Enneagram of Avoidance

Each type tries to avoid something.

What is your avoidance?

Perfectionists avoid anger.

Each type has something which they want to avoid in life. The compulsion of our type not only maintains self-image but also enables avoidance. We avoid that which challenges us to grow.

The avoidance of the Perfectionist is anger. Perfectionist’s cannot allow themselves to be angry for a very simple reason. You cannot be perfect and be angry. The truth is that the type One personality is very angry. Perfectionists are very angry because the world is so imperfect. They just do not know that they are angry because they call it by another name. Perfectionists think they are energetic or full of passion.

Everyone who knows a Perfectionist is well aware that the Perfectionist is angry because it seeps out in the edge to their voice as they give you a criticism. You hear their frustration with you for having made another mistake. If you were to confront the Perfectionist with their anger then they will angrily deny it.

This avoided anger blocks the Perfectionist on the journey towards wholeness. Each of us in our type is blocked by our avoidance and must eventually confront, accept, and integrate that which we avoid.

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