The Not Enough Archetypes®
Coded Brilliance™ expressing through shadow and gift.
What is Not Enough Syndrome®?
Not Enough Syndrome® is an archetypal condition within the collective unconscious. It expresses universally across individuals and organisations, perpetuated through culture, social media, family conditioning, and workplace pressures.
It runs as narratives of deep-rooted beliefs including, not good enough, not worthy enough, not smart enough, not successful enough.
What I call Not Enough Syndrome® is not a medical diagnosis. It’s simply what I call the repeating loop of thoughts, reactions, and behaviours expressing as self-doubt, overthinking, perfectionism, and feelings of inadequacy.
These loops express as Not Enough Archetypes®, recognisable patterns, each with shadow forms and gift expressions.
Understanding Not Enough Archetypes®
Not Enough Archetypes® are not personality types or fixed labels.
They are intelligent patterns developed to navigate life and strategies for protection, belonging, or success. But be draining when they run on autopilot.
Each archetype carries:
- Shadow patterns that drain energy when overactive
- Gift expressions that become sources of clarity and power when harnessed consciously
The shadow shows what happens when the pattern runs unconsciously from protection.
The gift shows what becomes possible when the same intelligence operates from conscious choice.
The goal is not to eliminate archetypes (they are not flaws), but to recognise them and harness their intelligence as sources of power.
When you understand your archetype, you gain the power to move from unconscious reaction to conscious choice.
How Not Enough Archetypes® Express
Not Enough Archetypes® manifest at two levels.
For individual:
Endless doing for approval and praise. Lying awake replaying conversations, thinking “Should I have said that?” Second-guessing your actions or doubting yourself. Saying yes when you mean no. Expecting to be ‘found out’ for not being good enough. Checking your phone for likes, refreshing emails for praise.
In organisational systems:
As narrative architecture running through leadership behaviour, decision-making patterns, and cultural norms. When leaders hold anxiety about performance, privately doubt their ability to lead, apply pressure as margins shrink, and make decisions from fear of falling behind, this becomes the atmosphere teams work inside.
The same intelligence that creates individual loops creates organisational patterns. Shadow at the leadership level becomes shadow in the culture.
Core Not Enough Archetypes®
Each archetype represents a different intelligence strategy, a way of navigating the world.
These patterns are not fixed. Multiple archetypes can be active depending on context or life season.
The shadow shows what happens when the pattern runs from fear. The gift shows what becomes possible when harnessed from choice.
The People Pleaser
A masterful harmoniser who creates safety through keeping others happy.
Shadow: The Self-Sacrificer – Sacrifices own needs, builds resentment, keeps a silent score of all the ways they’ve been unappreciated.
Gift: The Harmoniser – Creates genuine connection, builds inclusive environments, excels at diplomatic bridge-building.
The Overachiever
A driven goal-setter who turns vision into tangible results.
Shadow: The Workaholic – Can’t rest without guilt, defines worth by output, immediately moves to the next goal without celebrating wins.
Gift: The Architect – Exceptional execution, creates tangible impact, inspires others through focused determination.
The Perfectionist
A skilled quality controller who creates exceptional standards.
Shadow: The Stalled Creator – Never finishes projects, procrastinates when perfection isn’t possible, and abandons rather than accepts “good enough”.
Gift: The Vision Alchemist) – Elevates quality, prevents costly errors, models excellence, delivers exceptional results when it matters.
The Over-Thinker
A brilliant mental strategist who analyses from every angle.
Shadow: The Ruminator – Spins in mental loops, catastrophises unlikely scenarios and unable to be present due to mental chatter.
Gift: The Trusting – Anchors into trust and calm, channeling thought into insight and action through embodied trust in timing, self, and life.
The Validation Seeker
A skilled connector who builds relationships through responsive care.
Shadow: The Attention Seeker – Creates drama for visibility, competes for praise, performs increasingly dramatic versions of self.
Gift: The Connector – Emotional intelligence, authentic relationship building, responsive collaboration, exceptional audience awareness.
The Critic
A discerning evaluator who maintains quality and standards.
Shadow: The Judge – Uses criticism to tear down, feels superior through finding flaws, creates impossible standards.
Gift: The Guardian of Quality – Elevates standards, prevents errors through quality assurance, offers constructive feedback, and has discerning judgement.
There are many more archetypes, each with shadow forms and hidden strengths.
Not Enough Syndrome Patterns as Intelligent Adaptations
Not Enough Syndrome® patterns developed for intelligent reasons.
The People Pleaser who kept everyone happy learnt early that harmony meant safety.
The Perfectionist who couldn’t let anything go learnt that excellence earned love.
The Achiever who never rested learnt that productivity proved worth.
These are intelligent adaptations that worked so well they became automatic.
Understanding the archetype is the difference between the pattern running unconsciously and being able to redirect its intelligence consciously.
Next Step
Not Enough Archetypes® can be decoded and redirected.
For individuals
The Coded Stories Method® decodes archetypal patterns and reveals the gift intelligence underneath.
Commission a Narrative Audit
Narrative Architecture® shaped by leadership archetypes can be realigned through building narrative intelligence at the leadership level.
