EP438: Marketing Hangups by Enneagram Type - Why You're Stuck (And How to Break Thru)

Let me guess. You believe in what you do with every cell of your body. You know the transformation you provide is real. You'd bet your life on the results you can help people get. But the second it's time to market it, you freeze. You overthink. You stall. You water it down. Or you avoid it altogether. And then you beat yourself up for not doing the thing you know will grow your business. Sound familiar? You're not broken. You're not bad at business. You're not missing the magic strategy that everyone else seems to know. The real reason marketing feels impossible to you. It's not about algorithms or funnels. It's about how close it cuts to your identity, your worth, your deepest fear of being misunderstood or dismissed. That's why marketing feels so personal. Because it is. And that's exactly what we're getting into today. I'm going to walk you through the nine Enneagram types and call out the specific hangup that keeps you from marketing with confidence. And I. It won't just stop there. You'll get the sharp truth about what's really going on and the exact edge that will move you forward. So if you ever thought, why the hell is this so much harder than I thought it would be, this episode is going to give you the clarity you've been missing and the courage to show up in a way that finally lands. Now, let's go. Hey. Hey. And welcome to the Enneagram Edge. I'm your host, Tracy o'. Malley. Enneagram expert, leadership coach, recovering control freak, and your personal translator for the shit you keep repeating but don't totally understand yet. Now, if you're new here, buckle up. This is absolutely not another fluffy Enneagram podcast where we talk about how sweet it is to be an Enneagram too, and bake cookies for your friends. No, this is the real deal. This show is about using the Enneagram as a tool for transformation. Not just information, and definitely not some party trick. Because knowing your type is cute, but embodying your highest expression, that is where your edge is. Every week, I'm bringing you the truth behind the types and the hype. How to stop self sabotaging, lead like a damn legend, and actually understand the people in your life without wanting to scream into a pillow. Or if you're an enneagram8 like me, not throat punch someone. We'll talk about leadership, relationships, business, healing, high performance, and why couples therapy isn't working. But fully understanding your Enneagram blueprint might just save your marriage. I'll drop Solo episodes behind the curtain coaching, and the occasional rant when someone calls the Enneagram just a personality test. So if you're ready to stop playing small and start showing up with unshakable clarity, confidence, and compassion for yourself and others, this is your space. You've got an edge. Now let's use it. Hey. Hey. And welcome back to the Enneagram Edge. I'm your host, Tracy o', Malley, and today's episode is an important one for many of you and me. I want you to know that I usually teach the things that I need to remind myself of. It's honestly some of the best accountability. And although I am a business strategist in a lot of ways, aside from the Enneagram and companies bring me in to do all the strategy and. And personal branding and all the things, it's really, really a whole different ball game when it's your own stuff, right? And here's what I know. After years of watching brilliant people, myself included, stall out on the very thing that could change everything for them, for their businesses, Marketing doesn't break you, but it exposes you. And that is way harder than doing the do. And if you're like me, I'm a workhorse. Like, I got a work ethic. I mean, I went back to work 14 days after giving birth twice in 14 months. So I'm not afraid of hard work. And I know you're not, too. But the vulnerability, especially when it comes to marketing your own stuff and even stuff that you believe you're masterful in, it can be really, really hard. Because here's the truth. That marketing isn't just about your offer. It's about you. It's your voice, your conviction, your. Your fingerprints are all over it. Which means the second you put it out there, you're no longer selling a product or service. You're offering a piece of yourself to the world. And that, my friends, is where the hang up kicks in. Because what if somebody doesn't buy? What if somebody scrolls past? What if somebody critiques or shit talks you? What if no one shows up and it doesn't feel like they're rejecting the thing you do? It feels like they're rejecting you. And that's why marketing feels heavier than it should. Not because you don't know how to write a post or make a reel or build a funnel. I mean, fuck, AI can even help you do that. But because every time you show up, you're bumping into the deepest fear that your Enneagram type has been guarding against your Whole life. And for some of you, it's the fear of being seen as not enough. For others, it's the fear of being too much. For others, still, it's the fear of being forgotten altogether. Right? And this is why. This is personal. And it's. It's one thing to say, just fucking do it. You know, I love Nike and everything, but just doing it ain't gonna cut it if you don't understand kind of what's at the root of this. And here's the velvet hammer truth, right? You can hire all the