THE ENTHUSIAST

Enneagram Sevens have the motivational need to experience life to the fullest and avoid pain. Sevens value a sense of freedom and focus on optimism, being inspired and taking opportunities as they present themselves. Sevens approach life as an adventure and appreciate being playful and spontaneous. At their best, others will experience Sevens as content and serene, when they are able to embrace sobriety and become present to themselves and the world around them. At a less healthy level, others may experience Sevens as impulsive, uncommitted and unfocused as they are distracted by their insatiable search for fulfilment and a fear of missing out.

GETTING TO KNOW THE TYPE SEVEN:

  • Basic Fear is being deprived or missing out on something

  • Basic Desire is to feel fulfilled and satisfied

  • Basic Strengths are highly energetic and easily handle changes

  • Blind Spots are having difficulty committing to plans and get bored easily

  • Motivated by new ideas and having multiple options

  • Drained by schedules, rules and. limits

  • Best Job Types for Type Seven: artist, travel writer, photographer, interior designer, bartender, publicist, travel agent, tour guide

  • Optimistic: The Seven’s focus on what brings joy, happiness and pleasure to life enables them to exude optimism.

  • Flexible: As Sevens are attuned to possibilities and like to keep their options open, they will be adaptable in the face of change, setbacks and challenges.

  • Future-Oriented: By focusing on what is next, the Seven’s enthusiastic and visionary qualities enable them to both anticipate and create an exciting future.

  • Practical: They combine their ideas with a practical and productive focus that enables them to make things happen.

  • Adventurous:As a playful, versatile and spontaneous person, Sevens savour their freedom and like to explore new territories and experiences.

RELATIONSHIPS

IF YOU LOVE A SEVEN:

Other numbers can show Sevens how to make room for holding negative emotions. By nature, Sevens believe they are simple creatures with few feelings (this isn’t true). A Seven seeing that all humans are complicated with a vast array of feelings is one of the best gifts you can offer them.

Type Sevens tend to be enthusiastic, adventurous and spontaneous in their actions and behavior. The love relationships and meeting new people. The Enthusiast is the one who lives for excitement. They are always looking forward to trying the newest and most exciting thing. Traveling, going on one adventure after another, and adrenaline is what the Enthusiast seeks. The Seven is intentional in everything that they do.

PROFESSIONAL LIFE

Sevens work professionally best in very active environments where they can be creative and use their imagination. They enjoy new work every single day. They feel empowered when peers spend time with them outside of work. They also thrive on employees offering creative ideas in a team environment. They do not work well with employees and peers who lack energy and optimism. They enjoy relationships with peers that are not distant and reserved.

WORKING WITH A TYPE SEVEN

Communicating: Remain upbeat and optimistic when communicating with a seven; listen to and appreciate their ideas.

Meetings: Clearly communicate what you need from them, while trying to keep meetings lighthearted.

Emailing: Include casual conversation and allow for dialogue when emailing.

Giving feedback: While expressing honest and constructive feedback, remain supportive and encouraging.

Resolving conflict: Help them to express difficult feelings; compromise and come up with multiple solutions.

ROMANTIC LIFE

Romantically, Sevens are fun and enthusiastic partners. They thrive with partners who are usually more reserved and practical. Sevens provide continuous support, enthusiasm and optimism in a relationship. They are quick to fit in and adapt to new circumstances. They are your biggest cheerleader and constantly provided support and encouragement. However, Sevens have a harder time settling down and being with just one person. They have issues with negative emotions and sometimes have a hard time listening to their partner. Type 7 in love doesn’t like being restricted. They will only be willing to commit if they see that their partner is up for adventures. The Enthusiast needs someone who is stimulating and who can keep up with them. Their ideal partner shouldn’t be clingy and should respect the Enthusiast’s independence. They long for a relationship that would feel like a shelter from all the turbulence of life.

HOW TO SUPPORT, GET ALONG and LOVE YOUR TYPE SEVEN:

  • Expect to feel either adored or ignored.

  • Sevens like relationships that mirror their own high self-esteem.

  • Expect sensitivity to criticism

  • Feelings of “boredom” mask emotional confusion.

  • Sevens are often out of touch with their anger and can “rant.”

  • Sevens love to future plan

  • Mutual happiness and creativity are important to the relationship.

  • Kindness and thoughtfulness can offer softer emotions

  • Always give the good news first.

  • Sevens do not like to be told to do mundane or boring tasks.

  • Sevens are offended by those who do not take them seriously or diminish their grand plans.

