How Does a 5w4 Act? (3+ Key Strengths)

In this article we will discuss 5w4 Personality traits. Enneagram is considered as a paradigm which encapsulates the personality types.

Enneagram 5w4: Description

Enneagram 5w4 can be described as someone who has some traits of enneagram type 5, like curiosity and inquisitiveness, as well as some traits of the enneagram type 4, like an artistic leaning and a need to make a mark in the world in some way. The enneagram 5w4 is quite rare and the description for this personality is that of an introvert.

Enneagram Type 5 Wing 4: Iconoclast

The enneagram type 5 wing 4 is often known as the Iconoclast, and this personality type is often considered to be quite rare. The type 5 may lack the confidence to act, while the enneagram type 4 has a need to create a strong and stable sense of identity. Because of these individual problems in these enneagram types, the Enneagram type 5 wing 4, the Iconoclast, may have difficulty dealing with people and staying grounded.

The Enneagram system

The system of enneagram explains nine various personality types and portrays all these nine personality types on a nine-pointed diagram that is helpful in explaining how all these types are connected to each other and how they relate to each other.

The word enneagram is derived from Greek language. Ennea means nine and Gramma means something which is in a written form or drawn.

Enneagram explains that all of these personality types have a specific view of the world and contemplates the world around them via their own filters or lens.

So, it is now easier, from this, to understand how and why people tend to show a certain behavior in certain ways.

Enneagram demonstrates the chances for the development of personality and also gives the necessary information about getting to know the other people by describing how the fundamental personality suits and reacts to different supportive situations and stressful situations.

There are various other enneagram types including the 2w3, 3w2, 3w4, 4w3, 6w7, 8w9, 4w5, and 5w6.

Enneagram Type Five

The people with enneagram type five may encounter a fear that they are left with not enough internal strength to face difficulties of life, so they’ll back off, to go back in search for the mental peace, safety and security where they’ll prepare themselves mentally to emerge as strong candidates for upcoming challenges in this world.

People with enneagram five find pleasure and comfort in the paradigm of their thoughts.

Generally, these people are considered intellectuals, well prepared and thoughtful and often develop expertise in the fields of their interest.

These people, sometimes, are scientifically inclined especially with a six-wing, just like many of the types are inclined toward humanities and it is common for the people of enneagram five to be inclined towards arts.

People of enneagram type five are a little unconventional and they think that there is a room for them to do an alteration in their beliefs so that they can be accommodated in the opinions of the majority and they do not compromise on their liberty to think the way they enjoy it.

The issue with enneagram type five people these people will be good and feel content when being in the kingdom if their own thoughts but when they have to deal with their emotional regulation,maintaining relationships and finding a place for themselves, they feel less comforted.

The people of this type are non-intrusive, independent, shy and reluctant to ss for their favour for the assistance which will be happily offered by the other people to them.

These people are not satisfied about how they defend against the world as they are sensitive.

They tend to opt for a careless, indifferent or arrogant attitude for compensating their sensitivity which sometimes can give rise to differences between them and other people.

To overcome this distance might be a challenging task for these people as they do not feel comfortable about their social skills, but once they have done this successfully they can be very good and long lasting friends.

The people of enneagram type five try to be restricted when they have to express their emotions but when these emotions get stronger they will discharge them.

These people are afraid of breach of privacy and are afraid of an intrusion and this is known to lesser people.

These people are afraid of being overwhelmed due to their sensitivity and fear of deficiency. It may be caused by how demanding other people are to them or even by their own strength of emotions.

They tend to counter this issue by having developed a mechanism of moderate way of life where demands are less on others in contrast to the little wishes made in them.

Other enneagram type five people tend to live in peace along the disorderliness of their lives and by engaging to the fullest.

But their fear,that life can be more challenging, is almost and always there with them.

People of enneagram type five particularly with four-wing usually misunderstand themselves as being four.

Such people understand that their emotions are stronger and thus do not recognise the, mostly, highly cerebral picture of fives.

But, unlike type four, fives are discomforted upto some extent when they have tk express their emotions.

Nevertheless, they can be much facilitated with it as the emotional language is not native to them.

Basic Fear

These people are afraid of sitting idly, being helpless and incapable of doing something.

Basic Desire

Their basic wish is to be competent and capable of doing things they love.

Enneagram five with a Four-Wing is known as the iconoclast.

Enneagram five with a Six-Wing is known as the problem solver. 

Key Motivations

Key motivation of these people is to gain knowledge, have understanding of their environment, to solve the problems as a means to defend themselves from anticipated environmental threats.

Enneagram Five with Four-wing

Enneagram type five with four-wing is a mixture of properties of both types with five being the fundamental type.

The people of these types can appear to be individualistic and withdrawn but those with their fundamental type being the four are generally more self revealing and emotional. 

These people may appear to be eccentric and uncanny. These people are bad at expressing and may appear to be distant and cold.

Nevertheless, people who have strong 4-wing can feel highly intensive emotions.

