For note, these excerpts will be taken from Wisdom of the Enneagram.
"We have named personality type One the Reformer because Ones have a sense of mission that leads them to want to improve the world in various ways, using whatever degree of influence they have. They strive to overcome adversity—particularly moral adversity—so that the human spirit can shine through and make a difference. They strive after higher values, even at the cost of great personal sacrifice."
"Ones are people of practical action—they wish to be useful in the best sense of the word. On some level of consciousness, they feel that they “have a mission†to fulfill in life, if only to try their best to reduce the disorder they see in their environment."
"Although Ones have a strong sense of purpose, they also typically feel that they have to justify their actions to themselves and often to others as well. This orientation causes Ones to spend a lot of time thinking about the consequences of their actions, as well as about how to keep from acting contrary to their convictions. Because of this, Ones often persuade themselves that they are “head†types, rationalists who proceed only on logic and objective truth. But the real picture is some¬ what different: Ones are actually activists who are searching for an acceptable rationale for what they feel they must do. They are people of instinct and passion who use convictions and judgments to control and direct themselves and their actions."
"In the effort to stay true to their principles, Ones resist being affected by their instinctual drives, consciously not giving in to them or expressing them too freely. The result is a personality type that has problems with repression, resistance, and aggression. They are usually seen by others as highly self-controlled, even rigid, although this is not how Ones experience themselves. It seems to them that they are sitting on a cauldron of passions and desires and that they had better “keep the lid on†lest they and everyone else around them regret it."
"Ones believe that being strict with themselves (and eventually becoming “perfectâ€) will justify themselves in their own eyes and in the eyes of others. But by attempting to create their own brand of perfection, they often create their own personal hell. Instead of agreeing with the statement in Genesis that God saw what He had created “and it was good,†Ones intensely feel, “It wasn’t—there obviously have been some mistakes here!†This orientation makes it difficult for them to trust their inner guidance—indeed, to trust life—so Ones come to rely heavily on their superego, a learned voice from their childhood, to guide them toward the greater good that they so passionately seek. When Ones have gotten completely entranced in their personality, there is little distinction between them and this severe, unforgiving voice. Separating from it and seeing its genuine strengths and limitations is what growth for Ones is about."
"In effect, the child says, “I will give myself guidelines. I will become my own father-figure and be my own moral guide. I will police myself so no one else will police me; I will punish myself so no one else will punish me." Ones try to surpass what is expected of them by adhering to the rules so rigorously that no one will be able to catch them in error, thus earning independence."
"THE ONE WITH A NINE-WING: THE IDEALIST
Healthy People of this subtype are highly discerning, wise, and civilized. They can be scholarly and erudite, maintaining a dispassion¬ ate philosophical stance that focuses on long-range concerns—the “big†picture. They can have an introverted, reclusive quality about them, seeking relief from “the maddenihg crowd,†often in quiet, natural settings. They are emotionally reserved but generous, kind, and considerate, generally loving nature, aninials, and innocence wherever they find it. They wish to improve tiling^ but with a gentler, more detached touch than other Ones.
Average Idealistic and less likely to engage in the politics and “dirty work†necessary to bring about the reforms they believe in, average people of this subtype would rather explain their ideals than personally persuade others of their correctness. The anger seen in Ones is harder to detect in this subtype than in the other, tending to express itself in stiffness, impatience, and sarcasm. People of this subtype prefer to be alone and look for situations where they can work by themselves in order to avoid dealing with the disappointing messiness of human relationships. They can be more remote, otherworldly, and impersonal than the other subtype, potentially disdainful, elitist, and condescending to their fellow humans"
"THE ONE WITH A TWO-WING: THE ADVOCATE
Healthy People of this subtype blend their quest for ideals and higher principles with empathy and compassion for others. Less purely idealistic than the other subtype, they are genuinely interested in improving the lot of mankind and more willing to get into the trenches to bring about the changes they advocate. They are also more overtly passionate and interpersonal, enjoying the give-and-take of “political†involvement. People of this subtype are persuasive and go out of their way to get others to care about the causes and beliefs they espouse.
Average Highly active and outgoing, average people of this sub- type can be fairly aggressive and forceful in the pursuit of the ideals and reforms they seek. While they are comfortable being alone and need a good deal of “down time†to recharge and think, they are also energized by engaging with others, particularly debating and refining their, ideas. This makes them naturally good at politics on whatever scale they engage in it. The needs of others are the focus for their altruism, so long as they feel they are making a difference. They can become critical and irritable and highly vocal about their discontents when they are frustrated. They are also more fiery and action-oriented than the other subtype, and so the possibility of being frustrated by people and events is higher."
