Can my base type or wing change over time?

No. Unlike other personality models where your type can change over time, the Enneagram holds that your base type and wing do not change. You are always “you,” but you can become a better or worse version of yourself. Your core fears, desires, and more are consistent and deeply rooted in your psychological makeup, even if they express themselves in different ways over the course of your life. You have more awareness and control over these tendencies when you’re at your best; you can react from a place of mindfulness and self-actualization rather than through reflex, habit, or fear. 

 

Some Enneagram scholars believe that the relative influence of your wing may change over time. For example, a Nine with an Eight wing (9w8) may feel that their Eight wing is gaining traction at certain periods in their life, almost as if they’re 51% Nine and 49% Eight. At other times, they may feel like their wing plays almost no role (perhaps 99% Nine and 1% Eight).  

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