There’s no doubt you’ve heard Madison discussing astrology signs at length, and maybe even Meyers-Briggs — but have you ever heard of the Enneagram?
This dynamic personality system, which is composed of nine types, has increased in popularity over the last decade — just look at the Google search trends . Plus, it’s become a popular topic amongst local therapists, coaches, influencers + creatives.
So, how does it work?
The Enneagram aims to identify our core motivations, patterns + fixations at a deeper level to understand how they affect our approaches to life, work, and relationships. Practitioners also believe that it can be a great tool for developing empathy, strengthening communication, and enabling personal growth.
Another way to look at it: each person has an essential nature (or essence) that drives their personality, temperament, and decisions. To uncover your type, coaches typically recommend reading through a hefty description and choosing the type that you resonate with most. Cool, right?
What are the types?
Type 1 – The Reformer : Rational, idealistic, principled + perfectionistic.
Essence: Purity
Type 2 – The Helper : Caring, interpersonal, generous + people-pleasing.
Essence: Compassion
Type 3 – The Achiever : Success-oriented, pragmatic, adaptable, driven + image-conscious.
Essence: Love, Acceptance
Type 4 – The Individualist : Sensitive, introspective, expressive, dramatic + self-absorbed.
Essence: Radiance, Beauty
Type 5 – The Investigator : Intense, cerebral, perceptive, innovative, secretive + isolated.
Essence: Omniscience, Peace
Type 6 – The Loyalist : Committed, security-oriented, engaging, responsible, anxious + suspicious.
Essence: Wisdom
Type 7 – The Enthusiast : Busy, variety-seeking, spontaneous, versatile, acquisitive + scattered.
Essence: Serene Bliss
Type 8 – The Challenger : Powerful, dominating, self-confident, decisive, willful + confrontational.
Essence: Power, Innocence
Type 9 – The Peacemaker : Easygoing, self-effacing, receptive, reassuring, agreeable + complacent.
Essence: Harmony
Vote here on which type best describes the city of Madison.
-
Answered: Here’s what you think Madison’s Enneagram is
Last month, we told you all about the Enneagram personality system and today, we’re sharing results of Madison’s reader-anointed Enneagram type.
As voted by a majority of our readers, Madison’s Enneagram is Type 4
, the Individualist. But we also hear some interesting cases for Type 7
, the Enthusiast. Here’s what some of you had to say:
- “4 — Romantic individualists because of all the people who want to keep Madison quirky and weird lol.”
- “4 — Madison tries to be as individualistic as possible.”
- “4 — I think Madisonians are intellectual people who like to do things their own way. They enjoy being unique, and they always need more information before they can decide something.”
- “7 — The variety of neighborhoods with their own vibe, endless amounts of activities, powerful in areas related to academics and governmental influence but still receptive and agreeable to a multitude of viewpoints. While we’re easy-going on the surface, much of what we do highlights just how busy, versatile and dominating we really are in the Midwest, so we’re really a combination of all three.”
We asked, you answered, the verdict is in. The 608 is full of highly creative, unique + passionate humans who are busy educating and creating the lives they desire right here around our Isthmus.
This said — Madison is about as quirky and eclectic as they come. Check out some of our guides
celebrating a diverse mix of educational, outdoorsy + community-inspired must-dos all over the city.