Part 9 focuses on BTS member Jung Kook. He is their main vocalist, sub-rapper, lead dancer, and their center. Center is a position where they appear in the front middle during performances and is considered the highest performance position. The person is chosen as center because they are either the main singer, the main dancer, the most popular member and/or have “stage presence.” He joined BTS as its youngest member at the age of 13 (US age; 15 Korean age). He also writes and produces music and earned full membership with the Korea Music Copyright Association (2024).

In searching online for what others thought about Jung Kook’s Enneagram type, I was intrigued at the variety of answers people gave and baffled by the reasons people gave for their ideas. Some thought him an Enneagram Seven based on the idea that Jung Kook has a variety of interests. Being interested in many things does not make a person a Seven, plus once he’s interested in something, Jung Kook pursues this area to high levels of proficiency. Sevens, by contrast, get interested or stimulated by something, but drop pursuing it because they get bored easily or feel under-stimulated. The exception is when Sevens are deeply passionate about something.

There were some online who thought Jung Kook was an Eight, but why? The reason was that Jung Kook is intense or because the person writing the comment perceived Jung Kook as a leader. However, being intense does not necessarily mean a person is an Eight. Two other Enneagram types, Fours and Sixes, are also intense relative to other people. Some people thought he was a Four because he’s intense, creative and artistic. However, creativity or being artistic does not align with a particular type. Similarly, being a leader does also not make a person an Eight, because all Enneagram types can lead, just in nine different ways. Jung Kook does have some lead roles in BTS, but he is not, nor does he perceive himself, as a leader in BTS.

I know more about Jung Kook than any of the other BTS members, although I do not know him personally. It is because of him that I got so interested in BTS, their music, and their global impact. It started one day as I was scrolling my Facebook feed, even though I am not a Facebook fan. I do this because my book publisher (McGraw Hill) said I needed to do this. Last November, I saw a post on my Facebook feed about Jimmy Fallon, with a video. I also do not watch late-night talk show hosts, Fallen being one of them. Why I clicked on this link I have no idea, but I did and Jung Kook was his special guest. I had no idea who he was although I had vaguely heard of BTS.

First, I was taken by Jimmy Fallon’s interview of Jung Kook and Jung Kook’s sweet humility. I then watched his live performance of “Standing Next to You,” and was stunned. What I watched felt like near perfection. His vocals were stunning as was his breath control. I could hear that he had “perfect pitch,” which is rare. The choreography was spectacular and dynamic. How could he sing so well while being simultaneously in rapid motion? From that moment on, I learned as much as I could about him, but then I became fascinated by the other six members and BTS as a whole. That was just the beginning.

Jeon Jung Kook (Jungkook) Enneagram Six | The “Loyal” Person

I believe Jungkook is most likely an Enneagram Six, an Enneagram type that seeks meaning, support and certainty in what they perceive as an uncertain world. In other words, because of their search for certitude, they try to pick up as much information as they can and are often described as having a built-in antenna that revolves 360° by which they collect all kinds of information about people, situations, and more.  As a result of picking up all this data, Sixes are often insightful, but they are also prone to worry, and they then create anticipatory scenarios so they feel prepared for whatever may come. Many Sixes perceive themselves less as worriers and more as really good problem solvers who like to map out different pathways too achieve their desired outcomes. All Sixes have highly activated minds!

Sixes also have a special relationship to risk. They actually like risk so they can plan ahead or problem-solve in order to minimize the risk involved. Too much risk, however, scares them. Too little risk, however, and they get bored. Some Sixes are obviously fearful and anxious and try to minimize risk. Still, other Sixes use risk as a vehicle to prove their fearlessness. They can appear courageous because they take on big challenges, often, but not only, physical risks, that prove to themselves and others that they are not fearful. Some Sixes are both fearful and fearless but at different moments in time. If Sixes sound complex and sometimes contradictory, they are or can be!

