Enneagram Type 8 The Challenger

Upbuilding The Self

Enneagram Type 8s, nicknamed The Challenger, are all about strength and showing who’s in charge to reassure themselves that they don’t have a weak bone in their body. They often can’t admit to themselves how scared they really are of their buried weakness, and so they show up larger than life in nearly all situations hoping to leverage their power for the people they love. Famous examples include Steve Jobs, Chelsea Handler, MLK Jr, Donald Trump, Aretha Franklin, and Putin.
In this episode, we explore the essence of the Type 8 and the insecurities and motivations that drive their every action and relationship. We walk you through the story of the Type 8’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 8s rise up in consciousness and be the best version of themselves.
This episode is designed to help Type 8s 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 8s who wish to better support and relate to them.

Links:
Upbuild Coaching Training (six-month program, starts October 19th)
Enneagram Workshop (October 4-5, 2025)
Upbuild Website

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1. Enneagram Type 8 The Challenger (00:00:00)

2. The Essence Qualities of fortitude, aliveness, and majesty (00:02:50)

3. The larger than life presence of the Type 8 (00:04:50)

4. The Basic Fear of beijing shut down and violated by others (00:06:30)

5. It’s a dog eat dog out there. Kill or be killed. (00:07:00)

6. The example of Hari’s sister climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro when she was eight months pregnant (00:08:30)

7. The Basic Desire to feel like a force in the world (00:09:30)

8. Creative Consciousness. Everything is bigger, including their hearts. The protective energy and the ability to take heat. (00:10:00)

9. The strength that comes from being able to embrace my feelings of weakness (00:13:30)

10. The insecurity that I don’t have enough strength to not feel weak at all (00:15:00)

11. Controlling Consciousness. The overcompensation to put on my armor and try to be stronger than others (00:15:30)

12. Destructive Consciousness. Intense suppression for the sake of strength. Everything is bigger, including destruction. Violence and (00:22:30)

13. Saddam Hussein as an example of a Destructive 8 (00:24:00)

14. The practice to rise up the Levels of Consciousness. Become extremely aware of how you are trying intimidate people (00:24:30)

15. The real strength of being my authentic self (00:25:30)