People with personality traits of enneagram 8 are the ones who have self-confidence and competency along with the ability to lead and take challenges. They use their logical minds to make prudent decisions and positively impact society. These individuals carry immense willpower to get back up whenever they face any hurdle. Eights are always up for facing challenges and going against rules and conventions.
An Enneagram Eight never allows the opinions of others to make any negative impact on their mindset. They take immense pride in being capable and self-sufficient. Enneagram Eights back their loved ones and those who fail to stand up for their beliefs.
These people are ready to extend their helping hands to lift weaker sections of society out of their doldrums. Their energy level is so high that they can work tirelessly toward fulfilling their dreams.
Personality Traits of Enneagram 8
An Enneagram 8 personality type represents the archetype of an individual who takes refuge in their power, fearlessness, and strength to avoid feeling weak and vulnerable. It is similar to how the famous American Novelist; Ernest Hemingway was in his lifetime. They have different levels of health, which come to use while tackling various circumstances.
These people always express their instincts unhesitatingly and push anything back that has the chance to restrict their free-flowing nature. Their whole focus lies on having control in all possible manners across various spectrums of life. They offer a great scope of solutions by using their intensity and domination.
Enneagram Type Eights automatically react based on their ego. Hence, they can oppose all kinds of limitations on their instinctive drives, which result in an auto-rebellion against society’s rules or any other established authority. This Eight archetype represents a feature of the masculine principle. They tend to communicate the conventional idea of masculinity existing within men and women. It refers to the power lying within to achieve even the impossible.
This personality type is the prototype for the tendency to lie within everyone else in society to look to achieve big things in life. Eights use their knowledge, intelligence, and leadership skills to create a massive impact on the environment.
They show their special love and care toward lifting the spirits of weak individuals who struggle to stand up for themselves. These individuals push back all the internal and external forces that aim to restrict their instinct, hence preventing them from progressing further in life.
Can you relate yourself to the Enneagram 8 personality type? You can go ahead and take one of the most popular online personality tests, the Riso-Hudson Enneagram Type Indicator, and get a clear idea of your enneagram type. If the enneagram test reveals that you are indeed a Type 8, then you would have the following traits in your personality –
1. Intense Social Presence
It is not tough to locate an enneagram eight among other individuals. They have a dynamic and intense social presence. One will never see them seeking attention from others. Still, they would dominate the environment around them in a way that will automatically let people become attracted to them.
People can feel their energy and the commanding presence these individuals have over the whole surrounding. They have good communication skills. It enables them to express their feelings and make others understand their opinions.
These individuals possess forceful vitality. They gain people’s respect without any problem. Enneagram Eights own their space to suggest that they belong over there.
2. Prefers Practical Tasks Over Theories
An Enneagram type 8 personality individual has a go-getter attitude. They always use their logic to make decisions that will help them realize their goals in life. These people never prefer to spend precious time on theoretical aspects but focus on practical applications. According to Challenger, first-hand experience always helps them understand concepts better.
Enneagram Eights will never sit back and wait for the right opportunity. They will always like pursuing their goals with strength and determination. People with enneagram eight personality types act proactively, tend to be energetic, never hesitate to make the right decision, and act on the same at the right time.
These individuals always set their sights on doing those things they wish to attain and keep doing the same until they fulfill their desires.
3. Swift in Decision-Making
Eights do not waste time in making their decisions. They stay focused on doing the right things at the right time. These individuals always maintain their focus even when the going gets tough.
The confidence level within them is so high they know they will always get back on track sooner rather than later. No challenge is big enough for them to surpass and reach their goal.
Stiff challenges and adverse situations give them strength rather than making them suffer from weakness. They act as added incentives for letting enneagram eight make crucial decisions in their life without any hesitation. These people know well that they can handle even the most complex problems and manage to overcome them over time.
