The 12 Jungian Archetypes
A guide to a deeper understanding of your personality, motivations, and behaviors.
The Archetypes
The concept of archetypes was coined by Carl Jung.
He observed that there are innate, universal behavior patterns that are imprinted in our unconscious mind and make up different ways of being.
Each of us tends to have one dominant archetype that governs our personality.
AND MOST OF US TEND TO HAVE A BLEND OF SEVERAL KEY ONES.
Innocent
Everyperson
Hero
Caregiver
Explorer
Rebel
Lover
Creator
Jester
Sage
Magician
Ruler
WHICH ARCHETYPE ARE YOU?
THE INNOCENT
Core Value
Safety
Motivation
To do the right thing, be positive and optimistic
Core Desire
Simplicity and happiness
Greatest Fear
Being seen as bad or wrong
Innocents have a positive outlook.
They are trusting and warm and they look for the good in others and the world. Their ultimate desire is to feel safe and happy. Innocents inspire others with their kindness. However, they often want to please people and can become fixated on being seen as good. They can be naïve to the true dangers of the world and their overly trusting nature can also lead to being taken advantage of. Innocents become more balanced when they accept that the world is not perfect.
THE EVERYPERSON
Core Value
Belonging
Motivation
To develop ordinary solid virtues, be down to earth, and have empathy.
Core Desire
Connect with others, feel understood
Greatest Fear
To be left out or to stand out from the crowd
The everyperson is dependable, down-to-earth and realistic.
They do not like to stand out and long for belonging above all else. They wind up being members of many groups, looking for that feeling of connection. In their effort to fit in, sometimes they focus too much energy on caring for other people’s needs. Interestingly, despite their desire for connection, they can be distrustful about the motives of others.
THE HERO
Core Value
Mastery
Motivation
To become the beacon of strength and inspiration
Core Desire
To leave a mark, prove their worth, protect and lead
Greatest Fear
Being seen as weak or vulnerable
The hero has courage, vitality and strength,
and models overcoming challenges and saving the day. They stand up for others against injustice and are often an inspiration. However, they will do anything to avoid losing and can be overconfident and egocentric. They thrive when they are an advocate for others
THE CAREGIVER
Core Value
Service
Motivation
Service, to do things for others and showcase generosity and compassion
Core Desire
Structure and stability, to protect and care for others
Greatest Fear
Being seen as selfish or ungrateful
Caregivers are loving, generous and selfless.
They believe that self sacrifice is the key to a stable society and they endlessly work to support and protect others. Afraid of being selfish, they often disregard their own needs, which can lead to burnout. Caregivers have to be careful not to be taken advantage of and to learn how to say “no.”
THE EXPLORER
Core Value
Freedom
Motivation
Freedom, escape from boredom
Core Desire
To find out who they are through exploring the world; to seek a more authentic and fulfilling life
Greatest Fear
Being trapped and to conform
The Explorer loves to discover new and exciting places, activities, and people.
They are seekers of fulfillment and want to be independent and authentic and to experience as much of life as possible. Explorers love gathering information through their experiences. The downside of the Explorer is that their fear of conformity leads to restlessness and feeling dissatisfied. They may jump from one activity, job, or relationship to another without really committing to any of them.
THE REBEL
Core Value
Liberation
Motivation
To change the world and restore justice
Core Desire
To overturn what isn’t working
Greatest Fear
To be powerless or ineffectual
The Rebel likes to break the rules, challenge norms and push boundaries.
They are independent thinkers and work to change the status quo. Rebels can be very charismatic and inspire others to follow them. While they often change things for the better, their behavior can also create chaos. Rebels can become consumed by rage against systems that aren’t working. Their tendency to push boundaries just for the sake of pushing boundaries can also be self-destructive. They become balanced and integrated when they can be present with their own sorrow.
