Strengths & Weaknesses of Enneagram 6 refer to all those qualities and drawbacks in their personality that make them unique among all other Enneagram types. If you desire to find your enneagram type, take the most popular online enneagram personality test, the Riso-Hudson Enneagram Type Indicator. This is a highly effective enneagram test.
Every individual in this world carries specific characteristics that set them apart from others in the community. It applies to people with Enneagram 6 personality type. They possess several skills and weak links that help make up their complete personality. These individuals must try to build on their strengths and put in sufficient work to fill in their loopholes. Enneagram 6’s efforts can help them live up to their potential and become better individuals.
In this article, we will discuss all the strengths & weaknesses of Enneagram 6 to make sure that you get a better understanding.
Strengths & Weaknesses of Enneagram 6
The strengths & weaknesses of Enneagram 6 talk about some of the unique qualities and drawbacks that help form their exact personality. It also harps on the need to concentrate on their strengths and get rid of the weak links so that they can attain growth and development in life.
Enneagram 6 personality types are responsible and dedicated individuals. They have a keen interest in belonging to a social group and making a mark in this world. Sixes appear in two ways. These people can be Phobic or Counter-Phobic, referring to their nervous energy. The difference lies in how it can present itself to the outer world.
Phobic Sixes are those individuals who intentionally move away from their source of fear and remain aloof from all kinds of attention. They do not shy away from expressing all sorts of weaknesses and vulnerabilities in their personality. Hence, it enables others to understand their condition and thought patterns. It happens to be the prime defense mechanism of these Sixes so that they can avoid manipulation.
On the other hand, Counter-Phobic Sixes are those who carry irrational fear that they might disobey rules in their life. Hence, they try to maintain their image of leading life with complete freedom on the surface. The reality is that they carry out their duties in life with a lot of restrictions. Counter-Phobic Sixes wear a mask in their outward personality to protect the internal uncertainty that keeps persisting within them.
Now, it is time to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of Enneagram 6 in the following segments –
6 Strengths of Enneagram 6
The Enneagram model comprises nine personality types. Each type has its own set of strengths and weaknesses. They appear under those circumstances where they must tackle various favorable and unfavorable situations in their life. The qualities and drawbacks within the personality of an Enneagram 6 also come up when they need to deal with people belonging to different backgrounds or cultures in society. It usually happens in their professional life.
Enneagram Type Six individuals always have a deep inclination toward security and safety. They depend on their anticipation skills and the ability to avoid risks in life. These people always want to associate themselves with genuine authority figures. Sixes remain alert of whatever is happening around them. They even keep a close eye on the proceedings.
An Enneagram 6 personality type individual keeps their thinking cap on. It allows them to plan ahead of others to anticipate and prepare for what might go wrong.
Let us now discuss the strengths of an Enneagram 6 personality type individual –
1. Makes Responsible Choices in Life
Enneagram 6 personality type individuals always want to keep things safe and feel secure. It applies not only to themselves but also to others around them. Due to this reason, Sixes always make feasible and responsible choices to ensure that they avoid risk at all costs.
These people remain watchful and keep their eyes on things that require their attention. They are excellent at thinking ahead of their time and planning accordingly. Thus, their choices are ideally suited for dealing with future contingencies.
2. Shows Fierce Loyalty
An Enneagram Six is known as ‘The Loyalist.’ These individuals remain loyal to their beliefs, systems, ideas, and friends. Sixes will never compromise these elements of their life at any cost. They are willing to go to any extent to protect themselves from unwanted exposure.
One can always expect these Enneagram Sixes to perform all their duties abiding by their beliefs. Their systematic approach toward life helps them care for their loved ones and keep their relationships intact. These people would not fight for themselves as much as they would for their friends, ideas, and beliefs.
3. Remain Committed to Plans and Individuals
Another great strength that lies within the personality of an Enneagram 6 person is their level of commitment toward various plans and individuals. The type six person is a man of words. If they make some promise to any person or if anyone assigns the responsibility to them for making concrete plans, enneagram type 6s would always live up to their promises.
They will make sure to meet their responsibilities at any cost. It indicates how reliable an enneagram six can be for anyone who wishes to make them a part of their life. These people cannot even think of betraying someone.
