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 People with Type Eight personalities are natural leaders. They have the energy and confidence to get things done and because they never back down in the face of fear, they plow through the obstacles that may inhibit other Types from reaching the goal. They need to be leaders and are at their best when they are getting others to join them in carrying out a vision for victory. They are willing to fight for what they want and take pleasure in rewarding themselves for winning. Type Eight people pride themselves on being tough-minded, realistic, and wise about the ways of the world. Usually they like to talk tough, too. Other people describe them as confrontational, although Eights usually say they are just "telling it like it is" and trying to get a straight story from the other guy. They may even pick a fight just to find out what the other person really thinks, trusting that what is said in anger is more true than words spoken in calm conversation. Because Eights never want to be controlled by another person, their motto is "The best defense is a good offense." While others may experience them as domineering, they believe they are just taking care of themselves. They don't want to feel vulnerable and often channel all their emotions into anger because anger helps them feel strong. It is surprising, then, to discover that inside
every Eight is a lonely and needy child who wants most of all to be close
to others. One Eight, a typically outspoken and robust guy, described
himself as a "marshmallow in a suit of armor." Eights have to
learn to be less defended, to open up, and to take the risk of having
empathy for others instead of asserting themselves. Then their leadership
ability can be directed to serving the common good and they can experience
the love and connection they unconsciously long for. FAMOUS EIGHTS: Frank Sinatra, Barbara Walters, Donald Trump, Glenn Close, Martin Luther King, Jr., Toni Morrison.
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| ©2002 Enneagram Institute of Central Ohio | |