Sixes are also highly loyal to people and groups, until they aren’t. Once their trust is broken, so is their loyalty. Sixes are also collaborative because they value problem-solving with others. They reason that the more people who can think through a situation, the more optimal the solutions are likely to be. At the same time, Sixes also want to do things their own way. Sixes are also persevering, even overly tenacious at times, until they give something up, which they will do although it takes them time to let go. They can also be both cautious and impetuous. In other words, Sixes can be full of contradictions, and their opposing inner forces – contradictions or paradoxes – make them the most complex of the nine Enneagram types. Sixes are also quite intense as a result of the many thoughts, insights, concerns and emotions that circulate within them.

Quotes from Jungkook about Life

“There’s no knowing what will come, but hard work will get us somewhere.”
“Live your life to the fullest.”
“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success.”
“Don’t do anything you don’t like to do.”
“I’d rather die than live without passion.”
“I always dress my way.”
“Without anger or sadness, you won’t be able to feel true happiness.”

General Description of Jungkook

Jungkook has more nicknames than any other BTS member, as far as I have read. Most of them are names of endearment: Baby Bunny, Kook, Kookie, to name a few. But one name stands out: Golden Maknae. Why this name? Golden comes from a dream his mother had when she was pregnant, a tamong or conception dream, that is said to foretell the child’s destiny. According to Jungkook, in her dream “Rain started to fall in a village but the places that got touched by the raindrops turned into gold.” Maknae in Korean refers to a younger group, of which Jung Kook is the youngest maknae in BTS. In 2013, RM (Namjoon), BTS’s leader, gave Jungkook the name Golden Maknae.

The gist of the name Golden Maknae is that Jungkook is extremely multi-talented and gets really good at almost anything he tries. He has another nickname: Triple Threat. This name is because Junkkook excels in singing, dancing and rapping, a rare combination for any artist or performer.

Why is Jungkook so good at so many things? V (Taehyung), also a BTS maknae, describes Jungkook as a person he admires because Jungkook likes to do many things rather than focus only on one thing and he is really good at them all. V notes that while most people start something new at the beginner level, Jungkook starts almost everything at the “above average” level, such is Jungkook’s natural talent. V also notes that Jungkook is open to new things and even goes out of his comfort zone to challenge himself.

Here’s how other BTS members describe Jung Kook’s abilities.
RM: “Jungkook is great at everything. He shines.”
Jin: “Jungkook doesn’t have anything he can’t do. How can someone like that be born?”
Suga: “Jungkook sings so well and performs so well. I’ve never seen someone as talented as him.”

Here is a list of things Jungkook is really good at.

Cooking: Over the years with BTS, Jungkook has become adept at cooking, cooking for BTS members where they highly compliment his food. He now serves as a cook in the South Korean military.

Visual arts: He is really good at a wide variety of visual arts, including painting, drawing, filmmaking, and photography.

Music: This is an area of his passion and practice, yet he is so good in many arenas: composing, lyrics, singing, dancing, rapping, drums, and beat-boxing. He’s also learning to play the guitar.

Sports:  Jungkook has a black belt in Taekwondo, but is also highly adept at boxing, running, archery, bowling, swimming, and weight training.

But why is he so good at all these things? Is it only natural talent, which he clearly has? If Jungkook is an Enneagram Six, there may be some answers. A window into the answer starts with V’s comment that Jungkook goes out of his comfort zone to challenge himself. Feeling challenged and rising to the occasion is something that Sixes, especially Sixes who are trying to prove to themselves that they are fearless, thrive on. On top of your natural abilities or talents, striving for your personal best and achieving this makes a person feel strong and capable. In a sense, you compete with yourself, not by trying to beat others simply for the sake of winning. If Jungkook is an Enneagram Six, his excellence in so many areas bolsters his sense of confidence in being to take on just about anything. Music producers who work with Jungkook often remark how he takes his vocals to a whole different level. The producer will say the vocal sounds great, but Jungkook knows he can do better and insists on it. His perfect pitch may also contribute to this, as he possibly hears something producers cannot.

Enneagram Sixes are also particularly curious and inquisitive, and Jungkook is known for asking questions about how things work or how to do something in great detail. For example, when he wants to cook something new, he goes to the internet for recipes, particularly YouTube where they show you how to do this. When BTS members play games for fun, he likes to fully understand the nature and rules involved before he plays. My brother, who is a Six, says that if he doesn’t learn at least one new thing a day, it is a day not well spent. Learning something new keeps his very busy mind stimulated and occupied. Sixes are sometimes referred to as “the questioner.” Questioning and getting answers also supports their feeling of being capable of meeting challenges that arise.

