Those of us who want to identify our Enneagram types correctly, as well as those of us who guide others, have a common intention: accuracy! But too often, one phrase or statement reminds us of one of the types in particular. As a result, we end up thinking This is it! A closer examination or inquiry into such statements often reveals a type other than what we first imagined.

In this series of 9 blogs, I take one statement we might easily associate with a particular type, but then use a lucid probing technique, which involves two specific questions that uncover the true meaning of the statement. It works like this. First, ask a question to explore the meaning of the statement, rather than making an inference from the statement. Second, explore the underlying drive or motivation beneath the statement.

Lucid Probing
1st Explore the meaning of the statement
What does_____ mean to you?

2nd Explore the underlying motivation for the statement
What causes you to _____?

The Statement | “I always work really hard.”
This statement sounds like it could be like a type 1 but is it? Yes, Ones work really hard, but so do many other types. Here’s what Ones might say, as well as a sampling of a few other types.
Type 1
1st Explore the meaning of the statement
What does “always working really hard” mean to you?
What a One might say
“Working hard means getting everything right, no matter how long it takes. It also means being highly responsible for anything I’ve said I will do.”

2nd Explore the underlying motivation for the statement
What causes you to “always work really hard”?
What a One might say
“I have to get things right. I see errors, mistakes and problems very quickly and have to fix them. I can’t even imagine not doing this.”

Yes, the answers appear to suggest this person might a One. However, without the inquiry of Lucid Probing – that is, if the initial statement “always have to work hard” was taken at face value and it was assumed to be a One statement – an unintentional wrong typing identification is possible. Here are some other types that might easily have made the statement “I always work really hard.”

The Statement | “I always work really hard.”
Type 2
1st Explore the meaning of the statement
What does “always working really hard” mean to you?
What a Two might say
“I always work really hard because I have a terrible time saying ‘no’ when someone asks me to do something. I then get more work than I already have – which is a lot – and feel responsible for getting it all done, even if it is at my own expense.”

2nd Explore the underlying motivation for the statement
What causes you to “always work really hard”?
What a Two might say
“I think of myself as someone who others can count on. This is especially true if it is someone with whom I am close or if it is someone who I simply sense needs a lot of help.”

The Statement | “I always work really hard.”
Type 3
1st Explore the meaning of the statement
What does “always working really hard” mean to you?
What a Three might say
“I’m always working hard, at home, at work. It’s just what I do. I have a hard time just sitting still and doing nothing.”

2nd Explore the underlying motivation for the statement
What causes you to “always work really hard”?
What a Three might say
“I’ve always worked hard, even in school or sports. I don’t work harder than I need to be successful, but I also don’t know what to do with myself if I’m not working hard and moving forward with some project or task. Being active, creating plans and making things happen seem to be part of my DNA.”

The Statement | “I always work really hard.”
Type 8
1st Explore the meaning of the statement
What does “always working really hard” mean to you?
What an Eight might say
“I never do anything half-heartedly. I always throw myself into whatever I think is important. Often, but not always, this is work related.”

2nd Explore the underlying motivation for the statement
What causes you to “always work really hard”?
What an Eight might say
“I don’t really know if I like working this hard all the time, but it is what I do. Sometimes it’s because I don’t think I can count on others to step up like I expect. Sometimes it’s because I am just really passionate about most of the things I do. I’m also passionate about my hobbies and go 150% into them.”

The above three examples are simply samples. Almost all the Enneagram types might say they “always work really hard,” or at least “work really hard,” but for 9 different reasons!

Ginger Lapid-Bogda PhD, the author of seven Enneagram-business books, is a speaker, consultant, trainer, and coach. She provides certification programs for professionals around the world who want to bring the Enneagram into organizations with high-impact business applications, and is past-president of the International Enneagram Association. Visit her website: TheEnneagramInBusiness.com. ginger@theenneagraminbusiness.com