What’s the difference between the Enneagram 3w4 and the 4w3? In this blog, we’re comparing the 3w4, The Professional, with the 4w3, The Aristocrat.
What Is An Enneagram Wing?
Your enneagram wing determines your behaviors, not your core desires. Your core desires and core fears are dictated by your core enneagram type. The number that comes after the w is your wing.
We are comparing the 4w3 with the enneagram 3w4 in this blog. While they may sound practically the same, there is a huge difference between the two!
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Your wing is will change your behavior. Knowing the difference between the enneagram 3w4 VS the 4w3 can be so impactful because your core desire will be completely different, your path to growth will change, and you can avoid mistyping.
If you were a 4w3 and thought you were a 3w4 because you appear more like an achiever, you’d end up thinking your core desire is completely different and live out of alignment.
Enneagram 3w4 vs 4w3 Comparison
This blog breaks down the difference between the enneagram 3w4, The Professional versus the 4w3, The Aristocrat.
When understanding the difference between the 3w4 VS 4w3, the names of these enneagram + wing combos can be very helpful.
The 3w4 wants to be seen as professional. With their core desire to be the best, they harness their 4 wing to appear creative and inspirational.
The 4 uses their 3 wing to appear special and noble, like an Aristocrat. They want to be well-liked and viewed as important.
Both are in the shame triad so it can be hard to tell the difference between the two. However, these 2 types have a very different approaches to coping with their feelings of unworthiness, which we’ll break down later in this blog.
Enneagram Type 3: The Achiever
With the name The Achiever, the enneagram type three wants to be the best more than anything else. This leaves them with a strong inner critic telling them that achievement is the only way they’ll be valued.
The type 3 is generally poised, likable, driven, competent, and charming. They hate appearing incompetent and take failure to heart.
The 3 can also often present themselves as the type 7! Because, to them, being the life of the party is to be the most liked.
Enneagram Type 4: The Individualist
With the name The Individualist, the enneagram 4’s core desire is to be important. These people are generally expressive, quirky, and somewhat prideful.
Because of their core desire to be important, 4s try to appear unique and original and they can try to do this in many different ways. Some try to be important by being the best (like a 3), some do so by acting selfless, and some try to be the wildest of the group (this being the explanation for the common 4 & 7 mistype!)
The 4 will risk appearing like a fool in order to be wanted by the group whereas the 3 won’t.
Read below and compare whether you think you are an enneagram 3w4 or 4w3…
Enneagram 3w4
This 3w4 is the more introverted of the 3’s wings. Called “The Professional,” these people take on the appearance of The Individualist in some aspects, meaning that they seem artistic, different, whimsical, and intriguing.
The 3 with a 4 wing fulfills their core desire to be the best by creatively expressing themselves and aligning with a sense of individuality. It is extremely important to the 3w4 that they know who they are and what they can offer to the world.
The reason the 3w4 is called The Professional 3w4s is because of their strong sense of creativity that makes these people commonly entrepreneurs.
Type 3w4s prefer to have fewer, deeper connections than big social groups. You need to find those like-minded people who appreciate your authenticity and creativity.
The 3w4 needs a goal. The 4w3 likes having goals but can easily forget to follow through on achieving them.
As part of the shame triad, the 3 copes with their negative feelings by numbing them. Thinking that feeling emotions will make them unwanted, they’ll push them down to the point of not knowing them.
Enneagram 4w3
Known as The Aristocrat, the 4w3 takes on the appearance of The Achiever in many ways. They appear social, theatrical, flamboyant, competitive, and goal-driven.
The 4w3 will fulfill their core desire to be important by being the best and achieving great things (if people see you do these things, that’s a bonus).
They 4w3 will use their creativity and unique individuality to be center stage. The Aristocrat wants to stand out. You can find these people writing songs, creating films, or becoming influencers.
This 3 wing can also make the 4 struggle with being image-conscious. Their 3 wing makes them go along with the masses more. Fitting in becomes more of a priority.
The 4w3 can get caught up in refining and defining their image whether that is through the clothes they wear or their Instagram bio.
Because the 4w3 is more extroverted than the 4w5, they need to make time to be with people who allow them to put their perfectly made image aside and allow you to push themselves without the need to attain an extrinsic reward.
The 4, as part of the shame triad, will cope with their feelings by fully diving into them. And because they are so focused on how they feel, they become very unaware of other people’s feelings.
Enneagram 3w2 VS 4w5
Because each enneagram type can tap into both wings, it’s important to consider them when figuring out if you are a 3w4 or a 4w3.
The Enneagram 3w4 Also Has A 2 Wing
Even if you are an enneagram 3 with a dominant 4 wing, you have the ability to tap into your 2 wing.
Known as The Charmer, your 2 wing can lead you to be seen as charming, charismatic, attractive, and kind at times.
3s with a dominant 2 wing have an even stronger desire to be liked by everyone. And people do tend to like them since they do everything they can to appear perfect.
This wing 2 gives you the desire to give to others. This can play out at throwing parties or by being a listening ear.
The 4 has plenty of strengths but listening and understanding others isn’t one of them.
The Enneagram 4w3 Also Has An 5 Wing
As an enneagram 4 with a dominant 3 wing, you have the ability to tap into your 5 wing.
Your 5 wing, known as The Bohemian, makes you serious, systematic, eccentric, and factual. There’s a part of you that wants to know all the facts and be the most competent in the group.
Because of this 5 wing, you can have a tendency to state things harshly as they are. You would rather not talk about other people’s feelings or struggles since you are always drowning in your own.
If you are an enneagram 3 with a 4 wing, you don’t have this “critical” side of you that the 4w3 can tap into.
That’s the difference between the 3w4 and the 4w3! Did this blog help you understand the difference between the enneagram 3w4 versus the 4w3? Leave a comment below!
Download the Enneagram cheatsheets to overcome common mistypes and understand each enneagram simply. Just click here!
Related Blogs:
- Enneagram 3w2 VS 3w4 Comparison: Which Wing Are You?
- Enneagram 4w5 VS 5w4: Which Are You?
- Enneagram 4w5 VS 5w4: Which Are You?
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