"THE SELF-PRESERVATION INSTINCT IN THE ONE
Self-Control. In the average range, Self-Preservation Ones tend to worry about their material well-being, both in terms of finances and health, and they often castigate themselves for not working hard enough (like average Sixes). The Self-Preservation instinct also gives them strong drives for gratification, but their Type One superego can be severe in countering those drives. The resulting inner conflict is the source of continual stress, physical tension, and an all-or-nothing attitude with regard to their pleasures and desires. They may either indulge themselves and their desires, or go through periods of asceticism, during which their desires are suppressed as much as possible.
As they become more identified with their superego dictates, they become very fearful about making mistakes that seem like catastrophes to them. They feel that any wrong action could result in the undoing of their well-being. They can be quite picky and fastidious about their environment. (Picture Felix Unger in The Odd Couple.) They value cleanliness, order, hygiene, and aesthetics, and they are often preoccupied with health and diet, religiously subscribing to beliefs about vitamins, macrobiotics, homeopathic remedies, and so forth. With others, they tend to be overprotective about the things that they worry about in themselves. If they are worried about getting sick, they scold others about not taking care of their health. If they have money concerns, they exhort others to save. In the lower Levels, the harshness of their superego causes them to feel undeserving of any kind of comfort or reward.
In the unhealthy range, Self-Preservation Ones begin to oscillate between periods of strict restraint of their appetites and periods of excess and debauch. They often become obsessed with health matters, especially with regard to food. They often attempt to justify or undo their violations of their own dietary or health requirements. They may binge on sweets, or drink excessively, then go on a crash diet. Milkshakes and fries are followed by handfuls of vitamins. Self-Preservation Ones are prone to eating disorders and extreme practices to curb their instinctual impulses, including asceticism, excessive fasting, bingeing and purging, and so forth."
"THE SOCIAL INSTINCT IN THE ONE
The Crusader. In the average range, Social Ones believe that they represent objective values, social standards, and that they speak for others. Teaching, advocating, and moralizing can be part of the picture, but mostly about social issues and about rules and procedures. They are often interested in politics, current affairs, and journalism and are adept at uncovering the “dirt,†exposing wrongdoing and speaking out against injustices. On the other hand, they will work patiently to bring about the reforms they see as necessary—improving the local schools, getting their co-op involved with recycling, and so forth.
Social Ones derive a vivid sense of themselves by holding strong opinions and convictions and arguing for their perspective. They value these qual¬ ities in others as well, although when more fixated, they expect others always to agree with them. This can lead to rigidity both in their thinking and in their behavior. Their views can become a boundary, an armor against die world. And since Ones apply the rules most rigorously to themselves, they fear ever being caught contradicting their own stated beliefs and opinions.
Although Social Ones insist that others should not take their criticisms and views personally, they take things personally, often reacting to public policies as if they were personal affronts or triumphs.
In the unhealthy range, Social Ones hold unrealistic standards and expectations for themselves, others, and society at large. They may be¬ come involved in extreme political views or strict religious dogmas (libertarianism is the only solution to the country’s ills; no sexual activity in marriage unless it can lead directly to conception). In the lower Levels, they can engage in rants and tirades, constantly feeling outrage at the imperfections of humanity."
"THE SEXUAL INSTINCT IN THE ONE
Shared Standards. . In the average range, Sexual Ones want a flawless relationship with an idealized partner. They long for the perfect mate, an unwavering source of stability in their lives. In this respect, they can be mistaken for Fours. They have high expectations of their partner, their family, and their close friends and want to believe that the other person in the relationship holds the same standards. (“We share these ideals, don’t we?â€) Sexual Ones fear that the other will fall short, thus destroying the harmony and perfection of the relationship. This can lead to feeling that they must push loved ones to meet their standards. They also may have trouble finding someone who meets their standards, trying one relationship after another but always feeling disappointed.
Sexual Ones place a great emphasis on fidelity. (“Love is forever.â€) Although they do not appear needy, they often suffer from well-hidden fears of abandonment and a chronic sense of loneliness. The mix of high expectations with abandonment issues can result in a critical, controlling attitude toward the partner. (“Don’t ever let me down. Don’t ever deceive me.â€) At lower Levels, they may constantly need to “check in†on the other’s activities and whereabouts. Sexual Ones feel that they have earned a good relationship, earned their pleasure, and feel threatened at the possible loss of one of their few areas of reward. Criticism and control may be used to keep the other off balance, to undermine confidence, thus postponing potential abandonment.
In the unhealthy range, the Sexual variant endows them with strong desires and appetites, but this is difficult to justify to the One’s superego. Sexual Ones may experience intense desire alternating with a need to reject that desire. This may lead to both sexual compulsivity and repression. (“I don’t want to be attracted to him.â€) At the same time, they may believe that the other is the source of their obsessions and want to control the other so that the balance of the relationship can be restored. Less healthy Sexual Ones are prey to bouts of intense jealousy. Their fears are such that they constantly question and grill the other. In extreme cases, they may punish the self or others to purge themselves of their desires."