Are you goal-oriented, efficient and keen to succeed and make a good impression? Then you may be a type 3.
Type 3 at a glance
| Centre | Heart (feeling) |
| Basic fear | Being worthless without achievement |
| Basic desire | Being valuable and successful |
| Passion | Deceit (self-deception) |
| Fixation | Vanity |
| Wings | Type 2 and type 4 |
| Under stress | Type 9 |
| In security | Type 6 |
How to recognise type 3
- You set goals and reach them efficiently.
- You care about how you come across to others.
- You adapt to succeed in different settings.
- You find it hard to slow down and just be.
- Your self-worth is tied to your achievements.
Your strengths
Type 3 are energetic, goal-oriented and inspiring. They get things done and motivate others.
Under pressure and in security
Under pressure, type 3 can become passive and lose drive (traits from type 9). In security they become more loyal, cooperative and authentic (traits from type 6).
Do you recognise yourself?
All nine types come in three subtypes. Your basic type stays the same, but the subtype colours the whole expression, and this is often where the last doubt is cleared away.
| Subtype | Hallmark | Often falls into |
|---|---|---|
| Self-preservation | Diligence and security rather than applause | Working without asking why |
| Social | Titles, recognition, the right room | The image mattering more than the substance |
| One-to-one | Attractive and supportive, finds value in being wanted | Disappearing into a role written by others |
Where are you right now?
Riso-Hudson divides each type into nine levels of development, grouped into three ranges: levels 1-3 are the healthy ones, 4-6 the average and 7-9 the unhealthy. It is not a grade but a state, and you move between them — sometimes over the course of a single day.
| Range | How type 3 looks |
|---|---|
| In good form levels 1-3 | Achievement and person coincide. You can be good at what you do without having to prove anything, and the energy that used to hold up the image is freed for other things. |
| In everyday life levels 4-6 | Worth becomes tied to the result. You adapt to whatever the situation rewards and put your feelings aside, because they slow the momentum. |
| Under pressure levels 7-9 | The image takes over completely. The truth gets embellished, in small things first and later in bigger ones, and the collapse comes when there is nothing left to perform your way out of. |
Each of the nine levels is described in depth by Riso-Hudson. If you want to work with them in depth, we go through them on Enneagram Kurser's courses.
Not sure of your type?
Descriptions can point to several types, a test gives a reliable starting point.
Want to take the Enneagram further? Read the full description of type 3 on enneagram.dk, see our Enneagram courses for individuals and companies, or find a date on an open course.
Frequently asked questions about type 3
How do I know if I am a type 3?
Look at your motivation, not just your behaviour: type 3 is driven by being valuable and successful. An Enneagram test like 360indicator gives a valid indication.
What is the core motivation of type 3?
Being valuable and successful, and to avoid being worthless without achievement.
What is type 3 confused with?
Type 3 is most often confused with type 8 and type 7. This is based on our own data: of the 678 users the test suggested type 3 for, 88.3% chose type 3, and the rest most often moved to those two types. A test and a conversation about core motivation help to tell them apart.
What are the wings of type 3?
Type 3 has wing 2 and wing 4, the two types on either side in the Enneagram circle. Most people lean towards one more than the other. A 3 with a 2 wing is more charming and relationship-oriented. A 3 with a 4 wing is more introspective and concerned with being someone special. The wings explain why two people of the same type can seem very different.
How does type 3 react under stress and in security?
Under stress type 3 moves towards type 9 and starts to show some of that type's patterns. In security the movement goes towards type 6. This is not a change of type, but sides of yourself that become more visible depending on your state. It is precisely why you cannot read a person's type from behaviour alone.
How do you communicate best with a type 3?
Get to the point and respect their time. Talk in goals and results rather than process. Recognition for what they have achieved works better than praise for who they are.
How often do people choose a type other than type 3?
Among the users who were given type 3 in the full 360indicator profile and took a position on the result, 88.3 per cent confirmed the type. Those who chose differently most often went to type 8, type 7 or type 1. The figures are based on 6,330 completed profiles in 360indicator's own database and describe the people who have taken this test, not the population as a whole.
What do the levels of development mean for type 3?
Riso-Hudson divides each type into nine levels of development, grouped in three ranges: levels 1-3 are the healthy ones, 4-6 the average and 7-9 the unhealthy. It is not a grade but a state you move between. For type 3 it looks like this. In good form: Achievement and person coincide. In everyday life: Worth becomes tied to the result. Under pressure: The image takes over completely.