Learning From Literature

The Road Back To You by Ian Morgan Cron & Suzanne Stabile

Cover of The Road To You by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile

The Road Back To You: An Enneagram Journey To Self Discovery by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile is a self-help book published in 2016.

The Enneagram is a map of nine distinct personality types that helps individuals better understand their core motivations, fears, and desires. With this insight, people can make more intentional choices, grow in self-awareness, and build deeper connections with others by recognizing what truly drives behavior.

For each type, Cron offers a thorough and engaging profile – covering the core “deadly sin,” childhood patterns, relationship styles, workplace tendencies, wings (adjacent types that influence behavior), messages for spiritual growth, and ten practical tips for development. Each profile is brought to life with memorable quotes, anecdotes, humor, and examples from well-known figures.

Purchase the book by clicking this link!

Enjoy!

Table of Contents

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Basis Of The Enneagram

  • 9 personality types, naturally adopted in childhood
  • Each has a distinct worldview & core motivation
  • No type is better/worse and none are gender-based
  • Same type can be expressed in infinite ways
  • Personality shaped further by:
    • Wing Type → one of the 2 adjacent numbers
      • Adds traits from that neighboring type
      • Type 4 with a Type 3 wing = more outgoing, seeks recognition
    • Stress Type → where you go when stressed
      • Follows arrow away from your number
      • Type 7 under stress = picks up Type 1’s rigidity
    • Security Type → where you go when secure
      • Follows arrow towards your number
      • Type 7 in security = adopts Type 5’s appreciation for simplicity

The Personality Types

Note: Names for each personality type can vary depending on the source, but they all mean the same!
  • TYPE 1: The Perfectionist
    • Ethical, dedicated, reliable
    • Motivated by a desire to live the right way & improve the world
    • Avoid fault
  • TYPE 2: The Helper
    • Warm, caring, giving
    • Motivated by a need to be loved and needed
    • Avoid acknowledging their own needs
  • TYPE 3: The Performer
    • Success-oriented, image-conscious, wired for productivity
    • Motivated by a need to be (or appear) successful
    • Avoid failure
  • TYPE 4: The Romantic
    • Creative, sensitive, moody
    • Motivated by a need to be understood & experience their oversized feelings
    • Avoid being ordinary
  • TYPE 5: The Investigator
    • Analytical, detached, private
    • Motivated by a need to gain knowledge & conserve energy
    • Avoid reliance
  • TYPE 6: The Loyalist
    • Committed, practical, witty
    • Worst-case-scenario thinkers motivated by a need for security
  • TYPE 7: The Enthusiast
    • Fun, spontaneous, adventurous
    • Motivated by a need to be happy & plan stimulating experiences
    • Avoid pain
  • TYPE 8: The Challenger
    • Commanding, intense, confrontational
    • Motivated by a need to be strong
    • Avoid feeling weak / vulnerable
  • TYPE 9: The Peacemaker
    • Pleasant, laid back, accommodating
    • Motivated by a need to keep peace & merge with others
    • Avoid conflict

The Triads

The 9 types are split into 3 triads, each tied to a core emotion & body center. Triads describe how you process and respond to life.

Anger / Gut Triad (8, 9, 1)

  • Driven by anger
  • 8 expresses it outwardly, 9 forgets it, 1 turns it inward
  • Instinctive, body-based processing
  • Honest, direct, action-oriented

Feeling / Heart Triad (2, 3, 4)

  • Driven by emotion
  • 2 focused on others’, 3 disconnects from own, 4 focuses on inner emotional world
  • Image-conscious, identity-focused
  • Make decisions from the heart

Fear / Head Triad (5, 6, 7)

  • Driven by fear
  • 5 detaches, 6 absorbs it, 7 distracts from it
  • Thinkers and planners
  • Relate to life primarily through the mind

Deadly Sins

  • 1s – Anger
    • Strive to perfect the world, hold impossibly high standards
    • Shows as resentment toward flaws (in others & self)
  • 2s – Pride
    • Overfocus on others’ needs, ignore their own
    • Believe they’re indispensable and know best
  • 3s – Deceit
    • Craft a likable image, confuse it with their real identity
    • Prioritize appearance and achievement
  • 4s – Envy
    • Feel something essential is missing inside them
    • Long for the perceived wholeness of others
  • 5s – Avarice
    • Hoard time, energy, and resources to stay self-sufficient
    • Hold back emotional availability
  • 6s – Fear
    • Anxious, imagine worst-case scenarios
    • Seek structure, guidance, and external security
  • 7s – Gluttony
    • Chase stimulation to avoid discomfort
    • Constant pursuit leaves them unsatisfied
  • 8s – Lust
    • Crave intensity, excess, and control
    • Tough exterior masks deeper vulnerability
  • 9s – Sloth
    • Spiritually disengaged, avoid asserting themselves
    • Lose touch with their desires and priorities

Note

This post provides a glimpse into the Enneagram’s nine types and its functioning, but for a full understanding, you must get the book. The accurate descriptions and insights offered by the author enable a deeper self-understanding, guiding you toward meaningful actions for self-improvement and a better life.

Check out more Self-Help posts!