  • Criticisms that are not justified toward me lead to conflict.

  • Do not force a Seven to deal with painful or hard emotions

  • Do not always expect them to be the fun one.

GROUPINGS WITH A TYPE SEVEN

To see more pairings by type, click HERE

*Words of Gentle Caution: Keep in mind that much variation exists within a “typical” pattern based upon the level of personal development, cultural background, gender, the influence of other types, and life experience in general. Thus the characteristics and attributes presented for each combination are typical or “classic” for these two types.

GROWTH

GROWTH FOR A TYPE SEVEN

Growth for a Seven comes when they can pay equal attention to both negative and positive feedback. It also comes when they can begin the practice of focusing inward. The Seven often feels deprived and in pain. While they are amazing at using their talents, they can often misapply those talents, becoming over-extended, scattered and undisciplined.



GROWTH AREAS FOR THE TYPE SEVEN

  • Find a way to overcome being uncommitted

  • Stop and take time to a few minutes a day to center and and reflect on either planning for possibilities, self-reinforcing or reacting to pain or distress

  • Take a break and slow down

  • Become less distracted and exhausted by not always being on the go

  • Practice patience

  • Draw back on your impulsiveness

  • Let your brain take a break from the continuous planning

  • While you can pick up on many different skills with relative ease, it becomes more difficult for you to decide what to do with yourself

SUBTYPES FOR ENTHUSIASTS

THE HEAD CENTER {GLUTTONY: Constant Thirst for New Experiences of All Types}

  • SUBTYPE: NETWORK

    This energised Seven is a great networker, gathering a ‘family’ of close supporters and motivated by wanting the best for everyone. They love the good things in life and may risk becoming self-interested and pleasure-seeking. This subtype is generally good at getting what they need to have fun and feel safe, but may also be good at rationalizing and defending whatever they want to do. Express gluttony through network, family, and social groups. Great at networking and getting what is needed to have fun. Tend to be opportunistic, self-interested, and clear. Making a good deal at every opportunity. Cheerful, friendly and pleasant. More practical and down to earth as compared to Sexual Sevens. Struggle lesser with commitments.

  • SUBTYPE KEY: FASCINATION

    Extremely positive and regularly alters reality to suit personal ideals, especially when the truth is unpleasant. Can get easily bored in the mundane and routine, be it in work or relationships. Express the need to fantasize. Can be gullible. Tend to talk a lot, and their speech is seen as a flow of “wonderful ideas and possibilities”. Plan and improvise a lot. See the world as a marketplace of outstanding opportunities.

    The dreamer, the idealist, the romantic … the SX Seven sees reality through a rose-coloured filter, connected to the possibility in everything. Their enthusiasm and optimism may seem unrealistic or naive as they tend to believe in the good in everything and everyone. They want the world to be more than dreary and dull and may embellish reality and dislike relationships that have become boring and predictable.

  • SUBTYPE KEY: SACRIFICE {COUNTERTYPE}

    This countertype acts against the gluttony that characterises the Seven, tending to mistype with Enneagram 2. They are generous and have a strong desire to be of service, to create a better world. They will sacrifice their own needs to serve the needs of a group or person they support. They can be judgemental regarding selfishness in themselves or others and they hope to be appreciated for their sacrifice. Expresses a kind of “counter-gluttony”. Go against the passion by consciously avoid exploiting others. Wants to be good and pure, and not act on their gluttonous impulses. Strive to hide it in altruistic behavior. Sacrifice for the benefit of others, and willing to be of service. Might adopt the role of helper, to help alleviate others’ pain.

    May be mistyped as Type 2s

CENTER OF INTELLIGENCE

The Head Center

The Head Center (or Thinking Center) is home to enneagram types 5, 6, and 7.
While these numbers all seem rather different, they share them same head instincts (as opposed to the gut or heart centers.)

5’s, 6’s, and 7’s all take in life through their thinking (with their head) and generally respond based on what their minds are telling them to do.

5’s, 6’s, and 7’s are all:
Concerned with: Strategies
Seeking: Security
Underlying Issue: Fear

Each of these enneagram types all deal with anxiety or fear as their head center issue. However, each types deals with the anxiety very differently.

5’s tend to be anxious of the outside world (and thus try to isolate themselves)
6’s tend to be anxious internally (and thus are always playing worse-case-scenarios)
7’s tend to try to deny their anxiousness (and thus are always keeping their minds and bodies busy)

Advice for those in the Head Center: Instead of acting based on your thinking, allow yourself to “be” first. Think about how your fear/anxiety (which is likely the deep underlying cause of your thinking reaction) affects you and those around you. Don’t let that fear stop you from being your actual self with others.

