Didn’t know whether to flair this as “Advice Wanted” or “Type Discussion.”Regardless, I believe either option can apply.

Anyway, I’ve been considering 6 for a few weeks now, but I can’t quite wrap my head around it. 6 confuses me. Specifically, the part about authority and “alliances.” Like the general attachment types, I know they tend to evaluate or base their sense of self on their relationship with others and concepts outside of themselves. In 6’s case, this manifests as seeking security in authority figures, groups, belief systems, et cetera. I can get behind belief systems a little bit, but does a 6 have to see themselves in reference to a specific authority figure or group? I know 6s can vary wildly and, as previously mentioned 6s can seek security in many ways, but from every source I read and even forums I’ve read that were directly from 6s, there was always an emphasis on some sort of authority or alliance. Be it a religious figure, a group of underdogs, a boss, an organization, and so on. Even if it means going against it, it seems there’s always some kind of emphasis on it.

In general, there are so many ways 6s can be and so many ways Fear can manifest, like I said before, I’m having a difficult time wrapping my head around it. If you’re a 6 that struggled to see yourself as one at first, how does authority or alliances come into play in your life? What specifically kept you from seeing yourself as 6 and what made you finally settle on it?

I’m a rising senior in high school and I’m struggling immensely with figuring out what I want to do for a career. Especially since all of my peers seem like they already have a clear, passionate idea of what they want to do, who they want to be, and are already making steps towards those desires (internships, programs, licenses, networking, et cetera). Meanwhile, I’ve been jumping from path to path, never fully connected to any particular direction. All of the paths I’ve considered so far include animator, graphic designer, orthodontist, UX designer, UX researcher, psychiatrist, I/O psychologist, behavioral analyst, and behavioral scientist. (Sorry in advance if certain things I say don’t make a lot of sense or if I make a lot of grammar mistakes. It’s finals week and I’m mentally exhausted).

Regarding animation/design, I’ve always loved art and have been incredibly artistic since I was a child. I just had a natural knack for creating and it’s probably the task that brings the most enjoyment to my life. I wanted to figure out how to possibly make a living off of it, but was quickly overwhelmed by the concerns of AI, unstable/competitive employment, and financial uncertainty.

Regarding psychology/sociology, studying human interactions and the mind has always been incredibly interesting to me. It’s something I’m naturally curious about and I could spend hours learning how it works, writing about my discoveries and curiosities, and so on. In school, I would say psychology and sociology are the only classes that feel more stimulating than tedious. I’ve even found different systems and frameworks in my downtime to analyze human cognition and behavior, and have used them to help others learn more about themselves and the world around them. My issue here is specialization and whether I should put all of my eggs in this basket.

I know there are many different careers within psychology and, from what I know, the most fruitful ones require at least a masters degree. I have absolutely no issue with extensive education, but I want to make sure I know exactly what I’m pursuing and what my plans are before I even begin college so there are little to no pitfalls or concerns, but I’m struggling to know what really matters to me in this area, which makes choosing a specialty more difficult. I recently settled on I/O psychology because I don’t think clinical would work well for my personality since I’m not the most personable or comforting person in the world, but I know I/O can come with a great deal of corporate politics. I *can* navigate through that, but having to deal with it on a near-constant basis is very anxiety-inducing and draining for me.

I figured UX Research/Design could bridge my interests in psychology and design, but I’m not incredibly familiar with or interested in tech, which could be an issue (although, I could learn to be!). I considered orthodontics because I’m already planning to get my dental assistant certification through a program recommended by a friend who is quite successful in the dental field (and because of the financial benefits. Can’t forget that part), but I have a greatly tumultuous relationship with general science and math in particular and it seems like orthodontics requires a really strong STEM background. The same goes for psychiatry, unfortunately.

How do I figure out what path is right for me? This is really stressing me out because I’m so close to graduation. I still want to secure my path in advance and be able to prepare myself through experiences, internships, programs, and so on that I could add to my resume and applications. I don’t want to wait until the last minute and miss opportunities to prepare, or switch last minute, leaving me where I have all the right accomplishments for the wrong career path. The solution might be clear as day, but, with how foggy and scrambled my head has been with doubt/fear so far, I need some external confirmation to be sure. I’m not sure if I did this correctly, but I could really use some advice.

