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 Eight
How do you pay attention? – This style of attention might be easier for someone to observe from the outside than to realize in your own life. Specifically, as an Eight, you relish a challenge. As a result, your attention goes to the edges, the boundaries of what is acceptable and unacceptable. For those of you around an Eight, you’ll notice that your Eight seems to always be arguing or to be asking for proof of what you say. Eights are focused on what the bottom line is, and you better not try to beat around the bush with them.
What do you know intuitively? (i.e., the “superpower” that others notice) – As an Eight, you might think your superpower is to be able to lead effectively or rise to any challenge, but these responses are preceded by your intuition for “power.” Eights are dialed into who has the most influence in a room; they have an intuitive sense of how to leverage these dynamics too. Many Eights do become leaders or find their ways close to power as a result of this intuitive focus.
Defense Mechanisms:
Denial – If you are an Eight, you may not admit that you have any defense mechanisms. If anything, you don’t wait to play defense. You go on the offense! However, that orientation to life comes with a concomitant defense of denying your own needs, vulnerabilities, and weaknesses. As an Eight, your first line of defense against your problems is to deny you have problems. If that mechanism doesn’t work, and the problem(s) just won’t go away, then you’ll employ your next line of defense.
Displacement – Much like the Sevens, Eights are great at shifting the blame. While a Seven may displace responsibility onto another person or situation and then avoid the person or circumstance, as an Eight, that’s too indirect of an approach for you. If the problem is someone else, then you’ll confront them face-to-face. Unfortunately, this course of action, which seems so brave and heroic to an Eight, will only come across as so much bullying to everyone else.
Secondary Motivations:
If you have a high degree of self-knowledge, then you might see how your motivations spring from a core desire to not be unprotected or controlled by anyone else (I’m only good if I am strong.) but – for the rest of us – you might see these motivations instead…
On a good day – I want to be assertive. I want to prove myself and my ability. I want to be respected. I want to be strong (in order to protect the weak).
On a bad day – I want to be dominant. I want to get my way. I want to be feared (instead of respected).
Warning signs – As an Eight, you are getting unhealthy when you start viewing every interaction and relationship as a battle, a fight for survival. It is also a warning sign when you begin to emphasize the eradication of all weakness, to become invulnerable.
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 an Eight, the lie that seems so, so, SO “true” is that you will be better off alone. It may “feel” so right to believe that you are completely self-sufficient, but no one is an island. Depending on others from time to time is not weakness – it’s being human.
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