Type 3s are ambitious and charismatic. They strive for achievement but place a lot of their value on what they can accomplish. They appear confident, but are concerned with their image and care a lot about what other people think of them.
At their best, type 3s accept themselves and are authentic, able to be role models who inspire others. But at their worst, they are vain and vindictive, unable to see their own shortcomings.
Success-Oriented, Pragmatic, Driven, Image-Conscious
Key Desire: To be valuable, wanted, and successful
Key Fear: Failure and feeling worthless
Key Longing: You are loved for simply being you
Strengths:
- Ambitious
- Energetic
- Charming
- Hardworking
- Competent
- Highly driven
- Enthusiastic
- Practical
Challenges:
- Image-driven
- Competitive
- Out of touch with their feelings
- Always “on”
- Impatient
- Self-deceiving
- Workaholics
- Need outside validation
Type 3 Wings
Each type is influenced by its nearest “wing.” We usually lean on one wing more than the other. These wings give more intricacy to who we are.
3w2 “The Charmer”
If you lean more on your 2 wing, you’re more outgoing, friendly, and enjoying serving others. You’re great at making and maintaining strong social bonds. You’re more likely to focus on relationship success than academic or professional success.
- Vivacious
- Task-oriented
- Overly positive
- Personable
- Tactful
- Uplifting
- Tuned in to others
3w4 “The Professional”
If you lean more on your 2 wing, you’re more introverted, serious, and focused on work rather than relationships. You’re constantly working on growth and professional success. You are creative and enjoy expressing yourself through artistic pursuits.
- Imaginative
- Dynamic
- Introspective
- Pretentious
- Gracefully effective
- Self-doubting
- Creatively expressive
Growth & Stress
Every Enneagram has stress and growth paths. These are the directions we go toward as we grow or become more secure, and when we’re stressed and disintegrating.
Security
Move toward healthy 6s
- Grounded
- Responsible
- Stable
Stress
Move toward unhealthy 9s
- Stubborn
- Unreflective
- Apathetic
Levels of Development
Healthy Levels
Level 1:
At their best, Type 3s are genuine, true to themselves, and fully accept who they are. They are modest, charitable, gentle, and full of heart.
Level 2:
Self-assured, energetic, and competent with high self-esteem. They believe in themselves and their own value. Adaptable, desirable, charming, and gracious.
Level 3:
They strive to be “the best they can be.” They often become outstanding role models, embodying widely admired cultural qualities. Others are motivated to be like them in some positive way.
Average Levels
Level 4:
They are highly concerned with success and drive themselves to achieve their goals as if their self-worth depends on it. They are terrified of failure and searching for status.
Level 5:
They are highly concerned with how others view them. They present what they think others want to see. They are pragmatic, but lose touch with their feelings. They struggle with intimacy and phoniness.
Level 6:
They want to impress others with their superiority, and make themselves sound better than they really are. Narcissistic, with grandiose, inflated notions about themselves and their talents. They disguise their jealousy of others’ success behind arrogance and contemptment.
Unhealthy Levels
Level 7:
Fearing failure and humiliation, they can explode randomly. They highly want the success of others, and are willing to do “whatever it takes” to preserve the illusion of their superiority.
Level 8:
They are devious and deceptive so that their mistakes and wrongdoings will not be exposed. They are untrustworthy and willing to betray or sabotage others to triumph over them. Delusionally jealous of others
Level 9:
They become vindictive, attempting to ruin others’ happiness. They relentlessly and obsessively try to destroy whatever reminds them of their own shortcomings and failures.
Posts About Type 3s
Building the Mamba Mentality: Lessons from a Type 3 – Kobe Bryant
If you’ve ever admired Kobe Bryant, learn more about how his Type 3 personality contributed to his success and what lessons can help you as well.
The Human Connection 