Understanding the "Achiever" Enneagram 3 Personality Type

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Enneagram Type Three People are Success-Oriented and Pragmatic

Basic Desire – To feel valuable and worthwhile.

Key Motivation – The respect and admiration of others.

Virtue – Truthfulness

Ego fixation – Vanity

Color – Yellow

Key Characteristics

Adaptive
Excelling
Driven
Image-Conscious

Focus of Attention

Threes focus on tasks and goals to create an image of success in the eyes of others.
Threes identify with their work, believing they are what they do, and lose touch with who they are.

Passion – Vanity

Vanity is a passionate concern for one’s image or “living in the eyes of others.”
Vanity motivates Threes to present a false impression to others—to shape-shift into whatever image is the right or most successful idea for the context.

Core Wounds

You feel inadequate, incompetent, a failure, and incapable of caring for yourself.
You believe you have to be the best to be valued or loved.
You feel loved only for their accomplishments and not for who they are.
You are focused on success.

Red Flags

A compulsive need to achieve.
Excessive fear of loss or failure.
Physical exhaustion and burnout.
Jealousy and unrealistic expectations of success.
Lack of feelings.
An increasing sense of meaninglessness.

Addictions

Over-stressing the body for recognition.
They work out to exhaustion.
Starvation diets.
Workaholism.
Excessive intake of coffee, stimulants, amphetamines, cocaine, and steroids.
Excessive surgery for cosmetic improvement.

Center of Intelligence

Shame – The Heart / Feeling Triad

Represses shame as a primary strategy.
Like 9, they have a distaste for their intrinsic anger.
They are forever escaping their secret fear of having no value or worth.
They are driven, adaptable, excelling, and image-conscious.

Fear – of being unaccomplished and worthless.

They strive to achieve success within their community, believing it to be a measure of their worth.
This type’s pervasive, underlying fear is that they are inherently worthless and undesirable apart from their achievements.
Therefore, they must accomplish as much as possible to be desired and accepted by others.
They are constantly aiming to move away from worthlessness and towards impressive achievements that will earn them the respect and admiration of others.

Traits

Threes are self-assured, attractive, and charming. They are ambitious, competent, energetic, status-conscious, and highly driven for advancement.

They are diplomatic and poised but can also be overly concerned with their image and what others think of them.

Threes typically have problems with workaholism and competitiveness. They are self-accepting, authentic, and a role model that inspires others.

When healthy, they can achieve great things. Threes are the “stars” of human nature, and people often look up to them because of their graciousness and personal accomplishments.

They know how good it feels to develop and contribute their abilities to the world.

Threes also enjoy motivating others to achieve more extraordinary personal achievements than others thought they could.

They are usually well regarded and popular among their peers, the type of person frequently voted “class president” or “homecoming queen.”

People feel they want to be associated with someone who acts as a stand-in for them.

In addition, they are often successful and well-liked because they believe in themselves and in developing their talents and capacities.

Success means having money, a grand house, a new, expensive car, and other status symbols in some families.

Others value ideas, and success to them means distinguishing oneself in the academic or scientific worlds.

Success in other circles might mean becoming famous as an actor, model, writer, public figure, or politician.

A religious family might encourage a child to become a minister, priest, or rabbi since these professions have status in their community and within the eyes of the family.

No matter how success is defined, they will try to become noteworthy in your family and community.

To thrive, everyone needs attention, encouragement, and affirmation of their value, and these are the three types that most exemplify this universal human need.

They want success not so much for the things it will buy but for the power and feeling of independence it will bring.

Instead, they want success because they fear disappearing into a chasm of emptiness and worthlessness.

The problem is that they can become alienated from themselves in the headlong rush to achieve whatever they believe will make them more valuable.

They no longer know what they genuinely want or their real feelings or interests.

In this state, they are easily prey to Self–deception, deceit, and falseness of all kinds.

Thus, the deeper problem is that their search for a way to be of value increasingly takes them further away from their Essential Self with the core of real value.

Thus, while they are the primary type in Interestingly, in the Feeling Center, they are not known as “feeling” people; instead, they are people of action and achievement.

It is as if they “put their feelings in a box” to achieve their goals.

They have come to believe that emotions get in the way of your performance, so they substitute thinking and practical action for feelings.

