Type 3 Initial Self-Belief: “I am not valued as I am.”

Type 3 Compensation: "I must become accomplished and prove myself to gain value and regard in the eyes of others."

Type 3 Core Focus: Esteem comes from being valued and having the positive regard of others. This requires that I not only package myself and perform in ways that will garner that recognition and positive regard but also find ways of measuring my success toward those ends.

Personality characteristics that might arise from the type 3 core focus include:

• Looks to external indicators for how well they're performing.
• Packages and markets self-image that's admired by intended audience.
• Pushes aside feelings that get in the way of achieving goals.
• Sense of self-value comes from what they produce or accomplish.
• Competes in arenas where there is someone to beat and someone to notice.
• Chamelon-like shifts of image occur to match situational expectations.
• Confuses self-presentation with who they truly are.
• Avoids failure by avoiding pursuits where failure is a possibility.
• Gives priority to goals and achieving them over other things.

3 wing 2 (3w2) - preferred 2 wing
Common Name: The Charmer

• more emotional and helpful
• more desirous of popularity and admiration
• more able to shift image as needed

3 wing 4 (3w4) - preferred 4 wing
Common Name: The Professional

• more serious and task-oriented
• more about producing and being competent
• more driven to attain or embody perfection

The Three with a Two-Wing: The Charmer
They want to be loved and have a drive to be close with people, but they sometimes substitute public life and the recognition they obtain there for a more satisfying private life and domestic stability. They may resort to multiple images to satisfy their social relations and to perform in intimate situations.¹

The Three with a Four-Wing: The Professional
While diplomatic and charming, they are more generally serious and task-oriented and therefore resemble Ones. They often project competence and poise but can be rather private socially (in contrast to the more outgoing and affable expressions of the other subtype).¹

Three with a Two Wing (3w2): More outgoing and affable, Threes with a Two Wing enjoy motivating and inspiring others. They are skilled at being “the face” of things.²

Three with a Four Wing (3w4): More reserved and polished, Threes with a Four Wing enjoy presenting themselves in a distinctive way. They often have a professional edge.²

Threes with a Two wing may be more empathic and pursue work and activities that help others.³

Threes with a Four wing may be more emotional and have stronger aesthetic interests, such as writing, painting, or photography.³

Threes with a Two wing (3w2) actually embody some of the characteristics they have employed in an effort to be seen as more loving, generous and kind. Charming and intimate, 3w2s make great entertainers, politicians, salespeople and pastors.⁴

Threes with a Four wing (3w4) are more introspective and in touch with their shame and other feelings than 3w2s. They’re sensitive, artistic, emotionally intense, and they work more carefully on “crafting” the right image.⁴

Threes with a more developed Two wing tend to be warmer, more encouraging, sociable, popular, and seductive.⁵

Threes with a more developed Four wing tend to be more introspective, sensitive, artistic, imaginative, and pretentious.⁵

Three With a 2 Wing
Threes with this wing are often highly gregarious. They have a tendency towards persona — playing a role of themselves in real life. Social perception, prestige and recognition important.⁶

Three With a 4 Wing
May be slightly less image-conscious or project an image that is more implicit and subtle. 4 wing brings a degree of introversion. May measure themselves more by their creations, artistic or social.⁶

¹Book: The Wisdom of the Enneagram

²Book: The Modern Enneagram

³Book: Bringing Out The Best In Yourself At Work

⁴Book: The Road Back to You

⁵Book: The Enneagram Made Easy

⁶Book: The Enneagram Movie & Video Guide

Enneagram Type with Wing Test
This is a very short test that determines your most likely type and preferred wing.
Select from paragraphs, similar to the method used by the
Essential Enneagram Test as found in The Essential Enneagram book.
Use when you want to know your type and preferred wing.

Enneagram Type Preference Test
This test produces a scored list of all nine types.
Questions are forced-choice, similar to the method used by the Riso-Hudson Enneagram Type Indictor (RHETI).
Use to determine type, wings, gut/heart/head types, and tri-center.

Enneagram Wing Comparison Test
This test compares the two wings of any type, producing a score for each wing.
Use when you know your type but not your preferred wing.

Enneagram Type Comparison Test
This test compares any two types, producing a score for each.
Use when not sure which of two types is your primary type and which is your preferred wing type.