The One about how to determine your type

We’re kicking off a new series that was inspired by a listener FAQ, “how do I find my type?”

In this episode we’re going to discuss what determines our core type and give you some questions to ask yourself and ruminate on to help you land on your core type.

What determines your core type and how to find it?

First off, it isn’t characteristics but your motivations that determine your core type. It’s about motivations–fear, desire, deadly sin, and longing. Tests can be a fine place to start but can be inaccurate. You can start there, but we still recommend reading about the motivations behind each type. The Road Back to You by Suzanne Stabile and Ian Morgan Cron is our favorite. Cass also loves the Enneagram series that Jen Hatmaker does on her podcast! 

You can also use the following questions as a starting point to determining your type. You might note that we don’t actually name the types here. That’s because we don’t want you to use what you know about a particular type to sway your answers.

Motivation Questions

Self-Reliance

Am I motivated by being totally self-reliant? Do I mask vulnerability to appear strong?

Do I have a hard time with feelings of betrayal and as a result work hard to never have to rely on anyone else for any reason?

Keeping the Peace

Am I motivated by keeping the peace at almost any cost?

Do I avoid confrontation like the plague?

Do I ignore or fall asleep to my desires, needs, and passions in order to keep the peace around me?

Perfection

Am I motivated by being good, right, and perfect?

Do I fear being wrong or bad?

Do I have a strong inner critic* that constantly points out my flaws and causes me to feel less than?

*The inner critic is different than self-talk. The inner critic is there all day every day and generally isn’t kind. Cass you speak to what the inner critic is here.

Love & Appreciation

Am I motivated by being loved and appreciated by those around me?

Do I fear being rejected and feeling unwanted?

Do I deny my own needs to focus on the feelings of others?

Admiration + Affirmation

Am I motivated by being admired and receiving affirmation of that admiration?

Do I fear being a failure and appearing unsuccessful?

Do I feel the need to put on a polished persona always?

Uniqueness

Am I motivated by being unique and authentic?

Do I fear being ordinary?

Do I feel flawed as if there’s something foundationally missing from me that others have?

Knowledge

Am I motivated by always being knowledgeable, capable, and competent?

Do I fear feeling incapable, ignorant, or losing my energy reserve?

Do I often feel depleted by interaction with others and the world around me?

Security & Support

Am I motivated by having support and feeling secure?

Do I fear feeling fear and being without support?

Do I find myself trying to predict and prevent any and all negative outcomes that may come in life?

Happiness + Fulfillment

Am I motivated by being happy and satisfied?

Do I fear being trapped, limited, and bored?

Do I have a strong desire to feel content, but a hard time achieving contentment?

In our next episode, we’ll be revealing which of these motivations goes with which type and refreshing our knowledge of each type a bit.