The Awareness to Action Enneagram Podcast

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The Awareness to Action Enneagram Podcast episodes

October 29Review Overview: Enneagram Subtypes Four, Five, & Six
This is a re-release compilation of three earlier Awareness to Action episodes (43, 49, and 50, first released in June and August 2023), edited into one listen that covers all three subtypes of Type Four, Type Five, and Type Six. Mario Sikora, María José Munita, and Seth “Creek” Creekmore work from one framework throughout: the instinctual bias is what a person is after, and the strategy is how they go about getting it.
For the Fours, Mario frames each subtype as an art. The preserving Four makes an art of the nest, building understated elegance into clothes, cars, and homes (a client’s deep purple Porsche, Don Riso’s training center). The navigating Four makes an art of finding its place in the group, fitting in while standing out, and is often mistyped as a Seven or a Nine. The transmitting Four needs to bring something into the world that reflects them, and the hosts use Steve Jobs as their case study in vision, refinement, and a blind spot for office politics.
For the Fives, the preserving Five builds buffers (automated bills, fixed routines, the same outfit every day, or just as often a hoard) and has the flattest affect of the three. The navigating Five shows the sharpest pull between instinctual bias and strategy, engaging with the group and then withdrawing, and avoids conflict for a different reason than a Nine does. The transmitting Five delivers an “information blizzard” without always reading the room, which the hosts illustrate with Sheldon Cooper, Sherlock Holmes, and Dr. Gregory House.
For the Sixes, the preserving Six gets a double dose of security focus and watches for what could go wrong rather than what is wrong, which is how the hosts separate it from a One. The navigating Six is the loyal tribe member who is always monitoring the group, and it helps when asked rather than proactively, which sets it apart from a Two. The transmitting Six, often called counterphobic, needs to stand out while staying on alert, and at its best becomes the protective head of the family.
Throughout, the hosts return to one caution: a behavior is not a subtype, because the same need can be met in opposite ways. Because the audio is cut from the original series, the conversation joins each type already in progress; Introduction to Subtypes (episode 39) covers the definitions, and episode 163 covers Types One, Two, and Three.
Chapters
0:00:00 Preserving Four: The Art of the Nest
0:11:20 Preserving Four: Pattern of Expression and Work
0:20:58 Navigating Four: Fitting In While Standing Out
0:38:38 Transmitting Four: Bringing a Vision Into the World
0:46:43 Preserving Five: Detached Preserving
0:53:46 Preserving Five: The Flattest Affect
0:59:48 Navigating Five: Engage, Then Withdraw
1:04:35 Navigating Five vs. Type Nine
1:07:27 Transmitting Five: The Information Blizzard
1:15:03 Preserving Six: Securing the Nest
1:22:58 Preserving Six vs. Type Two and Type One
1:24:33 Navigating Six: Loyal to the Tribe
1:33:38 Transmitting Six: Standing Out While on Alert
1:38:52 Transmitting Six and Leadership
Resources mentioned in this episode
Instinctual Leadership — Mario Sikora (book) — Mario points listeners to its descriptions of all the subtypes.
Steve Jobs — Walter Isaacson (book) — Mario calls the biography a case study in the transmitting Four.
Silver Linings Playbook (film) — Robert De Niro’s over-the-top Eagles fan as an example of a navigating Six.
The Big Bang Theory (TV series) — Sheldon Cooper as an extreme example of a transmitting Five.
Sherlock (TV series) — Benedict Cumberbatch’s Holmes as a transmitting Five.
House (TV series) — Dr. Gregory House, also a transmitting Five, who reads people well only when he decides to.
Braveheart (film) — Mario’s example of a healthy, heroic transmitting Six.

Related resources
Introduction to Subtypes (episode 39) — how the hosts define subtypes, and how the Awareness to Action approach differs from the common view.
Review Overview: Enneagram Subtypes One, Two, & Three (episode 163) — the first compilation in this series.
Subtypes of Enneagram Type Four (episode 43) — the original conversation behind the first part of this compilation.
Subtypes of Enneagram Type 5 (episode 49) — the original conversation behind the second part.
Subtypes of Enneagram Type Six (episode 50) — the original conversation behind the third part.
Awareness to Action Website — the hub for the podcast network, certification program, and core framework resources.

