This type idealises the universal innate quality of Value (name given by A.H.Almaas). The personality constellates around manufacturing this quality. How do we embody value in the world? We relentlessly strive, accomplish, and achieve the high regard of our milieus, get the job done, and look good whilst doing it, forgetting that our sparkling images do not define us. This preoccupation, Vanity, is type 3’s Passion (the Enneagram term for a key feature) and it is most in evidence in the domain of the dominant instinct.

Names given to Enneagram Type 3

The Performer (the Narrative Enneagram), the Achiever (the Enneagram Institute), the Effective Person (Jerry Wagner), Striving to be Outstanding (Mario Sikora), Truthful Serving (Khaled ElSherbini).

Core characteristics of Enneagram Type 3*

*According to Enneagram teacher and seminal author, Beatrice Chestnut from her book, the Complete Enneagram: 27 Paths to Greater Self-Knowledge

Seeking to create an image of value and success, and to gain the admiration of others, through active efforts in both work and appearance. Know how to make a good impression.
Covering over aspects of ‘real self’ that don’t fit with the constructed social mask.
Losing contact with deeper emotions that might interfere with the image that they design for others.
Being overidentified with persona, unidentified with who they really are.
Emphasising competition and winning.
Usually being extremely competent and effective doers who get a lot done and make it look easy.
Being skilled at using goals to motivate themselves, and resourceful and productive at achieving their goals. There is a natural ability to find the most direct path to achieving their goals.
Sometimes being hard-hearted and insensitive to others in race to the finish line.

One of the Heart Centre types

Along with types 3 and 4, Enneagram type 2s are members of the Heart triad. If you care about inner development and transformation, you want to ensure that you understand the significance of the Centers. If you intend to self-study, I recommend getting a copy of something like the Wisdom of the Enneagram or the Enneagram Triads.

Because each triad share characteristics, this aspect of the Enneagram can also help you to know whether you have mistyped.

Characteristics of Body triad*

*From Enneagram teacher Peter O’Hanrahan

Priority: Relational needs for contact and approval, and establishing personal identity through connecting and being seen.
Strengths: Flexibility and skill in relationships; achieving success by attuning to and meeting social expectations; and access to empathy and the vast potential of the human heart.
Neurotic style: Building up emotional energy and then discharging it unconsciously into the environment (‘hysterical’).
Defense: Emotional intelligence enables the creation of an ‘image self’ in order to gain recognition and approval from others. This helps to overcome internal feelings of deficiency or emptiness. Personal wants and needs are replaced by meeting the expectations of others. Variations of style: helpful (2), successful (3), or authentic (4).
Key phrase: Substitution of value. (Value is not in me, but I can find value in the approval and eyes of others).
Primary emotional layer: Sadness (related to the loss of self).
Life challenge: Balancing self and other, autonomy and dependence.

Enneagram Type 3 Subtypes

As discussed on the instincts page, ‘subtype’ is what happens when our Enneagram type intersects with the instinctual part of us. Some teachers prefer to simply name this situation as a ‘type/instinct’ combination, versus giving it a special name

Remember that descriptions are approximations. The descriptions below are from Beatrice Chestnut, whose work built upon the teachings of Claudio Naranjo, and Russ Hudson, who has slightly different descriptions (which he shared over a series of Tweets once).

Self-preservation 3

‘Security’ – the ‘countertype’ (Ichazo, Naranjo and Chestnut)

Have ‘vanity for having no vanity’.
Work hard to assure material security for themselves and the people around them.
Self-sufficient, extremely hard-working, results-oriented, and modest.
Outwardly calm and organized but anxious below the surface.
Try to tell the truth but find it difficult to discern their true motivations, confusing image-based reasons for truer feelings.
Do not show weakness, reduce their focus and interest to what is practical and useful, and are the most rigid of the 3s.
Little energy left for emotionally engaging with others.

‘Efficiency’ or ‘Workaholism’ (Hudson)

Strive for excellence in resources, self-care and health, and domesticity.
Concerned with efficiency and managing/streamlining their time and energy well.
Hard-working, list-making, task-oriented 3s and often mistype as 1s or 8s.
When more fixated, they become workaholics and don’t know when to stop to the detriment of their relationships.
At risk of burnout.
At their best, they are warm, seeking good uses for their skills, and supporting others with their work and dedication.

Sexual 3

‘Masculinity’/’Femininity’ or ‘Virility’ or ‘Charisma’ (Ichazo, Naranjo and Chestnut)

Can be very hardworking and ambitious but it’s usually to make somebody else look good (not conventional achievers).
Focus on creating an image that is appealing to others and supporting and pleasing the people around them, especially partners, co-workers, and family members.
More sweet and shy than the other 3s, it is hard for them to promote themselves.
Aspire to have the image of the perfect lover or best husband or wife.
Feel the urgent need to be looked at and admired by people they want to attract romantically.
Most emotional of the 3s, there is often a deep sadness.
Can look like 2s and 7s.