Enneagram Sixes: Paradoxes and Contradictions

Fearful and Fearless

Fearless: Jungkook is known to be both fearful and fearful, and managing fear is key to understanding Enneagram Sixes. Here are multiple examples of Jungkook in his fearless states. He goes rock climbing – actually on a wall that is about four times his height – for the first time. He must navigate his way up the wall using carefully placed footing and holding onto objects on the wall until he reaches the top. Jungkook accomplishes this without using a harness or net in case he falls. As another example, BTS members are performing in a stadium but on a highly elevated platform. They are supposed to wear harnesses. All do this except Jungkook, so the other BTS members tell him multiple times he must secure the harness. He ultimately complies. On multiple occasions, BTS members go to amusement parks and Jungkook appears exceptionally eager and thrilled to go on rides that involve extreme physical challenges such as very large roller coasters. When BTS members get to dive with sharks, going into shark-infested waters protected by being in a cage with bars, many of them are quite scared by the idea. Not Jungkook!

The most compelling example of Jungkook’s attraction to extreme risk is when BTS goes bungee jumping in New Zealand on the Nevis Swing. On the Nevis Swing, you are released from a platform that is 525 feet high, at an arc of 328 yards, with a 393-foot drop and at speeds up to 75 miles per hour. If you choose to go, as most of the BTS members did, you have several options: (1) go as a pair sitting next to each other; (2) go solo seated; (3) go in a forward position so you can see what is coming; (4) go facing backward so you can see where you’ve been; or (5) go upside down. These are listed in order of scariness. Those BTS members chose to go on the Nevis Swing went solo or in pairs, but all chose the forward position except Jungkook. He went solo, upside down and backwards. Even more, he let his hands go free, waving to the other BTS members with a big smile on his face.

What does being so fearless do for Enneagram Sixes? First, it demonstrates to themselves and others how unafraid they are. This is called counter-fear, going against what scares them as proof of their courage. All Sixes have some percentage of fear and counter-fear in them. Second, this level of risk and rising to the occasion is not only a thrill, it is highly adrenalizing. Enneagram Sixes, particularly the more fearless Sixes, thrive on adrenalin, a stress hormone that is commonly secreted under stress but also when engaged in risky behaviors. Adrenalin can feel like anxiety but also like pure excitement, and it can be addictive to thrill seekers. I asked a friend of mine, an Enneagram Six similar to Jungkook in his fearlessness response, if he would bungee jump on the Nevis Swing. His immediate response was this: “No…but I’m in my 50s now so I recognize how dangerous it would be. When I was younger, of course, I would have, just for the thrill of it.”

Fearful: This “counter-fear” response happens so quickly that when it occurs, Sixes are not usually aware of feeling afraid, even though fear lies underneath. Being fearful can include worrying; vexing or ruminating over things past, present and future; and thinking something negative might occur. People can feel fearful and not even know why.

One fear Jungkook acknowledges is his longstanding childhood fear of microwave ovens. When Jimmy Fallon asked him about this as recently as 2023, Jungkook said, “Well, when I was young…, (pause)…still am!” Fallen asked Jungkook why he was afraid of microwaves, and Jungkook paused and said “Boom,” meaning it could just explode. When I asked my Enneagram Six friend mentioned above about this, he said, “Well, I am not afraid of microwaves, but I understand why someone might be.” He immediately listed five reasons why someone might be afraid of microwaves (none of them had to do with radiation). “The issue,” he added, “is that if I don’t understand how something works, I can easily be afraid of it. I am afraid of other things, just not microwaves.”

