6
The Loyalist
AT THEIR BEST:
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Loyal and committed to others
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Acting from self-knowledge
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Filled with a strong sense of self- esteem
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Seeing themselves as equal to others
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Self- confident
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Self- affirming
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Trustful
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Grounded
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Courageous
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Intelligent
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Self- reliant
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Caring
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Warm
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Helpful
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Practical
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Responsible
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Natural problem solvers
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Trusting themselves
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Following inner guidance
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It is important for you:
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to feel secure and have inner trust in yourself and your surroundings.
You do not feel good:
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when you lose touch with your inner guidance and become dependent on the opinions of others.
People of this type are responsible, trustworthy, hard-working, and good team players. They are very committed and security-oriented, analyzing all situations and attempting to predict what the outcome could be. The Loyalists have a very delicate sense of humor, often doubting themselves and their surroundings. Before taking any action, they either carefully think about all possible outcomes or, alternatively, they do the polar opposite and "dive in without thinking," not taking any deep considerations about a given situation.
The driving force for this type is finding security. They believe that the world is a dangerous place to live and that it does not provide a stable basis for them to survive comfortably. Constant anxiety, doubts and concerns make the Loyalist look into different options that could guarantee stability they are so looking for. This idea of stability could be experienced through the other person, belonging to an organization, saving money, finding themselves in a specific idea, committing to a marriage, etc. Anything outside themselves that can give an inner feeling of stability, which ultimately results in security.
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Behind all the efforts to create the sense of security, deep inside, Sixes realize that all they wish is to feel connected with their inner guidance and trust in their own decisions. This message is simply too hard for the Loyalist to accept, as they feel like they need someone else in order to feel comfortable in this world. At the same time denying any support given, they express themselves as very dynamic and contradictory. Often finding themselves both believing and skeptical, both trusting and doubting, obedient to authority and yet rebellious to it. Not intentionally, they always double-check the hidden motives of others, trying to protect themselves from any potential risk.
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​People of this type try to avoid any possible danger. They want to fit in groups and they come across as subdued and humble. They can be overprotective, trying to escape conflicts or overcome them with a very delicate sense of humor. Sixes can have one of two reactions to danger: either being proactive in the avoidance of danger by not waiting for it to reach them; or going directly into their fears and fighting them. It is important to note that although people of this type can react to their experiences differently, they all have the same inner motivation – fear.
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​Personal growth for the Loyalists begins when they decide to look inside themselves and acknowledge how much fear they actually have about the world. Accepting the state of “being lost” awakens their inner guidance and natural faith which comes from being present and feeling intuitively what each situation requires out of them.
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Rediscovering intuition which comes with the quiet mind, reminds them how to connect to their inner guidance and trust: that everyone in this Universe is looked after, including them. By letting go of control, they connect to inner silence, which supports and opens up trust, faith, strength and security. They become self-confident, self-affirming, and an authority to themselves. Growing their confidence from personal experiences and building strong self-esteem from knowing themselves, they become a great example of a person who expresses inner strength, which is so essential for our humanity.
What other people of your type say about themselves:
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I always look for security.
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It is very hard for me to trust others.
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I often feel fear and anxiety inside.
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I am responsible and dutiful.
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I respect truth and honesty.
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I have a habit of always explaining my actions.
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I often ask, “What if…?”
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I fight injustice and always protect those who cannot protect themselves.
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I value teamwork over individual achievement.
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In a group, I always try to create a positive and friendly atmosphere.
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When I take on a task, it is important for me to know the guidelines and what is expected from me.
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I always look for support and approval.
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It is hard for me to give and receive criticism.
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I always analyze situations and look for what could go wrong.
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I love to be rebellious and I do not like to be depended upon.
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I often feel like I cannot trust my own decisions.
Questions to help understand yourself better
Do you often think about different scenarios of a situation and predict what could possibly happen and try to escape from it?
Is your reaction to figures of authority either very positive or very negative? Do you often feel like you want to challenge them when you feel concerned?
Do you feel uncomfortable expressing your thoughts and feelings to others?
Do you have a hard time trusting others?
Is it hard for you to make decisions, and you prefer that someone else will make them for you instead?
If you answered “yes” 4 out of 5 times, you most likely hold
the dominant personality type of Loyalist.
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Six
Self-doubting
Indecisive
Ambivalent
Reactive
Anxious
Suspicious of others
Temperamental
Seek security
Affiliative
Looks to authority
One
Self-confident
Decisive
Certain
Contained
Angry
Indignated by others
Controlled
Seek perfection
Independent
Becomes an authority
Six
Relate to tradition
Consider rules
Linear thinking
Establish methods
Practical
Doubt their minds
Reactive
Affiliative
Seek security
Paranoid
Engaged
Group-oriented
Five
Eccentric
Ignore rules
Non-linear thinking
Contest methods
Impractical
Trust their minds
Aloof
Independent
Seek knowledge
Schizoid
Detached
Individualist
Practices for personal growth:
Practice inner trust. There are no mistakes in this world, and even if they would exist it is better to experience them from your own decisions which gives you inner wisdom and growth with every action you take, guided by your inner world. Trust yourself; trust your inner wisdom. You are much wiser and bolder than you think.
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When you notice yourself in doubt, stop in the moment and take some time to think about whether this feeling is due to a real possible danger or to hidden fear, distrust.
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Practice accepting your fear of being left without support and an external source of security. Realize that you are a true and inexhaustible source of your security and faith.
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Notice when you complain instead of going directly into the problem and looking for possible solutions.
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Encourage yourself to try new things. Through those experiences you would learn more about yourself and build a stronger inner basis.
If you wish to discover more practices for personal growth,
check out our brand-new exercise book made specifically for Type Six.
Enneagram Exercises
for personal growth
-TYPE 6-
The Loyalist
This exercise book was created uniquely to support the personal growth of Enneagram type Six.