Optimized Results: Different Security or Stress Point on the Enneagram

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Q: I can't tell if I'm a Six or a One. It feels like fear holding me back under stress, but when I feel secure, I want to do all kinds of things, not just kick back and relax. Can you have a different Security Point than the one in the Enneagram?

A: This is a great example of needing to look a little deeper for the truth. The short answer is no, the lines from your Primary Type to your Stress and Security Types are absolute.

Your Wings have differing amounts of influence, rather like two little imps on your shoulders, whispering in your ears. Depending upon which one has more sway, the "flavor," of your Type can shift, but part of the wonder of the Enneagram is how clearly it models these shifts without needing to add complexity, other layers, or going "outside the lines."

Wanting to go out and do all kinds of different things (activity) when you're secure sounds more like a Seven Security Point, which would indicate your primary type being One. If you examine the fear holding you back, you'll probably notice that it is directly and specifically tied to judgment, criticism, and what others will think of you or say about you.

This is very specific; it isn't an unnamed, underlying fear of anything coming your way. If you seem to foresee disaster, and it isn't specifically connected to shame, it would indicate being a Six, but your security would manifest as a relaxation of anxiety to the point of absolute mellowness and an ease of inactivity.

If over time, Stress makes you feel more emotional, unhappy, and less in charge, that would be another indicator of being a One, going to your Four Stress Point. Were you a Six, you would be more likely to put your head down and work through the issue, avoiding feeling anything at all.

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