The Kind Nature of Enneagram 9w8 Personality Type

Can you imagine Mohammad Alli and Gandi in one personality? Or, in other words, what happens when you mix a Challenger and a Peacemaker?

9w8s hold the reputation of being one of the most complex Enneagram types. Nines generally tend to easily absorb influences from other stronger personalities, so in this combination, A Nine takes on a lot of traits from an Eight.

But will this be a conflicted personality, or is this a story about a savior who also fights in the name of peace? You can only find an answer if you keep reading, so jump in to discover what makes the 9w8 type so incredibly intriguing!

Enneagram 9w8 (9 Wing 8) Personality Type

A 9w8 will still mostly look like a Nine, but they will be much more assertive and know how to handle personal boundaries. This can sometimes lead to misidentification with Type Four, as both types can be introspective and sensitive.

Meanwhile, Enneagram Type Eight belongs to the gut triad of the Enneagram, meaning they are one of the types with the strongest willpower. That’s exactly what Nines need to become more confident and assertive.

Due to this, 9w8s surely won’t put up with just anything to maintain the peace. The Eight wing gives Nines the courage to be who they are more freely and stand up for their beliefs. However, thanks to their strong self-control, they will be able to navigate conflicts efficiently without hurting anyone.

The 9w8 Enneagram type also cares about the community and is especially sensitive to underdogs, so they will always protect the ones in need. Peace and harmony are their top values, and they are ready to protect them actively.This is because they strongly believe that the world can be a happier place and will assert themselves to prove so.

What Does Wing Mean?

If you scored 9w8 on the Enneagram test, it means your dominant type is Nine but you also scored highly for Eight, which means you are a Nine with an Eight wing. Each Enneagram type can have a wing which is one of the two Enneagram types that surround your dominant type on the Enneagram circumference. So, Nine can have a One or an Eight wing.

The Eight wing adds intensity to a Nine’s personality. Eights are probably the most masculine type of all the Enneagram types—strong-willed, assertive, independent, and capable. Because of this, 9w8s are sociable, active, and attractive people with a natural talent for resolving conflicts. They will never be aggressive as Eights but are able to assert their needs when the situation requires them to do so.

Enneagram 9w8 Strengths & Weaknesses

9w8s have a contradictory personality, and such are their strengths and weaknesses. It is not easy to balance the Nines’ need for connection and peace with the Eight’s need for excitement and challenge. Let’s see what this fusion looks like.

9w8 Strengths

Being in the gut center of the Enneagram, Nines have a tremendous capacity to stay connected to their core selves. The Eight wing emphasizes this potential even more and helps Nines stay grounded no matter what.

Their greatest strengths are:

• Incredible calmness under pressure. This type can think clearly and make the best decisions in the worst of circumstances.
• Strong motivation to protect others. They feel it is their call to protect the less privileged and those who suffer.
• Ability to motivate and influence others. 9w8s always try to see the best in a person, even when that person is not aware of their own value.
• Ability to see an issue from every angle. Their need to maintain peace makes them very level-headed.
• Assertiveness. They know exactly what they need to do to accomplish a certain goal, and they do it without waiting for someone to tell them.

9w8 Weaknesses

Both Nines and Eights tend to suppress their vulnerability, which actually makes them more vulnerable. Moreover, as mentioned previously, 9w8 is generally a contradictory personality, which can be exhausting in some situations.

These are this type's most notable weak points:

• Ignoring their own needs. They put others’ needs first and ignore their own feelings along the way.
• Minimizing problems. 9w8s have difficulty admitting they have a problem and asking for help.
• Stubbornness. These people can get too attached to certain attitudes and refuse to consider other people’s points of view.
• Inner conflicts. Nines are selfless, while Eights are selfish, which is the only dichotomy they have to solve to stay balanced.
• Trust issues. They have trouble opening up and trusting the other person in intimate relationships.

Enneagram 9w8 Fears & Desires

This type craves stability and peace and is ready to do whatever it takes to attain them. Therefore, their fears and desires are the story of a person who wants to live in a world of love and peace.

9w8 Fears

All the fears of the 9w8 type revolve around not belonging anywhere and losing the love and support of the community. Here’s what they include:

• Getting betrayed
• Being unable to resolve conflict
• Getting rejected or separated from the community

9w8 Desires

All that a 9w8 wants is to make the world a better place for everyone. Therefore, their most pronounced desires include:

• Ensuring peace and stability and protecting their loved ones
• Possessing beautiful things in life
• Becoming experts in certain areas
• Leading a simple yet fulfilling life

Enneagram 9w8 vs. 9w1 Comparison

Compared to 9w1s, the 9w8 type is more assertive and confrontational. A 9w1 will become an expert in a particular field and then work to skillfully uphold peace, morality, and the welfare of their community. Meanwhile, a 9w8 is more motivated to defend the underdog or fight and advocate for those who cannot do it themselves.

Both 9w1 and 9w8 will seem composed and collected, though a 9w8 might be more energetic and active than a 9w1. 9w8s secretly want a challenge because they believe they have the stamina and courage to meet it head-on.

