What Enneagram Type is Taylor Swift?

Taylor Swift has been in the spotlight since her start as a teenage singer-songwriter. From country to pop and indie-folk, Swift has experimented with different musical genres and aims for innovation whenever she puts out a new album. She’s incredibly good at what she does and, with over 200-million record sales to her name, now ranks among the best-selling musicians of all time. She also advocates for artists' (and women’s) rights in the music industry.

While her accomplishments are well known, Swift’s personality type remains a mystery - although she has given us some clues. Wondering what Enneagram Type Taylor Swift is? Keep scrolling to learn more!

What is Taylor Swift’s Enneagram Type?

According to our analysis, Taylor Swift could be an Enneagram Type 3, also called The Achiever. These Enneagram types make up roughly 11% of the population. They’re motivated by a desire for success and admiration.

Goal-oriented and hardworking, Threes may appear confident on the outside, but can struggle with their sense of self-worth. In fact, their biggest fear is worthlessness. That’s why they tend to seek validation from others and can worry a lot about their image. Your average Three wants to win at life and craves the acknowledgment of their peers. They want others to see them winning so they can reassure themselves they are valuable.

At their best, Threes can maintain a healthy work-life balance and a healthy self-esteem. They can pursue their goals and inspire others to do the same. They’re organized, and they know how to receive constructive feedback. 

At their worst, these types are constantly seeking external validation. They might also become obsessed with the idea of gaining advantage over others.

An Enneagram Type 3 is generally concerned with:

• Avoiding failure
• Keeping a good reputation
• Striving for excellence
• Setting and resetting short and long-term goals
• Relying on their resourceful nature

Taylor Swift’s Enneagram Type 3: Deep Dive

Enneagram Type 3: Outwardly (what others see)

Successful and goal-oriented. Threes are achievement-oriented and often relentless in the pursuit of their goals. If there’s something to admire in people with this personality type, it’s their ability to reset goals and bounce back from failure. After losing Album of the Year in the 2014 Grammys ceremony, Swift admits she “went home and cried a little bit.” Still, the disappointment didn’t last long as the singer-songwriter decided the direction her next album would take soon after this loss.

Resilient. Enneagram Threes are famed for their hard work and perseverance, and Taylor Swift exemplifies these traits. When the artist heard that her album Reputation had not been nominated in any of the big Grammys categories, she replied with: “I just need to make a better record.” She also made the decision to re-record her back catalog after the original master recordings of her music were sold without her consent, which speaks to this sense of grit and determination.

Sociable and charismatic. As Threes are very status aware, they adapt quickly to different audiences. They're able to socialize in a way that is appealing and charismatic. Swift exhibits this trait in the way she interacts with her fans. In an interview for ‘The Tonight Show’, she confessed she started including cryptic clues in her music as a way to incentivize fans to pay attention to the lyrics: the aspect of her job she’s most proud of.

Enneagram Type 3: Inwardly (how they feel)

Image conscious. The Type 3 Enneagram cares about curating their image and spends a lot of energy considering what others might think or expect from them. Reputation matters a lot. Hence, why, when Swift faced backlash in 2016, she decided to step away from the public eye.

This was the year Kanye West released a song called ‘Famous’ which contained some shocking lyrics referencing Swift. The rapper and his then wife Kim Kardashian insisted Swift had approved the lyrics, which Swift denied, and the whole Kantay saga became very messy and public. In the meantime, Swift did what every Enneagram 3 would feel compelled to do in this situation: she secluded herself and took time to process what was happening.

Desire to be liked. Swift spoke about her desire for approval—something many Three personalities can relate to—in the Netflix documentary Miss Americana. When discussing the 2016 Kanye West incident that made her disappear from the public eye, the artist explains: “the reason why the backlash hurt so much is because that [the public’s approval and praise] used to be all I had."

Of course, there’s nothing wrong with enjoying praise. But for an Enneagram 3 who defines their value by what others think of them, there can be a damaging tendency to center your whole life around it. As a self-aware Enneagram 3, Swift recognizes how debilitating this need for approval has been for her. In the same documentary, she says: "When you’re living for the approval of strangers, and that is where you derive all of your joy and fulfillment, one bad thing can cause everything to crumble." 

Drive for self-improvement. True to her Enneagram Type 3 personality, Taylor Swift strives to always evolve, adapt and learn. This is visible in the way she reinvents herself with every album. She is comfortable transitioning from one musical genre to the other, having created massive pop anthems like “Shake it Off,” as well as country, dark pop, and alternative albums. 

And she’s heavily involved in the process of producing her music videos. She likes to bring her own visions to life, being very specific about color and detail, leaving nothing to chance.  

What’s more, as a balanced Enneagram Type 3, Swift cares about lifting others. Since breaking her political silence, she has been using her platform to raise awareness of the issues she’s passionate about, such as LGBTQ+ rights and women’s rights in the music industry.

The bottom line

As an Enneagram Type 3, Taylor Swift is charismatic and achievement-oriented. She cares about her craft and uses her voice to bring positive change in the world. Despite struggles, it looks like she has developed a mature understanding of her Type Three nature and is now comfortable staying true to herself and embracing her own vulnerability to connect with her audience. We can’t wait to see what she does next!