When Healthy	When Unhealthy
Optimistic Confident Industrious Efficient Self-propelled Energetic Practical	Deceptive Narcissistic Pretentious Vain Superficial Vindictive Overly competitive

Patterns

Thinking and Feeling Patterns

For Three, thinking centers on “doing”—accomplishing tasks and goals.
Though a heart type, Threes (unconsciously) avoid their feelings because getting caught up in emotion prevents them from getting things done.
When they slow down enough for emotions to surface, they may feel a sense of sadness or anxiety related to being recognized for what they do and not for who they are.
Threes tend to express impatient anger if someone or something gets between them and their goal.

Behavior Patterns

Threes tend to be fast-paced workaholics.
They find it challenging to slow down and just “be.”
They can be highly productive and effective because they focus on getting things done and reaching their goals.

Arrows

When secure, Threes move towards the positive side of Type 6 – The Loyalist.

Spend more time with and become more committed to family and friends.
Value what’s best for the group.
More in touch with feelings.
Become more vulnerable.

When stressed, Thress moves towards the negative side of Type 9 – The Peacemaker.

Procrastinate.
Become indecisive and apathetic.
Neglect themselves.
Numb out [through work, drugs, food, alcohol, or excessive sleep].
Become less productive.
Passive-aggressively punishes others.

Wings

Wings add flavor to your personality. Every Enneagram personality type can have either of the two types next to them as their wing.

Threes can have wing Two (Enneagram 3w2) or wing Four (Enneagram 3w4).

Enneagram 3w2

The three personality types are highly image-conscious, ambitious, and goal-driven.

So, what happens when you add the people-oriented Type 2 – The Helper personalities as a wing to it? This: Threes’ good (and bad) qualities are pushed into the realm of relationships.

This means a couple of things. For one, Threes are used to employing many character traits to get people to like them, even if they have to fake them.

With a Two wing, the most social of these – coming across as loving, generous, and selfless – often becomes true.

Yes, they still want to be admired for their achievements, but it becomes more likely that some of those achievements are helping others to succeed as well.

Their efforts to ensure they are seen as accomplished can veer from purely public recognition to a more private kind of success: having a stable family, a satisfying personal life, and an enviable home.

Since Threes with a Two Wing pour their energy into their success in relationships rather than more materialistic forms of success, relationships are where they truly shine: You get these dazzling, beautiful people who use their shape-shifting abilities to turn on their charm whenever they need to wow people into liking them.

This often becomes their field of competition – and Threes are very competitive.

When Healthy	When Unhealthy
They have extraordinary social skills. They enjoy being the center of attention. They are charming, friendly, and popular. They desire to reach out to others and make an interpersonal contract. They encourage and appreciate others. They maintain a sense of poise and self-control. Care a great deal about what others think of them.	Can become competitive. Obsessively compare themselves to others. Use areas of life as a narcissistic projection of themselves [spouse, children, home, etc.] Attention-seeking behavior. Seek revenge on those who do not give them the attention they desire. Become hostile if they are not on top. Disconnected hostility can spill out in fits of rage.

Enneagram 3w4

Welcome to one of the most complex type-wing combinations!

Threes with a Type 4—The Individualist wing finds aspects of their personality that almost contradict their primary personality type.

Fours are all about authenticity, while Threes are chameleons that can change colors deliberately to blend in. How does this work?

Well, the main effect a Four Wing has on Threes is to steer their focus away from purely personal qualities and more towards their work and career.

Where Threes with Two Wings go all-in on shining in their relationships, the Four Wings often leads to a more significant emphasis on their profession, their craft, and worldly pleasures.

These Threes still want and need to make the right impression and, more importantly, have their projects succeed.

However, the self-reflective, reflective nature of the Four can clash with this goal. It’s hard to project an image you hope to please while a voice calls you a phony.

When Healthy	When Unhealthy
They focus on work, achievement, and recognition. Possess a strong sense of style, especially with homes and personal appearance. Strong attraction to aesthetic objects and a love of the finer things. Present a severe and overtly task-oriented person. They spend time mastering their chosen field or interest.	They can become self-accusing and terrified of failure. They can be moody, pretentious, and aloof. They can hold feelings of superiority and arrogance. They can be Self-indulgent. They can suffer from depression. They can shut down emotionally and physically.

Relationships

You long, sometimes without knowing it, for praise, recognition, and genuine love.

You get so much applause for your successes that, in the end, you think that’s all you want.

You value and accept your partner.

