off boredom and evade discomfort. It appears that Sevens aren’t afraid of anything, which at first seems super strange that they belong to a triad with just Enneagram types afflicted by the underlying feeling of fear.
However, similar to the Fives and Sixes, the Sevens, or the Enthusiasts, are full of fear, too. But instead of being afraid of the outside world, they’re afraid and anxious about their own inner world. So, these individuals tend to deal with fear by avoiding pain and limitations and by constantly pursuing new, exciting, and fun experiences. Sevens value freedom and variety and fear being deprived, trapped, or bored.
Type 7 can grow by becoming more focused and realistic. They can also benefit from appreciating what they have and who they are rather than seeking more and better alternatives.
As the Enthusiast integrates the wisdom of the heart and body centers, they can transform their hunger for novelty into a mindful appreciation for the present, discovering that true fulfillment lies not just in the promise of tomorrow's adventures but in the richness of the
present experience. When healthy, 7s can focus their talents and abilities towards meaningful goals, becoming joyful, truly happy, extremely accomplished, and grateful.
Bottom line: The Enneagram Head types are those who are driven by their thinking and their desire to be mentally and emotionally safe. Three types belonging to this triad, including types 5, 6, and 7, cope with the dominant emotion of fear and handle their thoughts in unique ways, and they have different strengths and weaknesses. By learning to balance their thinking with their feelings and their instinct, they can grow and achieve their potential.