One of my favorite things in the world, that I’ll never shut up about, is the Enneagram.
The Enneagram is such an amazing resource for better understanding yourself and the people around you. It’s a personality test with 9 different types – and the system is actually kind of complex, so there’s a LOT you can dig into after finding out your type.
The reason it’s my favorite system is that it’s really good at digging into the root of our behaviors and the motivation behind why we do what we do.
Before diving into this guide, you’re going to want to take the Enneagram Test.
Some Enneagram coaches will recommend you don’t take a test at all, but I do think it’s a good starting point – even if you don’t always get the most accurate results.
You can take a test at Truity (with a paid in-depth assessment)* or take a free test at Eclectic Energies.
Use this guide to learn more about your personality type after taking the Enneagram test
1. Start with the Enneagram Institute summaries
After you receive your results, it’s important to then look through the different descriptions of each type to assess whether or not it feels accurate.
I like to do this on the Enneagram Institute website. I think it has the most robust descriptions of the types.
It’s very common to type incorrectly at first, so look through the different types and see what actually resonates with you.
This is a great starter resource to learn about your type in-depth, for free.
2. Read The Road Back To You by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile
A classic Enneagram starter book is The Road Back To You: An Enneagram Journey To Self-Discovery.
This book is very beginner-friendly and breaks down the types in a really easy-to-consume way. Some of the Enneagram books can bit heady and I like how this one keeps it simple.
This book is definitely in the Christian category though, so I recommend this next one if you’re not okay with that.
If you want to dig into relationships, I recommend Suzanne Stabile’s next book on the topic: “The Path Between Us: An Enneagram Journey to Healthy Relationships“
3. Read The Wisdom Of The Enneagram by Don Richard Riso
This is probably the most cohesive Enneagram book I’ve ever read – and I’ve read at least 7 of them.
I love it because it actually gives you a robust look at each of the types. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this to kick off your Enneagram learning at the VERY beginning, but if you’re already familiar with all the types, this book is the next place to dig in.
4. Follow Enneagram Social Media Accounts
There are a lot of accounts that share conflicting information (or just aren’t super well-versed in it) but there are some really great ones! I highly recommend following a few accounts as you begin to learn more.
My favorite for more practical tips is Nine Types Co. We interviewed her on Playground To Purpose (!!) and her knowledge of the Enneagram is next-level.
For more playful memes, I love @actualenneagram and @rudeassenneagram.
5. Take a paid assessment
After you’ve gotten into the Enneagram for a bit, you might find yourself questioning your type.
I recommend taking a paid assessment at some point (even if you take a free one first) to find your 3 top types.
I was able to get my work to pay for it because it helped the team to understand each other better. So, if you don’t want to pay for the test, it could be a great option for you to ask your boss. Or if you are the boss, do this with your team. It’s such a helpful tool for teams to better understand each other.
I recommend Truity Work Assessments for teams.
6. Find Your Ideal Career with this Enneagram Career Guide
If you’re looking for a career change, this Enneagram Career Guide is a cohesive guide to finding a career that aligns with your motivations. It can be hard to figure out what career path is a good fit for you, so why not use this personality system as a way to get clarity as you seek out your purpose?
Get the Career Guide for 10% off with the code COLEY at checkout.
7. Take The Enneagram IRL Course
Okay, if you’re SUPER into the Enneagram and have already done the above steps, this course is my favorite next-level resource from Nine Types Co, which I mentioned above.
This is the course I’m currently enrolled in from Steph Barron Hall. She’s an enneagram coach and author of The Enneagram In Love (free on Kindle Unlimited!), and she has extensive knowledge of the Enneagram.
The Enneagram IRL course is packed with everything you need to understand your type & others’ types – and how to grow and become the best version of yourself within it. Get on the Enneagram IRL waitlist here.
Comment below on what type you are!
(*We’re Amazon, Truity and Enneagram Career Guide affiliates. We only recommend stuff we love over here! If you decide to purchase from these links, we’ll receive a small commission!)