Not sure what Enneagram type you are? Take our quick free test to discover your Enneagram type and learn more about what it means.
Page contents:
Type 3s are industrious, energetic, and competitive, driven by need for recognition and goal completion. Type 4s are honest, creative and driven by expressing themselves as individuals. In the Enneagram, Type 3s are adjacent to Type 4s. Therefore, some Type 3s share a few of the behavioral tendencies of Type 4s. These are known as Type 3 with a Four-wing, or Type 3w4.
Type Threes are known as "Achievers" because they are always looking for ways to achieve, complete goals, act diligently to achieve these goals, and to let others know of their achievements. Type Fours are known as "Individualists" because they are always looking for ways to expressive themselves to others, surround themselves in beauty, acting with openness and honesty. A four-wing adds these qualities to a Type Three personality. This means that a type 3w4 will aim to achieve in a competitive and energetic manner, but will focus mainly on themselves as individuals and how they are able to achieve and express themselves. Meaning that their biggest desire is to be worthy of admiration from others, standing out from others, and their biggest fear is to not do so. This can make type 3w4 powerful individuals but also troublesome. As a result, type 3w4 are called "Professionals".
However, unlike "Achievers", a Four-Wing may be more vulnerable as they express themselves openly, and they can be more introverted. They will offer their opinion or express their talents and ideas, even in moments when it is not warranted or sought, and may lose the sympathetic or admiration of others along the way. This can mean that "Professionals" find difficulty in not constantly showing off and making a scene - even when it is evident that this is not wanted amongst a group dynamic.
Type 3w4 are often energized by getting others to admire their individual successes and accomplishments.
Enneagram 3w4 Types are energetic and industrious like Type Threes, but are expressive and openly honest with others.
Remember, an Enneagram 3w4 is still a core Type Three, so they are generally diligent and energetic people. They make decisions based on their emotions and feelings and desire the recognition of others. However, the four-wing allows them to be more open and expressive, but also more introverted.
Here are some of the key traits to a Type 3w4 personality.
Did you know: When unhealthy and stressed, Enneagram 3w4 Types are prone to demand praise from others at the cost to integrity and harmony.
Enneagram types have fears and desires - things to avoid and things to seek.
Core fear: having failed themselves in their venture and not doing what it takes to succeed
Core desire: Being recognized as successful and feeling valued for that success
Every Enneagram type, even types with wings such as 3w4, has strengths and weaknesses. These are personality traits that help and others that hinder.
| Type 3w4 Strengths | Type 3w4 Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| High diligence to achieve their goals | Obsessive about professional success |
| Ability to find areas for individual growth | Overly competitive, and at times unnecessarily so |
| Hard-working and industrious | Seek praise from others too aggressively |
| Able to easily connect with and charm others | Tendency to be too introverted and focused on self image |
Note: The four wing helps offset some of the overt bravado prevalent in core type threes by giving them an internal focus and more introverted sense of self-awareness. But this is a double edged sword as are prone to being stressed when in a situation with which they are not the center of attention.
Some Type 3s do not exhibit wing traits significantly enough to say they have a wing. When this happens we say they are a 'core' Type 3. Not all Type 3s have a wing, as we see in our research results below.
Figure 1: Type 3 and their wing types
What this chart shows
This chart shows that 91% of Type 3s do not have a wing type, in other words they are 'core' Type 3s. And 6.8% of Type 3s are 3w2 and 2.3% are 3w4.
Notes:All personality types are naturally drawn to certain careers over others. Here we have compiled a list of three sectors that Type 3w4s have a proclivity for and three that are likely to clash with a Type 3w4 personality type.
Entrepreneur
Actor or presenter
Pilot
Shopkeeper
Teacher
Author
Understandably, this career list is not prescriptive. There are lots of Enneagram 3w4 Types that have happy and successful careers which do fall into the 'not recommended' category, but these cases tend to be in the minority.
These famous individuals have the personality Type 3w4. Are you also 3w4? Do you recognize any personality similarities you can relate to?
Helen Mirren
English actor, Helen is the first and only person to achieve an Academy Award, a Tony Award and a Laurence Olivier Award.
Hillary Clinton
American politician who served as the First Lady of the United States from 1993 to 2001, and ran for President in 2016.
Matthew McConaughey
American actor and producer.
Michael Jordan
American professional basketball player who won six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls.
Lewis Hamilton
British Formula One racing driver.
Niccolò Machiavelli
Italian diplomat and philosopher, Machiavelli is best known for his political treatise "The Prince".
Adele
English singer and songwriter.
Our research is always ongoing so please let us know if you think we've missed a noteworthy Type 3w4 worth highlighting.
University of Chichester, Advanced Applied Psychology
Chloe Yarwood, MSc in Advanced Applied Psychology from University of Chichester. Specialist in personality type theory and developing valid personality questionnaires.
Type 3w2
