What It’s Actually Like to Be an Enneagram Type 5

Understanding an Enneagram Type 5 goes way beyond the usual lists of traits and stereotypes. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s actually like to live inside the mind of a Five—their curiosity, their inner world, their “too many tabs open” moments—the best place to start is with a real story. Because nothing explains this type better than watching a Five follow a fascinating rabbit hole all the way to its volcanic conclusion.

Type 5: Quick Takeaways

If you’re looking for the short version:

• Enneagram Fives experience the world through deep curiosity.
• Learning often becomes a way to feel prepared and secure.
• Their minds naturally follow fascinating rabbit holes.
• When overwhelmed, Fives tend to retreat inward rather than outward.
• Stories often explain personality better than stereotypes.

Table of Contents

• Type 5: Quick Takeaways
• Why I Wanted Real Stories in My Enneagram Book
• Meet Charlotte: An Enneagram Five from Australia
• The Volcano Story That Explains Enneagram Type 5 Perfectly
• Why This Story Feels So “Type Five”
• If You’re an Enneagram Five…
• Further Resources for Enneagram Type Five

Why I Wanted Real Stories in My Enneagram Book

One of my favorite parts of writing my debut Enneagram book wasn’t actually the writing. It was the conversations.

From the beginning, I knew I didn’t want this book to be filtered only through my Type Three brain. (you’re welcome lol) I wanted to go beyond theory and look at what it’s actually like to live inside these types!! Which is how I found myself on a Zoom call with a Type Five named Charlotte.

Meet Charlotte: An Enneagram Five from Australia

I’d first met Charlotte during a virtual Enneagram workshop I taught for her company, Unleashed Pet Photography.

She stood out immediately as someone who knew her type deeply, had done a lot of self-observation, and was genuinely such a fascinating person. (Hi, Charlotte, if you’re reading this, I’m obsessed with you 😂)

As soon as our call ended, I was like, “Yup. I need her voice in the book.”

So today, I want to share a small sneak peek of My Enneagram: a visual guide to the Enneagram that was published in February 2026. You can get it now from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, or Walmart!

Here’s a piece of my conversation with Charlotte about what it’s actually like to be an Enneagram Five, accompanied by an illustration from the book by Jordan Kay.

The Volcano Story That Explains Enneagram Type 5 Perfectly

Charlotte was exploring Iceland with her friends when she stumbled upon a little town called Grindavík.

But something was extremely odd about the location: It was built right on a lava field! Charlotte thought this was a weird place to build a town. And sure enough, a few months later, the volcano erupted, causing a mass evacuation.

Long after she had returned home, Charlotte was still looking for answers as to why they built a town on an active volcano site. Her computer was filled with tabs showing photos, land rise stats, and volcano livestreams.

In fact, during one of the livestream chats, someone mentioned that the University of Iceland was offering a free course in Icelandic volcanology. So, naturally, she signed up for the twelve-week course!

“My life is a series of rabbit holes,” she later told me. “And this particular volcano happened to be one of them.”

But sometimes, that thirst for knowledge backfires, leaving her feeling like she has too many tabs open in her brain.

Which is something that happens to Fives when they feel overwhelmed! The mental overload makes them retreat into their inner worlds, where it’s safer to observe from a distance than engage.

“My life is a series of rabbit holes.”

Why This Story Feels So “Type Five”

Ugh, I just LOVE this story.

I think if Fives had a collective autobiography, it would be “a series of rabbit holes.” 😂

And I love how it shows, rather than tells, how Fives approach the world: as lifelong learners, walking through life with an insatiable curiosity.

💡 One of the best ways to understand the Enneagram isn’t through definitions. It’s through real people.

If You’re an Enneagram Five…

So if you’re a Five, I hope you feel seen.

If you love a Five, I hope this gives you a little more context into their inner world.

If you’re still figuring out your Enneagram type, or you’re curious about the inner worlds of the other eight types, I’ve written plenty of resources to help. Browse the articles below or explore my visual guide to the Enneagram for even more real stories like Charlotte’s.

My Enneagram is an approachable & playful guided journal designed to help you find your personality type and embark on an empowering journey of self-discovery. 

Both the Enneagram curious and longtime Enneagram fans can use this book to delve into the Enneagram types and put that knowledge into practice, all with an eye toward busting burnout, taming stress, and crushing life goals.

What’s Included:

• How to find your Enneagram type—including 2 quizzes that go way deeper than any cookie-cutter online quiz will go
• How to use the Enneagram to identify your biggest areas of growth
• Tips, tricks, and exercises to setting your goals—and achieving them!
• How the Enneagram can improve communication between you and the closest people in your life