Type 6. The Loyal Skeptic

overview

Always on alert,

Sixes are focused on safety and security. They are good at forecasting problems. They are the best troubleshooters. In a critical situation, they find at least one solution, but usually more than one. They want to be prepared in case something bad or scary happens.
They are great team players. Practical, wise, and thoughtful. They like to question everything. It’s their way to get more information that allows them to be prepared and reduce unforeseen matters. The distant future and distant past interest them very little. Sixes do not like to be in the center of attention, on the stage. They can do it only when protecting someone or fighting the right cause.
They perceive the world as dangerous and unpredictable. Sixes are usually not aware of their fear. They think of themselves as well prepared, adaptive, and flexible. Their reaction to danger is one of the 3 possible: fight, flight, or friends or in other words battle, escape or find support in friends or authority. Because of such a wide spectrum of reactions, they differ a lot from each other and their behaviors can also differ from situation to situation.
In a relationship, their partner can count on loyalty. For people who love, they take care and do it skillfully. Their friendship is very warm and deep. They prefer to trust people as trusting helps them to tackle their fear. But they’re unconsciously observing the other always looking for re-confirmations that they did the right choice trusting this person. this constant check-up also includes unconscious provocations: “Prove to me that I can trust you.”

They analyze the situation well, from different points of view. That is why they develop analytical and critical thinking skills. It is also true, they can get stuck in endless analysis, doubts, and mental dialogues.
Sixes are very sensitive and perceptive. They have a special talent for seeing behind the words and actions of the others, understanding their intentions. That’s why they also sense discontent in the interaction and they prefer to be the first to denote tension and complexity: “Let’s first discuss, and then go on.” In some cases, though, they would not dare to confront the person, rather talking about this tension in the relationship with a confidant.
Power, autocracy, hierarchy, the dynamics of the “we are against them” relationship are significant issues for Sixes, although they may be unconscious about it. For them, authority can be either a person or an ideology or a set of laws and rules. Periodically Sixes doubt the authority and may rebel against it. This is the typical for Sixes eternal pendulum in any type of relationship. Caused by their childhood experience when they loved but couldn’t rely on their parents.
They are automatically scanning and getting focused on the problem as their natural reaction to new ideas is doubts. While they are great at analytical and critical thinking, they can get stuck in doubts, endless questioning, and over-analysis and skepticism.
They have a great sense of humor, sometimes sarcastic as they use it to cope with fear.

At their best

They are loyal, reliable, hardworking, caring, sociable, humorous, practical, helpful, committed, natural troubleshooters

When they are unhealthy

They are doubtful, anxious, reactive, unpredictable, provocative, judgmental, suspicious, dogmatic, insecure, pessimistic

examples

Famous People:

Robert F. Kennedy, George Bush, Tom Hanks, Bruce Springsteen, Patrick Swayze, Princess Diana, Julia Roberts, Phil Donahue, Jay Leno, Diane Keaton, Woody Allen, Marilyn Monroe.

“Eighty percent of success is showing up.”

– Woody Allen

From my coaching experience:

From the outside the life of this man was quite stable: he had a job, a family, close friends. On the inside, he was in misery. He had love-hate relationship with his mother. He quit his job in another place to stay close to her as she needed help. On the other hand, every encounter with her ended up in a brawl as he failed to clearly state his boundaries. He couldn’t cut the communication with her. Nor could he stand her intrusive and manipulative style. He had low self-confidence and had a hard time approaching women. As a result, he was not in any relationship for quite a while. He felt dissatisfied but he didn’t change anything in his life as he was afraid to face his demons. Stuck in doubt he continued to live his life day by day, being unhappy and at the same time afraid to make even a small step towards changes.

  • Core beliefs:

This world is dangerous and unpredictable.
I don’t believe I can cope with this world on my own so I have to find reliable allies and authorities.
I have to make sure he/she is trustworthy.

  • Core fears:

I’m afraid not to cope with danger.
I’m afraid to be without support and guidance during the scary moment.

  • Basic desire:

I want to have security, to feel supported.

  • Basic strategy:

Getting prepared for danger in advance, creating the salvation plan.
Doubt oneself and others as a way to find a secure way to cope with danger.

Growth path

The key steps of growth:

(based on my coaching experience of type 6 clients)

  • Realize that the world is neutral.

  • Be aware of your inner radar that is constantly scanning the world for the danger that holds you on alert.

  • Ground yourself in the present moment now. And now. And now.

  • Learn to trust.

  • I can help you form key habits for this type that are like antidotes, free you from unhealthy habits. But first it’s better to start from the typing session. 

Subtypes

Self-preservation Six

Self-preservation Sixes feel insecure in this dangerous world and they try to find security and support through friendship or partnership or any kind of alliances that give them a sense of safety and comfort. This is the most fearful personality type. They don’t trust in their ability to cope on their own. So they look for a trustworthy and intimate bond, that they can rely on in times of danger. That is why they’re warm, friendly, and loyal, and often dependent on others. Their constant self-doubt leads to low self-confidence and they never feel ready or able to try something that is out of their comfort zone. They use humor to somehow distract themselves from constant anxiety.

Social Six

Social Sixes cope with their feeling of unsafety and anxiety trying to rely on social systems: rules, laws, principles. They feel more secure when they follow the accepted rules: “I don’t know how to cope with this world, I don’t trust myself in that, so I do like all others, then I’m safe.” So they dutifully and diligently follow these rules of collective authority. It gives them more feeling of confidence, even righteousness. They adhere to the principle of the ideology that they find protection and might be quite judgmental, critical, and intolerant to the other ideologies and their supporters. They often divide the world into “for and against”. And they can sacrifice a lot for the cause, ideals that they support and their “herd”.
They’re very logical, precise, like to structure everything for better understanding.

Sexual Six

Unlike other subtypes, Sexual Sixes cope with fear going right into it. They might look assertive, sometimes bold, and aggressive. That’s why they might be confused with type 8, the Boss. Their unconscious strategy is to deny the fear and prove oneself and the others their strength over fear. Sexual Sixes trying to appear strong, beautiful, and powerful is the way to manage anxiety and to mask inner doubt. But it’s exactly because fear is a focal point of their life that they want to be prepared in anticipation of danger at any moment. They express their aggression mostly in public.

 
discover your type

You are 1 session away from discovering your type

Type 6 is the most difficult to identify. Many mistype themselves. I can help you identify your type and discover all the strengths of this type that you can rely on when coping with unhealthy mental and emotional habits. You can save time and money, discovering your type as soon as possible. Knowing your type gives CLARITY.