Sixes are on the search for security and support. They are fiercely loyal to friends, but it takes them a while to warm up to new people. They are exceptionally dependable and faithful to those they trust. They will cling to a relationship or idea far longer than the rest of us. They are in the Thinking Triad, which means they filter the world predominately through their active mind. They are strategists who can see many outcomes in a situation. They like to be prepared for the worst and can help others foresee danger in the future. They dislike uncertainty and fear having no support or being unable to survive on their own.
If you need someone to rely on, the Six is a great candidate. They are giving and considerate to those they love. A Six friend can help you make a plan. They are skilled at seeing what could go wrong and making alternate options for when things do. Because they are able to immediately identify danger zones, they can be experienced as pessimistic. To them, they are being realistic and cautious. The funniest people I know are Sixes, they can be hilarious. Many comedians are sixes.
Loyalists are looking for something they can believe in. Sometimes it is a relationship, an affiliation, a faith, a job, or a leader. They need assurance. They don't trust their judgement and often ask for input from others. This becomes a problem when they delay moving forward with their life dreams and goals because of uncertainties and perceived dangers. They can get stuck. They are afraid of anything that would undermine their security. This overthinking brings them anxiety and the passion of fear. They can be fixated on cowardice and what could go wrong. They are suspicious and skeptical when things are going well. The media targets people like this. Many Enneagram books claim that there are more Sixes in the world than other numbers.
Since average Sixes don't rely on themselves, they frequently mis-take Enneagram tests and don't know that they are Sixes. Many Sixes resist the Enneagram altogether and defensively don't believe there is anything to it. They can be out of touch with who they are. They can also seem very contradictory. Some days they are this and other days they are that.
There are two distinct types of Sixes, which is not known to be true of any other Enneagram number. One of the types goes along with strong authority figures and is quite cooperative, this gives them a measure of safety. The other tends to be anti-authoritarian and trusting nobody. Of course, fear is what fuels either route. Sixes can settle their fears with faith. They can recognize that most of what we worry about never comes to pass and even when tragedy happens, we are resilient enough to make it through. All shall be well.
At their best, sixes trust themselves. They are aware of the dangers they have made it through in the past and can rely on themselves to safely arrive at their future. They are in touch with their inner-guidance and strength. They can be valiant and grounded, practicing serenity and courage.
Keeping the Faith,
Jessica Morgan McAtee