I’m a rising senior in high school and I’m struggling immensely with figuring out what I want to do for a career. Especially since all of my peers seem like they already have a clear, passionate idea of what they want to do, who they want to be, and are already making steps towards those desires (internships, programs, licenses, networking, et cetera). Meanwhile, I’ve been jumping from path to path, never fully connected to any particular direction. All of the paths I’ve considered so far include animator, graphic designer, orthodontist, UX designer, UX researcher, psychiatrist, I/O psychologist, behavioral analyst, and behavioral scientist. (Sorry in advance if certain things I say don’t make a lot of sense or if I make a lot of grammar mistakes. It’s finals week and I’m mentally exhausted).

Regarding animation/design, I’ve always loved art and have been incredibly artistic since I was a child. I just had a natural knack for creating and it’s probably the task that brings the most enjoyment to my life. I wanted to figure out how to possibly make a living off of it, but was quickly overwhelmed by the concerns of AI, unstable/competitive employment, and financial uncertainty.

Regarding psychology/sociology, studying human interactions and the mind has always been incredibly interesting to me. It’s something I’m naturally curious about and I could spend hours learning how it works, writing about my discoveries and curiosities, and so on. In school, I would say psychology and sociology are the only classes that feel more stimulating than tedious. I’ve even found different systems and frameworks in my downtime to analyze human cognition and behavior, and have used them to help others learn more about themselves and the world around them. My issue here is specialization and whether I should put all of my eggs in this basket.

I know there are many different careers within psychology and, from what I know, the most fruitful ones require at least a masters degree. I have absolutely no issue with extensive education, but I want to make sure I know exactly what I’m pursuing and what my plans are before I even begin college so there are little to no pitfalls or concerns, but I’m struggling to know what really matters to me in this area, which makes choosing a specialty more difficult. I recently settled on I/O psychology because I don’t think clinical would work well for my personality since I’m not the most personable or comforting person in the world, but I know I/O can come with a great deal of corporate politics. I *can* navigate through that, but having to deal with it on a near-constant basis is very anxiety-inducing and draining for me.

I figured UX Research/Design could bridge my interests in psychology and design, but I’m not incredibly familiar with or interested in tech, which could be an issue (although, I could learn to be!). I considered orthodontics because I’m already planning to get my dental assistant certification through a program recommended by a friend who is quite successful in the dental field (and because of the financial benefits. Can’t forget that part), but I have a greatly tumultuous relationship with general science and math in particular and it seems like orthodontics requires a really strong STEM background. The same goes for psychiatry, unfortunately.

How do I figure out what path is right for me? This is really stressing me out because I’m so close to graduation. I still want to secure my path in advance and be able to prepare myself through experiences, internships, programs, and so on that I could add to my resume and applications. I don’t want to wait until the last minute and miss opportunities to prepare or switch last minute, leaving me where I have all of the right accomplishments for the wrong career path. The solution might be clear as day, but, with how foggy and scrambled my head has been with doubt/fear so far, I need some external confirmation to be sure. I’m not sure if I did this correctly, but I could really use some advice.

Throughout my Enneagram journey, I’ve been typed as 4, 5, 9, 6, 3, and 1 (but I’ve only seriously typed myself as 4 and, briefly, 5). I’ve confidently narrowed it down to 4, 6, or 1, which is definitely my tritype, but I’m uncertain about my core.

I thought I’d try something new this typing session, leaning towards a more “trendy” territory (character typing. I know, not foolproof, but I’m just trying something different. I also included explanations under each character for clarity) and triads this time.

Characters:

• Yuri (DDLC) - I relate to Yuri’s embarrassment about her interests and personality and the feeling of needing to control herself.

• Sayaka (Madoka Magica) - I relate to her wanting to fix everything in the world and be the best person she could be, but realizing that the world doesn’t work like that and risking becoming corrupted by negativity and nihilism because of it.

• Young Powder (Arcane) - I heavily relate to her wanting to help, be strong, and feel competent, but always feeling defective, and inadequate because she would only cause more problems in the end when attempting to help. I also relate to the fact that everything she was somewhat good at that she could’ve possibly contributed with (her inventions) was always flawed in some way, fueling the idea that she would always be “a jinx.”

Elsa (Frozen) - I relate A LOT to Elsa’s character. Mainly in the first movie. She always felt ashamed of her powers, felt guilty that they would those around her, and felt fear over the possibility of them causing her downfall. So, she hid them and tried her hardest to be what she believed would make her a good queen, because of her parents’ and kingdom’s standards. Even if it meant shutting everyone out and suppressing what was true to her, but deep down she always felt sad and incomplete because of it.