Connect with us:
Awareness to Action
ATA on Demand
IG: @ataenneagrampod
YouTube: ATA Podcast Network
Email: [email protected]
Send a voice message: speakpipe.com/AwarenesstoAction
Mario Sikora:
IG: @mariosikora
TikTok: @mariosikora
Web: mariosikora.com
Pod: Enneagram in a Movie
Pod: Thinking Well & Why
Substack: mariosikora.substack.com
Book: How to Think Well, and Why: The Awareness to Action Guide to Clear Thinking
María José Munita:
IG: @mjmunita
Web: mjmunita.com
Seth "Creek" Creekmore:
IG: @_creekmore
Pod: Fathoms | An Enneagram Podcast
Pod: Delusional Optimism
Pod: International Enneagram Association Podcast
Pod: Thinking Well & Why
1 hr 47 min
October 15Review Overview: Enneagram Subtypes One, Two, & Three
This is a re-release compilation of three earlier Awareness to Action episodes (40, 41, and 42, first released in June 2023), edited into one listen that covers all three subtypes of Type One, Type Two, and Type Three. Mario Sikora, María José Munita, and Seth “Creek” Creekmore work from one framework throughout: the instinctual bias is what a person is after, and the strategy is how they go about getting it.
For the Ones, Mario offers a shorthand: the preserving One is thinking “it should” be a certain way, the navigating One “I should,” and the transmitting One “you should.” For the Twos, the hosts push back on dismissing “giving to get” as a flaw, then separate the preserving Two (selective, and the most contradictory of the three), the navigating Two (a connector, often more comfortable as the kingmaker than the king), and the transmitting Two (who narrowcasts connection and can be mistaken for a Four). For the Threes, they argue that the preserving Three is hugely driven rather than unambitious, that the navigating Three reads the group and adapts to it, and that the transmitting Three wants others to be as outstanding as they are trying to be.
Throughout, the hosts return to one caution: behaviors are data points, not the whole story, and the “counter type” idea is too simplistic next to the interplay of instinctual bias and strategy. Because the audio is cut from the original series, occasional references to “last time” point back to the earlier subtype episodes; Introduction to Subtypes (episode 39) covers the definitions.
Chapters
0:00:00 Criteria First: Instinctual Bias and Strategy
0:01:15 Preserving One: Getting the Preserving Domain Right
0:04:06 Data Points, Not the Whole Story
0:07:36 “It Should,” “I Should,” “You Should”: The Three Ones
0:10:50 Navigating One: Perfect Navigation
0:21:57 Transmitting One: Perfecting the World
0:25:34 Common Mistypes of Type One
0:31:27 Preserving Two: Connecting to Meet Preserving Needs
0:45:19 Navigating Two: The Connector
0:53:27 Transmitting Two: Narrowcasting Connection
0:58:59 Transmitting Two vs. Type Four
1:02:04 Preserving Three: Driven and Understated
1:18:40 Navigating Three: The Marketing Mentality
1:30:44 Transmitting Three: Be Like Me
Resources mentioned in this episode
Social Chemistry — Marissa King (book) — Mario mentions this Yale professor’s work on networking styles, which he reads as mapping onto preservers, navigators, and transmitters.
Charlie Wilson’s War (film) — Mario’s example of a navigating Two: the Julia Roberts character works behind the scenes, connecting people to advance her agenda.
The Odd Couple (play, film, and TV series) — Mario’s example of a One as neat freak: in the TV series the Felix character is a One paired with a Seven; in the film, the pair is a Two and an Eight.
Documentary on Mitt Romney after the 2012 election — a host’s example of a preserving Three who needs to be doing something. The host is unsure of the platform, so the title is [needs confirming].
Character and Neurosis — Claudio Naranjo — Mario cites Naranjo’s point that the Three’s pattern is normalized in U.S. culture, so no corresponding dysfunction appears in the DSM.
Fathoms | An Enneagram Podcast — Type Three episode with Drew Moser — Creek’s co-host, recommended as a clearer look at a preserving Three. [needs confirming: episode title and link]

Related resources
Introduction to Subtypes (episode 39) — how the hosts define subtypes, and how the Awareness to Action approach differs from the common view.
Subtypes of Enneagram Type One (episode 40) — the original conversation behind the first part of this compilation.
Subtypes of Enneagram Type Two (episode 41) — the original conversation behind the second part.
Subtypes of Enneagram Type Three (episode 42) — the original conversation behind the third part.
Awareness to Action Website — the hub for the podcast network, certification program, and core framework resources.