MOVEMENT OF STRESS AND INTEGRATION

When 7’s are stressed, they first dip into their unhealthy traits as a 7 (unfocused, indulgent, escapist). However, after that level, if they are still stressed or the stress increases they will move towards type 1 and pick up the average to unhealthy traits of 1.

Average to unhealthy traits of 1 include: becoming rigid, perfectionistic, critical, pessimistic, angry when things don’t go the way you want, feeling like only you can get the job done.

Type 7’s can use their stress number in healthy ways by making use of the healthier traits of 1. This can mean rationally looking at the problem (no reframing), creating structure to follow through with plans or chores, dedicate yourself to solving the situation, honestly feeling all your feelings (not just the good/happy feelings).

Quick tips for 7’s in stress: Set a timer for a manageable time (5, 10, 60 mins) and set to finish a chore or plan. Break down your goals or plans into small steps so you can accomplish them. Use fun to explore your feelings (think art therapy) and use an emotion wheel to help pin down what emotions you actually are feeling.

Sevens feel stressed when they start to feel their inner pain. They will do anything they can to avoid uncomfortable feelings. Sevens tend to be ungrounded, getting stuck in plans or fantasies.  They have a hard time finishing projects they start because they are easily bored. They have a hard time staying in long term committed relationships because they are always looking for something more exciting. Seven's never feeling they have enough time to do everything they want. Seven's try to pack so much inn they often double-book themselves. As Type Seven's get caught up in stress, they move to Type One's unhealthy side.  They become hard on themselves for not getting it right. As they get harder on themselves, they get increasingly critical of those they love. Seven's like to blame others for preventing them from having fun. Sevens tend to think they own the truth and are not open to hearing wisdom from others.

In Growth, a Type Seven takes on the higher qualities of a Type Five.

Growth arises when you are no longer addicted to the highs of life. You are able to slow down and dive deeply into the true nature of being. This happens along the path of growth to a Type 5. With focus, you are able to get things completed. You can follow-through on your ideas rather than become distracted with the next bright and shiny object. No longer scattered, you are able to concentrate on the task at hand. At your best, you are a true visionary. You are able to generate new ideas for transforming lives. You also spread joy when you take up the responsibility of lifting spirits. Multi-talented, you are able to harness your abilities across platforms to accomplish great things. With focus, you can be rather extraordinary.

Learn to take a moment of quiet to reflect upon your choices and redirect your attention to your priorities (towards Type 5). Be disciplined about the task or goals at hand (towards Type 1) and remove those rose-tinted glasses to prepare for worst-case scenarios (towards Type 6). Also be ready to take the painful or unpopular action when the situation calls for it (towards Type 8).

Recognize your impulsiveness, and get in the habit of observing your impulses rather than giving in to them. This means letting most of your impulses pass and becoming a better judge of which ones are worth acting on. The more you can resist acting out your impulses, the more you will be able to focus on what is really good for you.

  • Learn to listen to other people. They are often interesting, and you may learn things that will open new doors for you. Also learn to appreciate silence and solitude: you do not have to distract yourself (and protect yourself from anxiety) with constant noise from the television or the stereo. By learning to live with less external stimulation, you will learn to trust yourself. You will be happier than you expect because you will be satisfied with whatever you do, even if it is less than you have been doing.

  • You do not have to have everything this very moment. That tempting new acquisition will most likely still be available tomorrow (this is certainly true of food, alcohol, and other common gratifications—that ice cream cone, for instance). Most good opportunities will come back again—and you will be in a better position to discern which opportunities really are best for you.

  • Always choose quality over quantity, especially in your experiences. The ability to have experiences of quality can be learned only by giving your full attention to the experience you are having now. If you keep anticipating future experiences, you will keep missing the present one and undermine the possibility of ever being satisfied.

  • Make sure that what you want will really be good for you in the long run. As the saying goes, watch what you pray for since your prayers may be answered. In the same vein, think about the long-term consequences of what you want since you may get it only to find that it becomes another disappointment—or even a source of unhappiness.

