11 May 2023
What happens when you challenge a conformist to reexamine all of their wishes? Do they become more self-aware and less dependent on society’s judgment and ideals? Well, the 3w4 Enneagram type may hold the answer to this question!
In Enneagram 3w4 type, all the core characteristics of Three are there, but with an exciting twist. Thanks to the Four wing, Threes still passionately want to succeed but can never be satisfied unless they succeed in their own unique way.
In this guide, we will reveal what exactly happens in this curios mix, what are 3w4s’ strengths and desires, fears, weaknesses, and much more!
Let’s dive in!
If you scored 3w4 on the Enneagram test, it means that you are a Three with many traits of a Four.
Threes are energetic, charismatic types who know what they want and go after it. They can't stand the thought of failure and sometimes will do almost anything just to succeed. On the other hand, Fours are the most original type of Enneagram—their strongest drive is to be unique and authentic and live in line with one's inner values.
When you add the Four's traits to a Three, you get a personality that is ambitious to achieve something utterly unique and exquisite. These people want to show the world that they are special and will work hard to make that happen.
The short answer is—a wing is a sidekick to your core Enneagram type.
Every Enneagram type can have a wing that comes from the neighboring Types on the Enneagram diagram. Most of us rarely have the characteristics of only one type—we are usually a mix of two. In other words, if you’re a Three, you may have a Two or Four wing.
The Four wing reinforces the emotional side of the Three, making 3w4s more in touch with their feelings. A typical Three is like the embodiment of the saying "Fake it till you make it," but Threes with a Four wing can't stand to fake anything, as it’s not who they are.
Also, since both Threes and Fours belong to the emotional triad of the Enneagram, a 3w4 person will feel all their deepest fears and desires with a special intensity.
3w4 is a fascinating personality because, on the one hand, it exudes so much strength of character, while on the other, it appears to be so sensitive. It's like this type strives to conquer their own depths just as they strive to succeed in the outer world.
The peculiar combination of an eccentric and a conformist provides 3w4s with many unique virtues. These usually come from their emotional awareness and depth.
Therefore, we could say that the greatest strengths of the 3w4 type include:
The 3w4 Enneagram type wants to stand out from the crowd at any cost, and all the weaknesses come from their core fear—that they will fail to prove to the world how different and unique they are.
Let’s see what their dark sides are:
Taking our Coping Styles Test can provide insights into more effective strategies for handling setbacks.
Though they may seem like they don't care about conventional values or share the same dreams as the others, 3w4s crave acceptance, love, and attention just like 3w2s. Add this to their urge to express their own uniqueness, and you’ll get a list of all their deepest fears and desires.
Here’s what 3w4s fear the most:
Now that we know what the 3w4 type is afraid of, let’s see what their biggest wishes are:
Empathy is emphasized in the 3w2 personality type, so these people are more sociable and friendly, while 3w4s are full of self-awareness and more interested in their own emotions than the emotions of others. Both types excel at work, but 3w2s crave the approval of their surrounding, while 3w4s aim to impose their own criteria.
Also, a 3w2 is eager to conform and does not want to stand out and be seen as eccentric. They like success for the sake of success and don't really care what it is they are successful at as long as they are successful. Meanwhile, the 3w4's definition of success is different—they need to be seen as rare, unique, and only exceptional values to them.
A 3w4's ultimate desire is to achieve success on their own terms.
These individuals are never satisfied with common accomplishments, but they are also not ambitious in a conventional sense. They feel a strong desire to express themselves through their work and choose creative professions where they have the freedom to show what they are made of. Needless to say, recognition of their talents inspires them to work even harder.
This type is also very interested in improving both personally and professionally, so they thrive in environments that nurture self-development. Though they do not value relationships like 3w2s, they are more stable and better adapted when they form a close bond with someone.
Also, the 3w4 type enjoys it when they have the freedom to work on their own terms and in their own way and when others trust them that they'll do a good job. In fact, they are generally ready to move mountains when they feel loved and accepted by someone they admire.
Thanks to their ability to read others, 3w4s may intuitively feel when something in their surroundings is about to change. But sometimes, they may interpret these signs in the wrong way. When that happens, they become anxious and worried and throw themselves into work to try to prevent anything bad from happening.
Logically, due to this, they also tend to experience burnout which surfaces from time to time and can make them moody, defensive, and arrogant.
Also, at times, they get so immersed in their own world that they lose touch with the outer. Prolonged periods of isolation make them hypersensitive, and they become overly self-conscious and self-doubting, too. Additionally, they project their inner friction into the outer world, so they may provoke conflicts just to relish some of the tension they feel.
However, in stressful situations, when they do not feel personally triggered, they can actually react very rationally and calm others in turbulent times. So, when they feel centered and stable, they are not so easily shaken and can support those around them.
The 3w4 Enneagram type representatives are hard-working, dedicated professionals who accumulate a lot of knowledge and skills throughout their careers. These people are not so easily adaptable or interested in the social life at their workplace—they enjoy creative challenges and usually have a very sharp focus when they work.
This type usually is not interested in being a leader—they are interested in being unique and exquisite!—but can still be great managers who can sense others' abilities well. Additionally, their drive and attention to detail make them excellent and respected bosses.
As team members, they may get too competitive, as they will want to prove themselves. Due to this, others may find them a bit eccentric. They are also introverted, which is why working in teams is not an ideal solution for them to give their best.
This implies that the 3w4 Enneagram type is ideally a freelancer who works on their own terms. It’s not that they are not structured—they just like to rely on their inspiration and prefer to work independently. After all, corporate surroundings and hierarchy tend to get the worst of them.
3w4s have the Three's incredible drive and, therefore, excel in many different professions. With a touch of Four, they want more than success in what they do and achieve the extraordinary.
This type excels at professions that require independence, continuous self-development, and creativity. Their introspectiveness usually makes them interested in psychology and similar fields. Also, as previously mentioned, since they are introverted, they prefer to work alone rather than in teams.
Some of the best career choices for 3w4s include:
Since they want to be unique and aim for high accomplishments, 3w4s will not flourish in repetitive jobs, assistant positions, or those that require socializing and people skills. Therefore, the worst career paths they could choose include:
Foe 3w4s, fame is a way to distinguish oneself, which is why many of them dream of becoming a celebrity. And, while 3w2s use their personal charm and charisma to prosper, 3w4s always want to earn fame through their work.
Some popular 3w4s that managed to do this and gained worldwide fame include:
All in all, we could say the 3w4 personality type is the more artsy cousin of Three!
Now that you know so much about this type, let’s just review some of their key traits before you leave:
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