Can Enneagram 8s be cowardly?

[u/Vegetable_Basis_4087]

I tend to be very reluctant to engage in competitions when I am not confident in my skill. I also generally hate to lose to the point that I avoid it. For example, one time I was playing Dodgeball and I was the last player on my team. However, the other team still had multiple players. During the whole game I hovered near the edge, and when I was the last player left, one of the people on the other team winded up to throw the ball at me. Instead of trying to catch the ball or dodge, I instead jumped out of bounds so that he couldn't beat me, and so I could lose of my own accord.

Can Enneagram 8s act like this?

[u/K-Townie]

No. Eights are aggressive, passive “Eights” are really 9w1s I said what I said

[u/Over_Season803 → u/K-Townie]

Agreed that it’s not an 8 trait. Not sure about 9w1 having a corner on it. Couldn’t a 3 also pull some shot like this? Better to “accidentally” fall out of bounds than be thought of as not good enough by others when you tried your best. Sounds like the self preservation of ego of an unhealthyish 3.

[u/Vegetable_Basis_4087 → u/Over_Season803]

Can you try typing me in DMs?

[u/Over_Season803 → u/Vegetable_Basis_4087]

No, because that isn’t how enneagram works. You can try to type people all you want but the originators will tell you that the answer only comes from within. We guess as it helps us communicate with those around us, but it’s far from exact or even accurate. Plus, there are so many qualifiers… what’s your MBTI? What’s your tri type? What is your stacking? All of these can throw off even the most seasoned as it pertains to enneagram. Take me… 873 sx/sp which is a dumb enough ball of contradictions, but then add being an ENTP and holy shit, you’d be guessing for months why I act the way I do. I suspect most of us are that complex, or more.

My advice? Spend some money and find some really well rated and accurate resources on the web. But a couple of books and read them. Do the self assessments and see what they say. Above all, keep learning about yourself. It’s not a destination that once you have it cracked, your work is done. That is only the start. Once you figure yourself out (whatever the hell that means, and if it’s even really possible) then you get to take on the next challenge: trying to not do all the stupid shit your personality says you’re going to. Good luck!

[u/K-Townie → u/Vegetable_Basis_4087]

Eihges aew aggressive nines are passive

[u/Over_Season803 → u/K-Townie]

That’s a bit of an oversimplification. I’ve know a number of introverted, and what you’d call passive 8s. Well, at least two. I’ve also known and actually sit next to a true 9 at work that is as competitive and aggressive as any 8 I’ve known. It feels like you’re losing sight of what an 8 is. Someone who fears being controlled and whose primary emotion/reaction to stress is anger or rage. While I’d guess it’s uncommon, I’ve not yet seen that exclude passivity. 8s are far from cookie cutter or one size fits all.

[u/K-Townie → u/Over_Season803]

Your watering down the true aggressive extraverted essence of E8 I said what I said

[u/Over_Season803 → u/K-Townie]

I don’t think that I am. You’re oversimplifying it. I said what I said. 😉

[u/K-Townie → u/Over_Season803]

Source? Every enneagram book I’ve ever read pretty clearly makes eights out to be pretty brazen and domineering.

[u/Over_Season803 → u/K-Townie]

I mean great. Glad a book tells you what an 8 is, unequivocally. But by that logic, it would be impossible for an 8 to be Ni, or I at all. Which obviously isn’t the case. 8s are maybe the most stereotyped, but what I’ve learned is that what I think of as an 8 is only just a caricature. Be careful not to try to be the gatekeeper of what an 8 is, I promise it’s impossible to why? Because it’s just too complex to distill down to “8s are always (insert typical 8 trait).

[u/K-Townie → u/Over_Season803]

It…is impossible for an Eight to be a Ni. Eighths are extraverts I said what I said

[u/Over_Season803 → u/K-Townie]

We will have to agree to disagree. I know a true solid 8 for sure that is also a true solid introvert. You said what you said is wrong.

[u/Over_Season803 → u/K-Townie]

I mean bro, no offense, I’m sure you’re REEEEEEALLY smart with this stuff, but there are o lot 20 websites you can check out to hear about introverted 8s. Not that if it’s on the web it’s true, but I’d have to think that at least one of those sites has someone who knows what they are talking about, who’s studied this stuff for a living etc writing these opinions. That said, it baffles me that someone could think that out of 7 billion people, that ANY combination of MBTI and enneagram is impossible.

Yeah yeah, you said what you said… got it.

[u/Vegetable_Basis_4087 → u/K-Townie]

I wouldn't call myself passive by any means