Core

Motivations
YOU R G U I D E FOR L EV EL 4
Primary Strategy
We all have a primary strategy to
defend ourselves from our Core Fear and
Core Weakness and obtain our Core Desire
and Core Longing.

Type 1
Your primary strategy is perfectionism

Your primary strategy is the

Type 2
earthly theme of your life. It’s
Your primary strategy is helping
always in the background,
influencing all that you do.
Type 3
Your primary strategy is achieving

Type 4
Your primary strategy is creating

Type 5
Your primary strategy is thinking

Type 6
Your primary strategy is preparing

Type 7
Your primary strategy is planning

Type 8
Your primary strategy is protecting

Type 9
Your primary strategy is withdrawing

© 2021 Your Enneagram Coach

Core Desire
Your Core Desire is what you are always
striving for and believe will bring you
complete fulfillment in your life.

Type 1
You desire to have integrity, be good,
balanced, accurate, ethical, moral, and right.

Type 2
You desire to be appreciated, loved, Your Type is always running
and wanted. toward your Core Desire, and
whether you are conscious of it
Type 3 or not, you believe that once you
You desire to have high status and respect have this Core Desire, all of life
and be admired, efficient, successful, and will be okay.
valuable.
Your Core Desires are not bad or
Type 4 wrong in themselves, but when
You desire to be unique, special, and your your Core Desire is leading you
most authentic self. versus you having self-control
over it, you won't be on your
Type 5 best path. You can self-lead your
You desire to be knowledgeable, capable desires in a healthy and God-hon-
and competent. oring way with help from the Holy
Spirit.
Type 6
You desire to have security, guidance, and
support.

Type 7
Your desire to be happy, fully satisfied, and
content.

Type 8
You desire to protect yourself and those in
your inner circle.

Type 9
Your desire to have inner stability and peace
of mind.

© 2021 Your Enneagram Coach

Core Fear
Your Type has a specific Core Fear that you are
always running away from, avoiding, and trying
to prevent from happening.

Type 1, you fear being wrong, bad, evil, inap-

propriate, unredeemable, or corruptible.

Type 2, you fear being rejected, unwanted,

thought worthless, needy, inconsequential,
dispensable, or unworthy of love. Your Type’s Core Fear is the lens
through which you see the world
Type 3, you fear being exposed as or thought
and the “reality” you believe. You
of being incompetent, inefficient, or worthless,
assume others see or should see
and failing to be or appear successful.
the world through your Core Fear’s

Type 4, you fear being inadequate, emotionally
cut off, plain, mundane, defective, flawed, or
insignificant.
lens, and you may become con-
fused, shocked, and even irritated
when this is not the case.

Type 5, you fear being annihilated, invaded,

or not existing, thought incapable or ignorant,
having obligations placed upon you, or your
energy depleted.

Type 6, you fear fear itself, being without sup-

port, security, or guidance and being blamed,
targeted, alone, or physically abandoned.

Type 7, you fear being deprived, trapped in

emotional pain, limited, or bored, and missing
out on something fun.

Type 8, you fear being weak, powerless,

harmed, controlled, vulnerable, manipulated,
and left at the mercy of injustice.

Type 9, you fear being in any kind of conflict,

tension, or discord, feeling shut out and over-
looked, and losing connection and relationships
with others.

© 2021 Your Enneagram Coach

Core Weakness
Your Core Weakness is what you are always
wrestling with, which will remain a struggle
The more you rest in your true identity in Jesus, the
until you’re in heaven. This is like the “thorn weaker the grip your Core Weakness has on you.
in my flesh” Paul described in his own life in 2
Corinthians 12:7–10

Type 1 your Core Weakness is Resentment—
You repress your anger, which leads to con-
tinual frustration and dissatisfaction with
yourself, others, and the world for not being
perfect.
Type 6 your Core Weakness is Anxiety—You
scan the horizon of life and try to predict and
prevent negative outcomes (especially worst-
case scenarios). You remain in a constant state
of apprehension and worry.

Type 2 your Core Weakness is Pride—You
deny your own needs and emotions while us-
ing your strong intuition to discover and focus
on the feelings and needs of others. You con-
fidently insert your helpful support in hopes
that others will say how grateful they are for
your thoughtful care.
Type 3 your Core Weakness is Deceit—You
deceive yourself into believing that you are
only the image you present to others and
embellish the truth by putting on a polished
persona for everyone (including yourself) to
see and admire.
Type 4 your Core Weakness is Envy— You feel
that you’re tragically flawed, that something
foundational is missing inside you, and others
possess qualities you lack.
Type 7 your Core Weakness is Gluttony—You
feel a great emptiness inside and have an
insatiable desire to “fill yourself up” with experi-
ences and stimulation in hopes of feeling com-
pletely satisfied and content.
Type 8 your Core Weakness is Lust/Excess—
You constantly desire intensity, control, and
power, and push yourself willfully on life and
people to get what you want.
Type 9 your Core Weakness is Sloth—You
remain in an unrealistic and idealistic world to
keep the peace, remain easy-going, and not be
disturbed by your anger. You fall asleep to your
passions, abilities, desires, needs, and worth by
merging with others.

Type 5 your Core Weakness is Avarice—You

feel that you lack inner resources and that too
much interaction with others will lead to cata-
strophic depletion. You withhold yourself from
contact with the world and hold onto your
resources and minimize your needs.

© 2021 Your Enneagram Coach

Reflection Questions
Video 1
Think about the last big decision you had to make. How did your Type’s Primary Strategy play into that decision
in positive and negative ways?

In what ways was your Core Desire fulfilled or not fulfilled in your childhood? Did you try to fulfill it on your own?
Do you feel any resentment or sadness that your younger self had to carry that burden?

This week, spend some time connecting with your past. If you could talk to your younger self, what would you
say? Remember, the compassion you feel for that child is the same compassion Jesus offers you each and every
day.

Video 2
Do you look forward to your work, or are you burnt-out and uncertain about your calling? Do you fear failure?

Can you think of a time your Core Fear was activated, but someone close to you had a completely different reac-
tion? Or perhaps the opposite happened, and you felt no fear and couldn’t understand why they were upset and
fearful. What does this tell you about your Type?

This week, intentionally name your fears and write them down. Ask yourself: Why am I feeling this fear? Is this
fear a pattern in my life? (Can you think of examples from your childhood?) What does my fear tell me about
myself? What does God say is true in this situation?

© 2021 Your Enneagram Coach

Video 3
When do you notice your Core Weakness showing up? Is there a particular relationship trigger that activates it?
Or an aspect of your job that aggravates this “thorn in your flesh”?

When your Core Weakness shows up, what practical exercise can you do in the moment to help you get back
on track? Some ideas include: taking ten deep breaths, getting outside and connecting with God’s creation, or
reading Bible verses to remind you of His truth.

This week, keep track of the times you notice your Core Weakness showing up. Do you see any patterns? What
small changes can you make in your life to stop this from happening as often?

Video 4
How does your Type’s Primary Strategy relate to your Core Fear? How does your Type’s Primary Strategy relate
to your Core Desire? How does your Type’s Primary Strategy relate to your Core Weakness?

Think of a relationship you’re currently struggling with. Now that you know your Core Motivations, which of
your unhealthy strategies could be affecting this relationship? Is it possible that the other party sees the world
through a different lens? How can you show compassion to this person, knowing that you are coming at the
issue from a different perspective?

Practice communicating your inner world—your Core Motivations— with someone you trust. What was your ex-
perience? Did your vulnerability encourage vulnerability in them? Did you feel seen, understood, and accepted?

Congratulations on completing Level 4!

© 2021 Your Enneagram Coach