Discovering your Enneagram type can help illuminate aspects of your personality that you’ve wrestled with for a long time, but what about your Enneagram wing type? The wings of type four can create striking differences among those who share the dominant Enneagram Type. An Enneagram Type 4 can either have a five wing or a three wing. In this article, we will be focusing on the Enneagram type 4 wing 5.

A type four with a five wing personality means that their core type experiences influence from the type five’s characteristics. The five wing can influence a four to be more independent and strive to solve issues on their own. An Enneagram 4w5 is generally more reserved, eccentric, and perceptive in thought and behavior.

Keep reading to learn more about the traits, behaviors, strengths, and weaknesses of an Enneagram 4w5. You can also find out how you can benefit from your wing type’s guidance and find a list of professions that would fit an Enneagram type four with a five wing.

5w4 F.A.Q.’s

What Does 4w5 Mean?

When sharing your dominant Enneagram personality and wing types with others, you can cite an acronym rather than the whole term. This expression shows your Enneagram personality type’s number, a ‘w,’ which stands for ‘with a,’ or ‘wing,’ and your Enneagram wing type’s number. In this case, ‘4w5’ would read as ‘Four with a Five wing’ or ‘Four wing Five.’

Source: Enneagram Texas

Enneagram 4w5 Description

Fours typically want to be noticed for their uniqueness but are taken aback by the lack of understanding and love from others for it. And, with the five wing’s influence, they can become more eccentric and less caring of others’ opinions. Influenced by the five wing, an Enneagram type four can have attributes that intensify and challenge their typical personality traits. 

At times, your wing type can powerfully influence your dominant Enneagram type and cause you to suspect which type is most relatable because of the contradiction of its typical traits. Reviewing your personality type and its wings, along with each types motivations, can help you determine if you are a type four with a five wing.

enneagram 4w5

4w5 Traits

Type fours with a five wing are part of the Heart Triad, so they make choices motivated by emotion, and shame can subdue them when lacking self-awareness. A four with a five wing desires to figure out their true self and be admired for who they are and fears being uninformed and insignificant. Also known as ‘the Bohemian,’ they are distinguished by their Zen-like attitude and avant-garde style.

4w5 Behaviors

Those who identify with 4w5 have creative minds, intuitive thinking on the four’s side, and an academic inclination from the five’s side. They tend to think of themselves before thinking of others. Enneagram fours have an artistic perception, so they love envisioning new projects, but with a five’s direction, they spend more time thinking projects out than taking action.

4w5 Strengths

As an Enneagram 4w5, you feel a deep sense to stay true to yourself and others. You are good at solving problems with your creative thinking skills. Your wing’s guidance gives you a deep and passionate yearning for knowledge and helps you stay engaged with learning more about specific topics, which can be helpful in the workplace.

4w5 Weaknesses

Regardless of wanting to be noticed for their uniqueness, an Enneagram 4w5 doesn’t care much for others’ opinions and often withdraws from others and isolates themselves. Fours with a five wing can struggle with directions because they exaggerate simple steps. They can also be critical of themselves because they overthink their actions.

Sources: Medium, Optimist Minds, Psychologia, Crystal

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How to Benefit from A 5 Wing as An Enneagram 4

An Enneagram type four can benefit from a five wing by looking into themselves to gain a deeper understanding and finding the pieces they feel they are missing. It would help if you remembered to let your emotions out rather than bottling them up to maintain a healthy mentality. As an Enneagram 4w5, you can achieve great things if you put your mind to it.

Source: Intuitive Enneagram

4w5 vs. 4w3

As a type four with a five wing, you are more repressive with your emotions and don’t feel entitled to vent to others. However, a type four with a three wing isn’t afraid to discuss their hardships with others. Fours with a five wing don’t want to be the center of attention and prefer their own company, while fours with a three wing thrive when they are in the spotlight.

Enneagram fours both desire to be recognized; for a 4w5, they want to be admired for their intelligence and individuality, but a 4w3 wants to be seen as unique and the best. Fours with a five wing have more eccentric and nonconforming tastes, while fours with a three wing like elegant and classy styles are more socially acceptable.

Those with identical dominant Enneagram personality types can be considerably different if they have separate wing types. Wing types can either strengthen your personality type or counter it if their qualities go against your personality’s typical attributes. A five wing’s influence on the fourth type is very distinguished from a three’s in Enneagram.