Connect with us:
Awareness to Action
ATA on Demand
IG: @ataenneagrampod
YouTube: ATA Podcast Network
Email: [email protected]
Send a voice message: speakpipe.com/AwarenesstoAction
Mario Sikora:
IG: @mariosikora
TikTok: @mariosikora
Web: mariosikora.com
Pod: Enneagram in a Movie
Pod: Thinking Well & Why
Substack: mariosikora.substack.com
Book: How to Think Well, and Why: The Awareness to Action Guide to Clear Thinking
María José Munita:
IG: @mjmunita
Web: mjmunita.com
Seth "Creek" Creekmore:
IG: @_creekmore
Pod: Fathoms | An Enneagram Podcast
Pod: Delusional Optimism
Pod: International Enneagram Association Podcast
Pod: Thinking Well & Why
Mentioned in this episode:
Awareness to Action Podcast Network
1 hr 40 min
October 01Type Without Behavior: How to Identify Yours and Why It Matters
What actually defines your Enneagram type if it's not your behavior? Creek, Mario, and María José explain why type is rooted in a strategy—striving toward a particular feeling—not in stereotypical actions. They show why an Eight can feel insecure, a Three can be lazy, and why that matters.
Creek, Mario, and María José tackle a core problem with Enneagram literature: it leans on stereotypes and surface behaviors, but that doesn't work in practice. Type isn't what you do—it's the strategy you use most often. Specifically, you're striving to feel a particular way (powerful, perfect, unique, peaceful, etc.) more than you use the other eight strategies. Everything else varies: behaviors, thoughts, emotional patterns shift based on your circumstances and instinctual bias. The team walks through common misconceptions—Can an Eight feel insecure? Can a Three be lazy? Can a One be messy? Yes to all—and shows how to read past surface behavior to the underlying strategy. They also make a crucial distinction: striving toward a desired feeling state versus running from fear or wounding. That difference changes how type works in coaching, parenting, and your own growth.
Chapters
00:00 Welcome and Listener Questions
02:36 What Defines a Type Beyond Behavior
07:26 Strategy Includes Thinking and Action Patterns
18:06 How to Identify Your Own Type
28:09 Insecurity, Self-Esteem, and Type Confusion
42:22 Striving Toward vs. Running From: The Core Distinction
Resources mentioned in this episode
Awareness to Action — Mario Sikora and Bob Tallon — The foundational text that introduced the 'striving to feel' framework as an alternative to vice-based type definitions.
Character Neurosis — Claudio Naranjo — The source of the 'adaptive strategies' concept that inspired the Awareness to Action framework for understanding type.
Enneagram in a Movie — Awareness to Action Podcast Network — Sister podcast in the ATA network, recommended by the hosts for ongoing Enneagram learning.
Thinking Well and Why — Awareness to Action Podcast Network — Another podcast in the Awareness to Action network exploring critical thinking and the Enneagram.
ATA on Demand Certification Program — The Awareness to Action certification program, with new cohorts launching throughout the year.

Related resources
Awareness to Action Website — The official hub for all ATA materials, including the podcast network, certification program, and core framework resources.

