Episode 8: Jeff Goins, Image Isn’t Everything (Enneagram 3)

In 1991, tennis superstar Andre Agassi appeared in a television ad for a camera called the Canon Rebel. On the set, the fashionably dressed Agassi steps out of a white Lamborghini sports car, lowers his ray bans halfway down the bridge of his nose, gazes cockily into the camera, and says, “Image is everything.”   I watched that old commercial on YouTube the other day and thought to myself, “Wow, that guy’s a poster child for all the not very self-aware Enneagram Threes in the world.” Enneagram Threes are called The Performers. These folks are success-oriented, image conscious, and wired for productivity. They are motivated by a compulsive need to succeed or to appear successful, and to avoid failure at all costs. Performers see a world that values people more for their accomplishments, for what they do, not for who they are. Driven by the need for approval and admiration, Threes focus all their energies on winning and looking good doing it.   As you listen to today’s show, you’ll realize that there’s a lot to love about Threes when they’re healthy, and my guest Jeff Goins proves my case. He's doing all the necessary work (or dare I say ‘successfully’ doing the work) to become his most authentic self. Jeff is an award-winning blogger, sought after speaker, and best-selling author of five books. He teaches online courses and is pretty sure he makes the world’s best guacamole. He lives with his family here in Nashville, and more importantly, he’s my friend. SUGGESTED READINGS: Becoming Who you Are, by James Martin, SJ Immortal Diamond: The Search for Our True Self, by Richard Rohr Abba’s Child: The Cry of the Human Heart for Belonging, by Brennan Manning Life of the Beloved: Spiritual Living in a Secular Age, by Henri J.M. Nouwen ---- To download a PDF of a chapter from Ian's book called Finding Your Type, visit TypologyPodcast.com. You can follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. And if you like the show, we’d love for you to go over to Apple Podcasts and leave us a review. It helps us know what you think, and it helps others find out about the show.