26 July 2023
ESTPs are so open and friendly that you may easily believe you know everything about them after just a few conversations. However, no personality type is that simple. Enneagram variations of the ESTP personality type open the door to a much more nuanced understanding of the ESTP's core characteristics.
By becoming familiar with the ways in which the nine ESTP Enneagram combinations differ from one another, we can recognize some consistent and unwavering characteristics of the ESTPs. These lively, outgoing, and communicative people can express their needs with so much variety!
ESTPs are people of action—they love novelty, adventures, and experiments of all kinds. Thanks to their fearless spirit, they think on their feet and make decisions on the fly, unafraid of making mistakes or taking risks.
As people who live in the here and now and are in tune with their bodies and the world around them, they find great value in engaging in activities that stimulate their senses.
Moreover, even though they aren’t particularly emotionally expressive, these people definitely communicate with ease and pleasure. An ESTP will always be the center of attention at a party, cracking jokes and telling interesting stories. And, in fact, many people are drawn to them precisely because of their sense of humor!
Not all ESTPs experience the same kind of upbringing, nor do they all live in the same culture or share the same values. Therefore, the expression of particular traits in this personality type can be influenced by a wide variety of different factors, including their Enneagram variations.
Let’s see how each Enneagram type changes the typical ESTP personality.
Unlike typical ESTPs, ESTP Enneagram Type One will be much more thoughtful when making decisions. That’s the result of the One’s perfectionism clashing with the ESTP’s spontaneous and fun-loving spirit. As a result, this variation will also be more concerned with issues of justice and fairness, similarly to the action-oriented and principled ESFPs.
The sensing function of the ESTP’s character matches well with the One’s meticulous approach to life, so these ESTPs are very detail-oriented and analytical. For the same reason, they are also more responsible and take managerial positions more often.
However, since One’s core emotion is rage and ESTPs can often be impulsive, ESTP Enneagram Ones may sometimes have rage issues, as they are generally not good at handling their emotions.
The core fear of ESTP Enneagram One is that if they lose control, they might do something unforgivable and, as a result, lose the respect and love of other people. So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that their biggest desire also reflects their perfectionistic nature—they want to live a purposeful life, actively engaged in making the world a better place.
ESTP and the Enneagram Type 2 don’t have much in common apart from hedonistic tendencies and extraversion. However, they are complementary in the sense that, thanks to the Enneagram Type Two’s influence, these ESTPs may be more aware of their emotional needs.
ESTP Enneagram Twos are warm, generous, and outgoing people who communicate with ease. They enjoy spending time gathering with their friends and families and are very protective of their loved ones.
Moreover, these ESTPs are also more attuned to other people’s needs and are always willing to help others. For them, no adventure is complete unless they share it with someone they love, so they are usually excellent at motivating other people and inspiring them to express their needs.
The deepest fear of ESTP Enneagram Type Two is that they might get abandoned unless they take care of others, and this fear pushes them to limit their adventurous urges. As for their biggest desires, they have a strong need for fulfilling, reciprocal relationshipsin their lives.
ESTP Enneagram Type Three is a persuasive, charming businessperson who can get away with almost anything thanks to their smooth-talking skills. Or in short, these individuals use their intuition and emotional intelligence to advance in their careers.
What’s interesting about these ENTPs is that they are very concerned with their looks and body image. They invest time and effort to build physical strength to impress people with their appearance, so their clothing is often a status statement.
Since both Threes and ESTPs easily lose touch with their feelings and authentic needs, these individuals may also be inclined to use hazy means to get ahead or obtain some kind of social recognition.
When it comes to their relationships with other people, they prefer to keep them light and do not delve deeply into what connects them to other people. After all, social approval and status play a significant role in how they connect with others.
Finally, these ESTPs are the most afraid of being seen as failures, so they grind until they reach the position that allows them to relax. As for their desires, they are not significantly different from the typical ESTP’s desires—they want to lead exciting lives full of adventures and success.
Enneagram Fours are emotional, moody, and creative individuals who like to delve deeply into their inner world and understand their experiences. They often look back and are rarely fully present in the here and now, which is completely different from the way ESTPs function.
ESTPs are reality-oriented types who experience the world through their senses, abstract thinking, and theories, so imagination doesn’t play an important role in their lives. So, how do these two types mix in one person?
ESTP Enneagram Fours will most often be people full of contradictions. They may act like typical ESTPs at work while being moody, artistic, and creative in their relationships. They will surely feel the need to explore life on a much deeper level than regular ESTPs, and their adventures will need to have a higher purpose.
These ESTPs will also be very concerned with authenticity and have a greater need to point out how different they are from other people. Their deepest fear is that they will get stuck in a mundane life, unable to express their true nature; they dream that someday someone will see who they really are beneath their regular facade.
ESTP Enneagram Fives are one of the most cerebral versions of ESTPs. The curiosity of Fives matches well with the ESTP’s thirst for adventures, so these individuals are unstoppable in their explorations. Engaging in activities that align with Enneagram 5 hobbies, such as solving complex puzzles or diving into scientific research, allows them to satisfy their intellectual curiosity.
