[Workshop Report] Enneagram Workshop: Discovering the blue print of your true self (Reported by: Aoi Ishikawa, M2, School of Life Science and Technology, ToTAL 7th cohort)

We learned about the career of our facilitator, Mr. Matsuda. After studying at Keio University, he worked as a researcher primarily in Japan and the US before founding Collective Souls Inc., a company supporting startup launch and growth. Through these experiences, he acquired a broad range of skills spanning research, entrepreneurship, management, and consulting. In the lecture, he shared valuable insights on what true success means and the critical importance of self-understanding as we navigate life.

We reflected on our entire lives up to the present, including childhood—quantifying and evaluating major personal events and corresponding emotions at each age to create a graph. Afterwards, we shared our findings with other participants. Looking back, my childhood was an emotionally negative period due to school life not going smoothly. However, from high school onward—when I gained autonomy over my choices—the opportunities to enjoy life increased. While my graph depicted a life with sharp emotional swings, other participants' graphs varied greatly, showing zigzag patterns or flat lines. This highlighted how distinctly individual personalities and mindsets emerge through the exercise. For instance, a Korean international student shared that even during an intensely competitive exam period—harder than Japan's—they didn't view it negatively because they felt it was for their own future. Another participant mentioned that although they weren't busy, they couldn't do what they wanted, making it a mentally painful period. It was fascinating to see how people interpret and navigate similar life events differently.

We recalled and shared experiences of entering a "flow state"—being so absorbed in an activity that one loses track of time and surroundings. Group discussions examined specific actions, emotions felt at the time, and reasons for entering that state. I learned that reflecting on flow states helps deepen the understanding of one's aptitudes and unique personality. Although I rarely thought about flow states beforehand, I realized that for me, getting completely absorbed in drawing or lab experiments fit the description. Other members brought up music club activities or theater productions, making this a great opportunity to learn what sparks people's interest and gives them a sense of purpose.

Finally, we took the Enneagram assessment and shared our results in groups. Answering nearly 100 questions calculates a numerical score indicating which personality type you align with. Unlike the MBTI, the Enneagram displays scores across all Types 1 through 9. As a result, even if two people share the same primary type (highest score), their distinct personalities can be clearly differentiated and analyzed by examining secondary scores. Receiving a detailed report of nearly 30 pages post-assessment highlighted how rigorous the diagnostic tool is. When shared across the class, almost all types were represented. It was intriguing to see some people having seemingly contrasting types side-by-side as their top two (e.g., Type 9 and Type 1). Lively discussions ensued regarding which environments (clubs, labs, school, etc.) brought out these traits, creating an engaging atmosphere across the entire class.