You may be a Type 1

Ones are driven towards excellence, responsibility, and a desire for things to be correct or good. They fear being wrong or bad or not being able to live according to their values. They will often express concern about doing work correctly and care about ways they could do even better.

Type 1 Overview

People are drawn to you because you prioritize excellence and produce things with high attention to detail. You care deeply about living in alignment with your values. You care about being someone that others can trust to do what you say you’ll do. You’ll spend your time and energy to support others in doing their very best. You are often organized, passionate, and honest. You care about improving things around you for the benefit of others. You are willing to take risks to make things better or more authentic.

You experience distress because you are often frustrated (even angry) with others when they do not value the same things you do and behave accordingly (for example: a lack of attention to detail, lack of perfect integrity, or lack of thoroughness). You carry around a harsh self-critical inner voice and often unleash that same criticism onto others. Sometimes these emotions and criticisms can cause you to burn bridges or negatively impact your relationships.

You might react in ways that make you appear uncooperative, against others, or self-important. You are sometimes quick to resentment and can have unreasonable expectations of yourself or others. You can take responsibility for things that are not yours and perceive things as overly simplified: right or wrong. You can suffer physically from your intense mental focus and may not know how to enjoy rest and play.

You are invaluable to society because you pull us to our highest potential and you make sure no small detail is overlooked. You can be one of our greatest leaders and you are always willing to make hard decisions and push yourself for the benefit of a goal or the greater group. You care deeply about doing the right thing and modeling integrity. You are not interested in mediocre offerings and will bring a high degree of expertise to everything you participate in.

  • You care deeply about living in alignment with your values.

  • You carry around a harsh self-critical inner voice and often unleash that same criticism onto others.

  • You are sometimes quick to resentment and can have unreasonable expectations of yourself or others.

  • You can be one of our greatest leaders and you are always willing to make hard decisions and push yourself for the benefit of a goal or the greater group.

The Core of Type 1

What makes you a Type 1 is your core desires, motivations, fears, and goals. No two people are exactly the same, but all Type 1’s will have the following in common

  • Core Desires

    • To make the right and best decisions

    • To have integrity

    • To make anything the best it can be

    • To be able to live and make decisions based on core values

    • To be responsible and dependable

    • To respect and follow rules (until the rules are inadequate or incorrect)

  • Loving Messages

    "You are good."

    “Your hard work makes a difference.”

    “Thank you for caring so much about (X).”

    “Your concern about precision and attention to detail enhanced (X).”

    “Your values are good.”

  • Natural Gifts

    Attention to detail

    Commitment to complete a goal with a high degree of skill

    Loyalty to principles

    To improve anything

    Wisdom and discernment

  • Core Fears

    Being a bad person

    Being incorrect and therefore ineffective or imperfect

    Being imperfect in something that matters

    Not reaching personal expectations

    Being criticized

  • Blind Spot

    Resentment

    Repressing anger that leads to continual frustration and dissatisfaction with yourself, others, and the world for not being perfect.

    Overcoming these messages:

    “It’s not ok to make mistakes.”

    “It’s not ok to be anything but the best.”

  • Triad Groups

    Gut - Center of Intelligence; emphasizes their instincts in order to manage anger, control, and justice

    Compliant/Dutiful - attempts to meet personal needs by remaining committed and hard working

    Competency - channel disappointment or conflict into work

    Frustration/Idealist - frustration when the world is not how it “should” be

Type 1 Support Types

Type 2 Wing (1w2)

Compassionate and understanding, able to prioritize their own desires without blind commitment to what “should be,” humility that they won’t always be the champion, able to be of service to others. Can get hurt if their efforts are not acknowledged, can feel taken advantage of, focus their improvements on to people to feel effective

Type 4 traits in Stress/Challenge

When faced with a challenging situation or life chapter, Ones can become more emotionally moody and withdrawing, increased criticism of self and others, and escaping into fantasies. They can benefit from using Type 4 traits by connecting with creativity, being authentic with feelings, and reflecting on their experience.

Type 9 Wing (1w9)

Less focused on correctness, relaxed and more accepting, able to go with the flow, able to consider and respect multiple points of view. Can procrastinate more often, neglect important and difficult tasks, and have less focus on themselves and therefore less self-care.

Type 7 traits in Security/Growth

In a time of contentment with life or personal growth, Ones can be more playful, forgiving, and pleasure seeking. They are able to be more optimistic and see the good. If they get lost in this type, they can also be more restless, enjoy excessiveness, and be overly restless.

How to try on Type 1

I suggest that you “try on” Type 1 and give yourself time to see how it fits you. Not every word and detail will be a perfect match, but it helps to see the traits come alive in your unique life.

  • There is not a "best type"

    It's common to read through the number types and think that one or two personalities sound like the best ones, but it's much less common for those to actually be your core type. Every number has its strengths and challenges and most often it feels like someone is reading your journal (how would they know that about me?) when you find your actual type!

  • Understanding motivations vs excusing behavior

    Each type has a set of core desires and fears that drive behaviors and perspectives. Each type also has its own spectrum of healthy, average, and unhealthy patterns. Using the Enneagram to excuse unhealthy patterns ("I'm a 1 so that's just how I am") will keep you stuck, whereas awareness and ownership of those same patterns can provide the skills we need to thrive in our roles and relationships.

  • Don't just rely on a test to find your type

    Enneagram tests are becoming highly accurate, but not all tests are created equal. Even the most reliable tests can be wrong because they are based on the test taker's level of self-awareness. Tests are a great starting place for narrowing down your type and trying on one or two to build the self-awareness to confirm the type. If tests aren't your thing, there are many podcasts or books that explain the types. Same rules apply.

  • Understanding the connections between the numbers is key

    One of the best parts of the Enneagram model is how dynamic it shows us we are and the ways in which our personality adapts to the situation. Every type has access to 4 other personality characteristics - 2 wing types (the numbers on either side of your type) and 2 other types, your Stress and Rest numbers. We can also understand our types more clearly by learning about unique groups of three types called Triads.

  • The Enneagram is a tool, not a box

    The power of the Enneagram exists in its ability to recognize who we are at our core - what we're most afraid of and what we most desire in life. It encourages us to use our strengths to thrive as well as uncover the (usually subconscious) barriers that keep us stuck and unhappy. You are wonderfully made and the world needs your healthiest self.

  • Find a teacher or coach

    There are many great ways to learn about the Enneagram types, but it can get oerwhelming quickly if you jump in alone. Getting a coach. counselor, or finding an Enneagram teacher to help guide you through the information is crucial. They can help you know the basic information but more importantly help you lean what your type looks like unique to you.

Ready to learn more?

Get the Type 1 Growth Guide

What’s Included:

  • Over 100 pages of tools I’ve used with my own clients, personalized for a Type 1

  • Roadblocks to growth

  • Self-care suggestions

  • The Quick Reference Guide for all Types (my favorite go-to)

  • A personalized workbook to build self-awareness and spark exploration