5w4 people are capable of understanding the emotions and only face difficulties being expressive with emotions.

Likewise, they are not comfortable with other people being emotional when they are around them.

5w4s are not good at dealing with such situations.  Not to the surprise people of other types do not feel satisfied with the relationships with 5w4s. 5w4 people are naturally artistics but their arts are not about beauty or love.

As these people are fives essentially love to make fantastic or abstract arts. These people can raise difficult questions and may express unusual concepts through their pieces of art.

5w4 prefers to read books and watch movies related to fantasy rather than romantic.

The people of both types are creative but those who are five are less empathetic and romantic as compared to fours.

However, both types have differences as well. The people with type 4 are pushed forward by their wish to have authenticity and to search for the lost pieces.

People with type 5 are always willing to enhance their knowledge so that they can come up with everything which is in demand in this world.

5w4s are not dependent on anyone and they like to be alone in working or at least they want to have a routine of their own desires.

These people do not like the deadlines and they will do anything so that they make sure that others cannot control them by any means.

The people enneagram five with a Four-Wing have a more fragile emotional balance as compared to its core type.

When they come across difficulties in life fives compartmentalise their problem and solve them intellectually.

This is a mechanism of defence in which one removes himself emotionally from stressors.

Fives get involved in the thoughts and analysing things logically from stressful events so that they can avoid their feelings of negativity.

Nevertheless, people who have a four-wing can prove to be emotional. For instance, for people of 5w4s it is usual to be insensitive to the criticism they face or the opinions other people might have about them.

People can be emotionally volatile and this volatility can be different from person to person and not every 5w4 is the same.

As type four has this characteristic of being sensitive, those who are four and have stronger four-wing can be emotionally strong as compared to the weak four-wing.

Likewise, those who are five will ignore how they appear personally but those who are four are too much conscious about how they appear.

Those who are 5w4 are fives but courtesy to their Four-wing they tend to put in a bit more effort in how they should look as compared to 5w6s.

Those who are 5w4 usually get them indulged in the intellectual world of them and thus becoming more impractical.

There most of time spent is in fantasising, analysing, reading and taking actions to get results.

Not all 5w4 have similar traits. People who are ISTP 5w4 have different traits than the one with INFJ 5w4.

However, we have mentioned the general 5w4 traits below.

Personality Traits of Enneagram 5w4

Basic Fear

The people with enneagram type five with four-wing find it terrifying to not be able to compete and being helpless.

To avoid these problems they tend to spend their most of time gaining the latest knowledge and polishing skills in order they can feel worthy and useful.

Basic Desire

The people with enneagram type five with a Four-Wing crave to be able to compete and be helpful.

They do this by showing excitement in pursuit of getting knowledge and gaining the understanding of the world.

Philosophers usually secure themselves by pushing themselves aside from other people which eventually drive them to be alone.

People with enneagram five with s four-wing personality;

  1. Try to remain secure and avoid other people. 
  2. Pursue new knowledge and skills.
  3. They are curious about exploring different environments. 
  4. They tend to be themselves. 
  5. They are afraid of being incompetent and helpless. 

One should choose their match by keeping in mind their personality traits.

For example, people with 5w4 personality should make relationships with people who best fit with 5w4.

Strengths of enneagram type five with a four-wing

People with any personality type have their strengths and weaknesses and these are mostly apparent in their work places where they come across people of different backgrounds and value systems.

Strengths which are generally found in people with the Enneagram 5w4 personality includes:

  1. They think creatively and are expressive 
  2. They can perform their tasks well and independently. 
  3. They have a tendency to understand and observe minor details. 
  4. They are deeply focused and attentive. 

Weaknesses of enneagram five with a Four-Wing 

Weaknesses which are generally associated with the Enneagram 5w4 personality includes:

  1. They can be oversensitive sometimes. 
  2. They are too focused on themselves. 
  3. They maintain distance from others. 
  4. They struggle with thinking realistically or practically.

FAQs about 5w4 enneagram 

What is enneagram?

Enneagram is considered as a paradigm which encapsulates the personality types.

It explains the models that how an individual comprehends the world around him and how he manages his emotions.

What is enneagram type five?

People with enneagram type five have curiosity, they are attentive and are insightful.

They have the ability to be focused and concentrated on the development of new ideas and skills.

What is enneagram type five with four-wing?

The people of these types can appear to be individualistic and withdrawn but those with their fundamental type being the four are generally more self revealing and emotional.

What are the strengths of 5w4?

They think creatively and are expressive. 

They can perform their tasks well and independently.

What are the weaknesses of 5w4s?

They are too focused on themselves.

They maintain distance from others.

What are the prominent examples of 5w4s? 

Mark Zuckerberg

Bill Gates

Diane Sawyer

Agatha Christie

Albert Einstein

Alfred Hitchcock

Annie Leibovitz

Emily Dickinson

References

crystalknows.com/enneagram/type-5-wing-4

enneagraminstitute.com/type-5

eclecticenergies.com/enneagram/type5

psychologia.co/5w4/

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