Enneagram 7
The Enthusiast | The Energizer | The Connoisseur | The Wunderkind | The Generalist |
The Enthusiast | The Energizer | The Connoisseur | The Wunderkind | The Generalist |
Type 7 Overview
Type 7’s want to experience everything possible that is new, stimulating, exciting, and pleasurable, while rebelling against limits or restraints. They have minds that move instantaneously from one thought to another, hearts that avoid sorrow, and bodies that are constantly in motion.
Basic Desire: To be happy, satisfied, and to find fulfillment
Basic Fear: Of being deprived or trapped in pain
Holy Ideal: Holy Work & Holy Plan - The ability to control and sustain mental focus to the work at hand, while feeling full and complete through the sobriety that comes from integrating painful and uncomfortable experiences with pleasurable and stimulating ones
-
Joyful | Satisfied | Enthusiastic | Realistic | Productive
Healthy 7’s let go of the belief that they require specific objects and experiences to feel fulfilled, so they are able to fully assimilate their experiences and be nourished by them. They also paradoxically achieve their Basic Desire (to be satisfied and content and to have their needs fulfilled), and they become appreciative, ecstatic, and deeply grateful.
Healthy 7’s are focused on the world of possibilities and are excited by thinking about all the things they will do. Self image: “I am happy, spontaneous, and outgoing.”
7’s reinforce their self image by fully engaging with life and by doing things that will ensure that they will have what they need. Their passionate gusto for life is revealed in a great versatility and a prolific output. They are optimistic and bold but also practical and accomplished.
-
Consuming | Distracted | Scattered | Self-Centered | Excessive
7’s begin to fear that they are missing out on other, more worthwhile experiences, thus they become restless and interested in having more and more options available to them. They stay busy, juggling many different tasks and plans, trying to keep up with the latest trends.
7’s worry that they will be bored or frustrated and that painful feelings will arise, so they try to keep themselves excited and occupied. They pump up the energy around them by talking, joking around, and pursuing new adventures, but they are often distracted and unfocused.
7’s are afraid that there will be enough of whatever they believe they need, so they become impatient, seeking instant gratification. They can be very demanding but are seldom satisfied when their demands are met. They can become jaded and wasteful, cavalier about their habits, and denying of guilt.
-
Can be: Escaping | Insatiable | Manic/Depressive | Reckless
Unhealthy 7’s fear that their actions are bringing them pain and unhappiness, and this may be true. They panic, trying to avoid their pain at any cost. They are highly impulsive and irresponsible, doing whatever promises temporary relief from their anxiety, but they are joyless in their pursuits.
Unhealthy 7’s become so desperate to escape their anxiety that they fly out of control, recklessly acting out their pain rather than feeling it. Hysterical activity alternates with deep depression as they become increasingly unstable and erratic. Numb and heedless, they go to extreme lengths to suppress their pain.
The realization that they may have ruined their health, their lives, and their capacity for enjoyment is too much for unhealthy 7’s. Feeling that they no longer have options or ways out of their pain, they are panic-stricken and feel trapped. Often their excesses have resulted in severe financial and physical problems, even chronic pain.
Wings
7w6
“The Entertainer”
HEALTHY: Healthy 7w6’s are productive and playful, retaining a belief in life’s goodness and the joy of existence. They are often curious and creative, with an excellent sense of humor and a more positive outlook than the 7w8’s. They have quick minds, accomplish a great deal, seemingly with little effort. They seek variety and have the ability to interact with people easily - show business, public relations, advertising, and the world of entertainment are possible for them.
AVERAGE: Excited by new ideas, fast-talking, witty, and engaging, people of this subtype have high energy and provide moments of high spirits for others. They are generally productive but can lose focus, become scattered, with less follow-through than the other subtype. To the extent that they are insecure, there can be a revved-up, manic, or nervous quality to them. Looking for strong experiences, they are often either in a relationship or looking for one. They do not like to be alone but have high requirements of intimates. They often have conflicts between a desire to move on to greener pastures and fear of losing connection. There is a possibility of substance abuse in this subtype due to anxiety and hidden feelings of anxiety.
