Enneagram Type 3 (The Achiever) and Step One:

For Enneagram Type 3, working Step One in Overeaters Anonymous means facing the ways in which their drive for success, recognition, and achievement has impacted their relationship with food. Type 3s often use food either to fuel their ambition or as a reward after achieving their goals.

1. Admit Powerlessness Over Using Food to Cope with Achievement Pressure:

Type 3s are constantly striving to achieve, and food can become a way to cope with the stress and pressure of needing to succeed.

• Reflection question: “How have I used food to reward myself or to cope with the pressure of constantly achieving more?”

2. Recognize the Unmanageability of Image Focus:

Type 3s are often concerned with maintaining a certain image, and this can lead to unhealthy relationships with food, whether through dieting, bingeing, or other patterns. Step One is about acknowledging that their focus on image has made their life and relationship with food unmanageable.

• Reflection question: “How has my focus on how others see me affected my relationship with food and my ability to care for myself?”

3. Acknowledge the Need for Authenticity:

Type 3s need to learn to let go of the need to project a perfect image and embrace vulnerability. Authenticity, not image, is key to recovery in OA.

• Reflection question: “How can I allow myself to be real about my struggles with food, even if it feels like admitting failure?”

4. Surrender the Fear of Being Seen as a Failure:

Type 3s fear failure above all. In Step One, they must surrender the belief that they need to be successful or flawless to be loved or respected. Admitting their powerlessness over food is an important step toward releasing this fear.

• Reflection question: “How has my fear of failure or not being seen as successful contributed to my food struggles, and how can I begin to let go of that fear?”

5. Trust in the OA Process and the Importance of Inner Fulfillment:

For Type 3s, Step One is about recognizing that their worth isn’t tied to their accomplishments, but to their willingness to be honest with themselves and others about their struggles.

• Reflection question: “How can I begin to trust that my worth doesn’t come from my success, but from being honest about my struggles and seeking real fulfillment?”

Summary: Type 3s work Step One by recognizing how their drive for success and image has led to an unmanageable relationship with food. By admitting powerlessness over their need to achieve and learning to embrace authenticity, they can find healing in OA.