When Healthy	When Unhealthy
They are playful. They are giving. They are responsible. Others regard them well in the community.	They can become self-absorbed. They can become defensive, impatient, or dishonest. Controlling and can become preoccupied with work and projects.

Styles

Interpersonal Coping Style

Assertive – Take focused action toward success while repressing feelings.

Conflict Style

Competency – Tries to find an efficient solution and avoid conflict with people deemed too emotional and impersonal to stay on task.

Sub-types

Self-Preservation Subtype – Security (countertype)

The self-preservation Three dislikes are overtly advertising their strengths and accomplishments and wanting to avoid being seen as image-oriented.
Despite this, they must be recognized for their hard work and excellence.
This subtype is reliable, efficient, and productive and aspires to do the right thing.
Their pursuit of security and self-sufficiency through hard work may lead to workaholism.
They have a sense of vanity for having no vanity.
Three also want to be admired by others but avoid openly seeking recognition.
The Self-Preservation Three strives to be good, not just satisfied with looking good.
They are determined to be good people, to match the perfect model of what a person should be.
Being the ideal quality model implies virtue, and virtue suggests a lack of vanity.
They seek security by being good, working hard, and being effective and productive.

The Social Three desires to influence.
They are highly competitive, enjoy being in the spotlight, and confidently market their ideas and accomplishments.
Looking good and successful is critical. They may cut corners or cover up a failure if the finished product makes them and their team look good.
They are focused on achievement in the service of looking good and getting the job done.
They act out vanity by wanting to be seen and influenced by people.
They enjoy being on stage in the spotlight.
Social Threes know how to climb the social ladder and achieve success.
These are the most competitive and most aggressive of the Threes.
They are driven to look good and possess a corporate or sales mentality.

One-to-One Subtype – Charisma

These charismatic and enthusiastic three focus their competitiveness on supporting others and seeing success in relational terms.
They tend to believe, ‘If those around me achieve success, then I am successful, ‘ which may lead them to mistype me as a Two.
They tend to compete for the attention and affection of those closest to them and may suppress their feelings to make themselves more attractive to others.
They focus on achievement in terms of personal attractiveness and supporting others.
In these Three, vanity is not denied (as in the Self-Preservation Three) nor embraced (as in the Social Three) but is somewhere in between.
Instead, it creates an attractive image and promotes essential others.
These Threes have a more challenging time talking about themselves and often put the focus on others they want to promote.
They put a lot of energy into pleasing others and have a family/team mentality.

Personal Growth

They need to learn to be alone, in a place of silence and seclusion where there is no public feedback, applause, or admiration.

Contemplative, silent mediation is the appropriate “prescription.

In silence, you must critically encounter yourself and your desire to succeed.

One of your life tasks is to listen more frequently and carefully to the voice of your feelings instead of doing what promises you recognition from the outside.

Truthfulness is essential for actual development. Therefore, be honest with yourself and others about your feelings and needs.

Likewise, resist the temptation to impress others or inflate your importance.

Develop charity and cooperation in your relationships.

They can pause during a busy day to connect with someone they care about. Nothing spectacular is required—simply a few moments of quiet appreciation.

When you do so, you will become a more loving person, a more faithful friend—and a much more desirable individual. In addition, you will feel better about yourself.

They can drive themselves and others to exhaustion by relentlessly pursuing their goals.

Ambition and self-development are good qualities, but temper them with rest periods in which you reconnect more deeply with yourself.

Sometimes, taking three to five deep breaths is enough to recharge your battery and improve your outlook.

Develop your social awareness.

You will grow tremendously by getting involved in projects that have nothing to do with your advancement.

Working cooperatively with others toward goals that transcend personal interests is a powerful way to discover one’s true value and identity.

In your desire to be accepted by others, you adapt so much to their expectations that you lose touch with how you feel about the situation.

Develop yourself by resisting doing what is acceptable just to be accepted.

They must invest time in discovering your core values.

