Enneagram 2 and 6 Misidentification: What It is & How to Avoid It

Enneagram 2 and 6 misidentification happens easily because Enneagram 2, the Helper, and Enneagram 6, the Loyalist, have a lot in common, both in terms of behaviors and personal traits. Moreover, they also share many of their core values, making it hard to distinguish between them, especially for Enneagram newbies.

So, in this article, we’ll analyze similarities and differences between Enneagrams 2 and 6 to understand what makes each of them unique and how to avoid Enneagram mistyping. Let’s dive in!

Why Do Enneagrams 2 and 6 Get Misidentified?

Enneagrams 2 and 6 get misidentified because their behaviors and traits in critical aspects of life, though driven by different motives, are very similar. So, let’s first analyze their similarities to understand why misidentifying Twos for Sixes and vice versa is so typical. Here are their key overlapping traits:

• Compassion: Enneagram 2 and 6 misidentification is very common because both Twos and Sixes show a lot of compassion toward others, always being ready to go out of their way to provide support to those they love.
• Focus on relationships: Relationships are high on the priority list of the Helper and the Loyalist. Both invest a lot of energy into building and maintaining their connections. They are also very family-oriented, placing a premium on family connections and values.
• Loyalty: Twos and Sixes take life and other people seriously, and they are loyal to their friends, partners, and bosses, as well as to their own beliefs and values.
• Responsibility: The Helper and the Loyalist have a very strong sense of responsibility and are some of the most dependable Enneagram types. They never avoid their duties and feel anxious when they can’t meet others’ expectations.
• Tactfulness: Since both are deeply concerned with the well-being of other people, both take great care not to say or do anything that might hurt, insult, or demean the other person.
• Thoughtfulness: Twos and Sixes never forget their loved ones’ birthdays and are generally very considerate of others’ needs, preferences, and desires.

What is Enneagram Misidentification?

Enneagram misidentification, or misidentifying Enneagram types, happens when your personality type is misinterpreted, and you get the wrong type as a result. This occurs due to a number of reasons, but mostly because of a lack of understanding of Enneagram types and categorization in general.

Enneagram 2 and 6 misidentification and Enneagram mistyping, in general, should be avoided, as it can lead to failed opportunities for raising self-awareness. Moreover, it can hinder your personal development instead of supporting your journey to self-discovery.

So, identifying your personality type accurately is important because it can help you improve the quality of your life by allowing you to understand yourself on a deeper level. Moreover, Enneagram helps you map your strengths and weaknesses and overcome them efficiently.

7+ Common Reasons for Enneagram Misidentification

Now, let's see eight of the most typical reasons behind Enneagram misidentification to understand it better:

#1. Complexity of Human Personality

No matter how well-rounded and scientifically-backed any personality theory is, it can never fully encompass human nature's complexity, diversity, and intricacy. So, there’s always plenty of room for mistakes in every personality categorization, and Enneagram is no exception.

#2. Misinterpretation of Motivations

The concept of Enneagram motivations is essential to Enneagram theory, and it thoroughly explains how each Enneagram type builds their life strategy and what their fears, needs, desires, and goals are.

So, since the Enneagram theory doesn’t focus on observable behaviors but on the core motivations of each Enneatype, it is easy to misinterpret any personality type’s behavior, especially when you’re unfamiliar with Enneagram foundations.

#3. Narrow Perceptions and Stereotypes

There are certain stereotypes surrounding the Enneagram theory, which is expected as every personality theory is followed by some kind of stereotype. That’s because stereotyping limits us by making things seem simpler. Moreover, it clouds our judgment and leads to confusion, as well as Enneagram mistyping and misidentification.

#4. Influence of Enneagram Wings

In line with Enneagram theory, every Enneagram personality type can be influenced by its neighboring types. These are called Enneagram wings, and they define Enneagram subtypes. Each Enneagram type comes in two subtypes, depending on which wing is more dominant.

Basically, each Enneatype can have the traits of its neighboring type, which, needless to say, can be very confusing when determining someone’s true Enneagram type.

#5. Variability in Healthy vs. Unhealthy Types

Every type can function at different levels of development and exhibit healthy and unhealthy behavioral patterns. Enneagram types are prone to behaving in atypical ways when they are going through an unhealthy phase, which makes accurate typing that much more challenging.

#6. External Influences

It is impossible for any one of us to predict the kind of external influences that will shape our personality. From culture, family, modern trends, and ecological factors to genetics and everything in between, we can’t control many factors that significantly influence our development.

