Ever wondered why you and your INTJ friend are somewhat different?
It’s probably because your enneagram types aren’t the same.
I’ve spent hours researching reasons for that.
And it turns out – our enneagram types also have a say in what traits we exhibit.
Today, I’ll share my findings with you.
Without further do, I present to you the INTJ enneagram types.
9 Enneagram Types of INTJs
Before we get into details, let’s first analyze what enneagram types even are.
You see, the enneagram theory describes different ways people interpret how the world works.
The theory defines nine different personalities. And each has its core fears, desires, and patterned behavior.
Basically, it explains why those personalities act the way they do.
And if you question the validity of this theory, let me reassure you. Enneagram has been used in clinical psychology for over 50 years now, and it helps in understanding a person’s psychological well-being.
So, what are those personality types? Let’s see.
Type One – The INTJ Perfectionist
INTJ Type One has a strong sense of right and wrong and like to do things a specific way.
Now, we know INTJs are already perfectionists, but Type Ones can take it a bit too far. This can be both an asset and a liability.
INTJ Perfectionists have high standards, especially for themselves. Often, they can be really critical when things don’t work out “the right way.”
For unhealthy INTJs, their inner voice will castigate them for every tiny bit that didn’t go exactly as planned. And when they let it get the best of them, INTJ Type Ones can become very disregarding of other people’s beliefs and actions.
However, a mature and healthy INTJ Perfectionist is discerning, objective and moderate.
Type Two – The INTJ Helper
INTJ Type Twos are people-oriented and always there to lend a hand when needed. They’re driven by the desire to use their skills to help others.
I know what you’re thinking – INTJ as a good Samaritan?
To be fair, this enneagram is rather rare for an INTJ, but it exists.
INTJ Helpers, in most cases, were raised to put others first.
Now, this is a great virtue to learn as a kid, but INTJs may go overboard. By this, I mean they might get too focused on other people’s needs that they forget their own.
Immature Type Twos seek validation. And they believe that they can only win love and acceptance from others through acts of service.
But a mature INTJ Helper will learn to set boundaries and acknowledge their own needs. Healthy Type Twos are generous, empathetic, and encouraging.
Type Three – The INTJ Achiever
The INTJ Achiever seeks distinction through success. A person with this enneagram personality type always strives towards improvement and despises mediocrity.
Sure, this does sound a lot like goal-oriented INTJs. But for Type Threes, there’s an ulterior motive as well.
You see, INTJ Achievers appear extremely ambitious and confident, someone you can look up to. But inside, what drives them isn’t the success for the sake of it but the power it brings.
Without the feeling of accomplishment, Type Threes can feel like failures.
Now, do you recognize this type?
Well, they probably pressured themselves to do excellent academically from elementary school. And that persistent well into their adulthood.
As they mature, INTJ Achievers will start learning who they are outside of their achievements. They understand that their authenticity can impress people more deeply than their accomplishments.
Type Four – The INTJ Individualist
The fact that INTJs are a weird kind is nothing new. But those with the Individualist type feel they really stand out from the crowd.
Being one-of-a-kind may seem like a gift, but INTJ Individualists see the other side of that as well.
For instance, an INTJ might enjoy reading German idealism before bed. Understanding those ideas requires extensive comprehension of philosophy, so that’s admirable. But let’s be real, most people will think of them as weird for reading that as leisure.
And INTJ Individualists are well aware of that.
So what happens is they have a deep conflict inside them. That comes from their desire to click with someone that understands and appreciates their peculiar persona.
In most cases, Type Fours felt like outsiders from an early age. Even their family members thought of them as misfits, someone who was so unlike the rest of the family.
And during adolescence, the thought that “something is not right with them” probably occupied their minds for a good portion of time.
But once they mature, INTJ Individualists will understand that there’s nothing wrong with being different.
Type Five – The INTJ Investigator
The fact that this is one of the most common INTJ enneagram types comes as no surprise. INTJ Investigators want to understand the world around them in every possible aspect.
