Introduction:
Do you belong to Enneagram type 1 personality? Do you wish to know your strengths and weaknesses and how to regulate them properly to unlock success? Well, then your search is over. In this article, we will learn about Enneagram type 1 personality and its strengths and weaknesses. We will further read into the Enneagram Type 1 Careers. Keep scrolling to know more!
Paragraph answer: People belonging to enneagram type 1 are known as “idealists”, “reformers” or “perfectionists.” They have firm opinions on right and wrong. They enjoy making things better and working for a better world. They love rules and follow them sincerely. They show attention to detail and are super organized. They are conscientious, ethical, and moral. They are principled individuals and are judicial in their thinking and behavior. They strongly root for a moral and perfect world, which is why they are known as “idealists.”
Now let us dive into a deeper understanding of the same. To understand Enneagram type-1 in detail, I will explain the Enneagram model briefly.
The Enneagram of personality is a model of the human psyche that talks about nine interconnected personality types. It was developed by Oscar Ichazo and was popularized in the United States by Claudio Naranjo. The model helps understand different personality types. This proves to be beneficial in understanding self, self-development, and self-actualization.
What is Enneagram type 1?
Individuals belonging to Enneagram type one are known as “The Reformer” or “The Perfectionist.” These individuals are conscientious and moral. These individuals are disciplined, organized, dependable, and hardworking. They can control, regulate and direct their impulses effectively. They are ethically judicious and have strong principles. They tend to see the world in black and white. They have very high standards for themselves as well as others.
Thus, they tend to be highly critical of everyone around them including themselves. They have an idealistic nature and have very strong ambitions to create their ideal world. This is what gives them their name “The reformer”. They are known as advocates of change and strive to improve things around them. Since these individuals have very high standards, they are extremely scared of making mistakes.
Characteristics of type 1 persons
- Self-reliant: People belonging to enneagram type 1 personality tend to be self-reliant. They rely on themselves rather than others. They count on their resources and abilities to tackle situations. They are self-sustaining individuals who are independent and take charge of their own life.
- Organized: People belonging to enneagram type 1 personality are conscientious individuals. They possess great organizational skills and are planners. Their work is always disciplined and they like rules. This helps them to stay on strict schedules and behave in an orderly fashion.
- Practical: Individuals belonging to enneagram type 1 personality are highly practical and efficient. They prefer to take charge and make things happen. Since they are idealists, they desire to take practical action to make things better or to enable change.
- Ambitious: Individuals belonging to enneagram type 1 are highly ambitious. Being the Reformers of the group, they dream of an ideal world and take action to turn their dreams into reality. They are always striving to do great things and are motivated by a greater purpose.
- Purposeful: Individuals belonging to enneagram type 1 tend to believe that they are here for a “greater mission”. Their actions are driven by a very specific purpose. They work very hard and go to great lengths to fulfill this purpose. They show great determination and resolve towards their goals. Being very ambitious, they always strive for great things. They strongly believe in having a great purpose to achieve better in life.
- Hard-working: Individuals belonging to enneagram type 1 are very hard-working and diligent. They don’t shy away from making extra efforts to ensure their work is perfect. This attitude enables them to perform as effectively as possible. This characteristic is compatible with their ambitious attitude.
- Responsible: Individuals belonging to enneagram type 1 are dependable and responsible. Because of this, their peers and social circles can rely on them. Their work is always disciplined and on track.
- Perfectionist: Individuals belonging to enneagram type 1 are perfectionists. True to their names, they always try to go the extra mile to make sure everything is to the T. They take a lot of pride in creating work that is matched to perfection.
- Attention to detail: Individuals belonging to enneagram type 1 show extreme attention to detail. This quality is compatible with their perfectionist attitude. They try to ensure that their work is close to perfection. They focus on every small detail and aim to create ideal work.
- Critical: Individuals belonging to enneagram type 1 are overly critical. Their perfectionist attitude and attention to detail personality make them have high standards. Due to this, they are very critical of themselves and everyone around them.