These factors can also contribute to Enneagram mistyping, as they can modify the expression of our core personality characteristics.

#7. Limitations of Self-Perception

Every personality test is based on self-perception to some extent. Since our self-perception is limited by our beliefs, fears, and desires, we can never be fully objective, which, of course, influences the test results.

#8. Enneagram Arrows

The concept of Enneagram arrows describes how each type behaves under stress. So, each Enneagram type follows specific patterns when it experiences stress and takes over some traits and behaviors of other Enneagram types, depending on whether they are developing or regressing.

Consequently, every type can come off as the type whose behavior they take over.

3 Key Differences Between Enneagram Type 2 and 6:

While they objectively have a lot in common, Twos and Sixes are also very different from each other in certain ways. Understanding their differences can significantly help us avoid Enneagram 2 and 6 misidentification. So, let’s analyze the key distinctions between them:

Differences in Traits

The most striking difference between Twos and Sixes is in their anxiety level. Twos are way calmer, more collected, and more confident than Sixes, who are always slightly anxious and worried. Moreover, Sixes are hypervigilant, sometimes even hostile, and prone to paranoid ideas, whereas Twos are hyper-attuned to others’ needs but not hypervigilant like Sixes.

Furthermore, Twos prefer interacting in couples, whereas Sixes like to be part of larger groups. In addition, Twos are more open and relaxed around other people, while Sixes are more reserved and shy and need more time to feel at ease in a group.

Understanding Motivations

Enneagram 2 and 6 misidentification often happens due to misinterpretation of Twos’ and Sixes’ core motivations. Enneagram motivations are one of the most important concepts of the Enneagram theory and allow us to understand each type’s behavior on a deeper level. With that in mind, here’s an overview of Twos’ and Sixes’ motivations:

• Enneagram Type 2 Motivations: Twos are motivated by the desire to be needed, loved, respected, and valued. All their actions are ultimately directed to one goal, which is to earn love and validation from other people. In addition, they believe that in order for others to love them, they have to cater to their needs, so they develop all kinds of people-pleasing strategies.
• Enneagram Type 6 Motivations: Sixes are driven by the need for security. They generally don’t feel safe in the world and need community, predictability, rules, and directions to feel secure and protected. Unlike Twos, who are primarily focused on relationships, Sixes are primarily focused on safety, and being in relationships is one of the ways for them to feel safer in life.

Behavioral Expression

Behavioral expressions of Twos and Sixes, though often similar, are driven by their different motivations and, in turn, are sometimes very different. Here’s an overview of their most typical behaviors:

• Type 2 Behaviors: Two's behavior is always oriented toward helping other people because they believe that the best way to earn others’ love is to do favors for them. They don’t wait to be asked for help but readily jump in to support others in whatever way they can. As a result, they may become overly involved in the lives of others, neglecting their own and others’ boundaries.
• Type 6 Behaviors: Six’s behavior is characterized by their need for guidance and direction. They ask lots of questions, as they need validation from others to feel safe. They also tend to check everything to ensure their plans are in place. Generally, they behave like safety inspectors, always hyperaware of any potential threat.

How to Know Which Enneagram Type You Are

The best way to know which Enneagram type you are is to take a quality Enneagram test. Such a test consists of carefully targeted questions that do not confuse you and provide you with a detailed description of your Enneagram type so that you can easily feel if you got the right type or not.

Another way to determine your Enneagram type is to explore Enneagram theory in detail to familiarize yourself with core Enneagram concepts like Enneagram motivations, wings, and arrows. The better you understand Enneagram personality classification, the easier it will be for you to identify your Enneagram type.

Moreover, you will also easily guess others’ types based on your interactions with them.

Finally, you can always ask your close friends and people who know you well for feedback about the kind of impression you give. This kind of reality check can be very helpful in determining your Enneagram type and expanding your self-awareness in general.

Key Takeaways

Enneagram 2 and 6 misidentification is very common, but it can easily be avoided when you understand the essence of Enneagram theory and Enneagram personality categorization. With that in mind, let’s focus once again on the key insights about Enneagram 2 and 6 misidentification:

• Twos and Sixes share many traits and values, which makes misidentifying Sixes for Twos and vice versa very easy. However, understanding their core motivations sheds light on their differences.
• Enneagram theory focuses on each type’s core life strategy and motivations, not on their observable behaviors, which is why it is important to understand what drives each type’s behavior.
• The best way to identify your Enneagram type accurately is to take a well-designed, quality Enneagram test and explore Enneagram theory.