Enneagram Levels of Development

Each Enneagram type manifests across nine levels of psychological health. The healthy levels (1-3) show the type at its best, the average levels (4-6) represent typical functioning with increasing stress, and the unhealthy levels (7-9) show the type under severe duress.

Based on the work of Don Richard Riso and Russ Hudson. I originally encountered these charts through the Enneagram Academy.

Type 1

The Reformer

Social Role: The Educator

The Healthy Levels

1.

Level of Liberation

External Behaviors

Wise, humane, noble, impeccable, uplifting, kind, generous, pure

Internal Attitudes

Accepting, life-affirming, hopeful, serene, accept ambiguity, truly realistic

Desires

Self Actualization: Lets go of their identification with a particular self-image, that they are in a position to judge anything objectively

Fear

Basic Fear: Of being "bad", corrupt, evil, defective (imbalanced)

2.

Level of Psychological Capacity

External Behaviors

Reasonable, sensible, have integrity, moderate, prudent, modest, objective

Internal Attitudes

Evaluating, conscientious, moral, rational, discerning, composed, values-oriented

Desires

Basic Desire: To be good, to have integrity, to be in balance with everything

Fear

Secondary Fear: That their subjective feelings and impulses will lead them astray (impair their reason), their integrity will be tarnished

3.

Level of Social Value

External Behaviors

Responsible, truthful, self-disciplined, just, fair, teach by example, articulate, civilized, seek excellence, delay gratification

Internal Attitudes

Principled, ethical, impartial, purposeful, have convictions, sense of mission, impassioned, tolerant, committed

Desires

Secondary Desire: To align themselves with their conscience and reason

Fear

That their principles are not having enough effect (others are indifferent)

The Average Levels

4.

Level of Imbalance

External Behaviors

Striving, reforming, debating, "pointing out", explaining, remedying, advocating, refined, longing

Internal Attitudes

Obligated, idealistic, driven, "should" & "must", serious, have certainty, "making progress", elitist, creating expectations

Desires

To "fix"/improve themselves and their world

Fear

That they will be condemned for deviating from their own ideals

5.

Level of Interpersonal Control

External Behaviors

Orderly, impersonal, opinionated, rigid, methodical, punctual, brusque/"short", precise/"clipped", moody

Internal Attitudes

Self-controlled, impatient, irritable, "narrow"/dry, scrupulous, feel guilty, emotionally constricted, self-critical, melancholy

Desires

That everything in their lives be consistent with their ideals

Fear

That others will "mess up" the order and balance they have achieved

6.

Level of Overcompensation

External Behaviors

Critical, correcting, argumentative, sarcastic, moralizing, workaholic, badgering, strident, strict, self-indulgent

Internal Attitudes

Judgmental, resentful, perfectionistic, uncompromising, unsympathetic, condescending, picky, demanding, stern, disapproving, self-pitying

Desires

To reproach themselves and others for not meeting their ideals/standards

Fear

Red Flag Fear: That their ideals are actually wrong

The Unhealthy Levels

7.

Level of Violation

External Behaviors

Inflexible, vitriolic, no negotiations, closed-minded, unreasonable, severe, harsh, alienated

Internal Attitudes

Self-righteous, rationalizing, masochistic, bitter, depressive, absolutistic, intolerant, misanthropic, hateful

Desires

To justify themselves and silence criticism (from self and others)

Fear

That they are becoming irrational

8.

Level of Delusion & Compulsion

External Behaviors

Contradictory, hypocritical, fetishistic, untruthful, arbitrary, corrupt, self-flagellating

Internal Attitudes

Obsessive, compulsive, fixated, unforgiving, enraged, feel "possessed", displacing, tormented

Desires

To consciously control their unconscious/irrational impulses

Fear

That they are losing all control of themselves

9.

Level of Pathological Destructiveness

External Behaviors

Punishing, cruel, wrathful, attacking, self-mutilating, suicidal, sadistic, self-destructive

Internal Attitudes

Condemnatory, hateful, merciless, furious, hysterical, despairing

Desires

To rid themselves of the apparent cause(s) of their obsessions and emotional disorder

Fear

Basic Fear comes true: that they are corrupted, "evil," and defective/imbalanced