• Rumi (Kpop Demon Hunters) I relate HEAVILY to Rumi in most of the movie. Initially, she tried her absolute hardest to prevent any part of her demon side from peeking through and was willing to do whatever she could to get rid of it so she could finally be perfect and complete. I also relate to her being hurt after Celine wouldn’t look at/accept all of her.

Triads

Center:

• When something feels off in my life, I have a strong feeling that something is wrong, out of place, or simply not as it should be.

• I don’t really suppress anger at all. It’s the emotion I feel most comfortable with and that I feel most often. It tends to come out directly and I can justify it, but I can also doubt whether or not it would make sense to show or act on my anger in the moment because I could be unrightfully angry. For shame, I feel this a lot too, mainly regarding my interests, my capabilities, my personality, and so on. I feel it so often, but I really don’t like feeling it. I often try to hide or postpone situations that could cause shame or eliminate perceived flaws in myself if I can. It hurts so much. For fear, I can feel uncertain a lot. Oftentimes I’m rather ambiguous and indifferent in my stances because there could be so much I don’t know, but I like certainty.

• When I’m overwhelmed, I tend to become overly control-oriented to minimize what’s (something likely external) overwhelming me and withdraw into my own life for comfort and security. I might make certain quick decisions just to get rid of what’s overwhelming me, because in my mind if something’s overwhelming me then there’s something wrong or in disarray in my life.

Harmonic

• When reality doesn’t meet my expectations, I feel it intensely. I become extremely disappointed, dissatisfied, and possibly angry or sad depending on the situation. However, I might try to figure out what to do next or if there even is anything I can do next that could possibly be better or just as good. Something that could fix any of it (if it can be fixed). Maybe not immediately, but I would still try. If it’s something that can’t be fixed, it could take me a long time to feel better again.

• When I’m upset with someone it depends on where I stand with the person. Growing up, I was never allowed to directly confront my parents, which infuriated me. Feeling like my anger and concerns are unheard makes me livid. Even moreso when I’m not allowed to express them. If it’s anyone else, I’ll probably confront it pretty directly, but not in an aggressive way. Although, sometimes I can avoid speaking my mind to avoid escalating situations unnecessarily. Regardless, it depends on the situation and the person.

• I don’t really mind negativity, UNLESS it’s brought upon me by something external, then I want to eliminate it as soon as possible. Letting something wrong go unaddressed depends. Sometimes it needs to be addressed immediately, otherwise time can pass and it will be fine. It’s difficult for me to act without fully understanding. If something doesn’t make sense to me it’s really difficult to make me do it. It’s like my brain freezes because I literally can’t comprehend it.

Hornevian:

• In difficult situations with others I either push against others or withdraw. It depends. I would say withdrawal is my first instinct. I’ll withdraw mainly because I simply don’t have the time or energy for those issues in my life. Those difficult people will simply seem like an obstacle to avoid to make the external world easier to navigate. Relationships with others in general are easier for me to discard so I can focus my attention elsewhere than vice versa. I already don’t really like people *that much.* It’s even worse if I have to deal with people AND they’re making life harder on me. I’ll push against others if I’m really heated or if I feel like I’m totally in the right to do so and I can push back without making a fool of myself or getting into more trouble than I can’t handle.

• All of the different approaches in this triad feel like a possibility. Although, I find disconnection the least threatening. That could be because I don’t exactly have any significant relationships right now, but disconnection doesn’t seem like an INCREDIBLY big deal in general. Being controlled is greatly annoying and I don’t like putting myself in spaces where I am controlled or under someone else’s agenda. Being overwhelmed and intruded upon also sucks. Once again, I just don’t want that in my life.

• My social energy is drained very easily. I’m typically responsive to others so they feel good, so they think highly of me, and so the interaction runs smoothly, but I don’t like HAVING to be that way. Most of the time I am pretty reserved and I don’t like venturing out of my comfort zone socially if I don’t have to.

Object Relations:

• Very often do I feel like something is missing and/or wrong, so I need to find what completes me and fix or correct it.

• I don’t have a lot of experience with relationships, so I’m not sure how accurate this note will be over time, but in my past two casual relationships I felt ambivalent, but I did seek an ideal connection at first. It was my partners’ behaviors that broke the lens of an ideal connection.

• I would say the tension I experience most often in life would definitely be longing versus fulfillment

Not entirely sure how useful this format will be. I was trying not to write TOO much, so if you have any additional questions, feel free to ask!

Edit: PLEASE provide an explanation. It doesn’t have to be lengthy, but simply stating a type without further elaboration isn’t helpful.