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Type One - The Perfectionist

Type One: The Perfectionist

Ones, often called Perfectionists or Reformers, feel a compulsive need to improve the world around them. Ethical, dedicated, and reliable, they are motivated by a desire to live the right way and avoid fault and blame. Residing in the Gut Triad, Ones internalize anger, which often bubbles up as smoldering resentment when others don’t live up to their impossibly high standards. But don’t think they let themselves off the hook—Ones live with a constant awareness of their own inner critic, reminding them of all the ways they’ve failed.

At their best, Ones have an amazing ability to see potential improvement in everything around them and also take the action to bring that vision to fruition. At their worst, Ones can be overly critical of themselves and others, leaving everyone feeling as if they don’t measure up.

Ones at a Glance

  • Basic Desire: To be good and make the world a better place
  • Biggest Fear: being defective or wrong
  • Deadly Sin: Anger

Wings

Your wing is one of the two numbers on either side of your main type. You may lean in the direction of one of these types and pick up some of its characteristics.

  • Ones with a Nine wing tend to relax and unwind more easily, able to focus inwardly and consider things before they jump into fixing mode. They are easygoing and laidback.
  • Ones with a Two wing are more people-focused, generous, and warm. Tending to be more extroverted, they can sense the needs of others and solve their problems effectively.

Stress & Security

  • In Stress: Ones take on qualities of Fours, becoming more resentful of others having fun, more sensitive to criticism, and more critical of themselves and others. Their inner critic can go into overdrive.
  • In Security: Ones take on qualities of Sevens, becoming more spontaneous, self-accepting, fun, and open to trying new things. They begin to see the world for what is good and right about it.

 You’ll Know You’re a One if You’re:

  • Principled
  • Self-controlled
  • Organized
  • Reliable
  • Driven
  • Rule Follower
  • Objective
  • Resentful
  • Conscientious
  • Fair

Content adapted from The Road Back to You by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile. Type names also appear at The Enneagram Institute®.

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