Bridging Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Enneagram

In the world of psychology and Self-development, Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs and Enneagram stand as two powerful frameworks for understanding human behaviour and motivation. This holistic bond has led to a breakthrough in my journey as person and a Life Coach.

           Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs is a theory proposed by psychologist Abraham Maslow in 1943,explaining the five tiers of human needs in a sequential order. At the base the Physiological needs, followed by Safety needs, then, love and belongings and finally Self-actualization.

          Enneagram is a personality typing system that explains nine personality types each with its own set of motivations, fears, defence mechanism, behaviour and thought patterns.

By linking those two models together we can embark on a journey towards increasing self-esteem and fulfilment.

Let’s deep dive into how each Enneagram Type can be linked with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.

Type 1 - The Perfectionist/Reformer:

• Physiological and Safety Needs: Type 1s may focus on meeting their physiological needs through discipline and structure, ensuring they have a stable foundation to pursue their ideals.
• Love and Belongingness: They look for approval and connection by following rules and making positive donations to society.
• Esteem Needs: Type 1s often seek esteem through their accomplishments and seriously following their values, striving for recognition and respect for their integrity and hard work.
• Self-Actualization: Their journey to self-actualization journey focuses on making their dreams come true, helping society get better, which makes them feels happy and fulfilled.

2. Type 2 - The Helper/Giver:

• Physiological and Safety Needs: Type 2s may prioritize meeting their own needs after ensuring the well-being and safety of others, sometimes neglecting their own needs.
• Love and Belongingness: They seek love and belongingness through acts of service and nurturing others, deriving their self-worth from the love and appreciation they receive in return.
• Esteem Needs: Type 2s often derive esteem from their ability to help and support others, seeking approval through their kind actions and generosity.
• Self-Actualization: Their self-actualization journey may involve balancing their desire to help others with self-care and self-fulfillment, learning to prioritize their own needs without feeling guilty.

3. Type 3 - The Achiever/Performer:

• Physiological and Safety Needs: Type 3s may prioritize meeting their physiological and safety needs through achieving success and recognition in their chosen field, ensuring financial stability and security.
• Love and Belongingness: They seek love and belongingness through their achievements and successes, often deriving their self-worth from external validation and admiration.
• Esteem Needs: Type 3s derive esteem from their accomplishments and recognition, striving for excellence and success in their efforts to maintain their self-image and reputation.
• Self-Actualization: Their journey towards self-actualization may involve discovering their authentic identity beyond their achievements and external acceptance, finding fulfillment in alignment with their true values and passions.

4. Type 4 - The Individualist/Romantic:

• Physiological and Safety Needs: Type 4s may prioritize meeting their physiological and safety needs while seeking depth and meaning in their experiences, often interested in unusual and creative activities.
• Love and Belongingness: They seek love and belongingness through deep emotional connections and authenticity, often feeling misunderstood or different from others.
• Esteem Needs: Type 4s derive esteem from their unique identity and creativity, valuing their individuality and depth of emotions as sources of self-worth.
• Self-Actualization: Their self-actualization journey may involve embracing their uniqueness and creativity, finding fulfillment in expressing their authentic self and making positive impact on the world in meaningful ways.

5. Type 5 - The Investigator/Observer:

• Physiological and Safety Needs: Type 5s may prioritize meeting their physiological and safety needs through knowledge and seeking independence by making their own choices.
• Love and Belongingness: They seek love and belongingness through intellectual connections and shared interests, often preferring deep conversations with like-minded individuals over emotional bonds.
• Esteem Needs: Type 5s derive esteem from their expertise and intellectual pursuits, valuing their knowledge and competence as sources of self-worth.
• Self-Actualization: Their journey towards self-actualization may involve sharing their knowledge and insights with others, finding fulfillment in contributing to the greater good through their mental activities and passions.

6. Type 6 - The Loyalist/Skeptic:

• Physiological and Safety Needs: Type 6s may prioritize meeting their physiological and safety needs through loyalty and readiness, seeking security and stability in their environment.
• Love and Belongingness: They seek love and belongingness through trusted relationships and communities, often valuing loyalty and support from others.
• Esteem Needs: Type 6s derive esteem from their reliability and dependability, valuing their ability to navigate uncertainty and protect themselves and others.
• Self-Actualization: Their self-actualization journey may involve overcoming fear and self-doubt, finding courage to trust themselves and pursuing their goals and goals with confidence.

7. Type 7 - The Enthusiast/Optimist:

• Physiological and Safety Needs: Type 7s may prioritize meeting their physiological and safety needs through exploration and adventure, seeking excitement and newness in their experiences.
• Love and Belongingness: They seek love and belongingness through fun and often valuing freedom, exploration and excitement with their loved ones
• Esteem Needs: Type 7s derive esteem from their ability to adapt and succeed in different situations, valuing their optimism and resilience as sources of self-worth.
• Self-Actualization: Their journey towards self-actualization may involve welcoming discomfort and facing their fears, finding fulfillment in being present and fully engaged in the richness of life.

8. Type 8 - The Challenger/Protector:

• Physiological and Safety Needs: Type 8s may prioritize meeting their physiological and safety needs through strength and assertiveness, seeking control and power to protect themselves and others.
• Love and Belongingness: They seek love and belongingness through loyalty and honesty, valuing authenticity and integrity in relationships.
• Esteem Needs: Type 8s derive esteem from their ability to take charge and lead others, valuing their strength and independence as sources of self-worth.
• Self-Actualization: Their self-actualization journey may involve embracing vulnerability and empathy, finding fulfillment in using their power and influence to empower others and create positive change.

9. Type 9 - The Peacemaker/Mediator:

• Physiological and Safety Needs: Type 9s may prioritize meeting their physiological and safety needs through peace and harmony, seeking stability and comfort in their environment.
• Love and Belongingness: They seek love and belongingness through acceptance and understanding, often valuing harmony and unity in relationships.
• Esteem Needs: Type 9s derive esteem from their ability to maintain peace and resolve conflicts, valuing their diplomacy and empathy as sources of self-worth.
• Self-Actualization: Their journey towards self-actualization may involve asserting themselves and expressing their needs and desires, finding fulfillment in accepting their individuality and making their voice heard.

          As a conclusion, in  Bridging or Connecting Maslow’s hierarchy and Enneagram we can understand how our basic needs shape our self-esteem and fulfilment. Recognizing our personality and basic needs helps us become more self-aware and fulfilled. Through reflection and growth, we can overcome limitations and reach our highest potential and succeed to be in our best version.

In wrapping up, combining Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs with the Enneagram doesn’t just deepen our grasp of personal growth, it also improves my effectiveness as a life coach. This blend offers a customized approach to guiding clients through their self-esteem journey. With the Enneagram, I can understand each person’s unique motivations and behaviors better, allowing me to tailor my coaching to their specific needs. This not only makes my coaching more effective but also fosters stronger connections and more meaningful transformations with my clients. Overall, embracing this holistic method can supercharge my coaching practice and empower clients to help achieve their personal growth, increase their self-awareness, acceptance, overcome obstacles making it a win-win journey of growth and fulfillment for everyone involved.

Reham Noureldin

Life Coach PCC-ICF

.