Mentioned in this episode:
Awareness to Action Podcast Network
53 min
September 17 Parenting Part Two: Your Instinctual Bias vs. Your Kids' Choices
In this episode of the Awareness to Action Enneagram podcast, Mario Skora, María José Munita and Seth “Creek” Creekmore talk about real parenting conflicts — tattoos, curfews, meals — and how their instinctual biases shape the fight. They also examine co-parenting across subtypes. These aren't type conflicts. They're instinctual biases colliding. Their kids see them clearly. Mario's principle is that kids have the right to make their own choices once they're legally responsible, while MJ describes her shift from wanting a perfect household to prioritizing trust. Both sets report surprising independence, but the real work comes from consistency, honesty about your own type and adjusting boundaries as kids develop.
TIMESTAMPS
[00:01] Intro
[02:29] Disagreements with parenting decisions
[08:29] Ruptures and repairs across the subtypes
[14:56] Mario the spy?
[18:04] Co-parenting with a different subtype
[23:13] Navigating to who their children are
[26:20] Wanting to feel like a perfect mother
[29:53] Raised by wolves
[35:39] How their kids see their parenting style
[42:01] What it means to protect
Connect with us:
Awareness to Action
ATA on Demand
IG: @ataenneagrampod
YouTube: ATA Podcast Network
Email: [email protected]
Send a voice message: speakpipe.com/AwarenesstoAction
Mario Sikora:
IG: @mariosikora
TikTok: @mariosikora
Web: mariosikora.com
Pod: Enneagram in a Movie
Pod: Thinking Well & Why
Substack: mariosikora.substack.com
Book: How to Think Well, and Why: The Awareness to Action Guide to Clear Thinking
María José Munita:
IG: @mjmunita
Web: mjmunita.com
Seth "Creek" Creekmore:
IG: @_creekmore
Pod: Fathoms | An Enneagram Podcast
Pod: Delusional Optimism
Pod: International Enneagram Association Podcast
Pod: Thinking Well & Why
Mentioned in this episode:
Awareness to Action Podcast Network
48 min
September 03 Parenting With Enneagram Awareness: Why Labels Limit and Understanding Opens Doors
In this episode of the Awareness to Action Enneagram podcast, Mario Skora and María José Munita share with Seth “Creek” Creekmore why they deliberately avoid typing their children and how they use it silently to parent better. While they worry it limits them, they instead use the Enneagram framework to spot instinctual biases and behavioral patterns. They talk about concrete parenting tools, such as manners, honesty, unconditional love, and knowing what you can and cannot control, in addition to discussing the pitfalls of typing your own kids that include confirmation bias. This episode serves as a reminder to use the Enneagram to understand, not to lecture or correct.
Connect with us:
Awareness to Action
ATA on Demand
IG: @ataenneagrampod
YouTube: ATA Podcast Network
Email: [email protected]
Send a voice message: speakpipe.com/AwarenesstoAction
Mario Sikora:
IG: @mariosikora
TikTok: @mariosikora
Web: mariosikora.com
Pod: Enneagram in a Movie
Pod: Thinking Well & Why
Substack: mariosikora.substack.com
Book: How to Think Well, and Why: The Awareness to Action Guide to Clear Thinking
María José Munita:
IG: @mjmunita
Web: mjmunita.com
Seth "Creek" Creekmore:
IG: @_creekmore
Pod: Fathoms | An Enneagram Podcast
Pod: Delusional Optimism
Pod: International Enneagram Association Podcast
Pod: Thinking Well & Why
Mentioned in this episode:
Awareness to Action Podcast Network
45 min
August 20 Coaching Across Instinctual Biases: Why One Size Doesn't Fit All
In this episode of the Awareness to Action Enneagram podcast, Mario Skora, María José Munita and Seth “Creek” Creekmore talk about the instinctual biases and break down how preservers, transmitters, and navigators coach differently due to their natural strengths, blind spots. They lay out their framework to use the Enneagram for awareness, identify the internal narratives keeping clients stuck before they move into action.
Connect with us:
Awareness to Action
ATA on Demand
IG: @ataenneagrampod
YouTube: ATA Podcast Network
Email: [email protected]
Send a voice message: speakpipe.com/AwarenesstoAction
