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[Type 6] 6s Not Quickly Figuring Out Their Type

SubtleFighter

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Greetings, fellow skeptics!

I've noticed lately a lot of 6s on here talking about how they were mistyped for awhile or generally took a long time to come around to settling on being a 6. I was also watching the beginning of this video, and a woman on there says that she went to an enneagram seminar and was the only one who didn't know her type at the end, and the seminar leader said that meant she was a 6. I'm thinking that at least part of the reason for this trend is because 6s are naturally indecisive creatures. I have a couple other theories about this. But I'm wondering what everyone's thoughts are for why so many people take a long time to realize they are a 6.

And I'm also wondering if there are any other weirdos out there like me who knew they were a 6 right away and never looked back :D
 
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Tyrinth

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Definitely took me a while to decide on six, and I would guess indecisiveness plays a role in that. I'm looking forward to seeing what others think as well.
 

Eugene Watson VIII

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I have a friend who tests as a 6, but at first just thought of it as indecisiveness. That could get in the way
 
T

The Iron Giant

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I have always tested as a six and fit the profile. But I have doubted it a number of times as well. I think sixes often doubt their type, just as we doubt most everything.
 

skylights

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Yeah, indecisiveness and doubting. But on external terms, I think 6 profiles can tend to revolve around the more STJ 6, or the hyper-phobic, 1-like "prussian" 6.

This is the beginning of the enneagraminstitute.com description:

The committed, security-oriented type. Sixes are reliable, hard-working, responsible, and trustworthy.

I'm put off right there. I much more relate to 4: "Fours are self-aware, sensitive, and reserved" or 2: "Twos are empathetic, sincere, and warm-hearted." It's not that I don't have the 6 qualities, but they're not how I would primarily qualify myself. Whereas, funny enough, I see my boyfriend in that description, but he's actually a 9.

Better, from ocean.moonshine.net:

People of enneatype Six are essentially insecure, as though life has never quite provided them with a proper footing, as though there existed nothing, either internally or externally, which could serve as a solid foundation. The type Six fixation is therefore deeply and fundamentally existential, and there exists at the core of enneatype Six a tight knot of anxiety, an essential disquietude, and a deep seated desire to find something or someone stable enough in which to place some trust.

Best:

Sixes feel that if they can find "one sure thing," they can quiet their restlessness, and achieve some semblance of much needed "peace of mind."

I think it's much more important to look at the basic fears/desires, but those are very deep-seated and often hard to identify without clues. For me, 6 finally clicked when I realized that indecisiveness is the single most challenging aspect of my personality to overcome.
 

The Great One

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I'm pretty sure I'm a 6w7 SO/SX, and it took me forever to decide on this.
 

Poindexter Arachnid

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I'm a 6w5. One day I'm an ISTP, the next I'm an INTJ.
Then when I'm feeling feisty, I tag myself as an ESTP.

I chalk it up to being weird more than Enneagram type.
 

Cellmold

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I'm pretty sure I'm a 6w7 SO/SX, and it took me forever to decide on this.

Yeah im exactly the same, (which of course you already knew from my blog), I used to think I was 1w2 but once I read up on 6w7 and it was suggested to me, I havn't looked back.

So/sx is also my instinctual varient. Ive certainly had trouble with my MBTI type and I doubt I will ever be certain because I spend far too much time looking for some form of security and solidness to put my feet onto.

Im currently in the process of teaching myself to ignore this and instead accept the randomness of true reality.
 

Sneaky Bastard

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I think it's easier for 6w5s and for SJs to identify as 6s since the descriptions seem to be biassed towards those types...as some already said (about SJs)...

It also took me forever to accept that I'm a 6w7 even after it had been pointed out to me several times. I just couldn't identify with the descriptions ect and people seeing me as a 6w7 made me feel extremely misunderstood. The 4 and 5 descriptions for example seemed to fit so much better.

In the end it all comes from a superficial understanding of the types and from not seeing the true underlying motivations - of yourself and of the respective types.
 
T

The Iron Giant

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^^ exactly right, Sneaky. People who are examining their enneagram type ought to start with motivations and fears and work from there. Any description is only going to be an extrapolation. They can be helpful, but they're not the defining means of finding a type.
 

Siren

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I went back and forth a lot, as well. I got a different result for each test I took. Once I threw away the tests and started reading the descriptions, I settled on myself as an 8. That lasted for a few weeks, but when I read that a lot of 6s mistype as 8s I went back and read up on the motivation behind the anxiety I have. That's when I realized I am a 6w5. It was never the case where I didn't want to be a 6 or tried to pretend I wasn't a 6, like I read so many times. In order to learn about yourself and grow as a person you first have to accept who you are, so I really don't get people who deny their true selves.
 

Sneaky Bastard

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I went back and forth a lot, as well. I got a different result for each test I took. Once I threw away the tests and started reading the descriptions, I settled on myself as an 8. That lasted for a few weeks, but when I read that a lot of 6s mistype as 8s I went back and read up on the motivation behind the anxiety I have. That's when I realized I am a 6w5. It was never the case where I didn't want to be a 6 or tried to pretend I wasn't a 6, like I read so many times. In order to learn about yourself and grow as a person you first have to accept who you are, so I really don't get people who deny their true selves.

Which would actually support my theory that it's especially 6w7s (who're not SJs) who've got that problem of identifying as 6s based on descriptions. 6w5s really don't seem to be like that. And I don't think that 6w7s really don't want to grow or anything. But the 6 descriptions often just don't reflect what (non-SJ) 6w7s think their problem - which they should work on - is. Most of the time they seem find that reflected in type 4 descriptions.
 

SubtleFighter

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Yeah, indecisiveness and doubting. But on external terms, I think 6 profiles can tend to revolve around the more STJ 6, or the hyper-phobic, 1-like "prussian" 6.

