Enneagram and Self-Sabotage: Causes & Solutions

Analyzing the Enneagram and self-sabotage behaviors of the nine personality types, we gain a more profound understanding of the destructive patterns that each type is prone to.

Rooted in our deep-seated fears, insecurities, and unresolved issues, self-sabotage is one of the most common ways we try to protect ourselves from perceived failure, threat, or loss.

Exploring the Enneagram test and theory can provide significant insights into the ways and motivations behind self-sabotage and thus help us pave the way for personal growth.

In this article, we’ll explain the Enneagram self-sabotage patterns and provide tips for overcoming these dysfunctional behaviors that hold us back from achieving our full potential.

Let’s dive right in!

What Is Self-Sabotage?

The term self-sabotage refers to a set of actions, behaviors, thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs, more or less conscious, that limit our self-realization and hinder achieving our goals. It’s a defense mechanism we use to protect ourselves from something that triggers our deepest fears.

Since our fears are very diverse, the self-sabotage mechanisms are also very diverse, but usually come in the form of:

• Perfectionism. This is typically based on the belief that if you can’t do something perfectly, you shouldn’t do it at all. Perfectionism makes us passive and often leads to self-sabotage.
• Need for control. Sometimes, when we can’t control the outcome, we choose to entirely give up on investing any effort into achieving the desired results, as giving up provides more certainty than trying hard without any guarantee of success.
• Fear of success. Paradoxically, success often comes with anxiety about the change in our image, status, or lifestyle that comes with it.
• Fear of failure. Giving up before we even try, instead of taking risks, feels less scary than the possibility of failure.
• Low self-esteem. When we believe we’re not good enough, we unconsciously avoid opportunities that could lead us to success.
• Procrastination. Often going hand in hand with perfectionism, procrastination usually indicates an unconscious conflict between what we should do and what we want to do, which results in self-sabotage.

Each Enneagram type can be prone to self-sabotage under certain circumstances, and each will use the Enneagram self-sabotage patterns that align the most with their core fears.

By analyzing the Enneagram test and personality types, we can get an insight into the most typical ways in which Enneagram types self-sabotage. More importantly, the Enneagram also gives us personal assessment tools to grow from those limiting patterns and realize our full potential.

How Each Enneagram Type Self-Sabotages

Each Enneagram type has a unique self-sabotaging pattern rooted in its core motivations and fears. Identifying and dismantling these patterns can help individuals overcome destructive behaviors and unleash their talents.

Enneagram 1—The Perfectionist

Ones are a typical example of how perfectionism can be destructive. Committed to excellence and always striving to live up to their high moral and ethical standards, they are easily frustrated by the slightest mistake.

Repeated mistakes trigger their inner critic, and they enter the cycle of endless self-shaming and self-punishment, often becoming overly critical toward others, too. As a result, they may procrastinate starting new projects to avoid making new mistakes or repeating the old ones.

Enneagram and self-sabotage tip: Self-compassion is the key to overcoming self-sabotaging patterns, negative self-talk, and destructive self-punishment patterns. Mindfulness techniques can be of great help in letting go of rigid expectations.

Enneagram 2—The Helper

The Helper’s life revolves around the people they love. They put others’ needs first and can completely neglect their own, to the point of self-oblivion. Therefore, their self-sabotaging patterns are usually triggered by fear of abandonment or rejection.

Afraid that expressing their needs may jeopardize their relationships, Twos suppress their emotions, neglect their talents, and sacrifice their dreams for the sake of staying in connection.

Their self-sabotaging pattern takes the form of self-denial and can be highly destructive, leading them to severe emotional (and often physical) burnout.

Enneagram and self-sabotage tip: Twos need to understand the importance of healthy personal boundaries and foster self-awareness and self-respect. The key lesson for them is that no one will love them more because of their self-sacrifice. There’s no need for self-sacrifice and self-sabotage in relationships; they can be loved for who they are and not only for what they do for others.

Enneagram 3—The Achiever

Threes are usually very successful in their professional lives because achievements, status, and public image are their top priorities, so they are very careful when it comes to their careers. However, because they tie their sense of self-worth to their accomplishments and not to their authentic needs and feelings, they easily lose touch with their true selves.

Their self-sabotaging patterns activate when they completely disconnect from their essence and neglect their personal relationships. They may estrange people who don’t fit into their public image despite the bond they built with them, which eventually leads them to emotional isolation.

Enneagram and self-sabotage tips: Threes need to learn that success is having people who love and support you and that they don’t have to be alone at the top. By fostering connection with their feelings and other people, they will learn how to preserve relationships instead of sabotaging them.

Enneagram 4—The Individualist

Individualists tend to identify with their feelings, so their self-identity is very fragile. They also tend to concentrate their self-awareness around their perceived flaws and often believe they are somehow inherently flawed. On the other hand, they also tend to believe that they are special and unique.

