Enneagram Type 5 The Investigator

Upbuilding The Self

Enneagram Type 5s, nicknamed The Investigator, are exceptionally cerebral, technical, and keep to themselves in their pursuit of knowledge to understand how things work. They often have trouble relating to people. Famous examples include Albert Einstein, Bill Gates, Eckhart Tolle, Tim Burton, and JRR Tolkein.
In this episode, we explore the essence of the Type 5 and the insecurities and motivations that drive their every action and relationship. We walk you through the story of the Type 5’s life by looking at their journey through the Levels of Consciousness from their healthiest to their average to their most destructive ways of operating. We close the episode by offering a critical type-tailored practice to help 5s rise up in consciousness and be the best version of themselves.
This episode is designed to help Type 5s thrive in their personal and professional lives by fostering a deeper understanding of their insecurities and motivations. It’s also an invaluable resource for friends, partners, and colleagues of Type 5s who wish to better support and relate to them.

Links:
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Enneagram Workshop (October 4-5, 2025)
Upbuild Website

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章

1. Enneagram Type 5 The Investigator (00:00:00)

2. The Essence Qualities of clarity, illumination, and objectivity (00:03:30)

3. The Basic Fear of ignorance (00:04:00)

4. The Basic Desire to feel encyclopedic (00:05:30)

5. Creative Consciousness. Scrutinizing and curious (00:06:00)

6. The Type 5s childlike curiosity for how things work (00:07:00)

7. The mind blowing experience of watching a zucchini grow (00:09:00)

8. The 5s propensity to discover, invent, experiment, and bring knowledge into the world. (00:10:00)

9. The example of Albert Einstein wanting to understand the mind of God (00:10:30)

10. Controlling Consciousness. Eccentric and reclusive. (00:13:00)

11. Information that becomes information overload and dry (00:15:00)

12. The insecurity that the 5s feel for not knowing enough and not being an expert (00:16:30)

13. Isolation and mental overdrive (00:17:00)

14. The image of the Controlling 5 as a mad scientist (00:18:00)

15. Feelings as foreign for the 5 and the belief that feelings (and people) are not trustworthy. (00:19:00)

16. Destructive Consciousness. The obsession with death. (00:21:00)

17. The practice to rise up the Levels of Consciousness. Creating connection, using curiosity for understanding others, and catching myself ignoring what others are interested in. (00:22:00)

18. The difference between knowledge and knowledge that touches the heart (00:24:00)