- Principled: Individuals belonging to enneagram type 1 have really strong principles which they follow sincerely. They are judicious and righteous. They are ethically moral and tend to see the world in black and white. Their life decisions are strongly influenced by their principles. They follow these principles and get very critical or judgemental of those who fail to match these principles.
Strengths vs weaknesses
Type one individuals possess specific strengths and weaknesses that determine and shape their personality. These strengths and weaknesses influence their calling in life. Thus, to find out the best career opportunities for them, it is important to analyze their strengths vs weaknesses.
Strengths:
- Advocating for others rights:
Type 1 individuals are always striving to defend and protect others. They dream of an ideal world and fight for justice to enable their dream. Since they are judicious and have a strong sense of right and wrong, they can work for a great cause. They wish to create a better world for everyone and thus, they fight for others to make their wishes come true.
- Diligent and hardworking:
Type 1 individuals are extremely driven and laborious. They don’t mind working the extra mile to perfect their work. They appreciate excellence and thus, work hard to achieve the same.
- Motivated by principles:
Type 1 individuals are extremely motivated by their morals and principles. They have very strict principles and great ambitions. They are inclined towards ethics and spend time improving their moral compass. Their ambitions and purpose in life are greatly influenced by their principles and morals.
- Connection to the community:
Type 1 individuals are rooted in the community and show a great sense of humanity when it comes to social issues. They show concern for social issues and strive for a better environment for the people around them.
- Practical and rational:
Type 1 individuals tend to have a very practical and rational attitude. Since they wish to enable change in the world, their ambitions are high. For this, they follow a very practical and rational approach to achieve their goals. This helps them to find feasible solutions for problems that are very effective and efficient.
Weaknesses:
- Overly critical:
Type 1 tends to be overly critical of themselves and the people around them. They are perfectionists which enables them to create great work. But when they fail to meet these high standards, they obsess over the flaws and be critical. This blinds their ability to focus on the good or being optimistic. This can be especially troublesome when working in a group since they are unable to stop themselves from criticizing others in these situations.
- Perfectionists:
Type 1 is known as perfectionists. Being a perfectionist can be a blessing or a boon depending on the intensity. When type ones go overboard with their perfectionist attitude, it can be very irksome for people who work with them. It can also cause type ones to stagnate in one activity instead of moving onto better things. This can limit their potential.
- Idealistic nature:
Type 1 dream of an ideal world and work towards achieving the same. However, in their pursuit of achieving this dream, they sometimes lose a sense of reality. They can get too stuck up on their visions and fail to take logistics or technicalities into the case.
- Very high standards:
Type 1 people have high standards for themselves, their work, and everyone around them. Complimenting their perfectionist attitude, their high standards help them ensure all of their work is the best to their capacity. However, this can be a nuisance at times when they are unable to be satisfied with anything or anyone because it doesn’t meet their unrealistically high standards.
- Self-righteousness:
Type 1 people are found to be self-righteous since they believe they have a higher moral compass. However, this can be annoying for people around them. They can develop a superiority complex inadvertently. This can turn into an obsession or a pattern of always getting your way. They can also be overly focused on the right and wrong of things, completely disregarding the moral grey area.
At best and at worst:
When type 1 individuals are at their best, they work hard to improve things and create the best possible result. Since they have a strong sense of justice and are highly judicious, they tend to work for the greater good of the world. They have a strong connection to the community and show concern for social issues. This helps them to work for social causes and advocate change. They follow strict principles and are extremely passionate about certain things like social issues. They are organized, disciplined, hard-working, and dependable.
When type one individuals are at their worst, they get overly critical and irrational. They focus on small details and lose a sense of reality. They might get extremely critical of themselves or others around them.
They might also come off as inflexible or unbending. This makes them a nuisance of sorts since they become severely judgemental and nag others to follow their instructions. Their perfectionist attitude goes overboard and they experience fits of anger and rage due to the smallest of errors.