coaches, download all the templates, binge all the strategies, join all the masterminds, get in the goddamn room. But until you get honest about the fear underneath, you'll keep tripping over the same damn wire. Then that's the universal hang up. And. But how you handle that hang up is different for everyone. Marketing doesn't just sell your work. It. It surfaces your wiring. And I know for myself, this is really hard for me. You know, like I was thinking the other day, like, I am masterful at what I do. I am. I will go toe to toe with anyone as the authority in this space. Even people who've been doing this longer than me, because I'm in it every day. I'm helping people integrate this into their work every day, into their lives, every. Every single day. For over 13 years, this has been a constant putting the reps in. And I don't say I'm the authority to be cocky. I just know that I am in real time, in real application of this. And also, like building a certification, it was super vulnerable a, because I didn't know, like, putting my name on other people saying they can do this. That was really tricky for me. And also the other component to that is marketing aspect. Like, what if I deem myself the master and the authority in this space and nobody shows up and nobody sees the value in it and all the things. And I mean, full transparency, you know, I'm in the middle of my first cohort of my Enneagram Edge foundation certification level one. And I did not promote it. I did some emails. I showed up on social from time to time. And it is small. I wanted it that way. And also part of me wanted it that way so that my ego wouldn't take the hit or I could maybe even give myself, you know, let myself off the hook a little bit for not marketing it. So part of it's true and part of it's, you know, protecting my own fear of that. And then when I was thinking about My other business, you know, my network marketing business that I have, and many of you may not even know I have one, it's way easier for me to get excited about that. As far as marketing goes. I'm excited about what I do. Obviously, I will do it till I die. I'm obsessed with my work. It's awesome and it's. It's intense and I'm obsessed with it. Enneagram aids and eat intensity for breakfast. So awesome. However, my network marketing business, it's fun, so that's fun. But also, like, if people say no to it, they're not necessarily saying no to me, right? And they're not saying no to what I can do, even though I know what I offer within that business can absolutely transform in ways. I mean, my life has been transformed by fucking network marketing. I understand the power of it. I know how great I am at it. And also, I have zero attachment to any of it. Zero. And I think that's what makes it easy for me, right? Because you don't have to like what the. The model is, the business model. Even though you're crazy if you don't let me know if you're interested in that, I will share it with you. It's incredible, especially in a fun, light, enjoyable space. But also I'm not attached to any outcome because it's not about me, right? But my work with the Enneagram and my, you know, transformative coaching and my consulting work, that is a direct relation to the value people see in what I can. So it's really, really hard. And I know, like, for a lot of you, that's why I'm talking a lot more about, especially if you are a coach or somebody that provides a transformation or service or your whole business is based on you and your personal brand, which bravo for going all in on yourself. Like, I applaud the cojones it takes to do that. And that being said, it's a lot of fricking pressure and it can add extra weight when it comes to marketing because you're in fear and you're in ego and you're in scarcity and you're in excitement and you're in all those things that can make the marketing aspect really, really hard for you. And what I love about having a network marketing business too is it can alleviate some of that pressure. Especially for me, marketing that is way easier than marketing me because of the vulnerability aspect. And so I, I wanted to be honest with you and, you know, tell you that your marketing hang up isn't Random. Like I said, it's not about algorithms, timing, or whether you're cut out for this. You are. It's about how your like, divine wiring shows up the second you put yourself on the line. And the Enneagram doesn't just tell you who you are. It honestly, it's more than that. It shows you exactly where you'll sabotage yourself. Where your blind spots are, where you grow, where you shine when the spotlight hits. So I'm going to be brutally honest. I'm going to walk through each of the nine Enneagram types and name the specific way that you trip over your own damn feet in marketing. And I'll give you the edge that gets you out of it. Now I can tell you what the edge is to get you out of it. And also, muscle memory is no joke. And you got to put the reps in to build it stronger. I. I have to put these reps in all the time. Otherwise you'd never see me. Ever. And some of what I'm about to say might sting a little bit. And if you let it, it can set you free, right? All right, now let's get into the nine types. The Enneagram one. I mean, you guys are called the perfectionist, right? The strict perfectionist. And your hang up is you won't release anything until it's flawless, right? So you polish edit until