THE LOVER
Core Value
Intimacy
Motivation
To be one with their beloved; experience passion and attraction
Core Desire
To connect, to be around people, work and surroundings they love
Greatest Fear
Being alone, unwanted, and unloved
The lover loves to love and be loved.
They embrace all kinds of love: familial, friendship, spiritual, and romantic. They enjoy intimacy and pleasing the senses. Lovers find beauty in the world and want to share their passion with others. They long to feel attractive. Sometimes, the Lover’s fear of being unloved and desire to please others can lead to losing their own identity.
THE CREATOR
Core Value
Innovation
Motivation
To develop artistic control and skill, fuel imagination and creativity.
Core Desire
To realize a vision and create things of enduring value.
Greatest Fear
To be inauthentic or mediocre
Creators are often artists but can exist in any industry.
They love to innovate and bring something entirely new into existence. The Creator is a non-conformist and self-sufficient type. They tend to be good-natured and imaginative. However, they sometimes experience creative blocks due to their fear of not being exceptional. As a result, they can lack follow-through and spend more time thinking about ideas than actually completing them. The Creator excels when they can accept themselves and embrace their true identity free of external recognition.
THE JESTER
Core Value
Pleasure
Motivation
To embody humor and a more playful approach to life.
Core Desire
To connect with other and live in the moment with full enjoyment.
Greatest Fear
Being bored or boring others
The Jester wants to make the world a lighter place with their laughter and playfulness.
They may seem silly, but they have a deep soul. Jesters are very transparent and open and can find humor even in the worst situations—and they can use humor to change people’s perspectives. Jesters love their freedom and don’t take themselves or anything too seriously. The negative side of the Jester is that they can be lazy and inappropriate at times. Often, they use humor to cover up their own unacknowledged pain.
THE SAGE
Core Value
Knowledge
Motivation
To use intelligence and analysis to understand the world
Core Desire
To nurture the next generation through wisdom and knowledge
Greatest Fear
Ignorance and being misled
The Sage lives for knowledge and intellectual pursuits.
They use their mind to understand the world and they love books and experiences that help them discover the truth. They are good listeners and can explain complicated ideas well, which makes them wonderful teachers when they are at their best. Sometimes Sages rely too heavily on logic and facts, which can lead to a lack of empathy. They can also struggle with making decisions because they feel they never have enough information.
THE MAGICIAN
Core Value
Power
Motivation
To develop a vision and live by it, to always be growing and changing.
Core Desire:
To understand the laws of the universe; create transformative experiences
Greatest Fear
Unintended negative consequences
Magicians enjoy creating transformative experiences for others by helping them see things differently.
Magicians are interested in understanding the mysteries of life and the Universe. They use their charisma to charm their friends and to influence people. The Magician’s mood can be powerful and contagious, so when they are feeling negative it can cast a cloud over others. They are at their best when they use their power in the service of others.
THE RULER
Core Value
Control
Motivation
To exercise power, take responsibility, leadership.
Core Desire
Structure/stability, to create order and prosperity for self and others
Greatest Fear
Chaos and being overthrown
Rulers are confident leaders who love to be in control.
They are stable, decisive, and organized. They usually have a clear vision and believe they know what’s best. This leads to frustration and conflict when others don’t agree. They can sometimes be arrogant and dominating. However, Rulers ultimately have others’ best interests at heart and they long to help them prosper by bringing order to the world. Rulers are at their best when they resist the desire to take control and instead synthesize the gifts and perspectives of everyone involved.
Summary
When we understand the archetypes driving our personality on a deep unconscious level, it gives us profound insight into our relationships, needs and desires.
It can help us understand why we respond to the world the way we do and even point us towards what endeavors will bring us the most fulfillment in life.
Identifying with an archetype builds self awareness that can lead to personal growth and development.
Seeing the archetypal patterns in other people can enhance our empathy and understanding of their motivations and perspectives and thus lead to improved relationships.
And, we can consciously develop qualities we find beneficial in the other archetypes in the name of becoming more integrated and whole.