Best careers for type one individuals
Type 1 individuals thrive in careers where they can work towards change. They are highly motivated by social issues and are inclined to protect and defend people’s rights. These individuals are perfectionists, detail-oriented, and result-driven.
They work well in areas where they can put these skills to use to create order and make improvements. They have a strong moral compass and do well in fields where they can make judicious decisions. Their ability to see things in black and white helps them do what’s right.
We will consider certain career opportunities that would be compatible with a type one personality.
- Lawyer:
Qualities were compatible to be a lawyer: Judgement, decision making, rational thinking, firmness.
Type ones would fit into a lawyer’s role due to their analytical, practical, and critical abilities. They have a strong sense of right and wrong which can help them in this profession. Type ones also strive to protect and defend people’s rights. This is a perfect job to do the same. They fear injustice and corruption. Thus, the law is a profession that would suit a type one well.
- Social worker:
Qualities compatible to be a social worker: organization, good judgment, passion for social issues
Type ones have a basic desire for creating a better and ideal world. They are inclined to defend other’s rights, this is also one of their major strengths. They are strongly connected to the community and show deep concern for social issues. They fear injustice or corruption and try to get rid of it to the best of their abilities. Hence, a type one individual would perfectly fit into a social worker role. Many people in history who have left their comfortable environments to advocate change [for ex, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela] are found to be type ones.
- Quality managers:
Qualities compatible to be a quality manager: result-driven, attention to detail, problem-solving
Type one individuals are result-oriented, practical, and have an attention to detail approach. They can make good judgments and work towards improvement. Their basic desires are perfection, order, and precision. Thus, quality management is a good career for them where they can help ensure the best possible products and services and maintain high standards.
- Judge:
Qualities are compatible to be a judge: Integrity, good judgment, decision making, diligence, strong moral compass, ethics.
Type one individuals have a strong moral compass. They can make decisions judicially and stay true to their principles. This enables them to make ethical and moral judgments. Thus, a judge would be a good profession for type ones.
- Guidance counselors:
Qualities compatible to be a guidance counselor: helpful, result-oriented, assessment
Type one individuals strive to better the lives of people around them. They love it when their advice is appreciated and followed. They thrive when they get a feeling that they are making a change or influencing other’s lives.
- Politician:
Qualities compatible to be a politician: ambitious, purposeful, critical, principled
Type one individuals are keen on creating a better world for others. They are inclined to protect the rights of the vulnerable and weak sections of society. They have very strict principles which will help them to perform their duty as a politician ambitious attitude would provide them with the courage to work in such a competitive and stressful field.
- Journalist:
Qualities compatible to be a journalist: persistence, ethical, analytical, integrity
Type one individuals would work well as a journalist due to their temperament. They have a strong moral compass and integrity in what they do. They have great critical and analytical abilities. They are practical and rational in their approach. They are inclined to advocate for other rights.
- Professors:
Qualities compatible to be a professor: organized, critical, principled, attention-to-detail, responsible
Type one individuals are organized and responsible individuals, They would work well in a professor’s role due to their high standards and ethical attitude. They are hardworking and diligent which is essential in a teaching profession.
- Detective:
Qualities compatible to be a detective: analytical, attention-to-detail, diligent
Type one individuals would work well as a detective. They strive to know the “truth”. Their attention-to-detail and perfectionist attitude would help them solve cases. They are critical and analytical in their approach.
- Activist:
Qualities compatible to be an activist: organization, good judgment, passion for social issues, ambition, purposeful
Type one individuals advocate for others’ rights. They dream of an ideal world and are connected to the community. They are ambitious and believe that they are here for a great purpose.
Some great type 1 personalities in the world
Mahatma Gandhi
Nelson Mandela
Emma Watson
Steve Rogers [Captain America] from “Marvel”
Conclusion
To conclude, type 1 individuals are result-driven, perfectionists, and ambitious. Their personality is influenced by their strong principles, ethics, and morals. They work well in areas where they can advocate change and help create their ideal world. Their best career options would be where they can improve things and make use of their perfectionism and attention to detail personality.
