Repeatedly facing the same struggles? Exposing the Key to Overcoming

Okay so...looking at the Core Weakness might not sound fun, but understanding it and seeing it for what it really is can be a game changer for us.

The Core Weakness (also called the “core struggle” or “passion”) of each Enneagram Type is the deep emotional challenge they wrestle with. This weakness influences their reactions, behaviors, and the ways they try to protect themselves. 

We’ll be honest,  reading these descriptions will not make you feel warm and fuzzy. In fact, they will probably make you cringe, roll your eyes, or negate that you act like that sometimes. We say this because we did it ourselves as we began our enneagram journey. 

The Core Weaknesses are not glamorous and they sure don’t make our behavior look desirable, but they are in us and they are expressing as we attempt to protect ourselves. 

Here is the beautiful thing - our Core Weakness isn’t something to hide or be ashamed of, and it isn’t a limitation, it’s an invitation to deeper self-awareness and transformation. 

Read the Core Weakness and examples of how it might appear in everyday situations with curiosity and compassion and acknowledge the invitation of the growth point for each type.

Type 1 – The Reformer

Core Weakness: Resentment – feeling like they must be perfect and others should be too.

Example: A Type 1 may feel irritated when coworkers don’t meet high standards, holding in frustration until it boils over in passive-aggressive comments.

Growth Point: Resentment ➝ Serenity (Learning to release control and embrace peace)

Type 2 – The Helper

Core Weakness: Pride – believing they must meet others’ needs to be loved and avoiding admitting their own needs.

Example: A Type 2 may always offer help but feel secretly hurt when no one checks in on them, yet they refuse to ask for support.

Growth Point: Pride ➝ Humility (Giving and receiving love without needing validation)

Type 3 – The Achiever

Core Weakness: Deceit – adapting their image to gain approval and success, sometimes losing touch with their authentic self.

Example: A Type 3 might exaggerate accomplishments on social media to ensure they appear successful, even if they’re feeling insecure.

Growth Point: Deceit ➝ Authenticity (Embracing true worth beyond achievements)

Type 4 – The Individualist

Core Weakness: Envy – feeling like others have something they lack and believing they will never be enough.

Example: A Type 4 may scroll through social media and feel deep sadness, convinced that others have a more meaningful or beautiful life.

Growth Point: Envy ➝ Equanimity (Finding contentment in their own identity)

Type 5 – The Investigator

Core Weakness: Avarice (Hoarding) – withdrawing and holding onto resources (time, energy, knowledge) out of fear of depletion.

Example: A Type 5 might avoid social gatherings to “conserve energy,” later feeling lonely but still resisting connection.

Growth Point: Avarice ➝ Generosity (Sharing knowledge and energy freely)

Type 6 – The Loyalist

Core Weakness: Anxiety – constantly scanning for danger and overthinking worst-case scenarios.

Example: A Type 6 may hesitate to make a big life decision, running through every possible way it could go wrong, seeking reassurance from others.

Growth Point: Avarice ➝ Generosity (Sharing knowledge and energy freely)

Type 7 – The Enthusiast

Core Weakness: Gluttony – always seeking more excitement, avoiding pain, and overindulging in experiences to stay happy.

Example: A Type 7 may book multiple vacations, sign up for new hobbies, and keep busy to avoid facing deep emotional struggles.

Growth Point: Gluttony ➝ Satisfaction (Finding joy in the present moment)

Type 8 – The Challenger

Core Weakness: Lust (Excess) – desiring intensity, control, and pushing too hard to avoid feeling vulnerable.

Example: A Type 8 might dominate a group discussion, unwilling to show any weakness, even when they secretly crave connection.

Growth Point: Lust for Control ➝ Innocence & Vulnerability (Allowing openness and tenderness)

Type 9 – The Peacemaker

Core Weakness: Sloth – emotionally disengaging, avoiding conflict, and numbing out instead of asserting themselves.

Example: A Type 9 may distract themselves with TV or busy work instead of addressing an issue in their relationship that’s causing tension.

Growth Point: Sloth ➝ Engagement (Stepping into action with purpose and confidence)

Maybe the descriptive name is repulsive or offensive to you, again none of these have a long line of people waiting to receive them. Lucky us, they're already in us and we didn’t pick ‘em 😦. 

You might find it helpful if you just read the example and skip over the “label” - the situation might be more relatable. Or, read the Growth Point to see what catches your attention. And remember, it’s okay for a few to seem likely for you, sift through them and reflect on why they resonate.

Understanding your Core Weakness can be extremely valuable because it helps you:

🔸 Recognize when you’re acting in autopilot mode

🔸 Break unhealthy patterns and build self-awareness

🔸 Grow into a healthier, more balanced version of yourself

Being able to identify and combat your Core Weakness can transform your experience with it - knowing it allows you to recognize and take steps to avoid the pitfall of its influence.

It is also important to remind ourselves, we don’t do it alone, and in our weakness, we can be made stronger.

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

2 Corinthians 12: 9-10 (NIV)

What if the struggle you keep facing isn’t a flaw, but a key to your growth? 

Get curious about your Core Weakness and how it shapes your life. 

Investigate the patterns that keep showing up in your life, your Core Weakness just might be at the root of the repetition - it’s worth the exploration. Think of it as an invitation to deeper self-awareness and transformation, to freedom as you name it and rise above it.

Are you ready to acknowledge it, begin to understand it, and move forward with confidence?

Your Core Weakness isn’t a limitation, it’s an invitation.

You are not stuck, you’re being shaped and refined - use this as a step towards growth.

Lean into the invitation to work with it instead of against it!

Katie and Kristan