Myers-Briggs, DISC, Strengthsfinders, Bourkeman, Zodiac signs, The Sorting Hat (That last one is a Harry Potter joke, FYI)…it feels like we are inundated with personality tests. It’s like we think that if we can just fit each other into the right “box,” we can engineer a team/company/relationship that will go smoothly. It’s as if every person is a machine, and if we just use it in the right way, we can avoid all the problems and frustrations that often come in every type of relationship. But if we are honest, we know that’s just not true. Human beings are much more complex than that.
If history shows us anything, no matter what environment we are in, we are capable of creating conflict and strife with each other. Every broken marriage starts with a commitment to love and cherish each other “until death do us part.” Every person fired from a job started by getting hired. Every perfect photo on Instagram is really just an album cover for a life spotted with joy and grief. The faster that we can admit that we are broken, the faster we can find hope and healing for a thriving future.
So why is the Enneagram a better tool than all the other personality assessments out there? I think it’s because it is brutally honest about our failures. The Enneagram isn’t interested in coddling you or just showing you your strengths. One of the most important truths inherent to the Enneagram system is that your greatest strength is also your greatest weakness. But the opposite is true as well: your greatest weakness can become your greatest strength.
Rather than sweeping our junk under the rug, what if we laid it all out and confronted it? It’s a scary prospect, I know. But we can’t truly heal until we know what’s broken in us. It’s like an X-ray: it’s hard to know what to fix unless you have a clear picture of the damage. X-rays don’t fix the problem, but they are extremely helpful, and often necessary, tools along the path to healing.
So, if you want to get a little data on some habits or characteristics of yourself, those other personality tests can be very useful. But if you want to get to the root of who you truly are, and to see lasting changes in you and those you work with, book an Enneagram Training today. You won’t regret it!
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