What Enneagram Wing Is Your Dominant Type?

Generally, your personality type’s Enneagram wings have certain traits that can assist you in finding your dominant wing type quickly. However, some people can strongly relate to both wings. You can learn your dominant Enneagram wing type by studying the rationale behind each wing type and judging which one fits you best.

Sources: Ian Morgan Cron, Enneagram Paths

The Best Enneagram Wings Test

We have allotted four of the most serviceable Enneagram tests based on accuracy, credibility, and accessibility so you can discover your dominant wing type and continue with your Enneagram journey. Each test has its similarities and distinctions that make them extraordinary options. This list includes the Truity, Cloverleaf, Crystal, and Integrative 9 Enneagram tests.

Truity

enneagram wings test

The Truity Enneagram personality test has 19 pages with 105 cumulative questions that can identify your Enneagram profile, including your dominant personality type, dominant wing type, and how much you associate with the other Enneagram types. The test takes about ten minutes to finish, is entirely free, and is favored as over one million people take it monthly.

To take the Free Enneagram Test offered by Truity, click HERE!

Your Enneagram Coach

free enneagram test

Beth McCord is the founder of this site.  She has been an Enneagram speaker, coach, and teacher for over 20 years, along with several credentials.  This test and other resources on her site provide helpful, in-depth explanations of each type.

To take the Free Enneagram Test offered by Your Enneagram Coach, click HERE!

Cloverleaf

best free enneagram test

The Cloverleaf Enneagram personality assessment has 22 pages with direct questions that can determine your Enneagram profile, including your dominant personality type, wing type, enneagram triad, and an overview of your qualities. The test takes about ten to 15 minutes to finish, is free to take, and presents practical Enneagram advice via email.

To take the Free Enneagram Test offered by Cloverleaf, click HERE!

Crystal

free enneagram tests

The Crystal Enneagram personality test exhibits a series of short questions you rate from one to five based on how much you can relate and is completely free. This test can identify which dominant Enneagram personality type fits you most and administers the resources to discover an overview of your personality, your basic desires and fears, and your wings.

To take the Free Enneagram Test offered by Crystal Knows, click HERE!

Integrative 9

enneagram business coaching

The Integrative 9 Enneagram assessment consists of the standard and professional options. The standard package costs $60 and has 22 pages. It can teach you about your Enneagram profile. The professional package costs $120 and has 44 pages. It can teach you how to integrate what you learned about your Enneagram types to better your work life.

For more information about the iEQ9 assessment or to purchase, CLICK HERE.

Enneagram 4w5 Careers & Job Possibilities

Possible career paths for people who are Enneagram 4w5:

  • Librarian: Because 4w5s love learning new things, they tend to spend their free time with their nose in a book. Being a librarian, they could recommend to others their favorites and enjoy the peaceful silence.
  • Chef: 4w5s have an eye for pleasing aesthetics, which is ideal for plating, and can use taste as an art form. A chef or cook would be the perfect job for them.
  • Graphic Designer: Because 4w5s are artistically inclined and strive to express their creativity, being a graphic designer would fit them.
  • Novelists: 4w5s spend so much time in their heads creating fantasies and storylines that they could turn reading their novels into an immersive experience.

Source: Crystal

You can find more career options for 4w5’s here: The Best Enneagram Type 4 Careers + Job Advice & Guidance.

An excellent guide for all job-hunting Enneagram types is the Enneagram Career Guide.

Summary

An Enneagram type four wing five has all of the characteristics of a four with varying levels of influence by a type five. If you are a 4w5, you are drawn to be unlike anyone else but don’t want to simultaneously attract the attention of large crowds. Fours are typically emotionally intense, but they tend to hide their emotions from others with the five wing’s influence.

The core desire of an Enneagram 4w5 is to be admired for their authenticity and intelligence. The message they want from others is something like, “Your true self was here all along.” A healthy 4w5 can think of efficient and creative ideas and will execute them rather than procrastinating. This skill set can help you create and finish business projects.

Expanding the comprehension of your dominant Enneagram wing type can be helpful to you because it is what leads you to make decisions in life and shows how you are unlike anyone else. Revealing why you have a fixed mindset and how your thoughts contradict or enhance your personality will help you better understand yourself.