They are sharp-witted and highly competent people who learn with ease and on the go. But, unlike typical Fives, they share their knowledge with other people and enjoy socializing and exchanging their experiences.
Since a strong accent is put on the logic and intellect of this type, the question is what happens with emotions in this ESTP Enneagram combination. It’s simple—ESTP Enneagram Fives are not as warm and outgoing as regular ESTPs, but they take relationships more seriously. It takes time for them to warm up and release their intellectual inhibitions, allowing their emotions to flow freely.
These ESTPs place a lot of importance on their independence. Their fears mainly revolve around being incompetent because, for them, it means having to rely on other people. Their biggest desire, meanwhile, is to learn, explore, develop, and forever remain free and independent.
ESTP Enneagram Sixes are also a very rare combination. These ESTPs will often resemble ISTPs in many aspects, so it may be hard to determine which type they actually belong to.
Because Sixes are cautious, introverted, and risk-averse, these individuals will be significantly less adventurous and more concerned with issues of security.
They will also behave like warmer, friendlier, and more spontaneous versions of the Enneagram Six. They will take care that everything is done properly to ensure their lives are stable and harmonious, and when they’ve got everything under control, they may feel the urge to wander off like ESTPs.
As they mature, they begin to show more and more ESTP traits because they gradually overcome all the fears typical of Sixes. So, when they are young, they stress over the questions of security and dream of a stable family life. Once they are older and have all these things, they start to dream about adventures and freedom, like ESTPs.
ESTP Enneagram Sevens are everything we usually expect of ESTPs—lively, vibrant people full of enthusiasm and zest for life. Because Sevens belong to the Enneagram thinking triad, they may often seem like ENTPs, as they have slightly stronger intuition than typical ESTPs.
Sensory pleasures, extreme sports, exotic meals, travel, and parties are what the world of ESTP Enneagram Sevens is all about. They enjoy meeting new people, having fun, and trying new things. Moreover, their minds are always focused on the future, and they are great at starting things, but their staying power is pretty low.
They excel in creative fields and sports, while the idea of a simple, mundane life terrifies them. Deep connections terrify them because these oblige them to deal with all kinds of feelings. Needless to say, this is very stressful for them since they simply can’t cope with sorrow, loss, rejection, sadness, and other complex emotions. However, their habits do have a humorous side, which we depicted in our Enneagram 7 memes compilation.
ESTP Enneagram Eights are sharp, focused, and reality-oriented individuals who move smoothly in different social circles and work steadily on assuming positions of power. As natural leaders, they always attract attention with their charisma and energy.
Thanks to their clear and logical thinking, ESTP Eights make tough decisions with grace and calmness. They are direct, straightforward, and strong, and they don’t run away from big responsibilities or break under pressure.
These people are also rather bold and domineering and possess a significant amount of physical strength. Therefore, they surely enjoy new experiences and adventures in both physical and intellectual sense but never lose sight of their goals.
These ESTPs have issues with their vulnerability, just like typical Eights. They avoid showing their feelings, even though they are very compassionate and protective, particularly of those in need. This is because their biggest fear is being humiliated or betrayed after showing their tender side to other people.
As for their desires, they also share the Eight's power hunger, so they want to achieve complete control over their lives.
ESTP Enneagram Nines are more compassionate, thoughtful, and delicate than typical ESTPs. They still possess a huge physical and psychological stamina, but instead of showing how strong they are, they choose to be calm and ensure peace and harmony around them.
These ESTPs may be prone to procrastination, just like typical Nines, and they are also more risk-averse than any other ESTP subtype. That’s because peace and stability are their top priorities, and they would rather procrastinate than endanger the status quo. The good side of their need for peace is that they are excellent negotiators, able to stay objective and make unbiased judgments under huge pressure.
The biggest fear of ESTP Enneagram Nines is being left behind and having to live their lives alone, separated from their community and without a sense of belonging. For that reason, they invest all their charm and energy into preserving stability in their relationships.
On the other hand, the ESTP Nine's greatest desire is to find their inner center of harmony, which also means being free to pursue their interests without having to take care of anyone.
It is very hard to imagine an ESTP who is not lively, talkative, and friendly, isn’t it? For this reason, all the Enneagram types that support the typical ESTP traits will be much more common than the ones that are opposite from them.
The most common ESTP Enneagram types are Eights and Sevens. ESTP Enneagram Eights are more determined and goal-oriented, while ESTP Enneagram Sevens are more hedonistic, but both subtypes love life and enjoy exploring its possibilities.
The least common ESTP Enneagram types are Ones, Twos, and Nines. Considering the perfectionism and rigidity of Ones, the sensitivity of Twos, and the empathy of Nines, it is clear why ESTPs rarely identify with these types.
Every ESTP is unique, and the Enneagram theory helps us understand why some of them behave in completely different ways than others. Still, it’s important to remember that no ESTP Enneagram combination is better or worse than the other—each has its own unique differences.
The power-driven, daring Eights and the playful Sevens are the most typical ESTPs. Since Eights and Sevens are totally different, you may find it strange that both are common among ESTPs. The thing is, these types correlate with the different but strongest characteristics of ESTPs. On the other hand, Ones, Twos, and Nines are the rarest, as they have little in common with typical ESTPs.
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