This is the beginning of the enneagraminstitute.com description:

Indeed. I think it's sloppy writing when descriptions of enneagram or MBTI types talk about the possible external ways it can be shown rather than on internal workings, which could be similar but could outwardly show themselves in a completely different way from someone else of the same type. That also is what makes so many people confused about MBTI.

I really like the description from ocean.moonshine.net too--that's the one that really made me think I was a 6 (it was also the first description I ever read that wasn't a paragraph, so that was an advantage to me). And it doesn't just limit itself to phobic but talks about a lot of different sides to 6s.

I'm still trying to figure out what you mean by "prussian," though :laugh:
 

SubtleFighter

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[MENTION=7063]SilkRoad[/MENTION] says this a lot, but I agree with her, that one reason that people may reject 6 as a possible type is because it can sound bad. In the video that I referenced in the first post, the same woman says that she originally didn't like the idea of being a 6 because "it didn't sound like fun." I think if people take a superficial look at enneagram and don't realize that all of the types have flaws and that's what it's about, they will read things like "1s are responsible people," "2s are generous and loving people," "3s are successful and goal-driven," etc . . . and then "6s are incredibly fearful people." On the surface, it seems like being a 6 is so much worse than any other type. That can initially make people just getting into enneagram look for some other type for them to be. It's kind of the most dreaded enneagram type of all.

But the point really is that all enneagram types are flawed. That's what the whole point of enneagram is.

Am I the only person who was actually decisive right away about being a 6? :) Of course, I looked into other types to make sure and have occasionally had brief periods where I wondered if I could possibly be another type (I wouldn't be a 6 otherwise), but I've never seriously doubted.
 

Siren

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[MENTION=7063]SilkRoad[/MENTION] says this a lot, but I agree with her, that one reason that people may reject 6 as a possible type is because it can sound bad. In the video that I referenced in the first post, the same woman says that she originally didn't like the idea of being a 6 because "it didn't sound like fun." I think if people take a superficial look at enneagram and don't realize that all of the types have flaws and that's what it's about, they will read things like "1s are responsible people," "2s are generous and loving people," "3s are successful and goal-driven," etc . . . and then "6s are incredibly fearful people." On the surface, it seems like being a 6 is so much worse than any other type. That can initially make people just getting into enneagram look for some other type for them to be. It's kind of the most dreaded enneagram type of all.

But the point really is that all enneagram types are flawed. That's what the whole point of enneagram is.

Am I the only person who was actually decisive right away about being a 6? :) Of course, I looked into other types to make sure and have occasionally had brief periods where I wondered if I could possibly be another type (I wouldn't be a 6 otherwise), but I've never seriously doubted.

Once I "discovered" a good type 6w5 description I never doubted that I was one.
 

King sns

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This thread came at just the right time for me, actually, I just did the switchover to 6 finally..
I started as a 4 a while back when learning about the enneagram. Since then I kept going back and forth between 4 and 7. It was a combination of brooding and anxieties mixed with feeling like a head type, thinking all the time and chasing random interests. Not only that, seems like six is one of the worst types to be as far as the typology community is concerned. Someone who is confusing and doesn't really know who they are and what they want. I didn't understand the authority thing for a while, especially with my type and individuality thing going on. However, a lot of people around here started to think I was a six, I denied it for a bit. Now I realize I have my own idea of what "authority" is, always looking for something solid to rely on, as I'm a confused/ confusing anxious kind of girl. My brain just sways all over the place as far as opinions and self perception go. I'm very reflective, but rarely have that real epiphany as to what life is really about or that set belief system about the world or the world in relation to myself. Very changeable, very self preservation dom as well. Not really a questioner, just kind of looking around for something.

Proud owner of a phobic 6w7 brain!

I think that it looks on the outside like sixes are kind of meek followers or something.. Truth is we're pretty perceptive, always thinking, reanalyzing, over thinking, regrouping. Can make us really anxioius and unsure.
 

Sneaky Bastard

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Once I "discovered" a good type 6w5 description I never doubted that I was one.

This thread came at just the right time for me, actually, I just did the switchover to 6 finally..
I started as a 4 a while back when learning about the enneagram. Since then I kept going back and forth between 4 and 7. It was a combination of brooding and anxieties mixed with feeling like a head type, thinking all the time and chasing random interests. Not only that, seems like six is one of the worst types to be as far as the typology community is concerned. Someone who is confusing and doesn't really know who they are and what they want. I didn't understand the authority thing for a while, especially with my type and individuality thing going on. However, a lot of people around here started to think I was a six, I denied it for a bit. Now I realize I have my own idea of what "authority" is, always looking for something solid to rely on, as I'm a confused/ confusing anxious kind of girl. My brain just sways all over the place as far as opinions and self perception go. I'm very reflective, but rarely have that real epiphany as to what life is really about or that set belief system about the world or the world in relation to myself. Very changeable, very self preservation dom as well. Not really a questioner, just kind of looking around for something.

Proud owner of a phobic 6w7 brain!

I think that it looks on the outside like sixes are kind of meek followers or something.. Truth is we're pretty perceptive, always thinking, reanalyzing, over thinking, regrouping. Can make us really anxioius and unsure.

Thanks for supporting my theory. :whistling: :cheese: ;)
 

The Great One

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Yeah im exactly the same, (which of course you already knew from my blog), I used to think I was 1w2 but once I read up on 6w7 and it was suggested to me, I havn't looked back.

So/sx is also my instinctual varient. Ive certainly had trouble with my MBTI type and I doubt I will ever be certain because I spend far too much time looking for some form of security and solidness to put my feet onto.

Im currently in the process of teaching myself to ignore this and instead accept the randomness of true reality.

Yeah, I find you and I to be quite similar.
 
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