the moment has passed and nobody ever sees the brilliance you had to offer. Or if you did, you have a hard time even being excited about it, which absolutely comes through because you're critiquing it even to yourself. A lot of people may not even know how hard you are on yourself. So the velvet hammer truth here is that perfect content that never gets shared changes zero lives, right? So your edge is progress beats perfection. And I know every Enneagram one just rolled their eyes, but. And it's true. Ship it messy and let the impact be the proof. Because I'm going to tell you what Enneagram Ones, your standards are so high and your integrity is so high that even something in your mind is subpar. Is light years above all of us. I'll just say that for Enneagram Twos, the considerate helper and I talk to a lot of Enneagram Twos. Your hang up is that you don't want marketing to feel selfish. So you over give and under share. You hide your offers behind serving others and then wonder why people do don't know how to work with you. Or even if your service or offer your business absolutely can transform somebody else's life or business, you feel guilty about it. One of my best friends, she's an Enneagram too. And oh, my God, she is hands down one of the most beautiful, soulful, honest, service driven people I've ever met. And she even struggles with this. And she's got a business that transformed, transforms other businesses. So the velvet hammer for my Enneagram Twos is if no one knows about you, you can't help anyone. And if you are kind of sugarcoating this or. Or dancing around what you do, like, you're actually not helping them. And I don't want you to do that. So your edge, Enneagram Twos is marketing, is service done with integrity. It multiplies your impact, and that is the best kind of helping you can do. Okay. Enneagram Threes, the competitive achiever. I would say this type probably has one of the easiest times with marketing. Right. However, the hang up that Enneagram Threes can have is that you curate the highlight reel so hard that people see the polish, but not the real person. Right. It almost can appear or have the energy of performing or, you know, like you're putting on a show. You look successful, but you're untouchable. You have great branding. And sometimes it's hard to feel that intimate connection with an enneagram3 if they are so on it. So the velvet hammer truth for my Enneagram Threes is polish doesn't inspire trust. Your humanity does. You know, I. I've said this a lot. I say this in all my calls, like, building credibility and trust is way more important than being liked. And I know all my Enneagram threes are like, well, my receipts don't lie. I'm winning all the time. And that's true. And how many of you Enneagram threes have gotten to the finish line and won? And it feels unfulfilling or lonely. Right? So your edge, my competitive achievers, is share the story behind the success. And not in manipulative marketing, but your true vulnerable self. Because the mess is what makes you magnetic. All right? Enneagram Fours, the intense creative, the individualist, the romantic. Your hang up is you think marketing dilutes authenticity, so you resist structure and strategy. You'd rather wait for the muse than create a consistent existence system. And if you know your framework Enneagram fours, your enneagram1 is your growth number. So you do need some structure. The velvet hammer for my individualists are your art doesn't serve anyone if it sits in your notebook, right? And it doesn't even give you that meaning if it's kind of under lock and key. So the edge for Enneagram Fours is. Structure is not the enemy, and it's the container that lets your creativity breathe. Seriously, we need your magic. My enneagram5 is a quiet specialist or the investigator. You guys love to be in the bubble. And your hang up is that you can over research, overthink and hoard everything, your content, your wisdom, until you've suffocated the spark. Right? You tell yourself you're not ready yet. I just need to know more. And the work never leaves your head or your hard drive. You guys are so wicked smart. We need you. And I promise, especially those of us that know you're an enneagram 5, we won't impose on you. So the velvet hammer for the Enneagram Fives is the draft in your Google Doc is not changing lives. I promise you that you will have enough resources and energy if you put it out into the world. You can go back to your cute little safe cave and go hibernate some more. But the hoarding absolutely will not give you the joy, the fulfillment, the knowledge. It's kind of moving that energy and that knowledge out into the world that will give you more energy. So the edge for the fives is share before you're ready. Clarity comes through action, not the hoarding of all of that stuff and not gathering more intel. Enneagram6 is the loyal skeptic. Oh, you hang up, you second guess every word. Terrified of being judged, critiqued, wrong, unprepared. All the worst case scenarios is what the Enneagram Sixes can get stuck in that. That fear loop. That fear loop. So you water things down until your message feels safe or you go into overdrive. Thrown all the shit up at the wall trying to make something stick. It's like you're in that fear. I just got to do more, do more, do more, do more, and then like it. It all gets diluted. So the velvet hammer for my enneagram6 