WHAT’S UNDER THE HOOD
The engine that powers a Type Nine is nothing too loud, because it might upset the neighbors, and nothing too powerful to test the limits of safety. Their motor is reliable and effecient. Is it a game-changer? It could be, but you won’t know it.
KEY INGREDIENTS OF A TYPE NINE PEACEKEEPER
- SHY AWAY FROM THE SPOTLIGHT – Fame is NOT something a Type Nine Peacekeeper wants or craves. They are very happy living in the shadows. They are the exact opposite of a Type Three.
- ARE NOT VERY GOOD PUBLIC SPEAKERS – Unlike Type Threes, Ones, Fives, Eights, and even SEVENS, who have an uncanny ability to draw a crowd around with their charisma and charm, Nines tend to be quiet and withdrawn. You need to get to know them a little before they open up.
- STRUGGLE TO CLIMB THE LADDER OF SUCCESS – While Nines can be very smart, like any other personality type, they often don’t climb up the ladder of success because they are happy with the status quo; unlike a Type Three, who is obsessed with success, or the Type Eight who is obsessed with testing their will or the norms of society. It’s not that they are fearful of trying, or even fearful of failure, it’s just that they don’t have the desire to change anything.
- THEY CAN BROKER PEACE DEALS – Everyone pretty much gets along with a Type Nine, if you don’t, you really have personal problems to deal with. Because Type Nines sit on top of the enneagram, they naturally have a grasp of most personality types (more on this later). This means, they pretty much have a good beat where everyone is coming from. And if they are an above-average communicator, they can help two conflicting personalities or parties, find peace. Hence their nickname “The Peacemaker.”
- CAN BE MISTAKEN FOR COWARDS – Type Nines are not cowards, I want to make that clear, but they can give off the impression that they are faint-hearted because sometimes, especially when they are not healthy, they will not want to move from their bed, try for that promotion, or even come out for the night. It’s not that they are fearful, it’s just that they are comfortable with the status quo.
- CAN BE MISTAKEN FOR NOT HAVING AN OPINION – Type Nines can have a very strong opinion, a strong stance between right and wrong, but they won’t let it be known because they don’t want to ruffle anyone’s feathers. Peace is the name of the game for them. Not conflict.
- NINES FAVOR RHETORIC OVER FISTFIGHTS, BUT THEY DON’T FAVOR FIGHTING OR DEBATING…PERIOD – You won’t find a Peacemaker engaging in a street fight, and many times, you won’t find a peacemaker debating, especially if they are not at their best. They just don’t want to deal with the drama.
THEIR IMMEDIATE DEFENSE
In the face of conflict, a Type Nine Peacemaker’s reaction is to disengage, to cower, and runaway from conflict.
WHAT ARE THEIR GREATEST FEARS?
In a way, Type Nines are somewhat similar to Type Ones, who fear stepping out of their comfort zone, but multiply that fear by 10 or even a 100. Nines fear change, fear conflict, fear breaking their peace. They’d love to be just left alone. On the Enneagram, there 8 different personality types that have 8 different fears; the Type 9 is the sum of all those fears. So, when they step outside of their house, they can be easily overwhelmed.
REAL WORLD EXAMPLES
Chances are, you probably don’t know many real-life Type Nines because they are not one to bask in the spotlight. They are not the type to run for political office, but more so, the one to operate behind the scenes.
JARED KUSHNER, NEVER HEARD OF HIM? HUH.
Jared Kushner, the quiet Senior Advisor to President Trump would best be described as a Type Nine, at least in my eyes. He’s quiet and camera-shy, and is the complete opposite of his father-in-law, President Trump. His role in the 45th President’s cabinet ranged from brokering NAFTA 2.0, to negotiating peace in the Middle East without dropping a single bomb. That’s kinda the definition of a peacemaker, don’t you think – quite literally, hahaha.
He’s not an exciting character, quiet, yet very effective.
Just a little note here, not every person who negotiates peace, is a peacemaker on the enneagram.
KELLY MCGILLIS COULD BE A TYPE NINE
If you lived through the 80’s, you would know who Kelly McGillis was, the blond bombshell who played the love interest of Maverick, in the hit movie, Top Gun. That movie propelled numerous careers into the stratosphere. But Kelly McGillis immediately pulled away from the attention. She starred in a few high profile movies after Top Gun, but she never chased stardom. Instead, she acted on stage, taking on bit parts in TV and Film, so she could spend the bulk of her time with her family, and running her restaurant.
When the sequel to Top Gun was announced and Tom Cruise didn’t come knocking, she wasn’t offended. She took it in stride, was at peace, and understood that she didn’t fit the part in that movie.
CESAR MILAN – THE ULTIMATE PEACEKEEPER? JUST MAYBE.
Cesar Milan, the dog whisperer focuses on creating a calm and peaceful relationship between the owner their pet dog, usually by training the owner to live in the present, and to not overreact to their animal’s natural instinct. He does not operate aggressively, even if he’s bitten. He keeps the peace, keeps his center, with difficult animals and difficult clients. Watch this video as he teaches the owner’s boyfriend, who is most likely a Type Eight, to let down his guard, and to live in the moment. Cesar Milan understands human behavior, just as much as dog behavior, it seems.