7w8
“The Realist”
HEALTHY: Healthy 7w8’s truly enjoy the world and are “materialistic” in the broadest sense of the word. They combine quickness with drive, often leading to material success and positions of power and prominence. They are determined to get what they want from life; they think strategically and can rapidly organize their internal and external resources in pursuit of their desires. They are earthy, practical, and tough-minded. Their sense of humor expresses itself in a biting wit and a taste for the outrageous.
AVERAGE: 7w8’s in average health apply their energies in many directions, multitasking or even “multi-careering.” They can be aggressive and have the willpower and drive to take care of their own needs. They tend to be more workaholic than the other subtype, coming from the strong desire to accumulate possessions and experiences. (“I’m worth it!”) Their focus is more on generating activities than on connecting with people. Hence they tend to be pragmatic about relationships - looking for a partner, not a romantic fantasy figure. They are not afraid to be alone and are clear about their own expectations and how much they will tolerate. Directness can verge on bluntness and on pushing people out of the way to get what they want. They can be jaded and callous, in contrast to the childish hyperenthusiasm of the 7w6.
Subtypes
There are 3 instincts: Self-Preservation, Social, and One-to-One (AKA Sexual). We each use these instincts throughout our lives to survive and thrive; usually we use one of them quite often, one not much or not enough, and the other is somewhere in the middle. The strongest instinct is known as your “Dominant” instinct, which determines your subtype. So for each Enneagram type, there are three subtypes.
Many people know more about the wings than the subtypes, but each subtype can look very different from another subtype, even if they share the same core type. For example, Self-Preservation 3’s look VERY different from Social 3’s.
Self-Preservation 7
“Keepers of the Castle”
Create close networks of family, friends, and colleagues to keep themselves feeling stimulated and secure, but also to generate new and interesting deals and opportunities.
Social 7
“Sacrifice”
Sacrifice stimulation momentarily in service of the group or an important ideal by postponing their gratification, but want recognition for their sacrifice and then get what they want later. (Can be confused with a 2)
One-to-One 7
“Suggestibility/Fascination”
Need to see the stark reality of the world through rose-colored glasses to that this embellished reality helps them live in a dream-like state. They have a highly idealized view of intimate relationships that rarely live up to this ideal.
Arrows
Each Enneagram type has 2 arrows connecting it to 2 other types. These arrows express your direction of Growth and Stress, determining how you will likely act int hose situations. Understanding your type’s arrows is one of the best ways to use the Enneagram as a tool for growth (learning about your growth number) and how to cope with stress (learning about your stress number).
Growth Arrow: 5
When moving in a direction of integration (growth), gluttonous, scattered 7’s become more focused and fascinated by life, like healthy 5’s.
Attributes of the 5 for 7’s to adopt:
Contributing rather than simply consuming
Create space to appreciate what’s happening now rather than seeking new forms of stimulation
Enjoy presence in the moment rather than anticipating the future
Find peace in slowing down, sometimes enjoying alone time
Dive deeper in one area rather than staying surface-level across many
Stress Arrow: 1
When moving in a direction of disintegration (stress), scattered 7’s suddenly become perfectionistic and critical at 1.
Unhealthy attributes of the 1 a 7 might adopt under intense or prolonged stress:
Become judgmental, impatient, and perfectionistic
Might blame others and become controlling
Become frustrated by others’ errors or things getting in your way of excitement and fun
Struggle to give up specific expectations in favor of stillness
Want to dive deeper?
Get support on your inner work through 1-on-1 coaching, relationship coaching, group workshops, or figure out your type in a typing interview!
Resources:
The Wisdom of the Enneagram:
Book by Don Richard Riso & Russ Hudson
Do It for The Gram Podcast:
Podcast by Coach Milton Stewart
The Art of the Enneagram:
Book by Dr. Ginger Lapin-Bogda
The Enneagram Institute:
Organization & Website
The Art of Typing:
Book by Dr. Ginger Lapin-Bogda
Random Acts of Caroline:
An Enneagram Podcast (Yes, I added my own podcast to the list of references)