Type Comparisons

Type 3 and Type 1

Ones and Threes have some strong similarities.
Both are highly task-focused, deeply desire to excel, and are perceived as highly competent.
However, One’s drive to excel comes from an internal sense of satisfaction that one has accomplished a specific task to the best of one’s ability.
Threes, on the other hand, are driven by a need to feel they have succeeded in the eyes of others.
In other words, One seeks self-respect through one’s accomplishments by evaluating one’s behaviors according to internal standards. Threes seek the respect and admiration of different people, using external factors as their reference points.
For example, Threes pay close attention to how important people respond to them, or their salaries, pay raises, and office trappings.
Ones and Threes emphasize tasks over relationships, and both styles focus on their objectives and then organize the work accordingly.
However, for Threes, objectives are typically one more item on their “to-do” lists they can check off, while Ones like to organize their work at an advanced level of detail; structuring work gives them pleasure and satisfaction.
Threes, by contrast, focus far more on goals because goal accomplishment is precisely what makes them feel competent and successful. They then organize the most efficient plan they can conceive to accomplish each goal.
While effective and efficient, their plans are rarely as structured or systematic as those of Ones.
If the end goal is not considered the most critical piece of the task process, one can tend to procrastinate for fear of making a mistake. In contrast, Threes tend to want to find the fastest, most efficient path to the goal and do not place as much attention on the possibility of making a mistake.
The difference between Ones and Threes is most evident in how each defines quality.
While both would say they are quality-oriented, one defines quality as doing one’s best job with no errors or mistakes if humanly possible.
Threes defines quality as meeting customer expectations and then going slightly beyond that so that the customer is more than satisfied.
However, from the Three points of view (except the Self-Preservation Three), doing every project and task as perfectly as possible is a poor use of time and resources, and “good enough” is good enough.
From one perspective, quality has not been achieved if there are mistakes or they know it could have been better—even if the customer is not aware of or concerned about it.
For Ones, “good enough” is rarely good enough.

Type 3 and Type 2

Twos and Threes can look very much alike.
Both manage their image and presentation to please or attract others, and both are competent doers with vibrant energy.
While both styles emphasize creating an impression that matches others’ values, Twos focuses on meeting others’ needs and being friendly, likable, and accommodating.
On the other hand, threes concentrate on achieving goals and attaining success to win the admiration and respect of others.
Although Twos and Threes feel driven to accomplish many things, Twos are more relationship-oriented and task-oriented.
Though Twos and Threes want to have the approval of others, Threes are motivated by the good feeling they get when they reach a goal and the satisfaction that comes with appearing successful. In contrast, Twos are motivated by earning others’ affection and being considered indispensable.
Twos and Threes can be confused about who they are—with so much energy going into maintaining an image designed to impress others, and it can be challenging for people of both styles to have a clear sense of Self.
Related to this, Twos and Threes tend to avoid their emotions, Threes because the feeling can get in the way of doing, and Twos because the surface can get in the form of positive connections with others.
Despite their many shared characteristics, Twos and Threes differ significantly.
While both styles repress or go numb to their feelings, Twos do this less entirely and tend to feel and express more emotions more often than Threes do.
While Threes can be very competitive and see winning as necessary, Twos are less oriented to competition, seeing aligning with others as more important than coming out on top.
Although Twos and Threes can sometimes become angry, Twos tend to express anger when their unacknowledged needs are unmet and Threes when someone puts an obstacle between them and their goal.
When it comes to work, Threes can prioritize work so much that they become workaholics.
Twos can also be very hardworking but prioritize relationships and pleasure.
Threes pay great attention to goals and performance and can focus on efficiency and achieving the goal.
In contrast, Twos prioritize what others need from them, so they adapt their agendas more to the goals of others or the larger group.
When Threes are focused on a goal, they may have difficulty being present and listening to others. In contrast, Twos’ primary focus is on tuning into different people.
So, they tend to be very empathic and present for friends, colleagues, and significant others, even at the expense of their connection to themselves.
In contrast to Threes, who can focus like a laser on a goal, Twos may abandon their plans to meet others’ needs or support others’ efforts.
Finally, Twos and Threes differ in what they avoid most: Twos work hard, sometimes behind the scenes, to achieve positive connections with others to avoid experiencing rejection.
Threes structure their work and other goal-directed activities to avoid failure.
Because of this, Twos can be less direct and assertive than Threes, and Threes can be more driven to win and reframe failures as learning experiences.

