Obsession. This is the best word that can be used to describe the era of online personality tests. Between "Meyers Briggs" and the oh so popular "Enneagram Test," the nation has become obsessed with primary numbers, wing numbers, personality codes, and "personal" descriptions. People are writing books, recording podcasts, sharing articles, and using up air time on anything and everything related to personality tests.
Which celebrity are you most like? What type of person do you want on your team? The search results are endless.
I can not even begin to count the number of times I have heard, "oh you must be a _____ (insert Enneagram number here)!" or "What is your Meyers Briggs? That makes total sense for you." What can be wrong with these online tests? We're learning about ourselves and how to relate and work with one another, aren't we?
Well... sort of. These online personality tests provide faults as well as strengths. They put people into categories based on what they struggle with the most — and we are taking those faults to heart.
The "Enneagram Test" breaks the world into 9 types of people. These 9 topics are 1. The Reformer, 2. The Helper, 3. The Achiever 4. The Individualist, 5. The Investigator, 6. The Loyalist, 7. The Enthusiast, 8. The Challenger, and 9. The Peacemaker. Once you receive your number you also are assigned a "wing" number or the number you are closest to ex: 3 Wing 2 means that you are considered to be a part of "The Achiever" group but lean toward "The Helper."
When you receive your results, you also get a ton of information pretty much breaking down exactly who you are, what you're great at, and what you struggle with. While I do recognize that some of this information can be helpful, it is even more important to remember that everyone is different and just because your test results say you have trouble committing does not mean that you're going to struggle in every future relationship.
These results are molds. They are meant to be used to aid in self-evaluation, not to determine exactly how you view yourself.
Like anything else, the obsession with personality tests will fade, but until then, we should be paying attention to the benefits of personality tests rather than the dangers. Spending 3 hours reading about why your type is doomed to fail is not going to help you with anything. Use your results to appreciate the things you're really good at. Use your results to improve your team skills.
But for the love of God, please do not obsess over every small personality detail. The world is made of individual people who are all very different from one another. There is no reason to stick yourself in a category that you feel like you can't change.
