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The Investigator

5

The Investigator

AT THEIR BEST:

  • Insightful

  • Experts of their interest

  • Observant

  • Perceptive

  • Sensitive to their surroundings

  • Focused and patient

  • Curious

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  • Feeling and experiencing

  • Compassionate

  • Secure in their capability to live in the world

  • Wise

  • Creative

  • Open –minded

  • Innovative

It is important for you: 

to have the feeling of knowing.

You do not feel good: 

when you are useless, uncompetitive, or unable.

People of this type are called “The Investigator” and behind this name stand very insightful, curious people who are always eager to learn new things and understand how things work and why they are the way they are. They can spend their entire life studying one single subject, going into the greatest depth to connect different kinds of information in order to bring fresh new perspectives. They are very disciplined, appreciating solitude and mostly choosing to be in the observer position rather when participating.

 

Valuing self-sufficiency and their own autonomy, Investigators tend to minimize their needs and hold the perspective that “if I do not ask anything from others, I hope they won’t ask anything of me.” Although the majority of people are not very interesting to them and they keep their conversations very minimal, once they find someone with whom they can share their knowledge, they become very talkative.

People of this type have the underlying belief that to live in this world feels very unsafe. In order to get a sense of security they put their focus upon gaining more knowledge, which they perceive as, “If I understand how things work, I could feel secure.” This puts them on an endless journey of learning as many things as possible; however, no matter how much they knowledge or expertise they gain they still experience the same fear of feeling unsafe. While putting all of their focus on learning, they tend to postpone their life, maintaining the thought, “Once I completely understand and have mastered everything I need to know about life, then I will show up.” By putting all of their focus into understanding through gathering knowledge, they miss the true life which is happening simply day-to-day. They tend to know a lot but have a hard time applying that knowledge in practice. Not feeling completely comfortable to operate in life and feeling a constant lack of knowledge, they choose to isolate themselves from social interactions and hide from life, maintaining their own privacy.

People who have the dominant type “The Investigator” have a hard time expressing their emotions, even though they experience them very intensely inside. They are very sensitive and it is essential for them to have some time to understand what they are experiencing. They rarely share their emotions with others, and keep their needs to themselves. Investigators tend to avoid other people who could influence the clarity of their mind. Often, they are worried that others may ask something of them which they cannot give. To avoid being seen as helpless and incompetent, they often reject help from others, reducing their needs internally, hoping to gain independence and separation through that. It is also a challenge for them to trust in others and they can be very private when talking about their own life. It is very important for them to have the feeling of being in control of their life.

Personal growth for people dominant in this type begins when they recognize how much of their focus is directed toward mental activity. By noticing the silence behind their thoughts, they rediscover that life is an amazing gift and they awaken a natural impulse to participate in it, instead of observing. They gain the understanding that they can improve ideas and look for answers to the questions in which they are interested, while at the same time maintaining connection with others. They start to care and look after themselves as well as participating in simple daily tasks. Their need to understand before participating dissolves, awakening an awareness that knowledge is only one aspect of life and is most valuable when it is gained through personal experience. They deepen their connection with their body which awakens their heart. This connection between mind and emotions brings a state of presence where they release inner control and allow others to influence them, leading them to stay open to the new experiences that arise.  

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What other people of your type say about themselves:

  • Information and knowledge are most important for me.

  • I do not accept information blindly; I always double-check all the facts.

  • I like directness; I do not like empty words.

  • Books are more interesting than people. I can find all necessary answers in books.

  • I collect knowledge from books, workshops and other sources, but hardly find a way to apply them in my daily life.

  • I value competence.

  • I do not feel comfortable when someone asks me to give my response right away. I respect when others give me some time to prepare.

  • I enjoy being alone.

  • I am interested in the knowledge of the world and I want to find a key in understanding the world.

  • A lot of times when I am with others, in my head I am floating somewhere and thinking about how I can get back home. It is hard to accept but the majority of people aren't interested in me at all.

  • It is hard for me to express my feelings and emotions. It is a rare case when I would share that with others. I experience my emotions very deeply and I consider myself to be very sensitive;

  • I respect freedom  in my own life.

  • I do not like when people do not respect my personal space. I appreciate when they recognize my boundaries.

  • I love being independent. Financial independence is very important for me but material wealth is not where I find happiness.

  • I am a minimalist.

  • I feel bad when people ask me things that I do not know. I feel very confused in these situations. 

Questions to help understand yourself better

Do you often feel tired when you spend time with people who are energetic and very expressive?

Is it hard for you to express your emotions?

Do you think that the majority of people are average and boring? 

Do you need some time before making a decision or answering an important question? Sometimes you need a day or two? 

Is it hard for you to share your energy, space, time and knowledge with others? 

If you answered “yes” 4 out of 5 times, you most likely hold

the dominant personality type of Investigator.

Common mistypings: Type 3, Type 1, Type 6

Five

Seek knowledge
Process-oriented
Withdrawn
Secretive
Impractical
Curiously wandering
Socially awkward
Image-unaware
Ignore people’s opinions
Eccentric
Social isolation

Three

Seek recognition
Goal-oriented
Competitive
Self-promoting
Pragmatic
Highly efficient
Socially competent
Well-groomed
Care what others think
Admirable
Social standards

Five

Eccentric
Ignore rules
Non-linear thinking
Contest methods
Impractical
Trust their minds
Aloof
Independent
Seek knowledge
Schizoid
Detached
Individualist

Six

Relate to tradition
Consider rules
Linear thinking
Establish methods
Practical
Doubt their minds
Reactive
Affiliative
Seek security
Paranoid
Engaged
Group-oriented

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Practices for personal growth:

Pay attention when you distance yourself from people and inside have a feeling that others are too boring for you. How can you encourage yourself to find compassion for those around you?

1. 

2. 

Notice when you hide behind the thought “I do not have the ability to do things as well as others” and not allowing yourself to gain the practical skills which makes you feel as good as others.

3. 

Notice when inside you have a need to know everything, so you would feel competent enough to reunite with those around you. Bring awareness when you start judging yourself for not knowing an answer. See how you are the only one who has high expectations of yourself and that people around you do not even care if you do not know something.

4. 

Notice when you experience emotions and do not allow yourself to express them to others. Whenever you notice feeling this way, ask yourself: what am I afraid of losing if I openly share how I feel?

5. 

Practice expressing your needs to those around you. Discover how most people are willing to hear you and help you with things you need.

If you wish to discover more practices for personal growth,

check out our brand-new exercise book made specifically for Type Five.

Enneagram Exercises

for personal growth

-TYPE 5-

The Investigator

 

This exercise book was created uniquely to support the personal growth of Enneagram type Five.

Enneagram exercises book Investigator

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