What characterizes this personality?
Fist, we must know what an Enneagram is. The Enneagram is considered one of the most used tools for our self-knowledge in the context of personal development. This constitutes a plane of the human being's mind that helps reveal what an individual is like, how he or she relates to others, etc. It is made up of 9 models or, as many call it: enneatypes. In other words, the Enneagram is a kind of scheme that represents the different typologies of personality, its characteristics, defects, virtues and psychological predispositions.
As part of this tool, we can find the so-called ENEATTYPE 8, who has been characterized as a challenging and controlling personality, on the one hand, with the ability to overcome any obstacle that comes his way, but on the other, to discard anyone on his side if necessary.
What are the fundamental characteristics of ENEATTYPE 8?
ENEATTYPE 8 has been identified as the powerful, controlling and dominant personality. It is based on hierarchies of power and strength. These are generally strong people who cannot stand being surpassed, dominated or subjugated by any other individual. They are impulsive, challenging, direct, they do not like someone else to direct them, although they tend to be very courageous, hard-working, confident, assertive and intense on an emotional level. If they have to prove their worth, they know how to bring out their true strengths to overcome difficulties.
However, they greatly crave control, so they often feel uncomfortable when faced with a new or unknown event, such as a committed relationship. Many times, this type of personality withdraws or appears distant when they feel that someone does not fit in with them. Even so, their sense of loyalty is high, and they are very protective of their loved ones.
Defects and fears of ENEATTYPE 8
Something negative about this type of individuals is that they do not interact very well when there are difficulties. This is because they have been molded in adverse situations or have had a difficult childhood due to abandonment or grievance.
Because they fear not being in control, they may become defensive, domineering, and intimidating. They become very reactive people, building a kind of emotional shield around themselves, preventing anyone else from getting to know them in depth or trying to establish closer ties. In this way, he completely buries his tender side, as a result of feeling distrustful and insecure. Episodes of high anger often arise, this being a response to feeling like you lack control over something, and this is when you stop having expectations about others.
Strengths
If the ENEATTYPE 8 personality is able to control their uncertainty and hunger for control, they may also be able to bring out their great strengths. These are people who are mostly very strong, like to be very protective and become good leaders. They work hard to improve the circumstances of those they tend to protect, and any effort they have to make to make them happy is never too much for them.
They are truly resilient, and this is one of their most exemplary virtues, since they are individuals who have learned to embrace their vulnerabilities, sometimes even to keep them to themselves, but they do not share them or show them to anyone. In this way they end up finding solutions to their difficulties through their own regulation strategies for their great emotional reactions.
How does ENEATTYPE 8 find balance?
To strengthen the virtues of this type, it is necessary to work on its disadvantages. For this, the following is proposed:
- Accept your vulnerabilities: you must be able to recognize your weaknesses and discard the invulnerable appearance that these people sometimes create, because this will make it easier to let others into your life.
- Focus on solutions: when you admit vulnerability, you will be able to focus on the difficulties and their solution. This increases the feeling of control, but in a healthy way (not being dominant).
- Learn forgiveness: this means leaving behind the heavy burdens that this enneatype carries on its back, which involve faults (of others or one's own) or blows on the emotional level. Learning to heal them is an important step to regain focus on the present and continue evolving as a person.
- Do not believe yourself guilty, but responsible (changing the term whose meaning we have learned negatively is very favorable once we give it another connotation): choosing guilt means punishment, but taking responsibility achieves solutions.
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