What Motivates 9w8 Personality Types?

9w8 is a very independent type who does not need a lot of encouragement to give their best. However, they feel inspired when they have the chance to support someone's success, persuade someone to think about alternative options, or successfully defend someone who is in need.

Deeply humane, this type is the soul of the community, forever motivated to protect its wellbeing. They don't back down from responsibility—in fact, they are motivated by it. If you ask the 9w8 Enneagram type to teach a group about a certain subject, they will do it with enthusiasm. Moreover, they take pleasure in guiding others toward better options and helping them live more fulfilling lives.

They don't need a crowd or stage lights, but they do need to know that their efforts are appreciated. Close friendships are very important to them—when they feel loved, understood, and seen, they feel like they can move mountains.

What are 9w8 Personality Types Like Under Stress?

The 9w8 Enneagram type is very resilient to stress. It is not easy to push these people to the edge—but, of course, it is possible.

Too many conflicts around them may drain their energy resources. In such circumstances, they will tend to shut down and abort communication, as they intuitively feel they need to withdraw to reorganize. To numb intense emotions, they frequently turn to housework, cleaning, and other mundane tasks. That’s one of their coping strategies when they are stressed.

While Eights are unyielding street fighters, Nines have a poetic quality about them. In 9w8s, those two sides can frequently collide, causing great suffering for the person. As a result, they become forgetful, baffled, and mentally blocked.

Due to this, 9w8 may feel provoked to react aggressively in extremely stressful situations. Since this type usually swallows their anger silently, if they get too scared, they may explode and release all the pent-up energy.

Kind conversation, a hug, honest support, and understanding are all this type needs to recover from stress. When they fall, they quickly get back up and continue to stand their ground.

What are 9w8 Personality Types Like at Work?

At work, 9w8s are calm and diligent employees anyone can rely on. They often effortlessly smooth over differences between coworkers and naturally harmonize with their surroundings. Being a part of the group appeals to them because they are very adaptable. Generally speaking, they demonstrate more independence and a stronger desire to take on managerial roles.

Moreover, 9w8 is a natural team player who will do anything to maintain the harmony of the team and make everyone happy. They will defend and support team members who are or feel inferior for any reason, and they will gladly offer their guidance and support.

As managers, these people are also compassionate, well-organized, devoted, and capable of leading a team of people with a wide range of personalities. They are skilled at empowering and encouraging their staff to give their all while educating and inspiring them to advance in their careers.

Thanks to the Eight wing, a 9w8 is perfectly capable of working independently. They frequently have an entrepreneurial mindsetand will be successful as long as they believe in the cause and love their work. So, from all this, you can say they do not fit the stereotype of people who will do anything to make a living.

Enneagram 9w8 Best & Worst Career Choices

What this Enneagram type strives to do is make advancements that will enable people to live more fulfilling lives. They have a strong desire to help people and will gladly accept leadership roles to do so. Needless to say, this is what determines which career paths suit them or not.

9w8 Best Career Choices

9w8s are great at resolving conflicts because they can show genuine care and support while still being able to see the situation from all sides. Therefore, it’s a good idea for them to pursue any profession that can use this special talent.

Some job positions 9w8s can shine in are:

• Diplomat
• Negotiator
• Social Worker
• Charity Fund Raiser
• Counsellor
• Psychotherapist
• Judge
• Editor

9w8 Worst Career Choices

The Nine wing Eight strives to avoid negative feelings and keep their peace at all costs. Therefore, they won’t tolerate any jobs that deviate from this. Having this in mind, we can say that some of the worst career choices for 9w8s may include:

• Prosecutor
• Attorney at Law
• Journalist
• TV Host
• Hospital Workers
• Morgue Workers
• Politicians

Enneagram 9w8 Famous People

Many famous humanitarians belong to this type, but so do artists and performers of all kinds. Regardless of the professions they pursued, they all have a distinct humanitarian tendency in common. Here are some of the most famous 9w8s:

• Keanu Reeves is an excellent actor who is famous for his generosity and charity work. He regularly donates huge amounts of money to different causes.
• Charles Bukowski, a world-famous author who had a very difficult and interesting life, has always defended the underdog, both in his works and in life.
• Michael Fassbender is a talented actor known for his kind nature and incredible sex appeal. Besides that, he is also actively involved in several charities.
• The present Dalai Lama is known to the Tibetan people as Gyalwa Rinpoche. He is the most revered spiritual figure and a former ruler of Tibet.

Key Takeaways

Described in a couple of words, a 9w8 is a humanitarian with an entrepreneurial mind. After reading this guide, you probably know all there is to know about this peculiar yet amazing Enneagram type.

The key takeaways to remember about 9w8s are as follows:

• The 9w8 type brings a strong personality with a huge capacity for love and support. They will always stand up for the less fortunate and protect their community.
• These people are resilient, efficient under pressure, assertive, and always considerate of others. At work, they are excellent leaders who know how to inspire the best in people and can solve any conflict with confidence.
• 9w8s’ deepest desire is to live in a world of peace, where everyone can be their best selves. And thanks to the Eight’s influence, they are often the generators of big changes in society.