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Summary of what is an Enneagram Type 2w3?
Page contents:
- - What is an Enneagram 2w3?
- - Type 2w3 Fears and Desires
- - Type 2w3 Strengths and Weaknesses
- - Distribution Between Core Type Two vs 2w1 vs 2w3
- - Enneagram Type 2 Wing 3 Career Choices
- - Famous People with Type 2w3
Type 2s are empathetic, caring, and are driven by wanting to be loved, needed and appreciated. Type 3s are confident, charismatic, self-assured, and driven by advancement in life. In the Enneagram, Type 2s are adjacent to Type 3s. Therefore, some Type 2s share a few of the behavioral tendencies of Type 2s. These are known as Type 2s with a Three-wing, or Type 2w3.
What is an Enneagram 2w3?
What is a Type 2 wing 3 on the Enneagram?
Type Twos are known as “Helpers” because they are always looking for ways to help others, support and protect them, acting with empathy and care to create harmony and avoid conflict. Type Threes are known as “Achievers” because they have an insatiable drive for advancement and achievement and an innate sense of industriousness. A three-wing adds these qualities to a Type Two personality. This means that a Type 2w3 will desire to help, care and protect others, but will have a drive that will likely see them excel in their field. For example, a 2w3 will make excellent doctors as they have both the empathy and emotional intelligence to provide effective care while also having the drive required to achieve in their profession. Likewise, their charismatic behavioral tendencies, combined with their care for the group make them superb hosts - caring for the needs of others while provided a bold, forward sense of control or leadership. As a result, Type 2w3 are called “Hosts”.
However, unlike “Helpers”, a Three-Wing may struggle and become insecure with their constant need to be seen as not only caring and helpful, but also competent and achievement-striving. This endless seeking of praise and validation from others can make then over more difficult that core Type Twos, making them very overbearing and people pleasing at their worst.
A Type 2w3 is often motivated by helping those less fortunate than themselves whilst also trying to achieve something for themselves.
Type 2Primary Enneagram type
2w1Type Two with three wing
Enneagram 2w3 Types are caring and protective like Type Twos, but are purposeful and help with causes.
Remember, an Enneagram 2w3 is still a core Type Two, so they are generally caring and empathetic people. They make decisions based on their emotions and feelings and have a high level of emotional intelligence. However, the three-wing allows them to be more industrious and achievement focused.
Type 2w3Type Two Wing Three
Here are some of the key traits to an Enneagram Type 2 wing 3 personality.
- Help those around them
- Attend to the needs of others
- Enjoys being around others and being appreciated by them
- Can be sensitive to feeling unloved or incompetent
Did you know: When unhealthy and stressed, Enneagram 2w3 Types are prone to seek validation from others which can be overbearing.
Type 2w3 Fears and Desires
A list of the core fears and desires of Type 2w3
Enneagram types have fears and desires - things to avoid and things to seek.
Fears
Things Enneagram 2w3 Types should avoid
Core fear: To be unwanted and regarded as unhelpful. This distorts 2w1 behavior to be itself unpleasant.
- Being criticized by others
- Not working hard enough to help
- Ignoring themselves through acquiescing to others
Desires
Things Enneagram 2w3 Types should seek
Core desire: To be protective and supportive to those in need and be viewed as a competent achiever.
- Feeling needed and accepted
- Acting as in-control host for others
- Being praised for their ability
Type 2w3 Strengths and Weaknesses
A list of the main Type 2w3 strengths and weaknesses
Every Enneagram type, even types with wings such as 2w3, has strengths and weaknesses. These are personality traits that help and others that hinder.
| Type 2w3 Strengths | Type 2w3 Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| Potential high emotional intelligence | Insecure with criticism |
| Being acutely aware of the needs of others | Can try to help when it is not wanted or is possessive in nature |
| Effective, charismatic communicator | Too people pleasing and overbearing |
| Building connections with depth | Not responding to their own needs |
Note: The three wing helps offset some of the timid behavioral tendencies prevalent in core Type Twos by giving them an individual sense of striving that helps them let their own needs be heard. But they are prone to being in situations where they are criticized or rejected from their goals.
Data: Distribution Between Core Type 2 vs Type 2w1 vs Type 2w3
Is one wing type more common than the other?
Some Type 2s do not exhibit wing traits significantly enough to say they have a wing. When this happens we say they are a 'core' Type 2. Not all Type 2s have a wing, as we see in our research results below.
Figure 1: Type 2 and their wing types
What this chart shows
This chart shows that 61.1% of Type 2s do not have a wing type, in other words they are 'core' Type 2s. And 32.8% of Type 2s are 2w1 and 6% are 2w3.
Notes:- 1. n=27985
- 2. Population: global
- 3. Dataset last updated:
Enneagram Type 2 Wing 3 Career Choices
What are some of the common career choices for Enneagram 2w3?
All personality types are naturally drawn to certain careers over others. Here we have compiled a list of three sectors that Enneagram 2w3 Types have a proclivity for and three that are likely to clash with a Type 2w3 personality type.
Career choices
Counselor- Aid Worker
- Paramedic
- Engineer
- Soldier
- Security Guard
Counselor
Engineer
Understandably, this career list is not prescriptive. There are lots of Enneagram 2w3 Types that have happy and successful careers which do fall into the 'not recommended' category, but these cases tend to be in the minority.
Famous People With Type 2w3
Which famous people are Enneagram Type 2w3?
These famous individuals have the personality Type 2w3. Are you also 2w3? Do you recognize any personality similarities you can relate to?
Olivia Rodrigo
American actress, singer, and songwriter.
Tom Hiddleston
English actor.
Hateshepsut
Fifth pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt and second female pharaoh.
Sarah Palin
American politician, commentator, author and reality television personality.
Roger Federer
Swiss professional tennis player.
Priscilla Chan Zuckerberg
American philanthropist and former paediatrician.
Charles Dickens
English writer and social critic.
Have we missed anyone?
Our research is always ongoing so please let us know if you think we've missed a noteworthy Type 2w1 worth highlighting.
Chloe Yarwood, MSc
University of Chichester, Advanced Applied Psychology
Chloe Yarwood, MSc in Advanced Applied Psychology from University of Chichester. Specialist in personality type theory and developing valid personality questionnaires.
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