But when I say “understand,” I really mean they want to get down to the bottom of everything. Whether it’s politics, biology, mechanics, or even astrology – INTJ Investigators have the same approach. As Francis Bacon said, “knowledge itself is power,” right?
If you think that sounds a bit too obsessive, you’re not wrong. People with this enneagram type take information to a whole another level.
And again, we’re not talking about knowledge for the sake of knowledge. Behind that lays INTJ’s insecurities about being able to function in the outside world.
True, the world is an unpredictable place. But INTJ Investigators believe that their accumulated knowledge can help them deal with the challenges of life.
That’s a great idea, but Type Fours take it too far. What they do is focus too much on learning and too little on applying that in real life. As they mature, they can learn to turn their knowledge into experience.
Type Six – The INTJ Loyalist
INTJ Loyalists desire security and support. They want to avoid risks whenever possible, and they use their ability to see the bigger picture to achieve that.
This isn’t too surprising for INTJs, given that they like having everything organized and structured. They’ll think of different ways a situation might play out in order to plan for anything that could go wrong.
And sometimes, they might be too obsessive when doing that. Not just that, but they’ll want you to be just like them.
This possibly comes from insecurities deeply rooted in INTJ Loyalists’ childhood. Growing up, they probably lacked that support and security they now search for in all things.
The biggest issue Type Sixes deal with is they don’t actually deal with the core of the problem. Instead of focusing on the uncertainty of the world, they should be focused on dealing with their emotional insecurities.
Type Seven – The INTJ Enthusiast
INTJs aren’t known for being impulsive and adventurous, but that’s not to say there aren’t exceptions.
Type Sevens are a bit more hedonistic than a stereotypical INTstereotypical intjJ person. They like experimenting and pushing boundaries, as it gives them thrills.
Sometimes, pursuing those sensory pleasures leads them to be scattered all over the place. In a way, they might feel like they don’t know what they want. And the way to find that out is by trying everything!
Now, that’s not to say that their INTJ personality traits are completely covered in the veil of their Enthusiast type. They’ll still try to be strategic when exploring their options. But lack of direction will bring more frustration than satisfaction.
Mature Enthusiasts don’t suppress their impulses, though. What they do is observe them rather than blindly act upon them. They understand that impulses are temporary, and by not giving in, they can be better judges in the future.
Type Eight – The INTJ Challenger
INTJ Challengers want to be masters of their own fate. They want to leave their mark on the world, including the people in it.
Type Eights don’t want to let anyone have control over them. This is especially the case in a social context.
In a way, INTJ Challengers are using their strong exterior to protect their inner vulnerability. They do that to such lengths that they’re even unable to admit their vulnerability to themselves.
But suppressing feelings never did anyone good.
The more Type Eights create that tough persona, the more thin-skinned they become. This ultimately causes them to “shut down” emotionally to others around them.
But a mature INTJ Challenger knows that the world isn’t really against them. They understand that showing their true self doesn’t make them weak, it makes them more human.
Type Nine – The INTJ Peacemaker
INTJ Peacemakers don’t like conflict. In fact, they’re willing to go along for the sake of keeping things smoothly.
I know, pretty unexpected for the INTJ personality type, as they aren’t known for being so adaptable.
But Type Nines don’t do that simply for their super-altruistic personality. Instead, they probably developed that “dissociating” method early in their childhood.
You see, the temptation to seek the peace of mind by “fading out” is something all personality types demonstrate to a certain point. Sometimes, it’s easier to “go with the flow” to keep some inner calmness.
This is not to say this defense mechanism is flawless.
If an INTJ Peacemaker adapts simply for the sake of avoiding conflict, they’ll feel repressed anger on the inside. This, more often than not, leads to passive aggression and frustration.
To mature, Type Nines need to understand they can’t completely lose their individuality if they want to have inner peace.
To Sum Things Up
As you can see, INTJs can be quite different depending on their enneagram type.
Some may be “too INTJ it hurts,” while others make you wonder whether the MBTI test was wrong.
In reality, it all really depends on how they see the world and their position in it.
Want a more in-depth understanding of INTJ personality? Check out our article about INTJ cognitive functions.