4. Eights Adopt Bold Approach Toward Life
Enneagram 8 personality type individuals are bold and assertive, which helps them to lead purposeful lives. It is one of those personality traits of enneagram 8 that every individual must try and imbibe within themselves to lead meaningful lives. These people will always stand up for whatever they feel is right. If they decide to do something for themselves or help people in need, nothing can stop them from doing so.
They never shy away from expressing their needs with clarity. Eights prefer to earn respect from society through their straightforward style of communication. There are occasions when they can be pushy and tend to dominate others while not being aggressive in dealing with people and situations.
5. They Can Lead with Efficiency
People with enneagram 8s can lead efficiently in a purposeful manner. They have the confidence and dynamism which make them natural leaders. We know leadership comes with challenges, which one must cope with precision and overcome to get the best results.
An Enneagram Eight has all the ingredients in its personality to tackle the toughest of challenges with ease.
These individuals prefer giving orders. They do it with utmost conviction, forcing others to pay close attention and listen. Eights always lead from the front and dominate the social environment wherever they belong. Enneagram 8 leaders guide others about what to do and how they can do them to get the best results.
6. Resist Themselves from Receiving Others’ Help
Enneagram 8 personality type individuals rely on themselves to perform their tasks. They do not like seeking any help from others. It is because eights consider taking help as a sign of weakness. Hence, no matter how difficult it becomes to get through some tasks, still, these people will never show that they cannot do them.
Eights lead their lives with complete independence. Therefore, they prefer working alone and deciding on their own. Their innate desire is to stay in control of their immediate surroundings. It makes these individuals tread on their path.
These people also believe that taking others’ assistance will make them indebted to those individuals. Autonomy can be both a strength and a weakness for different individuals, depending on their mentalities. Enneagram 8s consider their autonomy as strength and look to abide by it irrespective of what happens in life.
7. Eights Inspire Weaker Individuals to Stand Up for Their Rights
All those with enneagram eight personality types are born leaders. They see this world as a place that comprises both strong and weak individuals. As Eights are mentally strong and no adverse situation can perturb them, these people treat submissive and oppressed members of society with compassion.
They provide their utmost inspiration so that they can attain growth and development. It is one of those personality traits of enneagram 8 that make others look up to them with utmost respect.
Eights offer support to others with great vision, energy, and passion. They can let those individuals lead a life filled with anticipation and happiness. Mentally weak people can receive immense motivation and guidance from enneagram eight individuals to become the best version of themselves.
8. They Appear Tough on the Outside
Enneagram 8s or Challengers always make others feel they have the mental toughness to sustain all sorts of challenges in life. They never allow others to disturb all those plans, which these individuals consider ideal for making progress in life.
Type Eight personality people prefer to rule the roost and never allow others to take undue advantage of their weaknesses. Hence, they keep maintaining their stance of being great leaders.
These people are fearless. They can conceal their insecurities and display confidence all over their personalities. When the need arises to recognize their blind spots, enneagram 8s avoid it. They prove their strength in front of others by undertaking responsibilities with ease. Hence, it lets them find success in all their endeavors.
9. Eights Raise Their Voice Against Injustice
People with enneagram eight personality types are truthful and focus on doing justice to others. Moreover, due to their ability to nurture and protect submissive individuals, eight keep fighting against injustice at all costs. It allows them to fight for the rights of weaker souls. They look toward eights with eagerness and firmly believe they will help them overcome their troubles.
These people even rebel against all kinds of unjustified practices prevalent in society. They can easily defy meaningless rules and regulations, which are harmful and do not make much sense.
When they take these steps regularly, it allows people making these conventions to take note of the same and bring forth positive changes in their thought patterns. Therefore, enneagram eights persuade others to think positively, thereby creating a meaningful impact on their lives.
10. They Handle Conflicts with Ease
Enneagram 8s are ready to face conflicts and get through those situations on time. It is one of the most critical personality traits of enneagram 8. The reason being they are courageous and have the confidence to do so. These people have a firm belief in solving problems and not avoiding them. They know very well that avoiding any issue will further aggravate the same. Therefore, it allows them to maintain proper order and peace around them.