Mario Sikora:
IG: @mariosikora
TikTok: @mariosikora
Web: mariosikora.com
Pod: Enneagram in a Movie
Pod: Thinking Well & Why
Substack: mariosikora.substack.com
Book: How to Think Well, and Why: The Awareness to Action Guide to Clear Thinking
María José Munita:
IG: @mjmunita
Web: mjmunita.com
Seth "Creek" Creekmore:
IG: @_creekmore
Pod: Fathoms | An Enneagram Podcast
Pod: Delusional Optimism
Pod: International Enneagram Association Podcast
Pod: Thinking Well & Why
Mentioned in this episode:
Awareness to Action Podcast Network
42 min
August 06 Coaching Type Nine: Why Self-Deprecation Blocks Leadership
In this episode of the Awareness to Action Enneagram podcast, Mario Skora, María José Munita and Seth “Creek” Creekmore talk about coaching Enneagram Type Nine—the type striving to feel peaceful. They break down why Nines devalue their contributions and what actually wakes them up to their own worth.
Connect with us:
Awareness to Action
ATA on Demand
IG: @ataenneagrampod
YouTube: ATA Podcast Network
Email: [email protected]
Send a voice message: speakpipe.com/AwarenesstoAction
Mario Sikora:
IG: @mariosikora
TikTok: @mariosikora
Web: mariosikora.com
Pod: Enneagram in a Movie
Pod: Thinking Well & Why
Substack: mariosikora.substack.com
Book: How to Think Well, and Why: The Awareness to Action Guide to Clear Thinking
María José Munita:
IG: @mjmunita
Web: mjmunita.com
Seth "Creek" Creekmore:
IG: @_creekmore
Pod: Fathoms | An Enneagram Podcast
Pod: Delusional Optimism
Pod: International Enneagram Association Podcast
Pod: Thinking Well & Why
Mentioned in this episode:
Awareness to Action Podcast Network
40 min
July 23 Coaching Type Six: Risk Assessment Isn’t Always Risk Aversion
In this episode of the Awareness to Action Enneagram podcast, Mario Skora, María José Munita and Seth “Creek” Creekmore talk about coaching Enneagram Type Six.
TIMESTAMPS
[00:01] Intro
[02:12] Striving to Feel Secure
[04:38] Population selection
[07:40] Fixation on the negative
[11:07] Always look behind the behavior
[13:22] The subtype distinctions
[17:25] Subtypes in leadership roles
[20:55] The connecting points
[27:06] Opportunities for growth
[36:09] Six’s accelerator: evidence
[40:31] Final thoughts
Connect with us:
Awareness to Action
ATA on Demand
IG: @ataenneagrampod
YouTube: ATA Podcast Network
Email: [email protected]
Send a voice message: speakpipe.com/AwarenesstoAction
Mario Sikora:
IG: @mariosikora
TikTok: @mariosikora
Web: mariosikora.com
Pod: Enneagram in a Movie
Pod: Thinking Well & Why
Substack: mariosikora.substack.com
Book: How to Think Well, and Why: The Awareness to Action Guide to Clear Thinking
María José Munita:
IG: @mjmunita
Web: mjmunita.com
Seth "Creek" Creekmore:
IG: @_creekmore
Pod: Fathoms | An Enneagram Podcast
Pod: Delusional Optimism
Pod: International Enneagram Association Podcast
Pod: Thinking Well & Why
Mentioned in this episode:
Awareness to Action Podcast Network
45 min
July 09 Coaching Type Three: Reframing Achievement and Worth
In this episode of the Awareness to Action Enneagram podcast, Mario Skora, María José Munita and Seth “Creek” Creekmore talk about coaching Enneagram Type Threes. Type Threes – Striving to Feel Outstanding – display high integrity and genuine drive, but get painted as deceptive phonies in most Enneagram writing. The hosts push back on these misconceptions and share what they’ve learned from the Threes that they've coached. They’ve shown high integrity, strong goal orientation, and real desire to contribute, but the actual problem isn't fakery but a broken sense of worth. Mario and MJ break down the connection points through the "duck on the pond" dynamic, smooth on top and frantic underneath. They also break down why most Threes they've coached display high integrity and genuine drive, and what actually blocks them from real leadership.
“I can’t tell you how many times people have assumed that I’m a Type Three because I am self-employed and I have a lot on my plate. It’s like if you’re busy, and if you’re in some way entrepreneurial and self-employed, then you must be a Three. ” -Creek [09:06]