Jungkook also speaks about his fear anticipating his opening ceremony 2022 FIFA World Cup performance in Qatar. Initially, Jungkook thought this performance involved the other BTS members as well as himself, but no. When he learned it was him alone, he said “I broke out in a cold sweat.” He also worried that the chorus for the song, Dreamers, was too high for him. He thought the song would be pre-recorded, but it was to be live. He didn’t receive the choreography video until he landed in Qatar, plus changes were made up until the final rehearsal, although many of them were made because Jungkook kept coming up with new ways to make the choreography better. In Jungkook’s own words before and after the performance: ”I’m going to be so nervous there.” “I hope it goes well.” “I wasn’t nervous.” “No, I was nervous.”  “Fortunately, I  didn’t make any mistakes.” “My body was stiff.”

Of course, who wouldn’t be nervous in this situation? But what is intriguing is that Jungkook admits to being nervous, which is a form of fear, and a “could sweat” is clearly a strong fear reaction. He said he was not nervous, yet he practiced the music and dance moves  over and over, and then switched up the choreography until he got it the way he thought best. This pattern of continuously thinking things through, changing things up to make them better, and wanting no mistakes to occur is very common in Sixes. Their desire for no mistakes is less about being perfect and more about if mistakes occur, there will be negative consequences.

Serious and Humorous

As is true for most Sixes, Jungkook can be extremely serious and also highly amusing, even comical in a positive sense. On the serious side, he looks quite intent when he’s practicing for performances and quite serious when asked a question and wants to give thoughtful responses. He takes his talent to heart and is known to practice until he is ready to drop from exhaustion or redo his vocals to get them the level he knows they can be, even when others think they are fine as is.

On the other hand, Jungkook can be really funny, sometimes intentionally and sometimes not. This is true for many Sixes who like to study people and human interactions, all the better to predict what people might do. Sixes also pay attention or detail or nuance, and Jungkook is well-known for his precision and detail orientation. In a sense, Sixes have highly attuned perceptions, many of which are accurate, though some may not be.

Jungkook’s keen attunement to what he observes and experiences likely contributes to his ability to effectively mimic a wide variety of people and things. His mimicry is both accurate and funny, and It does not appear that he is trying to ridicule someone else, as mimicry can often do. He can mimic other BTS members in tone, gesture and facial expressions which so accurately reflect that person the other BTS members laugh, including the person being mimicked. Jungkook mimics fan comments that he hears in person, such as saying RM (Rap Monster) with a trilled and elongated R sound as a fan did in Brazil. He also mimics other singers and musical groups, male and female, in terms of vocals and physical movements. His imitations are near perfect and he does them spontaneously. He seems to absorb what others do immediately or to have a highly refined stored memory system. Jungkook also mimics animals, such as dogs, sheep, chickens, kangaroos and insects, as well as noises in the environment or sounds that toys make.

Jungkook also does other things that are quirky and amusing, all the more so because he does this so naturally. Being both deliberate and spontaneous in their humor is quite common in Sixes. For example, he loves animals and talks to them in a conversational tone and style just as he would a human. He’ll ask them how they are doing or if they want something. Sometimes he’ll just converse with them as if he’s making a statement to a person. He also seems to wait for a response after he’s said something. There’s a video of him talking to a fish on a table that they’ll be having for dinner, noticing that its fins have been injured and apologizing to it, either because he was somehow complicit in its current condition or because he plans to eat it. Many Sixes are sensitive and sweet, and also empathic when others are harmed, human or animal.

Compliant and Defiant

Enneagram Sixes also have a unique relationship to rules and authority. Sixes, above all, want to feel safe and adherence to rules and boundaries help reduce their concerns. If everyone follows the rules, they think that nothing bad will happen and everyone, including them, will be OK.  For this reason, they like to know what the rules are, who they can trust to adhere to them and who they cannot trust for whatever reason. This can be visibly observed when Jungkook engages in fun competitions like bouncing ping pong balls into cups. He wants to know the precise rules, which he then plays by exactly. When other BTS members “cheat” or don’t play by the rules, Jungkook gets upset and angry. They laugh; he doesn’t. Playing by the rules matters to him, even in games. It sometimes appears that other BTS members knowingly violate the rules just to get a reaction from Jungkook.

Jungkook is also compliant with many social norms. For example, Jungkook is very respectful of language norms in terms of how he is expected to address people older than he is and who are in different roles. He also bows deeply when meeting and leaving people, and his deep bows are signs of respect. Jungkook also frequently cleans up after performances, helping those whose role it is to do that when this is clearly not even expected of him.