Eights desire to face people and situations when they do not find it easy to deal with them. These individuals prefer expressing their feelings, understanding people’s viewpoints, and getting clarity on what might transpire soon. Things can become worse if challengers attain their unhealthy levels.
Under those circumstances, they allow their emotions to grow within them. They are aware of their arrogance, aggression, and irritation when things do not go as planned. Hence, enneagram eight personality types prefer setting things straight before the situation worsens.
11. They Set Their Sights on Attaining Something Great in Life
All those individuals with enneagram eight personalities develop a vision for achieving bigger goals in the future. They do not like to deal with finer details while carrying out their responsibilities.
These people always direct their actions toward attaining bigger goals, which will help raise their standard of life to a different level altogether. The primary objective of their life is to focus on the goals they have set for themselves in their personal and professional arenas.
Hence, they consider each opportunity as a learning experience. It enables them to gather information from all quarters and enhance their knowledge. These enneagram type 8s do not bother even if they go through phases of gloom and despair in their loves.
They possess the confidence to work hard, overcome tough times and shift their focus back toward their vision. These people love to make things happen in all possible manners. Eights have the skill and courage to make grand comebacks from their failures.
12. Enneagram Eights Intimidate Others
Enneagram eight personality type individuals are fearless with the intensity to go for what they want. They portray themselves in such a manner to the outside world that gives people the impression that their decisions can never go wrong. Their bold and authoritative nature allows others to feel they can make others do whatever they feel like and would reprimand them heavily if they fail to live up to their expectations.
These individuals always keep things under control even when they must confront challenges and adversities. They consider challenges as opportunities to face and overcome. Hence, it enables them to experience a sense of thrill and excitement.
Enneagram 8 personality types use harsh words and make claims of their achievements to intimidate others. They manage to make even the most powerful feeling a bit weak. These eights love issuing orders to others and letting them act how they want. They would not prefer receiving similar treatment from them.
13. They Show Their Impatience and Anger
Eights love to have things go their way in their lives. Life does not always go how we want, but we must adjust our approaches and move on. Unfortunately, enneagram eight personalities fail to do so.
They can lose their patience, thereby becoming angry and impatient. These people cannot stand when something goes against their beliefs. They desire to carry out duties fast and do not like to relax or take rest.
The basic fear of an enneagram eight is losing control over proceedings. Whenever they feel like losing control over their life, eights might become aggressive and express frustration.
Their logical thinking minds give way to hasty emotional decisions. It also makes them say wrong things to the wrong people, hence facing the brunt. They might also do stuff that others may not like.
14. Eights Put Hours of Hard Work
People know an enneagram eight person as someone with a mindset that focuses on doing some action or the other throughout their life. They struggle to sit still and like to do things just the way they want. There are occasions when their relentless work can make them suffer from exhaustion.
These individuals always desire to do productive work. In their quest to do so, Eights might overdo certain things beyond their capacity. It might stir adverse reactions from people around them.
15. Enneagram Eights Deal with People from Different Backgrounds
Enneagram eight personality type individuals consider this world to be a place that comprises both strong and weak people. They realize the pain and struggle that people of the weaker sections of society face, which tend to impact their lives adversely.
Hence, they make sure to extend their helping hands and prevent them from further suffering in their life. These eights also feel that weaker people must put some effort from their end to develop themselves so that they can earn others’ respect. Their earnest desire is to narrow the gap between people in both these sections of society.
Final Words
We have discussed in detail regarding the personality traits of enneagram 8. Enneagram 8, or The Challenger, is strong, competent, and has the potential to direct the actions of others as per their liking.
They love expressing themselves and letting everyone get a clear idea about their thoughts and ideas. While leading their lives, they ensure not to show their vulnerabilities and weaknesses. Hence, they prevent themselves from falling prey to attacks and allegations from others.
Eights need to remain in charge of situations. If anything goes haywire, they lose control over their thoughts and become aggressive. These people always ensure that they lead a life of justice and allow others to follow the same route. They are not ready to compromise it at any cost.
