Jungian Archetypes: Finding New Insights Through Timeless Stories
Posted on April 21, 2025 by Ian Falcon, One of Thousands of Executive Coaches on Noomii.
Formalized by the psychologist Carl Jung, Jungian Archetypes can be used in the coaching space to provide insight and inspiration for our clients.
Jungian archetypes are best thought of as repetitive, universal, thematic structures that are found throughout the human experience. We can find these structures reflected in our stories, mythology, folklore, advertising, pop culture, religion, personal relationships, and everyday lives. Why this occurs, is up for debate.
Regardless of their genesis, some argue that if these 12 archetypes are truly universal, then their potential would exist within each of us as well. Through a combination of our choices, external causes, and internal conditions certain archetypes will become more pronounced in our conscious life than others. By recognizing these recurring archetypal patterns in our own lives, we can gain sense of understanding about where we are, and where we want to go.
Ideally, this added clarity can help us make better choices and live more fulfilling lives. But first, we need to assess how we relate to each of the archetypes. If you visit the Path & Partners website, you can take a free survey that aims to measure the influence of each archetype in your own life. However, as with any tool or technique, its power lies in how it is understood, interpreted, and applied, rather than in the thing itself.
Here is a list of the 4 major families, the 12 Jungian archetypes, and their corresponding motivating force.
Explore Spirituality
1. The Innocent strives for safety and peace.
2. The Sage seeks understanding.
3. The Explorer strives from freedom.
Leave Legacy
4. The Outlaw fights of for liberation.
5. The Magician is driven by power.
6. The Hero searches for mastery and victory.
Pursue Connection
7. The Everyman looks for belonging.
8. The Jester is focused on light-hearted enjoyment.
9. The Lover longs for intimacy and union.
Provide Structure
10. The Caregiver is dedicated to selfless service.
11. The Creator is inspired by innovation.
12. The Ruler yearns for harmony through control.
It’s helpful to remember that none of the archetypes are necessarily “good” or “bad.” However, an archetype can cause disruption in our lives when they are out of balance, ignored, or over-emphasized. This is because each archetype has a specific set of strengths and weakness, just as people do.
While all the Jungian archetypes exist within us to some degree, we may find a particular archetype to be especially inspiring. By personally identifying with that archetype, we can become more open to discovering those positive attributes within ourselves. However, in doing so, we also open ourselves to that archetype’s weaknesses.
In this way, it’s often best to treat Jungian archetypes like guideposts along a path. Their fluid nature can give us a sense of where we are, where we’ve been, and hopefully, where we’d like to go. But they’re not necessarily destinations in themselves.
For example, if we under-identify with an archetype, then we will often be poorly prepared for those aspects of life. If we over-identify with an archetype, then we are at risk of becoming rigid and powerless to those patterns. When two archetypes are in conflict, we will likely see that conflict present in other areas of our life.
If for nothing else, Jungian archetypes are a metaphorical mirror that reflects our inner workings and motivations. When used in the coaching space, they become an invitation for us to look a little deeper, and step a little further, into a path of discovery and self-knowledge. What we do with these insights are, as always, up to us.