WINGS

IMPORTANCE OF WINGS

Understanding Enneagram wings is important because the wings of each personality type affect each type in significant ways and can be used to understand the motivations of an individual further.  Recognizing each enneagram wing’s influence can help you avoid their weaknesses or lean into their strengths when needed. The wings of each type can seemingly contradict the dominant Enneagram personality types they are attached to.  Learning about enneagram wings can help you discover, enhance your journey of self-discovery, better understand others, and strengthen relationships. Once you understand your Enneagram wing type, you can use the knowledge you’ve gained to better yourself as a person by recognizing your behaviors.  This process can help you develop desirable qualities so that you avoid blindly hurting yourself and others.

WING OVERVIEW | TYPE 7 | ENTHUSIAST

  • THE PATHFINDER

    An enneagram 6w7 can be playful and entertaining. You’re much more outgoing and adventurous for a dominant type six, but not as risky as a dominant type seven would be. Since sixes are run by anxiety, you always have a backup plan if your adventures go wrong. An enneagram 7W6 is more settled rather than rambunctious. You take more time to work on projects before moving on, so your pace is slower than a typical type seven. You commit to relationships more as a 7w6 than with those with a dominant eight wing.

    They are usually enthusiastic, responsible, and adventurous in their behavior. They enjoy pursuing new experiences, but are much more able to stick to prior commitments than other seven types. Sevens with a six wing have a deeply-rooted fear of missing out. They want to be trustworthy and honor commitments, but they also want to leave room to allow for last-minute opportunities.

    Their basic desire is to feel fulfilled and happy. They express this by searching for joy in every small thing that comes their way. Pathfinders defend themselves by rationalizing away negative feelings. They unconsciously convince themselves that they are happy, even when they are not.

    STRENGTHS

    Being productive and cooperative

    Sensitivity to the feelings of others

    Remaining optimistic even in stressful situations

    Thinking thoroughly and quickly

    WEAKNESSES

    Being easily affected by others opinions

    Doubting themselves and feeling anxious

    Tendency to become bored in a job or relationship

    Difficulty focusing or remaining organized when stressed

    MOTIVATIONS

    New ideas and experiences

    Creative or trendy aesthetics

    Multiple choices or options

    Meeting and getting to know new people

    Parties, concerts, and other large gatherings

    STRESSORS

    Schedules, rules, and limits

    Negativity from those around them

    Too much time alone

    Unnecessary and boring routine

    Lack of choice or freedom

  • TYPE SEVEN: ENTHUSIAST

    People with an Enneagram Type 7 seek variety, stimulation and fun in life, tackle challenges with optimism and are charming. Future-orientated, they engage in life by asking “what’s next?” They may seem impulsive, distracted, hedonistic, insensitive or irresponsible to others. They are inspirational team members, enhancing creativity, energy and optimism in the team. They tend to be enthusiastic, adventurous, and spontaneous in their behavior.

    They love seeking out new experiences. They are people-oriented and enjoy pursuing new relationships. The most basic desire of the Enneagram Type 7 is to feel stimulated, engaged, and satisfied. They tend to be highly goal-oriented and may go to great lengths to seek excitement and joy from new experiences.

    The most basic fear of the Type 7 is that they may miss out on or be deprived of excitement. They may express this by avoiding schedules and concrete plans to allow for last minute opportunities. At less healthy times, they may struggle with focusing on the task at hand, especially if they feel like it’s preventing them from a more interesting experience.

  • THE OPPORTUNIST

    7W8’s tend to be enthusiastic, determined, and protective in their behavior. They are generally more tough and work-oriented than other seven types. Seven with an eight wing fear being deprived. They want to pursue new opportunities and avoid being controlled by schedules.

    Their basic desire is to content and satisfied. They love experiencing the world by traveling and going to parties. Opportunists defend themselves by justifying others’ negative actions and rationalizing away bad feelings. A 7W8 can appear to be reckless because of your quick pace and competitive, bold attitude. When it comes to expressing your ideas, you can be assertive and even get aggressive when others do not agree with you. You are more focused on having a good time than gaining more power.

    STRENGTHS

    Staying high-energy and positive

    Natural self-confidence and charisma

    Ability to assert themselves

    Remaining calm in situations of crisis

    WEAKNESSES

    Being perceived as impatient and blunt

    Focusing too heavily on career

    Difficulty following through on plans

    Tendency to focus on material items

    MOTIVATIONS

    Experiencing new things in life

    Being the center of attention

    Accomplishing a goal at work

    Parties, traveling, concerts, celebrations, etc.

    Having strong, thriving relationships with others

    STRESSORS

    Strict schedules or limits

    Spending too much time by themselves

    Feeling restrained or controlled

    Exerting energy in too many directions

    Unnecessary routine and pattern

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