On the other hand, Jungkook pushes back against boundaries, rules and norms. In other words, he does what he wants, not what others expect of him. There are many examples of this, the most obvious one being his tattoos. He has elaborate tattoos covering part of his right shoulder all the way down to his knuckles. As a younger teenager, he expressed a desire for tattoos and the other BTS members told him not to do it. In the US, rappers and hip-hop artists often have tattoos, but Jungkook was neither a rapper at the time nor did he live in the US. Having visible tattoos in South Korea has carried a stigma (it’s associated with gangsters), although this appears to be changing to some degree. Because tattoos are still not widely accepted in South Korea, K-pop Idols typically don’t get them or are expected to cover them up when in public or while performing. Visible tattoos must be covered with makeup, skin-colored bandages, or clothing.

There are many more examples of Jungkook doing things his way rather than what is expected of him. In one group interview, BTS members were asked which of them was most likely to not respond to chats and text messages. They all thought for a moment, all pointed at Jungkook, and then looked surprised that they all had the same experience with him. When one of them then asked Jungkook why he didn’t respond to their messages, he said matter-of-factly, “Because I don’t have to.”

Another example of Jungkook’s doing what he wants can be seen in a video of him singing karaoke-style in his own room. He sings “That’s that” by South Korean singer PSY feat. Suga (2022). He does this while other BTS members are asleep in their separate rooms nearby and it appear to be late at night or early morning; Jungkook’s singing is so loud that it wakes them up. The video continues with V banging loudly on Jungkook’s door and unequivocally telling him to stop singing. Jungkook stops, but the look on his face is hard to read. He doesn’t look upset or embarrassed, although he might be. Interestingly, Jungkook is generally known for being a considerate and empathic person, so why does he sing so loud and so late?

Relationship to Authority

Authority figures are extremely important to Enneagram Sixes because they are looking for stability, safety and security in an uncertain world. In the perception of Sixes, authority figures have the role, right, and responsibility to use their authority and power wisely and justly to help others feel safe and protected. In fact, Sixes hope this is the case. At the same time, Sixes are doubtful or concerned that authority figures won’t act in a way that is fair and worthy of their trust. What do Sixes do with these competing notions of trust and distrust in authority? They watch leaders closely, become quite loyal to the ones they admire and trust, and describe these leaders in glowing terms.

This can be observed in Jungkook’s relationship to RM (Kim Namjoon), BTS’ leader. Jungkook admires RM wholeheartedly and has since he first joined BTS. Jungkook talks about RM during formal interviews as well as in more informal settings. Jungkook credits RM, who he only knew by reputation, with his decision to join Big Hit Entertainment and BTS as a trainee. Here are quotes from Jungkook: “RM is someone so admirable that I can’t even put it into words.” When I met RM, I saw him and thought he was amazing. In my eyes he was very handsome. “If not for RM, I wouldn’t be here today.” “My happiness began when I met him.” ”I hope he can be my leader for life.”

However, there are downsides to the way in which Sixes elevate leaders they trust. If the leader acts in ways that create anxiety in an Enneagram Six, the leader falls from their prior elevated status and the fall is as steep as the elevation. From the Six perspective, the leader goes from being the best leader to the worst leader very quickly. Another downside can be how Sixes respond to leaders they don’t trust or they think are using their authority in an abusive way. Sixes will confront the leader, often publicly and feel that they are speaking on behalf of the group. When Sixes do this, it can be to their own detriment, such as losing their job or their standing in a social context.

A final downside in the way Sixes relate to authority is that Sixes negate their own intrinsic authority and, instead, rely on an authority figure for their sense of direction and security. In other words, Sixes don’t trust themselves enough. When asked if he sees himself as a leader, Jungkook said he does not see himself as a leader and has never been able to take the lead with others. He added that he was curious about what would happen if he was in charge. In relation to his Qatar FIFA performance, Jungkook explained some of his nervousness, saying, “I’m all alone without Namjoon.”

