Enneagram Type 4

The Romantic

Expressive, Dramatic, Self-Absorbed, and Temperamental

Core Motivation: To find meaning & be authentic

As an Enneagram Type 4:  you’re creative and love being uniquely individual. You’re in touch with your emotions, and experience feelings deeply. You’re inspiring and seek meaning through emotional connection. You’re not afraid of experiencing the lower range of emotion and can easily romanticize about what life could be like.

Challenges you might face as a Type 4:  you tend to have a fantasy picture of what something will be like. You might jump into things quickly, only to find out that those things were not what you expected. 

When things get hard, mundane, uncomfortable, or don’t match the picture or idea you had in mind, you may lose steam.

What all this means in your fitness journey:  because your attention goes to what is missing, authentic, individualist, and unique; traditional workouts probably aren’t going to keep your attention for long.

Find something that really speaks to you, even if it’s a bit off the beaten path. You’ll thrive when you surround yourself with others who are also working on their health-goals. 

A community of fitness friends, a gym, or a morning-walk group can create those meaningful connections that will propel you forward and inspire you to keep going. Find something that helps you not just move your body but also express your emotions.

Keep a watch for the urge to compare your journey to someone else’s. Remember we’re all different. Our stories don’t look the same. 

As an enneagram type 4 you may sometimes feel that “grass is greener on the other side” feeling creep up, and that could stall your progress if you let it. 

Pause and be grateful for where you are and how far you’ve come, even if it doesn’t seem far at all. Practicing this gratitude will help you to avoid becoming envious of someone else’s progress in this area of your life.

Remember:  You are special and unique. No one has a story quite like yours! Stay true to yourself, keep focused, and be grateful for your own amazingness. 

Establish some connections with other people who are working on their health just like you are and let that feeling of connectedness guide you all the way to your goal.

Mantras:  I am strong and balanced, and I can face anything. Unique and Strong.

Tips:  A variety of expressive workouts alone or small group in a beautiful setting. Different dance classes, private boxing classes, fencing, goat yoga, running or hiking nature trails.

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