THE TYPE NINE IN YOUR GROUP OF FRIENDS
Odds are, you’re more than likely to find a Type Nine in your gang, than in the headlines. Nines are not your murderers, troublemakers, or celebrity aspiring personalities. They are the low key individuals who you have to drag out to have a good time. They can be the quiet individuals that you have to get to know, before they open up.
TYPE NINES IN FICTION
If you think Type Nines are not fun in movies because they can be boring in real life, you’re quite wrong. Because Type Nines can be secluded, introverted, quiet, overly humble, with a hard shell – there’s a lot of room for character growth!
REMEMBER THAT MOVIE, WHAT ABOUT BOB?
The main character was Bob Wiley, who was played by Bill Murray. If there was a fear or paranoia out there, he had it. He couldn’t get out of his shell, he wanted to stay home, travel through his easy routines, and not break any rules. He was paralyzed with fears, all fears, that is – until he met Dr. Leo.
This movie is actually incredible and probably one of the most underrated scripts of all time. You see, Bob Wiley is the antagonist of the movie. He is also a Peacemaker. And at the end of the movie, he literally destroys Dr. Leo’s life. Yet you, the audience, are cheering on the antagonist, not the protagonist.
That is a freaking difficult script to write. That script is just incredible.
You can find my review of What About Bob, here
SPIDER-MAN IS A TYPE NINE PEACEKEEPER
Spider-Man doesn’t really want to fight, doesn’t want to lead, doesn’t even want to be a hero. He wants to go on vacation, study like a normal kid, and to date Mary Jane. In Spider-Man: Far From Home, he doesn’t even pack his suit! In Spider-Man 2, he gave up playing hero, literally! In fact, he gave up so much, that he lost his powers.
Did you notice, when Spider-Man fights, he always tries to talk his way out of a fight? Fighting is the last thing on his mind.
THEIR FUNCTION IN LIFE
If you haven’t figured this out yet, Type Nine’s function in this world is to keep the peace. When friends are at war with each other, it is usually the peacekeeper, that helps keep combating personalities in harmony.
TRIGGERS OF A TYPE NINE
The trigger line for the Type Nine flies straight to the Type Six. This means, when this personality type disintegrates, and they lose all hope, they will tend to take on the worst characteristics of a Type 6. This means on top of their reflex action of cowering, they will become paranoid, untrusting, and maybe even counterphobic. Counterphobia is the habit of destroying a paranoia, rather than dealing with it.
Ironically, Type 9’s, peacekeepers, are capable of irrational behaviors and irrational solutions because they don’t have much experience of dealing of conflict. Because Type 9s habitually avoid conflict, when it comes time to confront the troubles in their life, they have very little experience.
Don’t expect rational solutions from a Type 9 if they are at their worst.
GROWTH FOR A TYPE NINE PEACEKEEPER
Character development for a Type Nine is unlike any other personality. For all other personality types, in order to grow, personalities usually embrace their personality-wing closest to the Type Nine. For example, growth for a Type Six, would start by embracing their Type Seven wing, since it’s closest to the nine. And a Type Three would embrace their Type Two Wing, since that is closest to the Nine. We didn’t really learn about wings yet, but to sum it up in a quick nutshell, they are the personality types next door. I’ll talk about wings in future lessons, but for now, that’s all you have to know.
Again – growth, for most personalities, points towards the Nine.
But what happens when you’re the Nine, and you have no one to point to? In my opinion, in order for a Type Nine to grow, they must embrace both wings of their personality, which is the Type Eight and Nine. If they can embrace the “goal-driven” attitude of the Type Eight, and the “moral backbone” of the Type One, the Type Nine will get off their behind, and move forward with life.
THE IDEAL HEALTHY NINE
The ideal healthy Type Nine is aware of their tendencies to cower, to checkout quickly, and start working towards a goal. When healthy, many Type Nines can look like Type Threes, highly competitive, and obsessed with winning. While winning is great, the healthy Nine must not forget what their strength is, which is keeping the peace.
MISCHARACTERIZATIONS
Type Nine Peacekeepers are often mistaken for cowards. Let me make this clear, acting cowardly is a reaction, not a personality type. All personality types can be cowardly. In fact, I would say that all personalities are cowardly in one way or another, especially when dealing with their fear.
WORKING WITH A TYPE NINE
Healthy Type Nines work very well in groups, and possibly in leadership roles, as they can create a team unit that works well together. They are great at making deals with big egos, as long as they know what they need to accomplish. Now if they are not healthy, and have a tendency to cower, and if they are not set on any goal, they can easily be bullied by stronger personality types. And they really won’t step up to the plate.
As long as structure is provided to this personality type, an avenue to achieve, to win, they can succeed.
CONGRATULATIONS! You learned about the 9 main personality Types! Now, the real fun begins. Let’s talk about wings! Click here to go there now!
Steve Young