4. Offering Care and Protection to Others
The focus of people with enneagram six personality types remains on their loved ones and do everything possible to protect them from all kinds of harm. They ensure these things by constantly indulging themselves in making strategies and planning for events in the future.
It allows them to stay mentally prepared for things to come. The proactive approach of an enneagram six plays a crucial role in making their loved ones remain safe and free from danger. They will even care about ensuring the fulfillment of their needs and desires. Sixes are problem solvers, who will always feel good if they can contribute toward their loved one’s growth and development.
5. Identifies and Think About the Perspectives of People
Enneagram 6s have a good habit of identifying people’s perceptions about various things and situations in their lives. Once they recognize them, Sixes start thinking about how their friends and family would perceive specific scenarios.
Accordingly, an Enneagram 6 would carry out all their duties to ensure they always remain in the good books of their near and dear ones. They are willing to give up their line of thought and undertake responsibilities that suit others’ perspectives.
6. Potential to Contemplate Both Rationality and Emotion
Few people can maintain a balance between logic or rationality and emotion. Usually, people are either logical or see things from an emotional angle, but there is always some exception. Enneagram 6s fall under this category, where they can investigate matters using their logic and emotions.
Sixes are primarily logical in their approach. Despite this, they do not push others away if they reach out to them with their sufferings and emotions. It is so because enneagram six personality types are always willing to offer their helping hands to their loved ones. Even if someone is not close to them, but they have earned the trust of these enneagrams, they will take care of their well-being.
4 Weaknesses of Enneagram 6
The weaknesses of Enneagram 6 individuals point toward several blind spots or drawbacks within their personalities. These people must overcome them to achieve their desired level of growth and development.
Let us now discuss the weak links present within an Enneagram 6 person, which they must work on and overcome as soon as possible.
1. Fails to Control Anxious Thoughts
A significant weakness that exists within the personality of an Enneagram 6 individual is that they cannot prevent anxious thoughts from cropping up in their minds. Sixes’ quest for ensuring the safety and security of loved ones makes them overcautious in their approach.
They constantly think of events that can take place in the future, which might harm people close to their hearts. Even though they think ahead of time and plan accordingly for possible events, their apprehension toward negativities does not go away. Hence, Sixes spend most of their time worrying about unnecessary things.
2. Habit of Adopting a Pessimistic Attitude in Life
Enneagram 6s are skeptics. They never believe someone’s word of mouth. These individuals will scan through all the details till they attain a satisfactory level. Only then will they accept that the information is correct. It happens because of their inability to see things with a positive frame of mind. They tend to adopt a pessimistic approach while carrying out any work. Sixes have the habit of thinking about worst-case scenarios, which might happen sometime in the future.
These individuals often allow their fears to guide them a lot during life. Whatever they try to do, an enneagram 6 always has a sense of apprehension working in their mind. They feel like things would not go as per their plans.
3. Wary of Important Decisions in Life
People with Enneagram 6 personality types shudder to think of situations when they must make important decisions in their life. They keep postponing them or hoping that somebody else will carry this responsibility on their behalf.
It happens due to their habit of entertaining negative thoughts inside the mind. These individuals do not know how to tackle a situation if any decision goes wrong. They might be the ones who plan, but when it comes to making decisions, Sixes feel it is too risky. It is because they are ready to face the consequences.
4. They Keep Doubting Their Abilities
It is a common trend within enneagram 6 personality type individuals to suffer from low self-esteem now and then. Somehow, they cannot develop the required confidence level to carry out their responsibilities in the best possible manner.
These people fail to realize their true potential. Hence, they do not know what hard work can make them attain in their life. Sixes must understand that to achieve success, not only one needs to work hard and prepare well, but it is equally significant for an individual to believe in themselves.
Personality Growth Tips for Enneagram 6
It is usual for any individual to have strengths and weaknesses in their personality. Hence, there are strengths & weaknesses of Enneagram 6 personality type people as well. Everyone wants to grow and develop in life. Unfortunately, it is difficult unless an individual puts sufficient time and energy into overcoming their weaknesses.
Personality growth refers to the overall development that an individual must experience in life. They can attain the same by bringing improvement to their talents and skill set that exist inside them. It also points toward various avenues one can follow to become a better person.
During the process of growth and development, an enneagram six personality type person moves toward their growth number, which happens to be enneagram type nine. It simply means that when Sixes are healthy and start growing, they acquire some positive traits lying inside the Type Nine. It denotes that Sixes will become more relaxed, experience calmness, and suffer less anxiety.
