The Enneagram Type 8: The Protective Challenger

The Enneagram Collection #8

by Beth McCord

The Enneagram Collection is for anyone who wants to have a deeper understanding of their Enneagram type. The Enneagram Type 8: The Protective Challenger is an interactive book that focuses on those who have a core desire to protect themselves and remain in control. The book explores the unique motivations, longings, strengths, and weaknesses of a Type 8. The Enneagram Type 8: The Protective Challenger is a great self-assessment resource for all spheres of life, Author Beth McCord teaches readers how to transform self-limiting behaviors into life-enhancing personal empowerment. Books from The Enneagram Collection are great for anyone newly interested in the Enneagram or longtime Enneagram enthusiasts. Inside readers will This ancient personality typing system identifies nine types of people and how they relate to one another. The system helps people discover what motivates them, their fears, and how best to interact with others. Not a Type 8 or want to learn about the other Enneagram types? Check out the rest of The Enneagram Collection by Enneagram coach, author, and speaker Beth McCord.

Genres: Nonfiction, Psychology

160 pages, Hardcover

First published December 10, 2019

About the author

Beth McCord, founder of Your Enneagram Coach, has been an Enneagram speaker, coach, and teacher for more than fifteen years. Having been trained by the best Enneagram experts and pouring hundreds of hours into advanced certifications, Beth is passionate about coming alongside individuals and helping them rewrite their story, allowing them to see that lasting change, meaningful relationships, and a life of deep purpose are possible. Beth lives outside of Nashville and has been married to her best friend, Jeff, for 23 years, and they have two teenage children.

Reviews

[Shanique Edwards · Rating 2 out of 5]

8w9

This was...disappointing. The book summary promised a deeper dive into your Enneagram number, but really this book was a introductory-level devotional (and many of the devotionals were kinda generic). If you've read any Enneagram book before, you'll find this to be rudimentary.

That being said, if you've just figured out what your number is, and you're trying to learn more about the Enneagram and how it can be useful, this is a good place to start. I think the journaling questions would be a good resource for folks who are just figuring out their type and how to use the Enneagram to become their best selves.

[Pamela Nicolls · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has a Christian perspective and helped me understand myself better. Knowing my personality type and my motivation for doing what I do is insightful and enlightening. It also gave me some goals to improve my relationship with myself and others. It reinforced how God loves me and is my protector so I don’t have to spend so much time and energy protecting myself.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think if you're new to enneagram, this book/series would be great. I felt like a lot of the promotion surrounding was false - I expected it to be looking deeper at each number. In reality, more than half the book is generic across all 9 numbers, and the individualized content is mostly available online. As someone who has been studying the enneagram, I felt that this book was very surface level / tip of the iceberg.

I also was not a fan of the journal and reflection design of the book.

[Lia Washington · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a quick read, i would imagine even for those who read the whole book. I did read the book from beginning to end, but ended up skipping a lot of religious content. The author is a practicing Christian and the tone of the book is pretty heavy-handed when it comes to how to live contently with your enneagram type. The answer, of course, is to "live fully and truly as the child of God you are, surrendering yourself to His definition of who you are."

I thought there were some very helpful notes as far as Enneagram 8's behavior at their worst, and how they tend to behave at their best. There was also some content that described how the enneagram test works in more detail, which provided contextual understanding that usually you must pay for if you take the enneagram quiz and want the premium results. Overall, I wouldn't say the book was a waste of time, but I did skip about 1/3 of the content of the book because it was purely preachy.

[Eric Blessing · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is easy for personality typologies to excuse your behavior. What I love about the enneagram is that it calls us to live in line with the way God designed us to live. This workbook was short, sweet, and to the point, with a lot of journaling and self-reflection involved. There was so much about my personality (type 8) that was revealed to me; this revelation was both challenging and encouraging. This book leaves me with a better understanding of myself and tools to journey towards self-awareness.

[Maegan Womack · Rating 2 out of 5]

I forgot to review this one I read while I was still in college... it's good! However a lot of the information you can definitely get on the Internet which is why the rating is low. The one bit that was new info was about how there is a "childhood message" we are all fed and how that plays into our personality.

[Katie Mason · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a super basic introduction to the Enneagram that was definitely not written by a type 8. It does give the basic information and asks questions, but it's not the most helpful for anyone who has experience with the enneagram.

[Stefanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Personally 3.5
Technically 3.5
It's hard to rate non fiction, but this is more of a devotional, and I didn't know that. I didn't really learn anything new, but I did like the Biblical aspect paired with the Enneagram traits

[Val · Rating 5 out of 5]

took me a while to finish this bad boy… anyway, it was very insightful to my own number and i can conclude that the enneagram, when used well, is a powerful tool for transformation. i can’t wait to dive into my notes in a couple months from now.

[Jenny Rincon · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn’t stand the excessive religious intermissions. The enneagram is a highly practical tool. The inclusion of so much religious bull crap completely spoiled the book experience for me. Otherwise, It could have been enjoyable.

[Mariah Hamm · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helpful insight to healthy and unhealthy behaviors and ways to help combat needs for control. I’ve struggled with my faith for a long time so seeing the side of how god can provide safety was actually really helpful and didn’t feel forced.

[Wendy M Foster · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a thumbnail sketch of what I wanted to learn; however, there are some great pull outs from the book I can use in workshops with others.

[Megan Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really sweet gift from my husband. It would have been a lot more beneficial 1-2 years ago as I was starting the journey. The author should include a “great tool for beginners” stamp.

[Samuel Kassing · Rating 3 out of 5]

A basic taxonomy on how to use the enneagram for spiritual direction.

[Hannah Norem · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was an altar call in this book 😭😭

[LaQuetta Glaze · Rating 5 out of 5]

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A friend of mine recommended the Enneagram personality model to me. During my exploration of my newly discovered enneagram number, this book intrigued me. The book discusses the core basics of the protective challenger. The book is a good tool to establish a solid understanding of strengths and weaknesses as well as mitigation strategies to support Enneagram 8 personality style. The book intersects the details of the personality along with alignment with God's place in the reader's life. This book is an excellent first step in understanding who you are, Whose you are, and how to navigate the many transitions in life with courage. I recommend this book. 

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[James Ruley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helpful reflective exercises on the enneagram for a beginner, but not very helpful for someone who has seriously studied it already.

[Mike Morris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short and Brief

Just know that this is a short book. Each chapter is brief and to the point without much explanation. I would like to see more real life application with examples.