is if you wait until you feel safe, you'll never do the damn thing. And your growth number, if you recall, is the enneagram9, which is kind of operating that. That big faith space, whatever that means to you. So it's hard, I know, for the Enneagram 6, because it nicks at your biggest fear, which is being unprepared and unsupported. Very, very scary. So the edge for the enneagram6 is anchoring yourself in your. Why not in what the world is telling you you are more than prepared. Just do the damn thing. It will all work itself out. Now, my Enneagram Sevens, like the Enneagram Threes, I think that we see them and they make it look easy, right? But the hang up for the Enneagram Sevens is that you start a hundred different marketing ideas and don't stick with them for very long. So it can get confusing or you can seem all over the place. And even though your ideas are big and huge and magnetic and possible and amazing, right? When it. When it doesn't feel like it's going somewhere tangible or understandable, it can have you losing trust. Especially in those that need more preparedness, right? Not that all of your ideas aren't beautiful. You know, I'm raising an enneagram 7. I'm like, Focus on one thing at a time. Move on to the next. Focus on one thing at a time. My best friends are Enneagram Sevens. Their energy is magnetic, right? But the inconsistent, the inconsistency can chip away at the trust factor. So the velvet hammer for my Enneagram Sevens is no one, no one invests in a flake, no matter how fun they are. We might love to be around you, but like if we don't feel your groundedness and your conviction and what your passionate about, at least for today, we may not be along for the ride. So the edge for Enneagram Sevens is that discipline creates freedom. That cocoon, period. Your enneagram 5 cave is so important. So commit to the follow through, especially for the things that you're super, super, super passionate about. And I know my 7's like I'm passionate about everything. I get it. You'll create more freedom choices and options and also build more credibility and trust. If you do this now and you can do all the other things later, I'm telling you, you can do all of it. And let's pick one at a time. All right? My fellow Enneagram Eights, the competitive challenger, the active controller, our hang up a few things. Like I said earlier, it's vulnerable, right? It feels like I shouldn't have to market or like marketing feels a little thirsty for us or weak. Even though I'm telling you right now, I admire and respect the out of really good marketing. I'm obsessed with it for other people and also like I cringe when I have to go do it for at least myself. Even though I believe a million percent in what I do. That's not bullshit. I don't say that and don't mean it. However, it feels like a weakness in my whole body to promote myself. It's like, well, if I'm that powerful and I'm that strong, they should come to me. And I have a lot of receipts in my life to show that that actually has worked, you know? And also, like, marketing is really, really important. The other thing for Enneagram Eights, that can be a hang up. Not so much me, but I. I know other people sometimes can have this. Is that holding back your power because it is a little intense. We can't. Like, our energy doesn't have a poker face, and we don't want to be too much or pushy again. That's like. We understand the power of our intensity. And also that pushiness can feel like weakness. So sometimes we sand down our edges and then we. The minute an enneagram8 does that, your message, your marketing, the whole thing loses its punch. And your punch is what's powerful, especially when it's in integrity, Right? So the velvet hammer for my fellow Enneagram Eights is pulling your punches helps no one. You know, your intensity is your superpower as long as you are operating in integrity and with beautiful intent. And it is not weakness to promote the things that you do, the things that you sell, the power that you have. Right? So the edge for us, my fellow Enneagram Eights, is lead boldly and channel it with intention, integrity, and not force. All right. Last, but absolutely, never least is the Enneagram 9, the adaptive peacemaker. I love 9 so much. And your hang up is you blend in so you don't ruffle feathers because you're motivated by having peace and harmony temporarily, for right now. And also your biggest fear is conflict. So I see nines do this a lot, is they will speak to everyone to try and create that harmony. And then you speak to no one. And sometimes nines will soften their edge to avoid standing out. Because standing out means a little polarizing. Polarizing could mean conflict. Right? And what this does is a lot of nines can end up overlooked. So my velvet hammer for my dear, dear, dear, powerful, beautiful Enneagram Nines is muted. Impact is no impact. I have said this before. I think Jesus was an enneagram9. And, you know, he didn't stand out in the crowd all the time, but when he did, man, most impactful legend of all time, right? So the edge for the Enneagram Nines is your voice matters. Take up space, your wisdom, and especially the way that you can communicate it can make a bigger impact than any of Us, honestly, because you do it from this place of wanting peace, harmony, greatness for us all. I promise you. Your people are waiting. Marketing hang ups. They're not about your