Speaking Style

My intention was to comment on Jungkook’s speaking style and how it might relate to his being an Enneagram Six. However, from observing and listening to video after video of Jungkook speaking in Korean and English, there is little to say. My impression is that he speaks with sincerity. In other words, he answers questions or makes comments that reflect a truthful answer. In seeking answers online, I also found very little about his speaking style, which was not true about the other BTS members. His non-verbal communication style is the exact opposite.

Non-Verbal Behavior

Jungkook shows a great deal of non-verbal behavior, and when he does, it is frequent, intense, often funny, highly expressive and, from my perspective, endearing because it seems so spontaneous. All this is highly consistent with Enneagram Sixes, which are among the most intense and quick-reacting of the nine Enneagram types. Here are numerous examples.

Big eyes; sometimes big smile: RM (Namjoon) noted how large Jungkook’s eyes were when he first met him. And Jungkook’s eyes are very large and highly expressive. What exactly they are expressing would be an inference or interpretation on my part or anyone’s else. His big eyes get even bigger at times. Sometimes his big eyes look surprised or startled, sometimes curious, sometimes pleased and very warm, and so forth. His variations in big eyes do not seem to last more than a few seconds. When he smiles or feels emotionally touched in a positive way, his eyes look very soft and gentle. When he finds something funny, his whole face lights up with big eyes and a big smile, accompanied by laughing. When he is eating and enjoying his food, his often squints with his eyes when he looks at his food.

Repeating sounds and words: Jungkook uses repeating sounds frequently, almost as if he’s singing a song with sound. Sometimes the words have a meaning; sometimes they appear to simply be sounds. However, even if the words he repeats have a real meaning, he uses them as “sound objects.” But why he chooses these particular words isn’t always clear. Here are some examples. On a Weverse live broadcast, he says, “party, party yeah,” which seems to his response to a comment from a viewer. Another time, he’s in front of the camera, has a single flower (a daisy) in his hand and says “flower, flower, flower” as he pushes the flower in front of the screen. In one video, he says mom and dad, dad and mom and then ends with the sound LALALA, followed by laughter from other BTS members. When asked about a book (possibly his favorite or one he is reading), he appears to not know the title or author, smiles looking slightly embarrassed, and says “bonobonya.” When asked for the book’s genre, he repeats “bonobonya.” BTS members laugh, not only at his answer but also at the way he says it.“Bonobonya” is a actually a character from a comic book. Jungkook also says “Ahhh” quite often both when inhales and exhales. Sometimes these “Ahhs’ sound like a sigh and, at other times, like relief or a sense of satisfaction. He also makes sounds with his throat (sounds like the letter K) and what appears to be a soft sucking sound with his tongue behind his upper teeth.

Tongue, lips and cheek: There are so many ways Jungkook uses his face in expressive ways and he does variations quite frequently. He puffs out his cheeks like a puffer fish; sometimes it is one cheek, sometimes the other and sometimes both cheeks at once. His tongue has even more non-verbal agility. He sometimes puts his tongue in one check with his mouth closed, so it is obvious his tongue is there. Sometimes his tongue shows gently placed on top of his lower lip. He sometimes pokes his cheek with his knuckles or is he poking his tongue through his cheek? Jungkook bites his lower lip in a rather neutral way, but as he’s gotten older, he does it in a more explicit sexual way, often with his tongue protruding.

Highly tactile with a strong sense of smell: Jungkook is known to have a superior sense of smell. When he was younger, he would spontaneously sniff the other BTS members. In one video, they test his sense of smell by blindfolding him while the other BTS members take various places throughout the room. Jungkook has no difficulty sniffing out Jin and without any mistakes. Jungkook also appears to be highly tactile. He often touches other members’ hair, clothing, rearranges their accessories, and more. My hunch is that he also has a refined sense of smell and taste, along with his “perfect pitch” hearing. These heightened senses may be separate from his Enneagram type, but could also add to the vast data sources that Sixes are attuned to.

Crying: When Jungkook was younger, he cried frequently. Perhaps it was from feeling overwhelmed by the pressure of training, going to school, being the youngest, and/or the grueling hours spent practicing; these are guesses.  As he’s gotten older, he cries less often, but he cries readily when other  BTS members, particularly the older ones, share their challenges and difficulties. He says this is because of his gratitude for all they did to help him and his sense that as they go through their hardships, there’s nothing he can do to help them. Sixes are often sensitive in this way. They can be quite empathic to others, but particularly so with people or groups they perceive as part of their “tribe.”

