The Achiever

Common Characteristics of Enneagram 3s

Enneagram threes are charismatic, charming individuals. They tend to be enthusiastic and dynamic, with good people skills. They are often popular and well liked due to their ability to ‘read the room’ and behave accordingly. They are friendly and upbeat, and are excellent at adapting their behaviour to fit in with their current situation. 

Industrious and persistent, threes are known for their goal-oriented approach to life. Their attention goes to tasks and they work hard to get things done. They are energised by plans and projects and are incredibly efficient and productive in what they achieve. 

The three’s desire for efficiency means they are very good at getting on with tasks, and are unlikely to spend much time planning. They enjoy constantly being on the go. In fact, it’s very hard for them to slow down. They thrive under pressure and tend to speed up during difficulty.

The three’s productivity goes hand in hand with their ambitious and driven nature. Incredibly competitive, threes often view the entirety of life as a contest to win. They place a high value on status and societal position. Threes constantly compare themselves to others and look for how they can outdo and excel. They are normally very good at this, and tend to be highly successful in whatever they put their mind to!

Although all threes desire success and achievement, this does not always look the same. What success and status look like depends entirely on the culture (and sub-culture) within which the three lives and works. This means that you can find successful threes in all walks of life. The uniting factor is that they excel in whatever their chosen community deems important. 

Threes are often described as image-conscious. This does not necessarily mean that they care about their outward appearance. Instead, it means that they are very aware of how they present themselves to society and how they come across to others. They are also skilled at presenting themselves in a way that highlights their success, achievement, and value to society. 

Threes are sometimes known as chameleons due to their ability to adapt their behaviour to the situation. They want to be who people want them to be, and so will often present a front rather than their true self. This can be confusing to others, who have very different experiences of the same person! Threes can adapt not only their behaviour but also their emotional responses, and sometimes their thoughts as well.

Much of this behaviour comes from the three’s need for external validation. They have come to believe that their value is defined by what they do rather than who they are, and therefore other people’s respect and admiration is incredibly important to them. Threes tend to believe that the more they are respected by those around them – particularly those in power or authority – the more value and worth they themselves have.

Threes often struggle to recognise or act on their own needs and emotions. Many threes simply feel that their own needs/emotions get in the way of their agenda, and prefer practical action to wasting time on ‘unproductive’ feelings. Others may not even realise that they are ignoring their own needs, as adapting themselves to their surroundings has become such second nature. Either way, for most threes, focusing on their true selves is an uncomfortable and difficult task.

Threes are blessed with genuine self-confidence and a belief in themselves and their abilities. This self-belief spills over to others too – threes see the potential in those around them as well as in themselves. Other people’s own confidence often grows thanks to the three’s belief in them.

Although at their worst threes are status-hungry, competitive, ruthless chameleons, at their best they are ambitious and hardworking individuals who optimistically believe in themselves and inspire others to do the same.