Type 3 and Type 4

Threes and Fours can look similar as they have some characteristics in common.
Both Threes and Fours focus their attention on how others perceive them.
While Threes pays excellent attention to creating an image of success and achievement according to external standards in specific contexts, Fours focuses on communicating a vision based on their unique sense of what they think is essential to express.
In addition to focusing on image, both styles belong to the heart triad and are fundamentally oriented toward feelings and emotional connection.
Although Threes and Fours are feelings-based styles, Threes tend to avoid emotion to accomplish tasks and get things done more efficiently.
On the other hand, fours tend to feel their emotions more regularly and can sometimes overidentify with their feelings.
People of both styles can prioritize relationships and often prioritize approval and recognition.
Threes and Fours can be intense, creative, hardworking, and competitive.
Significant differences also exist between Threes and Fours.
Threes focus on tasks, goals, and work, while Fours emphasize feelings, self-expression, and emotional connections with others.
When Threes focus on tasks, they usually look for the shortest, most efficient, and fastest path to their goal, while Fours favors a more nonlinear, creative, organic approach to self-expression.
Threes numb their feelings to get things done, while Fours believes all surfaces should be felt and authentically expressed.
Threes pursue goals to achieve success as defined by the context or group.
At the same time, Fours seeks to manifest love and emotional depth ideals through creativity, relational connection, and authentic expression to feel special and unique.
Threes orient themselves to what others define as successful, placing a high value on attaining the material signs of success like nice clothes and cars. At the same time, Fours puts more attention and emphasis on their internal sense of how they feel and what they value.
Threes focus on specific goals and how to reach them.
In contrast, Fours focuses on what is missing and needed in a given situation.
When presenting themselves to others, Threes strives to match the image of whatever other people will think is most attractive or admirable, even if it means conforming to appear as something they’re not (and thus losing sight of who they are), while Fours values authentic self-expression.
In doing this, Threes identifies with an image of success (and an idealized self-image), often appearing genuinely confident and competent.
Fours identify with a poor self-image and usually think they are flawed in some way.
Threes focuses on competing, winning, and avoiding failure, while Fours focuses on authentic connection, self-expression, and aesthetics.
(Although the Sexual Four may be as competitive as a Three, they compete for more out of a more emotional sense of trying to prove themselves worthy or superior, often motivated by anger or unconscious envy.)

Type 3 and Type 5

Threes and Fives have some similar characteristics.
Both types value emotional control and avoid paying attention to their emotions.
Threes numb their feelings to prevent emotions from interfering with accomplishing tasks, achieving goals, and maintaining their image.
Fives habitually detach from their feelings and focus more on thinking and analyzing.
Fives find comfort and safety in the mental realm, and Threes find comfort in doing and performing.
From the point of view of others who might want to forge a close relationship with them, both Threes and Fives can sometimes seem unavailable and hard to connect with.
Threes can seem inaccessible because they overidentify with their image and may be unable to connect to and live from their authentic Self.
Fives because they tend to withdraw from others to reduce discomfort and potentially taxing emotional entanglements.
Related to this, both Threes and Fives value independence and self-sufficiency.
Significant differences also exist between Threes and Fives.
Threes tend to depend on others for approval and admiration. In contrast, Fives pride themselves on their independence and objectivity and don’t evaluate themselves based on others’ perceptions.
Threes pay excellent attention to creating an image of success that others will admire and feel valued and worthwhile, while Fives do not focus on their vision this way.
In work situations, Threes are primarily oriented toward doing tasks and working toward goals, while Fives prioritize observing, thinking, analyzing, and developing knowledge.
Threes expend a lot of energy on work—they spend whatever time it takes to achieve their chosen goals, even if it means working overtime—while Fives focus on conserving energy and avoiding tasks and relationships that will drain them of their power.
Fives feel that they have a limited amount of energy to expend and continuously strive to be economical with resources like time, energy, and action.
On the other hand, Threes can be workaholics, often working without limit and even bringing work on vacations.
Threes can also be highly competitive in different areas of their lives and can put great energy toward winning at all costs.
Fives, who sometimes seem aloof or above it all, can quickly disengage from an effort if they conclude it is not worth their energy and other resources.

