What Is Your Motivation In Life?

Question for you:

What's your motivation for doing what you do?

and,

Who cares? why does it matter??

I'll get to that second question in a minute.

First, I have to say I scratched my head when I first learned this concept - how we each have ONE of nine basic motivators for living our life.  Is it really that simple/obvious?

Yes. Yes, it is.

Each one of us moves through the world with a very specific reason - to be seen a certain way, to avoid something, to attain something.

When it comes to the Enneagram, typing is done by motivation, not by behavior, which is why it's really hard to find your type through an online quiz (and why we NEVER type others!).

And here's the kicker:  This motivation for why we do the things we do...?  It's usually unconscious. 

That's the beauty of working with a system like the Enneagram - it shines a big 'ole light on those very dark corners of your being.

And when those dark places are brought into the light, we can make better choices.

Here are the motivations of each of the 9 Enneagram types.  Do you see yourself in any of them?

Type 8 - Motivated by the need to protect themselves and those they care about.  Wants to be strong, in control, and not at the mercy of others.
They fear being controlled, being weak, or being vulnerable.

Type 9 - Driven to avoid conflict and keep the peace by going along with others. Wants to have peace of mind and harmonious relationships.
Their fear is of loss, separation, and being overlooked or dismissed.

Type 1 -  Motivated by a desire to improve themselves and the world around them.  Wants to be good, ethical, and virtuous.
They fear being corrupt, wrong, or defective and strive to live with integrity and correctness.

Type 2 - Motivated to meet the needs of others in order to feel valuable and connected. Wants to be loved, wanted, and appreciated.
Deep down, they fear being unloved or seen as unworthy without their helpfulness.

Type 3 - Motivated by the need to accomplish goals and be recognized for their achievements. Wants to be successful, admired, and seen as worthwhile.
Their fear is being seen as a failure or having no value apart from their performance.

Type 4 - Driven to express their inner emotional world and to be deeply understood. Wants to find their identity and be seen as unique and authentic.
They fear being insignificant, emotionally cut off, or without personal meaning.

Type 5 - Motivated to understand the world and maintain clear boundaries between themselves and others. Wants to be competent, knowledgeable, and self-sufficient.
They fear being overwhelmed, invaded, or seen as incapable.

Type 6 - Motivated by a desire for stability and often seeks guidance from trusted authorities or systems.  Wants to feel safe, secure, and supported.
Their core fear is being left without support or direction, especially in times of crisis.

Type 7 - Driven to seek new experiences and keep life exciting. Wants to be happy, satisfied, and free from pain or limitation.
They fear being trapped in emotional pain, boredom, or deprivation.

In answer to the second question posed above, "why does this matter...?

It matters because when you understand your core motivation and you can see clearly why you make the choices you make, it can:

1) Be validating to know that you are not alone in this world, and that 10-15% of the population is just like you.

(It can also make you very uncomfortable, seeing these dark things under a bright light. Some Enneagram teachers will say that if you land on a Type that makes you feel a little queasy-uneasy or uncomfortable, keep being curious about that!  Those feelings usually point to underlying patterns and habits that deep down we know don't serve us well, which is a great start to becoming more at ease with who we are - and with those around us.)

2) It can help you make different, better choices.  Which is hard!  Because these motivations are hard-wired in.

But once we recognize those patterns and own them, then we can do something about them.

What patterns do you recognize in yourself?

And what, if anything, would you like to do about them...?