Let us now discuss some tips enneagram type 6 personality individuals must follow to ensure growth and development in life. They will make Sixes fully aware of their weaknesses. These tips or suggestions would also let them recognize various ways to improve their skills. They can ultimately let them attain the ultimate level of satisfaction and happiness.
1. Accept the Power Lying Inside
Enneagram 6s can look at life as a chain of events happening to them now and then. They do not see it as a journey where they go through different stages and learn various things in due course of time. It is not necessarily the right approach that a type six personality must adopt.
The important thing that these individuals must realize is to learn ways that can help them acknowledge and accept the power they possess within themselves. When they manage to do these, Sixes can become braver and develop boldness in how they face the world.
2. Remain Aware of Creating Self-Fulfilling Prophecies
Self-fulfilling prophecy refers to those predictions which cause them to be true because of the behavior of an individual who believes in them. Enneagram six personality type people follow the same when they let their fear lead them toward becoming extremely paranoid.
For instance, if an Enneagram 6 focuses more on the fear that their partner is not showing much interest in them, they might unnecessarily inject additional tension into this enneagram relationship that would not exist otherwise. They face several issues to inculcate the habit of believing in their abilities. Doubts consume their mind, hence blocking the free flow of thoughts. Their reasoning ability goes for a toss.
3. Put Sufficient Effort into Build Trustworthy Relationships
Sixes need to understand that not every individual in this world has any hidden purpose or carries any intention of hurting them. This sort of skepticism can unnecessarily create problems in healthy relationships.
When Enneagram 6 personality type individuals learn the art of having more trust toward people and the lives they lead, they can form healthier and more meaningful relationships. Those relationships can ultimately help one another grow and develop further in life.
4. Inculcate Healthy Routine to Get Relief from Anxiousness
Enneagram 6s spend a lot of time in their heads. On the one hand, they keep wondering about various things in life, strategizing and planning for the future. While on the other hand, these individuals also invest their precious time worrying unnecessarily about what might go wrong.
The best thing for these people is to practice good habits while leading their life. They are the ones who will allow their energy to focus on the welfare of their bodies. Exercise should be an essential part of routine activities for every individual.
It is even more applicable for a Six. They must focus on their present situation to get relief from their anxiety. Sixes suffer from this weakness of worrying too much about the future. Hence, it does not allow them to enjoy whatever they are experiencing now.
5. Avoid the Habit of Dramatizing Problems
Every individual has problems in their life. They learn to deal with them over time. Unfortunately, Enneagram 6s have the habit of dramatizing or magnifying their problems. Hence, they give others the impression that they are dealing with much more severe issues than they are in reality.
It does not do any good to an Enneagram 6, but this tendency of theirs creates unnecessary problems in their life. They start behaving in a subdued manner. These people fail to find concrete ways to pursue their interests in life, which can help them get rid of their issues.
The best advice for these Sixes would be that rather than magnifying problems, they should express them as they are, learn how to deal with them, and soon overcome their concerns. Courageously facing them would simplify these scenarios a lot. They can easily attain peace and happiness in life.
6. Focus on the Good Things in Life
We have already mentioned the pessimistic attitude of an Enneagram 6 personality type. They tend to entertain negative thoughts and feel like things will go wrong. It is not something that can help any person grow in their life. Perhaps, it is the worst mentality one can ever possess.
Ideally, these individuals must pay attention to all the good things that have happened and the ones already happening in their lives. It will surely change their mindset. Hence, they must avoid anticipating failure in their life. Focusing on the good things will also help broaden the outlook of an Enneagram 6.
Final Words
In this article, we have had a detailed discussed on the strengths & weaknesses of enneagram 6. Enneagram 6 personality type individuals carry various positive traits in their personality. They include caring for and protecting others, making feasible and responsible choices, showing commitment toward fulfilling their promises, etc.
As any other person would have weaknesses in their personality, Enneagram 6s would also have them. Those weaknesses push them back and do not let these people grow and develop in life. They struggle to trust their personalities, cannot control anxiety, and always adopt a pessimistic approach toward life.
Therefore, Sixes must concentrate on carrying out those activities that would increase their strengths and play a massive role in converting all their weak links into positive traits.
