# 1 Perfection vs. 3 Perfection??



## piscesfish (Nov 30, 2013)

I always related to 1 because of the ideal of perfection, but I've been thinking that perhaps my view of perfection is more similar to that of a 3. What are the similarities and differences between the two?


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## ScientiaOmnisEst (Oct 2, 2013)

Enneagram noob here, but I think I can try to help a little:

One perfection is more a perfection of principle, lots of "shoulds". Things should be this way; this is right and this is wrong (either morally or concretely), no deviations accepted. The word "righteous" gets applied to Ones a lot and I think that reflects this.

Three perfection is more a perfection of image: appearing a certain way, and never letting anyone see you slip up, or letting anything tarnish that image. Adopting an image and conforming to it so that it's indistinguishable from your real personality (which, as I recall, is one of type Three's greatest hindrances, spiritually speaking).


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## TurtleQueen (Nov 8, 2014)

Type 6 can also have issues from perfectionism related to attempting to be perfect in order to avoid rejection from other people. My Enneagram typing thread discusses some of the differences between type 6 and type 1 perfectionism.


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## Varyafiriel (Sep 5, 2012)

Maybe that helps?

Personality Types: Enneagram Misidentifications - Type 3 - Enneagram and Myers Briggs


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## Modal Soul (Jun 16, 2013)

the way i see it is

1s actually strive to obtain perfection whereas 3s just want to appear as if they have


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## series0 (Feb 18, 2013)

Type 3 perfection is an illusion that they often delude everyone, including themselves into believing. Type 1 perfection is the unattainable ideal of actual perfection and thus they tend to condescend to others with delivery of 'wisdom'. 

Type 3 could care less about what is actually right and more about being seen or understood as a winner. On top. Dominant socio-culturally. The 1 would rather be authentically correct showing demonstrated wisdom and a move towards self-perfection.

The 3 is desirous of how you feel about them. The 1 demands you admit the better way.


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## Entropic (Jun 15, 2012)

Modal Soul said:


> the way i see it is
> 
> 1s actually strive to obtain perfection whereas 3s just want to appear as if they have


I disagree with this. 3s most definitely strive to be perfect, however, their idea of perfection differs from 1 in that 1 identifies with their own sense of mortality whereas a 3 does in a sense, not. 3s desire godhood and their sense of perfectionism will reflect this.


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## Modal Soul (Jun 16, 2013)

Entropic said:


> I disagree with this. 3s most definitely strive to be perfect, however, their idea of perfection differs from 1 in that 1 identifies with their own sense of mortality whereas a 3 does in a sense, not. 3s desire godhood and their sense of perfectionism will reflect this.


oh maybe

i was just talking outta my ass if i'm being honest


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## Figure (Jun 22, 2011)

It's Self Pres 3's in particular that can look perfectionistic in a 1-ish way. Most other 3's I've ever heard talk about being perfectionistic were so in a very different way than 1's, i.e. being the "perfect spouse," or having the "perfect job" as a "perfect banker," so on. 

For the latter type of perfectionistic 3's, the difference from 1 is pretty stark in that their idea of perfect is equivalent to being the computed image they strive for and may believe themselves to be. There isn't really a drive to change or reform what is as there is in 1, but rather to accept/attach to/embody. For 3's, being the perfect X is an outer ideal, not an inner one like it is for 1's. 

For the former type of perfectionistic 3's, the Self Pres variants, perfectionism is again not so much a result of rejection or intolerance as it is for 1's. Even though Self Pres 3's are perfectionistic, they still operate from goals that relay back to their image. It's only the flaws or imperfections that could be noticed that heed their attention, and while they are very anxious to resolve those, they won't put them above the overall goal and are fine ignoring or fudging/hiding them if they don't ultimately make a difference. To perfectionistic 1's, in contrast, the goal will never be what they want it to be unless all imperfections have been dealt with, at which point they have satisfied their inner ideal. 

For 3's perfectionism is a utility to their greater goal and is a requirement to give the end results the features the 3 wants; for 1's, to embody perfection is itself the greater goal.


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## series0 (Feb 18, 2013)

I disagree that 3s are perfectionist at all. They do cultivate the best image they can. But they make no bones at all about being cavalier in general, at least the ones I know. They do not even remotely pretend towards perfectionism. 

I think if you think 3s are perfectionists you're sort-of guilty of buying into the culture and the illusion. Don't. Look beyond it. Why? Because only 3s will ever win in that world. All 8 other personality cores will be the losers. That is in general. And it's a huge issue with the world and culture today. We as humanity, as humans, ALL need desperately to get past or refute the type 3 overburden on culture and everyone's lives. 

The type 3 ideals are not perfect. In isolation they are not in balance with the other 8 virtue areas and pursued in isolation as they often are, they are immoral.


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