Do you know why resolutions don’t stick? It’s because we need to tailor our goals, intentions, visions & the realization thereof to us, to our unique construct. In other words; what we set for ourselves and how we plan to implement are very person-specific.  Setting intentions or making resolutions, writing them down & expecting them to miraculously materialize is naive. Even creating a road map of the ‘how’ is a step forward but not enough. We need to deeply ‘get’ ourselves in order to know what we specifically need to put in place to make our resolutions relevant past the 9th of January. 

As per always I turn to the enneagram to help us understand what each enneagram type needs in order to bring in real & lasting  change into our personal & professional lives. More than realizing our goals though, when we understand our growth areas – what’s actually hard for us – this becomes an area of very meaningful goal setting.  I’ll lay out here what’s firstly a good way to get a resolution to stick and then what resolutions will actually challenge & grow each type. Because, after all, we aren’t here for a holiday. We are here to love & to grow, in my opinion. Love & grow people. Love & grow.  

Let’s take a deeper look;

Enneagram 1’s are good with all that’s good. So when they understand that something (an eating plan or a business metric for example) is essentially good, this will help a type 1 keep their shoulder behind their goal. To stretch an enneagram 1 though, goals and words could be around flexibility and fun – both of which a 1 may struggle with.  1’s can fall into a degree of rigidity, righteousness (there is only 1 way to do this) type thinking and become overly routined.  So to break out of this in a mindful way can bring in more flow, flexibility and even fun, and 1’s will realise the world still turns when they loosen their grip.  They will also learn that the world turns well with more levity and lightness. 

Enneagram 2’s are highly relational so often goals will be inclusive of the people element, which is great!  However this is also a type 2 comfort zone so to while these goals may stick they won’t necessarily stretch a 2.  Rather a 2 can set goals around their own self care or goals that actually are in service of the wellbeing of the 2 themselves without always being so inclusive of everyone else’s good.  A type 2 will grow with a goal that asks of them to deeply consider their own needs and wants and to actually map a way to bring these more into their lives, to speak their truth and take agency over their own wellbeing. 

Enneagram 3’s are great goal setters.  They are achievers and go getters so usually meet resolution time with a ripple of excitement.  Where 3’s can be stretched is around goals that take their eye off the prize as they know it and step into places and spaces that are more relational, more around what do they want to feel more of in this year and more about softening and being present.  While 3’s naturally surge forward, goals that actually talk into more being than doing, into more stillness than action and more feeling than achieving are what will evolve a type 3.

Enneagram 4’s are good with goals around creative endeavours – they are born to create and to appreciate beauty so these types of goals will generally stick.  What will stretch a 4 is to make goals around discipline and organisation and then to set ways to keep on this path when the monotony sets in.  They can set realistic and achievable goals here but they must keep measuring them and keep themselves accountable and if that is hard then set up an accountability buddy to keep the new found structures and systems in place.  When these start working 4’s will realise that structures and systems actually offer more free time rather than less as the efficiencies are there.

Enneagram 5’s want to learn and learn and learn some more so goals around new knowledge or skills are very natural to a type 5 and will mostly be followed through, except when type 5’s (like me) move into a gluttony of information and sign up for too many courses to actually complete them all!  So even though learning is the sweet spot for 5’s, not overcommitting to learning is key.  Further to this 5’s stretch themselves in areas that require action, engagement and speaking up and out.  These are the goals that will really grow and evolve a 5.

Enneagram 6’s are planners so goals and the action plan are fairly natural to a 6, but where these goals are focussed is the key question.  For 6’s to set goals around trusting themselves and backing themselves are key to growth.  6’s need to believe in themselves so goals around their own personal and business growth that build over time with increasing parameters as the year rolls out.  This can build an important momentum where 6’s can say to themselves; “See!  Yes I can….”

Enneagram 7’s are all about fun, adventure and novelty and looking to the future is very natural to a type 7 so goals that bring excitement and keep changing things up and offer diversity are what will keep a 7 engaged with them. The key, however, is for a 7 to focus on goals that offer discipline and structure to their wow plans so that they can all be executed thoroughly and not dropped once the shine rubs off.  Further to this is for 7’s to drop into places of greater and deeper thinking, stillness, contemplation and knowing and to move through their planning and their execution with intention, presence and completion.

Enneagram 8’s are good at the big, audacious goals and are unapologetically for themselves and their people.  Goals can be larger than life and executed with drive and passion.  Enneagram 8’s will grow from including some goals from the heart space.  Relational goals are great.  Goals around connecting to their hearts, building their emotional awareness and expression of  their emotions in healthy ways will truly grow an 8.  Open hearted communication is growth.

Enneagram 9’s are great a keeping goals around peace, stillness, life-work balance and good relationships.  What will grow an Enneagram 9 is to set goals around assertion, engagement and making things happen and happen quickly.  For 9’s to get into some healthy competitiveness is energising and growing for them and for 9’s to set goals around greater socialisation and really getting out there will be evolutionary. 9’s also speaking up and speaking their truth will stretch and grow them immeasurably. 

When we look at sources of inspiration it is truly important that we look at it relevant to us, to who we are and where we can grow.  Understanding what is hard for us and why means we can mitigate the risk of this tripping us up.

Contact me for a deeper look at your enneagram.