skill or your strategy, honestly. They're about like how you're wired. Your core fear, your core motive. And when you can see that clearly, you can finally stop blaming yourself and stop spinning in shame because shame, honestly, will keep you stuck. And you can start leading with that clarity. Now, I can say this, like I said, I can say this to myself, you guys, but until you put the reps in and practice, practice, practice, like knowing more. Like now you know, this is your blind spot. Now take the contrary action. Take the contrary action. Because the moment you recognize your hang up for what it is and you start acting in that opposite action, it loses its grip, the stronghold that it has on you. And I can tell you that not as a teacher on a pedestal, but as someone who battles this in my own businesses too. You know, I. I've already shared how this has shown up for me. And so here's what I want to leave you with, okay? Real tangible. Every time you sit down to market yourself and feel that resistance deepen, your soul start to rise up, that urge to water it down, to second guess, to stall out or hide altogether, that's not proof that you're bad at business. That's not a sign you should quit. Okay? It's your biggest fear trying to show up. It's your ego, right? Which is edgy God out, right? God of your understanding. It's trying to protect you, right? And ego can be good when it's a good protection. But this is sabotaging you, right? And this is that. That core fear trying to show up. It's your enneagram type doing exactly what it's designed to do to protect you from the thing you fear most. And here's the velvet hammer truth I'm going to leave you with. What protects you can also paralyze you, right? If you let it run the show, you'll keep circling the same block, the same bullshit. Frustrated, exhausted, invisible, irritated, broke. Keep going, right? We don't want to do that anymore. I don't either. Marketing isn't just about content or algorithms or your offers. It's about your courage. Courage to stand in who you are and let the world feel it. To see you, to know that you are here to make that impact. And that's where trust is built. That's where credibility is built. That's where referrals come in. So the marketing doesn't have to be so, so hard. That's where trans information starts and that's where your edge lives. So here's my challenge, which Hang up. Called you out today. And what's one bold move you're willing to make this week that cuts straight through it? I will be showing up more. That's mine. Because your people don't need a perfect pitch or perfectly curated. They don't need any of that. They need you to have courage, to be brave. They don't need you to sound like everyone else. They need you clear, consistent and unapologetic. Unapologetic. And if you're tired of guessing or you might even know kind of what your Enneagram type is. But if you don't go get your blueprint or if you want to know exactly where you fall here, you can do some work with me. And if you know you've been holding back on your voice, your message, your marketing, then stop trying to figure this out alone. You can book some time with me. I'll give you a direct line to your Enneagram Atlas so that you don't just only understand, understand your type, but how to work this whole damn thing like a compass and stop circling the block and start leading with the clarity and stop operating from that fear and that insecurity, that unworthiness, shame, guilt, ego. Right? Because that's what keeps us stuck. And that's what makes our superpower our kryptonite. Right? So let me help you. Because the world doesn't need another watered down version of you. It needs the real you, marketed with power and precision. So go to tracyomalley.com the work with me section. You can book a 90 minute section there. If you don't know your Enneagram type and you don't want to sit down with me, that's totally fine too. You can go get your Enneagram blueprint, which is your entire Enneagram Atlas. You can even do an add on a live 30 minute typing reading for you that I can kind of break it all down for you. And it's recorded so you can have it share this episode with one of your business besties that is scared to death of marketing. Or you guys kind of sit and talk about this, but then don't do anything about it. Let this beautiful episode be your guide to courage and bravery. To live out on your edge, to own your edge, to find your edge and to market yourself and the impact that you are here to make that, my friends, that is your edge. And if you need help finding it, knowing it, owning it. You know where to find me. Go to Tracy omelley.com the work with me section. And until next time, you guys, I love you. And that's a wrap. On today's Dive into the Edge. If this episode hit you in the gut or lit a fire under your ass good, that means it's working. Here's the deal. Transformation is not a checkbox. It's a damn decision. And the Enneagram? It's your ultimate power tool when you actually know how to use it. If you loved today's episode, share it with somebody who's ready to stop playing small. Subscribe, leave a review, and if you're really feeling brave, shoot me a message and tell me what cracked open for you. Remember, your edge isn't something to be polished down. It's part of you that was always meant to lead. Until next time, stay sharp, stay true, and keep walking. Your edge.