What do you mean by “observable patterns”?
One of the difficulties of the Enneagram is that it focuses on internal motivations rather than external behaviors. Additionally, determining one’s type does require a certain level of self-knowledge. For instance, do you go around thinking, “Hmm…what I really fear here is that I’m unworthy of being loved,” or “I suppose that I’m just falling prey to the deadly sin of avarice here”? As a result, it can be hard to tell what another person’s Enneagram type might be, and it might even be tough to tell what your own type is (I’ve personally spent time bouncing back-and-forth among types). So, in order to combat this problem, I’ve put together some short profiles of what might be more observable about each type from the outside looking in and/or what each of us might actually say our surface motivations and defense mechanisms are. I’ve designed these patterns, so that you can watch your behavior for these signs to try and verify what type you are from the outside-working-in. Now, you may not need this progression. Many people can go from the inside-working-out, but I can’t. If you are like me, then I hope this helps you.
Also, if you read through the patterns of a type and say to yourself, “Well, yeah, but isn’t everyone like that?” You may have just found your type.
[If you want to investigate the full traditional descriptions, the best place to go is the Enneagram Institute here: https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/type-descriptions]
Type One
How do you pay attention? – As a One, you’ll notice that you have a recurring pattern of mentally comparing everything you do (and probably everything everyone else does) to an internal “Ideal” standard.
What do you know intuitively? (i.e., the “superpower” that others notice) – As a One, you will repeatedly walk into situations, across very different contexts, and just know what needs to be fixed or improved.
Defense Mechanisms:
Repression – As a One, you’ll repeatedly have the impulse to repress specific thoughts, emotions, and actions that you find are unacceptable according to that internal ideal standard mentioned above.
Reaction Formation – As a One, one of your tried-and-true methods to enact repression is to intentionally do the opposite of what you perceive your impulses to be. For example, Thought: “Gee, I feel like resting?” – Internally: “No, that would be lazy!” – Reaction Formation: “I’ll work even harder!”
Displacement – As a One, if you become unhealthy, then you’ll notice that you will judge others more, but there’s a catch here. If you stop to think, you’re judging others harshly for giving into the impulses that you specifically repress and do the opposite (reaction formation). For instance, you might judge others for overeating because you work so, so hard to control your own appetite and portion sizes.
Do you see how all of these defense mechanisms might work together? Repression (of the desire to indulge in food) leads to Reaction Formation (fastidious control of portions) leads to Displacement (how dare another person have less self-control than I)
Secondary Motivations:
If you have a high degree of self-knowledge, then you might see how your motivations spring from a core desire to be morally good or “perfect” (the old biblical term is “beyond reproach”), but – for the rest of us – you might see these motivations instead…
On a good day – I want to treat others fairly. I strive for the ideal. I desire to improve the world.
On a bad day – If I don’t control things, there will be mistakes. “The only way to make sure things are done right is to do them yourself.” No one gets to judge me but me. My position is justified; let me explain how.
Warning signs – You may be getting unhealthy when your motivations become more absolutist – I want to be absolutely guiltless. Anyone who doesn’t live up to my ideals deserves to be condemned. I am the exception to the rule (because I have done so much work).
Recurring Temptation:
Each type has a recurring temptation (remember, these are the seven deadly sins, just under a different name) that starts the “snowball” rolling down the hill to being unhealthy. As a One, the lie that seems so, so, SO “true” is an extreme sense of personal moral obligation. If you find yourself saying over and over, “I must…”; I should…”; “I ought…” BEWARE!
Reminder:
Just like the seven deadly sins, we all have the energies of all of the Enneagram types. Even if you identified a lot with what is written above, stay tuned for the other types. You might just identify with another type more closely.
Credit: These observations chiefly come from The Enneagram: Understanding Yourself and the Others in Your Life by Helen Palmer and Understanding the Enneagram: The Practical Guide to Personality Types by Don Richard Riso