what do alanis morisette, camus, agatha christie, & johnny depp all have in common?

They’re all Enneagram #4!

I’m a 4. What number are you? What numbers are the characters in The Beautiful Abyss?

Have you heard of the Enneagram? Or maybe Myers-Briggs personality test or DiSC test? They’re all ways to categorize our personalities. Can we really be put into one box that encompasses all of our personality traits? How valid are these tests anyway?

The Myers-Briggs test (MBTI) was developed by two American women in 1917 when Briggs met her future son-in-law, and observed how different his personality was from the rest of their family. In other words, she didn’t like him. Neither Myers nor Briggs were formally educated in psychology. It’s scary to think this test can make or break you getting that job you want so badly.

The philosophy behind the Enneagram comes from mystical Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Taoism, Buddhism, and ancient Greek philosophy. It describes the nine primary strategies we all use to relate and react to the world. The name most commonly associated with the Enneagram is the philosopher, George Gurdjieff, who learned it from Sufis in Central Asia. Gurdjieff was Armenian and his father was Greek, which brings us to The Beautiful Abyss… in Greece! I know, I know, that’s a big leap.

Regardless of how much cred you give these systems, it can be fun to learn about them and take the tests which can be found all over the webs. Also, Glennon Doyle has two super fun and enlightening episodes (#88 and #226) about it on her podcast, We Can Do Hard Things.

Without giving too much away, here’s what number the characters in the The Beautiful Abyss are. Who do you relate to?

Niki: #4. The Individualist. Her biggest desire is to create meaning, be set apart, yet be understood on a very deep level. Her biggest fear is that she’s defective at the core and that she’s never enough. It sure felt that way with her ex. Will she learn to overcome her self-doubt?

Thof: #6. The Loyalist. His biggest desire is to be supported. He wants to be counted on, but can Niki count on him? His biggest fear is that he won’t be secure. He’s a worrier and a doubter.

Costa: #2. The Helper. His biggest desire is to be loved and wanted—all those kids he wants! He’s a giver, an optimist, and feels other people’s feelings but he’s not so good at taking care of himself. His biggest fear is being unwanted and unneeded.

Brielle: #5. The Investigator. Her biggest desire is to know it all, to do the research and be competent. She has certainly done that! Her biggest fear is being seen as ignorant. It’s difficult for her to show up in relationships.

Selena: #9. The Peacemaker. Her biggest desire is to maintain the peace. She’s very laid back and sees two sides to all stories. She’s emotionally stable. Niki needs a dose of that! Will Selena save the day? Her greatest fear is conflict and loss of others.

Ugo: #5. The Investigator. Another one who doesn’t show up well in relationships. He’s withdrawn, an observer. His greatest desire is to know it all. He does seem to know a lot of secrets. His greatest fear is the same as Brielle’s—to be seen as ignorant.

Do you see yourself in any of these numbers, or maybe you’re a 1, 3, 7, or 8.