Evolving

Adapting to change begins with believing in your ability to change.

by Takuma Ono

Recently, I took an Enneagram Personality Test and matched with type 1. More precisely, the test results revealed that I had attributes of types 1, 2, and 3 but type 1 attributes slightly dominated. Enneagram personality tests have been around for decades and you can read about them here.

Though the test itself was painless, I didn’t particularly appreciate being labeled by it. Rewind—in my mid-twenties, when I began to recognize my shortcomings and my stiffening mind, I consciously set out to become more flexible and aspired to be ever-changing. Perhaps this explains why I balk at the notion that a test could bullet-point my personality traits, strengths, weaknesses and desires. The notion of a definitive self seems nothing more than an illusion—but if one believes in the illusion, it can become the truth. Could the Enneagram test negatively affect people’s ability to continually change and evolve? Maybe.

Enneagram type 1s are said to have a strong moral compass accompanied by a heightened sense of right and wrong. The basic desires of type 1, according to Enneagram is “To be good, to have integrity, to be balanced” which doesn’t sound too far off from what I aspire for—actually, it’s disturbingly accurate. To make things worse, the above description made me think of Dexter Morgan from the show Dexter. Admittedly Dexter was captivating—however, I balk at the idea that I could possess the same traits as a fictional serial killer. But, like millions of other viewers, Dexter’s character drew me in because just like him, I too have internal monologues about what’s ethically right or wrong—all the time. Just like him, I frequently ache to be freed from the constant and often exhaustive internal discourse. And as told in the Dexter story, I too have a tendency to believe that the origins of my personality (and behaviors) have less to do with my DNA than it does with external forces of my formative years—and to a lesser extent, of this moment. (you’ll have to watch the show to learn of the events that shaped Dexter, okay)

We don’t really need an expert opinion on when external forces make strong imprints—just look around—there’s an inverse relation to age. In our society, the adage “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” practically goes unchallenged because it resonates. When Steve Jobs spoke at Stanford University’s commencement, he hoped his message would inspire others to not take this adage as truth, as dogma. By ending his Stanford commencement speech with “Stay hungry, stay foolish” Steve hoped his message would stick—and remain close to heart. Implied in the word stay is how a youthful mindset could will fade with time, but only when allowed. And he was sure of this: innovating requires a youthful mindset—along with the courage will to follow ones gut. By parting with a rhythmic message distilled down to just four words, Steve hoped this bit of advice would never be forgotten. If you haven’t already, go ahead and take the Enneagram test, but Stay hungry, stay foolish.

Now, look at the Peacock Sole. Notice how well it is adapted to its environment—this fish does not alter the color of the sand nor does it alter the pattern-discerning skills of its predators and prey. Clearly there are numerous external forces that have shaped, and continues to shape the Peacock Sole; evolution provides this fish both defensive and offensive advantages. In a world where change is the only constant, evolution is more than just advantageous, it’s essential. If you believe that your personality was and will continue to be shaped by external forces, that already places you at an advantage because it means you inherently believe in your ability to adapt and change.

Photo: Peacock Sole (Pardachirus pavoninus)

Read about how Zen meditation (zazen) can contend with rigidity here