‘The Catch’ (Hudson)

Often work hard at grooming and fitness.
In youth, they may go through a variety of intense relationships, but as they get older, they tend to seek intimates and partners who can draw out their depth and intelligence.
Not all sexual 3s are classically good-looking, but all know how to enhance their attractiveness and charisma.
Can become a sort of blank slate on which others project their fantasies and desires.
Know how to cultivate ‘a look’, which can range from a culture-ideal to exotic/strange.
Seek powerful union, but while confident in their power to attract, they can also have self-doubt about their ability to sustain relationships.

Social 3

‘Prestige’ (Ichazo, Naranjo and Chestnut)

Work hard to look flawless in the eyes of others.
Most vein of all the 3s and the biggest chameleon.
Oriented to competing to win and attaining the material and status symbols of success, focus on getting things done and always having the right image for every social context.
Socially brilliant, demanding and authoritarian, although these characteristics may be hidden under a presentation that is smooth, decorous, and humorous.
Good at numbing out feelings and can – in extreme – be cold.
Strong, assertive and don’t allow themselves to be surprised by life.
Criticism can be devastating although it is hard for them to show it.

‘Prestige’ (Hudson)

Look for tangible signs that they are making progress.
Want to be recognized for their hard work and achievement but even when they receive accolades, often remain driven and dissatisfied with themselves.
Learn from their mistakes and try different methods to achieve their goals.
Healing comes when they start to examine their concepts of success, noting the difference between external markers of success and what makes them feel good about themselves.
Love helping others discover their talents and use them well and they make excellent coaches, inspiring others to personal excellence.
Charming and ambitious, exhibiting professionalism in their chosen field.
When troubled, can be adaptable to a fault, disappearing into self-images and losing touch with their real heart’s desire.
At their best, they are gracious, gifted, sensitive, and truly interested in helping others develop their gifts.

Types connected to 3 (and how connected)

Arrow point: Type 9 – the ‘Stress’ (Hudson) or ‘Resolution’ point

The inner lines are important when it comes to a growth path. As a general rule, the more dynamic movement between the arrow points and core point, the less fixated we are in our types. And the more conscious the movement, the greater our depth of presence (and freedom from the patterns).

The lines can also help us to know for sure that we have typed correctly. Following Russ Hudson’s teaching on the lines, moving to this style helps Threes who have been ‘3-ing out’ too much. We tend to go to the stress point because the strategy of the core type has been over-exhausted.

When type 3s move to Type 9 unconsciously, they can “‘zone out’ and not be able to do anything as a kind of breakdown in reaction to overworking, may get stuck in inaction, lack of awareness of own inner self/direction, avoid necessary conflict and get indecisive” (ideas belong to Chestnut/Paes).

On the more conscious side, moving to Type 9 “helps a 3 to relax finally, learn to wait, slow down and not be so hurried, pay more attention to others, and learn what it means to just be and be more easy-going” (Paes/Chestnut).

Type 6 – ‘the Security’ (Hudson) or ‘Energising’ point

Many of us struggle to own the behaviours we see at the security point for our number, in particular the ‘low’ behaviours. However, as discussed elsewhere on this site, the integration of the security point becomes a way of knowing if we’re making progress in our inner work.

When Type 3 moves to Type 6 unconsciously, they “become paranoid and fearful; can be alarmed when anxiety slows things down; maybe lacking trust in others, going it alone and getting isolated; experience difficulty with rising vulnerability; move forward in nervous, ungrounded action; and suffer with analysis paralysis”.

More consciously/positively, they “can question “who am I?” (a question that Type 3 needs to ask themselves); value cooperation and team spirit; be more open to giving and receiving help; have more of an ability to be vulnerable, and more awareness of fears and concerns; create intimacy with others and have more patience with problem-solving and getting details right” (Chestnut/Paes).

The ‘Wings’ or types on either side – Types 2 and 4

The presence of the attributes of the types on either side of our core type is another way of knowing whether we have typed correctly. When it comes to inner development and transformation, they aren’t as significant.

Enneagram teacher and direct student of Naranjo, Micheal Goldberg, teaches that the Enneagram type is formed out of a reconciliation of the forces of the Wings.

According to the theory, type 3 is reconciling the flattery and dependent stance of Type 2 with the melancholy and abandonment of Type 4. A Type 3 responds with vainglory to the stretch experienced between two emotive styles (helplessness and depression). Feeling cut off from direction and inner sense of depth and dynamism, they live life on the surface, believing themselves to be totally self-reliant and self-determined. Swinging into action, they lose contact with how they feel (or if they feel).

In terms of practical interventions, access to their inner 2 “supports a Type 3 in balancing a task orientation with a more people-oriented approach, learning to value others as individuals rather than contributors, becoming more aware of others’ needs and taking account of these when setting goals”.

When they develop their 4 Wings, “Type 3 cultivate authenticity and tune into the inner voice; value relationships as mutual exchanges rather than a means to get things done; and develop insight and sensitivity to others’ moods” (ideas from Integrative Enneagram Solutions).