“I think the client’s level of maturity has an impact on this. When a Three is immature or insecure, they often fall into the trap of highlighting. It’s like I’m not sure if you’re seeing what I’m doing so I’ve got to make sure that you see it. So I’m going to talk about my accomplishments, and I’m going to talk about great things and possibility and that sort of thing. And then as they grow and mature and settle into themselves a little bit, they just don’t feel the need to make the point anymore, because their actions speak for themselves.” -Mario [19:45]
“Threes have this built-in assumption that they have to demonstrate their worth, and maturity has to do with that, with understanding that they don’t.” -María José [22:49]
TIMESTAMPS
[00:01] Intro
[02:10] Striving to Feel Outstanding
[06:31] Dismantling the misconceptions of Type Three
[10:46] The connecting points
[16:46] Guarding their true self
[21:46] Showing people their worth
[29:47] The subtypes
[35:21] Recent example of the ATA process
[40:18] Purpose as the Accelerator
[43:04] Final thoughts
Connect with us:
Awareness to Action
ATA on Demand
IG: @ataenneagrampod
YouTube: ATA Podcast Network
Email: [email protected]
Send a voice message: speakpipe.com/AwarenesstoAction
Mario Sikora:
IG: @mariosikora
TikTok: @mariosikora
Web: mariosikora.com
Pod: Enneagram in a Movie
Pod: Thinking Well & Why
Substack: mariosikora.substack.com
Book: How to Think Well, and Why: The Awareness to Action Guide to Clear Thinking
María José Munita:
IG: @mjmunita
Web: mjmunita.com
Seth "Creek" Creekmore:
IG: @_creekmore
Pod: Fathoms | An Enneagram Podcast
Pod: Delusional Optimism
Pod: International Enneagram Association Podcast
Pod: Thinking Well & Why
Mentioned in this episode:
Awareness to Action Podcast Network
46 min
June 25 Type Five: Why Detachment Isn't About Avoiding People
In this episode of the Awareness to Action Enneagram podcast, Mario Skora, María José Munita and Seth “Creek” Creekmore tackle coaching Type Five. This type – Striving to Feel Detached – is often misread as cold as they create an emotional buffer between themselves and the messiness of the world. The hosts break down their key insight which is that Fives aren't unfeeling. They're often highly sensitive and defend hard because they care. Mario and MJ discuss this type’s strengths, such as objectivity, perspective, and sharp advisory work, and their blind spots, which are intellectual arrogance, passive-aggressive communication and treating abstractions as safer than actual people. Coaching Type Five to move toward real engagement without sacrificing the boundaries they need helps them create space instead of overwhelm and shift how they operate.
TIMESTAMPS
[00:01] Intro
[02:58] Why Fives are deeply misunderstood
[08:06] The hidden sensitivity behind the detachment
[12:25] The Connecting Points
[16:45] Intentional engagement over avoidance
[23:58] Other strengths and weaknesses
[31:33] Redefining healthy detachment
[35:21] An example with the ATA Process
[39:30] Difference between Type Five and Type Nine
[41:25] The Accelerator: conscious practice
Connect with us:
Awareness to Action
Enneagram on Demand
IG: @ataenneagrampod
YouTube: ATA Podcast Network
Email: [email protected]
Send a voice message: speakpipe.com/AwarenesstoAction
ATA’s Subtypes And Instinctual Biases Two-Day Workshop: thesubtypes.com
Mario Sikora:
IG: @mariosikora
TikTok: @mariosikora
Web: mariosikora.com
Pod: Enneagram in a Movie
Pod: Thinking Well & Why
Substack: mariosikora.substack.com
Book: How to Think Well, and Why: The Awareness to Action Guide to Clear Thinking
María José Munita:
IG: @mjmunita
Web: mjmunita.com
Seth "Creek" Creekmore:
IG: @_creekmore
Pod: Fathoms | An Enneagram Podcast
Pod: Delusional Optimism
Pod: International Enneagram Association Podcast
Pod: Thinking Well & Why
Mentioned in this episode:
Awareness to Action Podcast Network
45 min

About The Awareness to Action Enneagram Podcast

From the publisher's feed

Mario Sikora, Maria Jose Munita and Seth Creekmore exploring the Enneagram through the Awareness to Action model. Giving you simple, precise and effective tools to use in your own becoming