This inner conflict, which is essentially rooted in low self-esteem, is the key to Fours’ self-sabotaging patterns. Their self-sabotage usually starts with them striving to prove that they are unique and then using their perceived flaws to devalue their achievements.

Enneagram and self-sabotage tips: Recognizing that they are just as ordinary and unique at the same time as any other human being is where Four’s journey to healing starts. They need to acknowledge that even if something is wrong with them, their flaws don’t diminish their achievements or make them any less lovable.

Enneagram 5—The Investigator

Fives are deep thinkers who enjoy exploring the world and collecting knowledge. They are great at dealing with abstract concepts, but translating their ideas into reality isn’t something they feel comfortable with. They are essentially afraid of life and its unpredictability, so their self-sabotage patterns get triggered when they feel insecure about their safety and future.

When that happens, they are likely to avoid starting work until they have everything ‘perfectly’ prepared. Similarly to Ones, they may also struggle with perfectionism and never feel they are competent enough to do something real with their ideas.

Enneagram and self-sabotage tip: Fives need to practice committing to work despite not feeling ready. Using procrastination management techniques can also help them overcome their tendency to wait for the perfect moment to start their projects and activities.

Enneagram 6—The Loyalist

The need for security drives Loyalists, and they focus all their energy on making elaborate plans for the future to ensure some kind of safety in their lives. Their fear of uncertainty often makes them very pessimistic and anxious, and they always count on the worst-case scenario in life.

What they don’t understand is that their pessimism and obsession with potential negative consequences is just their defense mechanism, not a realistic perception of possibilities. They unconsciously believe that the better they prepare for the worst-case scenario, the safer they are, failing to acknowledge that the best-case scenario is no less possible than the worst.

This way, by being better prepared for failure than for success, they actually self-sabotage as they ignore and fail to recognize positive opportunities.

Enneagram and self-sabotage tip: Sixes need to practice doing things despite fearing failure. They need to learn to differentiate their intuition from their fears so that they can assess potential risks more realistically. Practicing positive thinking can also help them overcome their self-sabotaging patterns.

Enneagram 7—The Enthusiast

The Enthusiasts are energetic and curious like children, eager to taste life’s pleasures and explore all the possibilities the world presents. Thanks to their enthusiasm, they see possibilities where no one else sees them and engage in many different projects.

While their passion for new beginnings and the creativity they show initially are great, they may self-sabotage by taking on too many activities at the same time and struggling to carry each out.

Enneagram and self-sabotage tip: Sevens need to introduce more structure and self-discipline into their daily lives. Acknowledging that following through is just as important as starting something is the key lesson for their personal growth.

Enneagram 8—The Challenger

Eights are driven by the need for power. They value their autonomy, freedom, and independence, and they can't stand being inferior to anyone. Wherever life throws them, they know how to work their way up to the most powerful positions.

As long as they have control over their lives and don’t feel threatened by others, they are calm, compassionate, and protective toward others, especially toward those who are not as strong as they are.

However, when they feel their autonomy is threatened, they may become too rigid, demanding, intimidating, and aggressive toward others, thus undermining the respect they previously earned. Their self-sabotaging pattern is based on their aggressive reaction when they feel their values are endangered.

Enneagram and self-sabotage tip: Learning to count to ten before expressing anger is the first step toward preventing self-sabotaging behavior for Eights. Practicing anger management techniques is crucial for them to avoid unhealthy reactions and self-sabotage patterns.

Enneagram 9—The Peacemaker

Nines are usually the friendliest people in the room; they are kind, open-minded, and genuinely benevolent. They prioritize harmony, connection, and peace in their lives and avoid conflicts.

Since a sense of belonging to the community is more important to them than their personal goals and ambitions, they easily give up on their aspirations and attitudes whenever these don’t align with the interests of the group. So, their self-sabotage starts with them silencing their voice and suppressing their needs for the sake of belonging to the group.

Enneagram and self-sabotage tip: Nines need to understand that no true connection or acceptance is possible if they don’t express themselves authentically. Practicing assertive communication can help them stay true to themselves and understand that not every conflict jeopardizes peace or connection.

Are You Your Own Greatest Enemy?

What habits are holding you back from accomplishing your full potential? Take the Enneagram test and learn to recognize the self-sabotaging behaviors that limit your growth! The map to becoming your best self is just a few clicks away!

Key Takeaways

Now that you understand how Enneagram and self-sabotage are connected, you may be interested in exploring how childhood experiences contribute to self-sabotage or how healthy, compatible relationships can help you overcome destructive patterns.

The more you learn about the Enneagram test and your personality type, the more you understand that the Enneagram and personal development go hand in hand, as the system provides a roadmap for overcoming limitations and achieving your full potential.

So, we encourage you to stay curious and brave while navigating your journey of self-discovery!

Enneagram and Self-Sabotage FAQ