If You're An Enneagram 1, Here Is The Self-Help Book You Should Read

We, as a species, are obsessed with categorizing ourselves. We've evolved from taking BuzzFeed quizzes that tell us what kind of pizza topping we are to using TikTok filters to see who our celebrity parents might be. Within the realm of personality typology, we've engaged with tools like the Myers-Briggs test and the Big Five personality test. The Enneagram test is another personality categorization system that uses numbers to represent personality types (via Verywell Mind). The results of this test give you varying degrees of each number to show the interconnectedness of personalities in a person. Usually, you'll have one number that is more dominant than the others and that would be your Enneagram.

If you're an Enneagram One, you'd have dominant characteristics of that type. Known as the Reformer, this type is highly rational and principled, often letting their ideals and perfectionism guide their decisions (via Enneagram Institute). Of course, perfectionism comes with many known downsides, such as procrastination and anxious thoughts. If you identify with this Enneagram and obsess over self-improvement, continue on for the self-help book you should read.

One of the biggest fears an Enneagram One deals with is feeling like they're straying from their own principles and being criticized for it (via Enneagram Institute). They're idealistic about everything that they are, so perfectionistic qualities come naturally to them. This extends to how they structure their morning routines, their career goals, and their relationships. However, when you're unable to achieve your own high standards, you run the risk of disappointing yourself and having anxiety about the lack of control. This is a tremendous amount of pressure to put on yourself.

"Unhealthy perfectionism can turn people into procrastinators or avoiders. They take longer to do a task and won't just give things a go," psychology professor Tracey Wade told Body and Soul Australia. "Ultimately, criticism and abuse are not the way to get the best out of anyone. And that includes yourself," she continued. While therapy should be on everyone's checklist, a self-help book can be a great way to gain insights into your own behavior.

You've probably heard of this New York Times bestseller (it stayed on the list for 83 weeks) by research professor Brené Brown. "The Gifts of Imperfection" is a book that all perfectionists and Enneagram Ones should read, as it works to bolster self-esteem in its readers, equipping them with 10 guideposts to engage with the world from a place of compassion for themselves.

On Goodreads, the book's been given a 4.3 out of 5 by over 150,000 readers, while on Amazon, the book has a 4.7 out of 5 from 27,000 customers. One reviewer on Goodreads expressed gratitude for the guideposts highlighted — some of them helping you cultivate authenticity, self-compassion, and a resilient spirit. Another reviewer said, "I'm run down, overwhelmed and I realize that, while my priorities are right in my head, they aren't in reality." Once they read the first paragraph of the book, however, they were in awe of Brown's ability to understand that people equate their productiveness in a day to their self-worth, and people's fear of showing their weaknesses. For someone extremely moralistic and idealistic like an Enneagram One, this book can help find flexibility within their own rigid rules.