Type 3 and Type 6

Threes and Sixes have some traits in common.
Threes and some Sixes, especially counterphobic Sixes, can be hardworking, assertive, and forward-moving.
Threes and Sixes specialize in reading people, though they do this for different reasons.
Threes scan their audience to determine what others value to create an image of themselves that others will see as successful and admirable.
Sixes read people to answer an inner sense of threat and protect themselves by looking for hidden agendas and ulterior motives.
Both styles can be personable and friendly, with Threes looking for approval from others and Sixes wanting to create safety by knowing who their allies are.
Both can also be practical and solution-focused, though Threes focuses on goals and finding the most efficient path to achieve the result. Sixes prioritize anticipating problems and dangers so they can prepare and find fixes proactively.
Threes and Sixes also differ in specific ways.
Threes focus on moving quickly and efficiently toward their goals, while Sixes can procrastinate for fear of doing it wrong or because they are looking for problems.
Threes are skillful at matching an image of success and tend to appear confident in whatever they do, while Sixes can waver through doubting and questioning.
Sixes can also become stuck in fear or paralyzed by overanalysis and imagining the worst-case scenario.
When engaging in work tasks and their lives in general, Threes pay attention to doing whatever it takes to achieve success and like to be recognized for their achievements.
Sixes usually fear success and so may tend to sabotage themselves (sometimes to avoid attracting the attention of others).
Related to this, while Threes are action-oriented and success-oriented, Sixes often avoid taking action that might lead to success because they fear that success leads to exposure and exposure may lead to an attack.
Being very goal-oriented, Threes works toward goals without slowing down long enough to think about what might go wrong.
In contrast, Sixes almost always think of what could go wrong, which makes them skilled troubleshooters. They naturally consider potential obstacles to accomplishing a particular task so they can prepare and account for them.
Finally, Threes can usually work well with authorities as long as they don’t interfere with Threes’ progress toward their goals. In contrast, Sixes tend to be suspicious of or rebellious toward authority figures, fearing they will use their power against them in unfair ways.

Type 3 and Type 7

Threes and Sevens can be look-alike types, sharing many characteristics.
Threes and Sevens are very energetic and work hard, especially on projects they are interested in and invested in.
Threes and Sevens can be charming, engaging, and attractive.
Threes employ these qualities to gain people’s approval, admiration, and cooperation. Sevens use charm as a first line of defense, diffuse negativity, and create an upbeat, positive mood when interacting with others.
Threes and Sevens are optimistic and confident about reaching goals.
Threes because they want to create an image for others of achievement and success, and Sevens because they habitually view things positively and believe in endless possibilities and opportunities to avoid complicated feelings.
Related to this, both styles avoid negative feelings that might slow them down: Threes because difficult emotions interfere with doing and looking good, and Sevens because they fear becoming stuck in uncomfortable experiences, like anxiety or sadness.
Threes excel at focusing on and completing tasks, while Sevens can find it more challenging to maintain their focus and finish tasks because they tend to get distracted.
Threes expend much effort cultivating their image and managing others’ perceptions of them. In contrast, Sevens don’t pay as much attention to gaining others’ approval through achieving a particular vision.
Furthermore, Threes tend to be other-oriented, relying on others’ approval and admiration to affirm their sense of themselves. At the same time, Sevens are self-referencing, meaning they focus more on their internal experience, needs, and desires than on whether or not others approve of them.
Threes prioritize work, even sometimes bringing work on vacation.
In contrast, Sevens prioritize pleasure, fun, and recreational experiences over work.
Threes usually work well within authority structures and workplace limitations as long as they support their forward progress toward their goals.
In contrast, Sevens dislike hierarchical structures and so equalize authority to avoid acknowledging any restrictions that might be put on them.
Finally, Sevens often focus on planning for the future instead of paying attention to the present, while Threes tend to focus more on the present and what needs to be done today about the immediate tasks in front of them.

