What the Enneagram Test Reveals About Your Reaction to Failure (And How to Build Real Self-Esteem)

Ever feel like one tiny mistake spirals into a full-blown identity crisis? Like missing the mark once somehow proves you’re not good enough?

If you’ve ever thought, “Welp, that didn’t go perfectly, so clearly I’m trash and should never try again”—you’re not alone. In fact, that dramatic inner monologue is more common (and more deeply wired) than you might think.

There’s a viral video going around that perfectly captures this with an anxious slice of bread and a very calm broccolini. It’s hilarious, but also painfully accurate for anyone who wrestles with perfectionism, shame, or self-doubt.

So why do some of us react to failure with grace, while others crumble like a burnt croissant? The answer may lie in your Enneagram type—and your self-esteem.

In this post, we’ll break down how different personality types handle failure, why your reaction makes so much sense, and how you can shift your inner dialogue (without needing to become a motivational veggie).

What the Enneagram Reveals About Our Inner Voice

The Enneagram is a personality system based on nine core types. Each type has a unique way of seeing the world, driven by a deep-rooted motivation. And crucially, each type has its own way of handling failure, imperfection, and criticism.

If you’ve never taken an Enneagram test, now’s your moment—seriously. It’s eye-opening stuff. You can take a quick, research-backed Enneagram test here and find out which type resonates with you most.

Let’s break this down by type to see how our inner Slice of Bread or Broccolini might be influenced by who we are underneath it all.

Type 1 – The Perfectionist: “If I mess up, I'm wrong.”

For Type Ones, doing the right thing is everything. They have an inner critic that’s louder than most. So when they hear, “It’s a learning opportunity,” they want to believe it. But often, they default to, “It should have been better. I should have known.”

Slice of Bread energy? Absolutely.

This is where self-esteem work is critical for Ones. Learning that mistakes don’t make them bad people—but simply people—can be life-changing.

💡 Try This: If you suspect you might be a One, complement your Enneagram results with a self-esteem test to see how critical your inner voice really is.

Type 2 – The Helper: “If I mess up, will people still love me?”

Twos thrive on being needed and helpful. But when things go wrong, their fear is often relational. “Will people be disappointed in me? Did I let someone down?”

Twos might not shout “I’m trash,” but they feel that weight. And they might quickly move into people-pleasing or overcompensating mode to make up for the perceived failure.

Broccolini might say, “You’re still lovable.” But their inner voice whispers, “Only if you fix it.”

Type 3 – The Achiever: “If I fail, I’m worthless.”

This type is textbook Slice of Bread when under stress. Threes tie their worth to success and image. If it’s not perfect on the first try? “Abort mission. Never doing that again.”

The Achiever thrives on praise and progress. But when things go sideways, shame and avoidance kick in.

What helps? Recognizing that their value isn’t in results—it’s in who they are.

🎯 Real Talk: If that line—“It’s trash, I’m trash”—hit a little too hard, take a moment to check in on your self-esteem here. You might be holding yourself to impossible standards.

Type 4 – The Individualist: “No one gets how hard this is for me.”

Fours often expect to feel misunderstood. They’re deeply emotional and self-reflective. When they mess up, their inner monologue might sound more poetic—but just as harsh.

Think: “Of course I failed. That’s just my fate.”

Fours benefit from gentle reminders that they are unique, but not broken. Mistakes don’t make them less special—they make them more human.

Type 5 – The Investigator: “I should’ve known better.”

Fives pride themselves on knowing things. So when they don’t get something right the first time, their shame comes from “not being prepared enough.”

They might retreat, analyze, and overthink—never trying again not because they’re trash, but because trying again feels draining and risky.

Broccolini, in this case, needs to offer safety: “It’s okay not to know. You’re still smart. And trying again doesn’t make you weak.”

Type 6 – The Loyalist: “What if I fail again?”

Sixes live in the land of worst-case scenarios. Their fear isn’t just failure—it’s what happens next. What if people judge me? What if this spirals?

Slice of Bread doesn’t just panic. It prepares for every possible bad outcome.

Sixes benefit from reassurance, structure, and encouragement to take small steps forward. Not perfection, just progress.

✅ Gentle Push: If you’re a Six and overthinking every decision, try a science-backed Enneagram test to learn how your mind works under stress. You’ll feel less alone—and more empowered.

Type 7 – The Enthusiast: “That sucked. Let’s do something else!”

Sevens bounce. If something doesn’t go well, they’re onto the next idea. Not because they don’t care, but because discomfort feels unbearable.

Slice of Bread might spiral for a second, but then say, “Nah, I’m gonna make a smoothie and forget this happened.”

But deep down, avoiding failure can mean avoiding growth. Sevens benefit from slowing down and learning to sit with imperfection.

Type 8 – The Challenger: “Whatever. That doesn’t define me.”

Eights respond to failure with defiance. “Okay, it didn’t work. Who cares?” It’s a strong front—but inside, there might be a fear of vulnerability or being seen as weak.

They may not say “I’m trash,” but they do fear losing control or being powerless.

Broccolini energy? They’ve got it—but they need to direct it inward, not just outward.

Type 9 – The Peacemaker: “Maybe I’m just not cut out for this.”

Nines often avoid conflict—including conflict with themselves. When things don’t go right, they might quietly agree with the inner critic and check out.

“It’s fine. I didn’t really care anyway.”

But that’s not true. Nines do care. They just fear rocking the boat—so they give up on themselves instead.

Broccolini would say: “Trying again isn’t conflict. It’s self-respect.”

Self-Esteem: The Secret Layer Beneath It All

Regardless of type, your self-esteem affects how you interpret failure.

• High self-esteem says: “That didn’t work, but I’m still worthy.”

• Low self-esteem says: “That didn’t work, so I’m not worthy.”

Your Enneagram type shapes your default story. But your self-esteem determines how much power that story has.

And the best part? Both are changeable.

🔍 Curious Where You Stand? Take our free, evidence-based Self-Esteem & Self-Confidence Test to uncover how your self-worth may be holding you back—or lifting you up.

Turning Down the Inner Slice of Bread

So, what can we learn from this viral veggie-bread interaction?

1. Your first reaction isn’t your final truth.
   That initial “I’m trash!” moment? It’s a habit—not a fact. You can change it.

2. Your Enneagram type gives you a map.
   Knowing your type helps you understand your stress patterns, inner voice, and emotional blind spots.

3. Your self-esteem sets the tone.
   You can be a perfectionist, an achiever, a loyalist—and still learn to speak to yourself with compassion.

4. Broccolini lives inside you too.
   That calm, patient, growth-oriented voice? It’s already in you. You just need to practice turning up the volume.

Final Thought: Try Again, Differently

Whether you're a panicked Slice of Bread or a gentle Broccolini, your reaction to failure is part of your story—but it doesn’t have to define your future.

The first step to changing that story? Understanding it.

Start by discovering your Enneagram type—take the Enneagram test here. Then, go deeper by exploring how your self-esteem shows up in daily life—you can take the self-esteem test here.

The truth is: None of us get it perfect on the first try. But all of us can try again—with more kindness, clarity, and courage.

Let’s make peace with the bread inside us. 🍞💚