In sum, Jungkook appears highly animated and intense, particularly in the way he communicates nonverbally; this expressiveness is common among Enneagram Sixes. However, it is hard to know what these various non-verbal expressions actually mean without knowing him and asking him directly. Anything else is really interpretation and inference, which may not be accurate.

Challenges for Enneagram Sixes

All Enneagram types have their challenges that are specific to their type. Their biggest challenge lies in being able to trust and have faith in themselves. This can be thought of as learning to trust their own inner authority rather than looking externally for guidance, advice and safety. Ironically, Sixes often give remarkable advice or insights to others, but when dealing with the exact same issues themselves, they will seek outside counsel. As a second irony, the more Sixes doubt or don’t trust themselves or have faith in themselves and rely on others instead, the more uncertain they actually feel. The secret key to self-trust is not through the head or heart, but through the body, a relaxed body. Jungkook, for example,  refers to his self-doubt and the need for faith in this quote: “I know I’m very lacking, but I believe in myself. Somehow I have this blind faith that says, ‘I can do it.’ So I’m not worried.”

The second challenge for Sixes is to relax more. Sixes, whether they are risk-averse or overly risk-taking, have heightened and easily triggered inner alarm systems. While this helps them be alert to danger, it also means they are in a continuous state of high activation. With a nervous system in this constant state of arousal, relaxation becomes difficult as does sleep. Add to this the ever-active Six mind that is curious, doubting, questioning, concerned and continuously generating alternative pathways for taking optimal action, and this becomes a recipe for not being able to relax and also sleeping difficulties.

The third challenge involves their relationship to risk. Sixes who are risk averse often see risk everywhere and then become even more hesitant to take action. It becomes a cycle in which fear creates more fear. More fearful Sixes sometimes think that worry or creating mental plans so something negative won’t occur is actually doing something to deal with their concern. They don’t recognize that their over-preoccupation with risk is the real issue. And when Sixes get a thrill from approaching risk head-on, they don’t realize that along with the thrill can be great danger, even, life-threatening danger. They dismiss the depth of the danger because the adrenaline from risk-taking is so rewarding.

Simple, Powerful Development for Enneagram Sixes

Rumi poem
Reflect on the meaning of this poem by 13th-century poet Rumi:
“Once the seeds of faith take root,
It cannot be blown away even by the strongest wind.”

Work with your fear
All humans experience fear, but Sixes are constantly driven by fear, either too much, too little or both. Take the time to explore your fear, either by yourself, with a friend or with someone you trust. Don’t be afraid of it and don’t avoid it. When Sixes identify a fear, they can use this process involving three questions: (1) Is this thought true? (2) how do I know this is true? (3) What else could be true? When Sixes are more counter-fear and about to do something thrilling and adrenalizing, they can stop and ask themselves this: What am I really feeling right now? What am I afraid of?

Relax more
First, recognize that keeping busy is not the same as doing something constructive and productive. In addition, make the decision to get better sleep, such as keeping regular hours and not doing highly stimulating or adrenalizing activities things several hours before bedtime. Next, spend more time in nature simply enjoying the environment and walking slowly and experiencing your body moving in a relaxed state. Finally, try the Dutch practice of Niksen, which is doing absolutely nothing and without any purpose whatsoever, not even the purpose of doing nothing. It is a remarkable way of being present and being in the moment. All you do is sit down, and tell yourself this: “I’m going to do absolutely nothing right now and, with no purpose.”

Watch Jungkook’s Music Video

Here: Enjoy Jungkook’s live performance of  “Standing Next to You” on Jimmy Fallon (2023)

About Ginger

Ginger Lapid-Bogda PhD, author of nine Enneagram books, is a speaker, consultant, trainer, and coach. She provides certification programs and training tools for business professionals around the world who want to bring the Enneagram into organizations with high-impact business applications. TheEnneagramInBusiness.com | ginger@theenneagraminbusiness.com

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