Gifts and Strengths of Eight
We can look at the gifts and strengths of type Eight with appreciation for the Eights in our life and as something we can develop in ourselves. Ideally, we want to have flexibility and be able to access the gifts and strengths of all nine personality types when they are called for in the situation.
The gifts and strengths of each type are found at the healthy levels of the personality. Here the person is closer to their essence and the gifts and strengths express the essential quality.
For Eights this means that their gifts relate to their sensitivity to strength and power.
A note about gender. Most of the famous exemplars of Eight are men because this is where power has been held historically, and power is still commonly exercised by men today. Of course, women are also Eights, but because of the cultural difficulty experienced by powerful, strong women, they can sometimes temper or hide their power. This can make it harder for a woman to type herself as an Eight, and harder for us to find good female exemplars. So, when we look at male Eight exemplars, we can know that female Eights have the same inherent gifts and strengths but may express them differently or in less public ways.
Natural Leader, Confident, Decisive
Eights are said to be the natural leaders of the Enneagram. This is because they are confident in their strength and have no trouble making decisions and exercising power. Eights relish a challenge and are willing to take charge.
Contemplate this- in the 20th century the western world faced three historic challenges- the Depression, the Second World War and the Civil Rights movement or the battle to end segregation. The main reason we weathered these challenges is that three great leaders came forward- all Eights. Franklin Delaware Roosevelt led the United States through both the Depression and the Second World war, Winston Churchill led England through the war and Martin Luther King led the Civil Rights movement.
Let’s look at the character of these three leaders – they each had self-confidence and inspired others, they showed great personal stamina and courage, and they had a flexible approach that met the urgent circumstances they faced.
FDR- “The buck stops here.”
FDR is famous for his immense strength of will. When he was paralyzed by polio, he hid the extent of his disability and never allowed it to conquer him. His ability to project strength, confidence and determination rallied and inspired the nation - “We have nothing to fear but fear itself”. He also had a readiness to improvise and address incredible difficulties with decisiveness, even when no one knew what the right approach would be. During the dark days of the Depression FDR said “The country needs — and, unless I mistake its temper — the country demands bold, persistent experimentation. It is common sense to take a method and try it: If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.” This bold approach to huge challenges reflects the Eight gift for strong leadership.
Winston Churchill – “The Bulldog”
Winston Churchill also had incredible courage, strength, determination, and the ability to inspire that rallied the English during WWII. Churchill understood the threat of Hitler when others like Neville Chamberlain were arguing for appeasement. He woke the nation up to the war. This description of how he shook the complacency out of the bureaucracy illustrates the powerful leadership energy of Eight:
The effects of Churchill’s zeal was felt immediately in Whitehall. Government departments which under Neville Chamberlain had continued to work at much the same speed as in peacetime awoke to the realities of war. A sense of urgency was created in the course of very few days and respectable civil servants were actually to be seen running along the corridors. No delays were condoned; telephone switchboards quadrupled their efficiency; the Chiefs of Staff and the Joint Planning Staff were in almost constant session; regular office hours ceased to exist and weekends disappeared with them.
International Churchill Society, winstonchurchill.org
Churchill’s defiant inspirational wartime speeches are famous. He gave the people hope when England was at very real risk of losing the war:
“We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.”
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was also famous for his inspirational speeches. In the “I Have a Dream Speech” in Washington, August 28, 1963, MLK improvised when Mahalia Jackson yelled out from behind “Tell them about the dream, Martin”.
The history of Dr. Martin Luther King as leader of the Civil Rights Movement is well known. Let’s just contemplate his strength and courage. He was arrested 29 times and jailed often. He was threatened and attacked and knew his life was in danger when he was assassinated. Yet he remained committed to non-violence.
On March 29, 1968, Dr King went to Memphis to support striking garbage workers. There was a bomb threat on his flight. King seemed to sense his end was near, prophetically delivering his famous “I’ve been to the mountain top… I’ve seen the promised land” speech the night before he was shot. He was only 39 years old. According to biographers, King’s autopsy showed that he had the heart of a 60-year-old from the stress of 13 years fighting in the civil rights movement.
Exemplars of Eights who are larger-than-life heroes convey their gift for leadership but may seem exceptional. However, you can find Eights leading in any environment. Many CEOs are Eights- and senior managers are often Eights. Their willingness to make tough decisions, take-charge energy and drive cause them to rise through the ranks. People are willing to follow Eights because they exude optimism and confidence and they are decisive.
Protector, Champion of the Underdog
At their best, Eights use their strength to protect others. Eights have a personal circle -family, friends and so on- who are under their wing, and they will try to ensure these people do not get hurt.
Eights will also be protective of others at work or in group settings. It is said of Eights that they like to champion the “underdog”. Beneath this is a strong sense of justice and fairness. Eights will defend others who are being mistreated, they will stand up against abuse of the weak.
The word “magnanimous” is often used to describe healthy Eights. It’s worthwhile to consider this word as it captures the gift of Eight. To be magnanimous means to be “generous or forgiving, especially toward a rival or less powerful person”. Notice how power is built into the definition. Magnanimous is also defined as big-hearted, having a lofty and courageous spirit, and showing nobility of feeling and generosity of mind.
Interestingly the root word “animus” means something alive, lively or spirited. “Animated” means full of life. The Latin word animus means breath, soul or spirit. “Magnus” means great- so a magnanimous person has a greatness of spirit.
