Enneatype 8: What is the personality of the “powerful and dominating” person like?

Among the self-knowledge tools, the enneagram is one of the best known and most used in the field of personal development. In it is the Enneatype 8, the controlling or defiant, capable of solving any obstacle, but also of throwing everyone on his side.

In this space we will describe this personality archetype, with its strengths and weaknesses. If you are coming into contact with this psychoanalytic side of personal development, don’t miss anything, as you will extract quality information. Let’s go with it.

Main characteristics of enneatype 8

The enneagram is a tool that tries to encompass all personalities by classifying them into 9 archetypes, called enneatypes. Through them we try to describe the human condition of the subject, with its lights and shadows, in addition to detailing certain actions to take advantage of its full potential.

Within these enneatypes, The number 8 is the one that is identified with the powerful, the dominating or the controlling. It is a personality whose basis is strength and power hierarchies. These are tough, strong individuals who do not tolerate anyone stepping over them. He is in the visceral group, he is impulsive and direct, as described in a publication by Science and Academia.

They are personalities that cannot stand anyone telling them what to do, they tend to be fearless and defiant. In addition, they show a confident and assertive image along with a notable emotional intensity. When it comes to showing their worth, they know how to use all their strength to overcome obstacles.

His desire for control is well known. They tend to feel uncomfortable in new or unfamiliar situations, as well as give yourself fully in your relationships and have a strong sense of justice. Those of this type appear distant or cold when someone does not fit in with them. But they are loyal and protective people with their loved ones.

Fears and defects

The dark part of enneatype 8 is the one that interacts poorly with life’s difficulties. It is a personality forged in adversity, usually with a hard childhood or marked by wounds of abandonment or abuse.

When the fear of lack of control predominates, they become intimidating and dominant. or they develop a defensive attitude. They become very reactive individuals and create an emotional shell around themselves, preventing others from getting to know them in depth or from establishing a strong bond. In this way, their tender side is buried under this insecurity and mistrust.

In the worst cases, outbursts of rage appear. It is a reaction to this feeling of lack of control, which is projected from the rupture of the expectations placed on others.

Strengths

If Enneatype 8 is dominated by their insecurity and need for control, it brings out their great virtues. In this scenario we find strong, protective people and good leaders. They strive to improve the conditions of those they protect and will go to great lengths to make them happy.

The balanced version of this enneatype includes exemplary resilience, because they learned to embrace their vulnerabilities and find someone to display them with. Thus, they end up finding solutions for their problems and regulation strategies for their strong emotional reactions.

How is archetype 8 balanced?

To enhance all the lights of this type, it is necessary to define its shadows. For this purpose, four strategies are recommended:

Process and embrace vulnerability: Recognizing and accepting those weak points is the key to dropping the mask of invulnerability that people of this archetype put on. In this way, it is easier to let others into one’s life.Focus on solutions: Once the vulnerability is admitted, the next step is to focus on the problems and find solutions for them. In this way, the feeling of control increases, but in a healthier way (not through dominance).Change blame for responsibility: one of the best ways to relate to one’s own mistakes and those of others. Blaming implies punishment, taking responsibility attracts solutions.Learn to forgive: Emotional wounds and mistakes (others’ or one’s own) are one of the heaviest burdens of enneatype 8. By learning to forgive, one can heal and also regain attention in the present to continue growing as a person.

Enneatype 8 and enneagram: take with caution

This tool, linked to spiritual currents and psychoanalysis, can be a good way to explore one’s own behavioral tendencies, weaknesses and strengths. However, it uses labels to classify people, so it should be taken with caution.

As said at the beginning, the enneagram is a tool for personal development. If it is used as a catalog of people, immovable and definitive, it will fall into immobility. Therefore, we should not lose sight of the flexibility of human behavior and not use labels to pigeonhole someone, thus justifying their toxic behaviors.

Do you feel like you identify with enneatype 8? If so, you may need to focus on opening up more to others and achieving harmony between your ferocity and your loyalty. Don’t hesitate to explore more of the enneagram, if you think it can help you be the best version of yourself.

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