Type 3 and Type 8

Threes and Eights can look very similar, with several common characteristics.
Both Threes and Eights are hardworking and have great energy for work tasks.
Both can also overwork, with Threes being driven to finish tasks and reach goals no matter how much effort and time it takes and Eights wanting to accomplish big things and being prone to forgetting their physical needs and limits.
People of both types can feel and express anger when necessary, but they usually get angry for different reasons.
Threes often express anger and impatience when others create obstacles between them and their goals.
At the same time, Eights tend to express anger more frequently and about a more comprehensive array of issues, including when someone hurts someone they feel protective toward when someone impedes their forward progress, generally when someone tells them what to do when someone is unfair or unjust, and when others injure them.
Threes and Eights can be direct and assertive in moving tasks and projects forward, and both can be goal- or results-oriented.
Both types can enjoy leadership positions, with Threes liking to have a say over how things go and appreciating the image-enhancing effects of achieving a high-status status within an authority structure.
Eights want to be in control and have the power to set the agenda and move work forward.
Both Threes and Eights can also have difficulty expressing vulnerable emotions.
Threes habitually avoid their feelings because they can interfere with doing and progressing toward a goal. Eights deny vulnerable feelings to maintain a sense of strength, power, and control.
People of both types may also see the expression of vulnerable feelings as a sign of weakness.
Threes and Eights also differ in particular ways.
Threes focuses on cultivating an image of success to gain the admiration of others, while Eights does not pay much attention to their appearance or how people perceive them.
Regarding motivation, Threes works to achieve goals and tasks to succeed and look good to others.
In contrast, Eights are motivated by a desire for power and control and the satisfaction of their physical needs.
When achieving goals, Threes excel at finding the most efficient way to reach them, while Eights can have difficulty knowing how much force to apply in a given situation to move closer to their destination.
Related to this, Threes are skilled at ascertaining how they will impact others, while Eights have a blind spot concerning how they affect others.
Threes can work within existing organizational structures if those do not impede their progress toward goals. In contrast, Eights can be rebellious toward authorities and want to break the rules if it suits their purposes.
Eights value the truth but can have difficulty distinguishing between reality and objective fact.
Threes are good at designing their “truth” according to an image they want to create to match the values of a specific audience.
In other words, for Eights, truth is what they say it is, and for Threes, whose fixation is “deceit” or “self-deceit,” truth is relative and can be adapted to suit the circumstances.
Finally, Eights usually know who they are—especially in terms of a general sense of their identity and power and strength—but Threes can be confused about their identity.
Threes can believe they are their image and not realize that who they are—their true Self—is different from the picture they create.

Type 3 and Type 9

Threes and Nines share some characteristics.
Both Threes and Nines are optimistic, upbeat, and likable.
People of both types can be hardworking and practical, though Threes more regularly focus on working excessively hard.
Threes and Nines also depend on external support for a sense of identity and direction.
Threes read other people to see what they view as successful and then design their image to match that picture of success to gain the approval and admiration of others.
Disliking conflict and lacking a clear sense of their inner agenda, Nines references others and follows their wishes and wills as a way of finding direction and creating harmony.
In addition, both Threes and Nines can sometimes be hard to contact.
Threes focus a great deal of attention on their lists of things-todo and identify strongly with their image.
This can make it hard for them to be present and interpersonally aware of their natural, solid identity.
Similarly, Nines tend to forget themselves and merge with others’ desires to be in harmony with others and avoid conflict.
Some of the time, however, Nines realize later that they didn’t want to go along with that plan, but they didn’t know it because they tend not to know what they want.
There are also some critical differences between Threes and Nines.
On a basic level, Threes focuses on accomplishing tasks and reaching goals; conversely, Nines concentrates more on maintaining comfort and harmony.
Threes are fast-paced, decisive, and forward-moving.
Nines move slower and tend to sit on the fence.
Threes are very work-oriented and can often be workaholics.
While some Nines can be very hardworking (especially Social Nines), many can have more difficulty accomplishing things.
They can become caught up in inertia, paralyzed by indecision, or distracted by less essential tasks.
Threes usually focus very keenly on their goals until they achieve them; in contrast, Nines tend to become easily distracted from their priorities, as their attention tends to get pulled away from their dreams and toward supporting others’ goals and agendas.
Threes can engage in conflict if necessary, especially removing an obstacle to their forward momentum, while Nines usually take great pains to avoid conflict.
Nines like to stay comfortable and avoid moving out of their comfort zone to accomplish tasks they might view as disturbing their peace, like expressing solid opinions in public or confronting someone about something they did incorrectly.
In contrast, Threes will more readily endure discomfort if it serves their progress toward their goal.
Finally, Nines strongly dislikes being the center of attention, while most Threes enjoy being in the spotlight and may even actively seek out situations in which others notice them.

Enneagram Type 3 Careers

They can make excellent Politicians, Sales People, Motivational Speakers, Actors, and Entrepreneurs.
They can succeed at any enterprise they put their total efforts into.
They are hardworking, goal-oriented, organized, and decisive.
They are frequently in management or leadership positions in business, law, banking, the computer field, and politics.
Being in the public eye as a broadcaster and performer is also common.
The more helping-oriented threes tend to go into teaching, social services, or health.
They also become homemakers who put tremendous energy into their responsibilities.

Enneagram Type 3 Personality Type Cross-reference

Between 82% and 91% of Enneagram 3s are Extraverts, and this single dimension appears to be the most strongly correlated with the type.