Eights are full of life. They have great strength and natural power, and when this is combined with a big heart and generous spirit, they temper their strength and use it on behalf of others. People are drawn to the Eights protective energy. For healthy Eights, this is the sweet spot- strong on behalf of others, a protector, big-hearted.
Assertive, Bold, Empowered
Eights are assertive, bold people- they “stand in their power”.
If you google “stand in your power” or “self-empowerment” you will find many resources, perhaps indicating that many of us are trying to become more empowered. There are also many books and programs on assertiveness training. This may sound like training in a method or technique foreign to most of us.
What is it that Eights have in their wiring that we can learn from? It is something about how natural and straight-forward it is for an Eight to be assertive. Eights consider themselves to be straight talkers, direct or blunt and they prefer it when others are similarly straight with them. To an Eight it just makes sense to speak up for yourself- your ideas, opinions and wants. If you ask an Eight whether they would rather be the driver of the bus or the passenger, the question will not compute. To them it is evident that you need to drive the bus- why would you want to get on a bus someone else is driving?
How often do most of us let others set the direction, put ourselves in supportive roles or make ourselves smaller to get along or be liked? If you have ever had the experience of realizing you have invested a lot of time and energy into something you didn’t really want to do, you know the consequence of not driving your own bus.
Assertiveness is not aggression- it recognizes the needs of others and is respectful. People who are assertive clearly and respectfully communicate their wants, needs, positions, and boundaries to others. There’s no question of where they stand, no matter what the topic.
Research has shown that people who are not assertive, who have trouble saying “no” or communicating their wants, tend to have an inaccurate mental picture of the likely consequences of being assertive. They exaggerate the likelihood of a negative result such as coming across as rude or offensive, being disliked, hurting people’s feelings, or suffering a backlash. The Eight view is different- they don’t anticipate negative consequences and they feel very natural being assertive.
Being connected to their instinctual power is what underlies the Eight’s ability to be bold and assertive. When we begin with presence and grounded embodiment, sensing into our belly center, and let our natural life force arise, we may connect to this energy of empowerment. From here we may more easily express and assert ourselves. This is the organic pathway to empowerment and assertiveness that Eight is showing us.
Marianne Williamson is an Eight. Author and spiritual “guru”, her most famous quote can be read as an Eight mantra:
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
The famous poem Invictus also captures the essence of Eight power. The poet William Ernest Henley had suffered the loss of one leg by amputation and was threatened with the loss of his other leg. As he spent months in a battle to save his leg through many surgeries, he wrote this inspirational poem in 1875. The poem was a favorite of FDR’s and quoted by Churchill during the war. It was also read aloud by Nelson Mandela (a type One) when he was in prison. You can listen to Morgan Freeman recite Invictus from memory online.
Invictus
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.
Stamina, Vitality
Here is a fun strength of Eight- their larger-than-life energy. Eights tend to have tireless vitality and stamina, often needing less sleep, and they exude a robustness and forcefulness. They are full of “vim and vigour”. Because they are gut types, Eights are in touch with their instinctual drives and enjoy satisfying their physical appetites.
Eights are “lusty”. The definition of the word lusty is “healthy, strong and full of vigour”. Eights have “mojo”.
Frank Sinatra, an Eight, was the best voice of his generation. He was the first modern pop star- the first mania was “Sinatramania”. He had a following of “bobby-soxers”, teenage girls who would scream and faint at his concerts.
Here are some fun facts about Sinatra that reveal his enormous energy, lustiness and stamina:
He slept only 4 hours a night.
He was a workaholic. For example, despite being heavily involved in political activity in 1945 and 1946, in those two years Sinatra sang on 160 radio shows, recorded 36 times, and shot four films. By 1946 he was performing on stage up to 45 times a week, singing up to 100 songs daily, and earning up to $93,000 a week.
He led a colorful personal life and was involved in turbulent relationships. His second marriage to Ava Gardner had many publicized fights. He later married Mia Farrow in 1966 and Barbara Marx in 1976. He had numerous affairs.
A big part of Frank's thrill was the sense of danger that he exuded, an underlying, ever-present tension only those closest to him knew could be defused with humor.
(Wikipedia)
Apparently, Sinatra did not like the song My Way, but it became a huge hit for him- and the song is an Eight anthem. Here is one verse:
And now the end is here
And so I face that final curtain
My friend I'll make it clear
I'll state my case, of which I'm certain
I've lived a life that's full
I traveled each and every highway
And more, much more than that,
I did it my way
Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul, was also an Eight. She was a “musical genius unmatched in her range, power, and soul". Being a woman and an African American gave her even more hurdles to overcome, which she did through sheer strength. She began singing gospel in church at a young age, then in one year she released an amazing four albums and four singles and became a huge success.
Aretha did not have an easy life- her mother left the family then died when Aretha was 10, she had her first child when she was 12 years old and her second at 14. Her husband beat her in public. But Aretha disliked tabloids and biographers reporting about her hard life because she didn’t want to be known as a victim. She maintained a tough image and channeled her pain into her music which had a lot of “sass”. Famously, she demanded “RESPECT.”
Serena Williams, also considered to be an Eight, became the best female tennis player in the world with her power game. She often describes herself as a fighter:
“When I was little, I was not very good at tennis. I was so sad when I didn’t get all the early opportunities that Venus got, but that helped me, it made me work harder, turning me into a savage fighter. I just never give up. I fight to the end. You can’t go out and say, ‘I want a bag of never-say-die spirit.’ It’s not for sale. It has to be innate.”
It may not be for sale, but wouldn’t you like a bag of never-say-die spirit?
