How-To Guides
Practical, personality-aware guides for real situations. Whether you're navigating a tough conversation, understanding your partner, or handling workplace dynamics, these guides give you actionable steps tailored to how you actually think.
All Guides
Dating Dynamics by Enneagram Type: 9 Patterns That Sabotage Love (and the Fix)
A type-by-type dating guide: what you are drawn to, how you sabotage connection, and a 30-day plan to build healthier love.
Productivity Systems by Enneagram Type: Work With Your Personality, Not Against It
Discover the perfect productivity system for your Enneagram type. Stop forcing methods that don't fit and start working with your natural patterns.
The Crash Course on Emotions We All Missed in Kindergarten
Nobody taught us how emotions actually work. Here's the tactical guide to emotional literacy through the Enneagram lens, plus why each type has specific blind spots.
The Counterintuitive Guide to Active Listening: Why Your Personality Type Sabotages Conversations (And How to Fix It)
Most people think they're good listeners. They're wrong. Here's the personality-based system that transforms how you connect, backed by neuroscience and Enneagram insights.
How to Read People: The 4-Step Guide to Understanding Anyone (Including Yourself)
Learn to decode what truly drives people through practical psychological observation techniques. Understand motivations, fears, and patterns that shape behavior.
The Pattern-Breaking Guide to Fighting Depression
Decode the emotional mechanics behind depression using the Enneagram. Learn why each personality type gets stuck differently and discover type-specific escape routes.
The Enneagram and Self-Development: A Guide to Personal Growth
Discover how the Enneagram can transform your self-development journey. Learn to avoid common pitfalls and leverage your type for personal growth and success.
5 Conversations That Separate Thriving Couples From Everyone Else
The specific conversations that build bulletproof relationships, backed by Gottman research and Enneagram insights for reading your partner
The Definitive Guide to Self-Efficacy
Explore the comprehensive guide to understanding and improving self-efficacy. Learn its origins, key sources, and practical tips for enhancing your life
The Definitive Guide to Relationship Conflict [Part 1]
Learn what healthy conflict looks like, how to spot the Four Horsemen, and how to use their antidotes to repair and reconnect.
Why Your Arguments Keep Repeating (And the Exercises That Actually Fix Them) [Part 2]
Part 2 of navigating relationship conflict. Learn how to break repeating fights, avoid common pitfalls, and practice exercises that make repair easier.
About Our Guides
Quick answers to common questions
What kind of guides does 9takes offer?
Our guides cover practical life skills through the Enneagram lens: navigating difficult conversations, understanding relationship dynamics, handling workplace challenges, and personal growth strategies. Each guide provides actionable steps tailored to different personality types.
How do these guides differ from generic advice?
Generic advice assumes one approach works for everyone. Our guides recognize that a Type 8 handles confrontation differently than a Type 9. We provide type-specific strategies, helping you work with your natural tendencies rather than against them.
Do I need to know my Enneagram type to use these guides?
Knowing your type helps you apply guides more effectively, but they work even if you're unsure. Many guides cover all 9 types, so you can identify which approach resonates with you. Use the guides as both practical advice and self-discovery tools.
How can I apply these guides to my relationships?
Start by understanding your type's communication style and blind spots. Then identify patterns in your conflicts. Our relationship guides show how different types misunderstand each other and provide scripts for bridging those gaps in specific situations.
Are these guides based on research?
Our guides combine Enneagram wisdom with practical psychology and real-world application. We draw from relationship research, communication studies, and decades of Enneagram teaching. Every guide is designed to produce measurable improvements in specific situations.
How often are new guides published?
We add new guides regularly based on reader questions and real-life situations people face. Topics range from everyday scenarios to major life transitions. Sign up for our newsletter to get notified when new guides launch.