Type Seven: The Enthusiast
Sevens, often called Enthusiasts or Epicures, are motivated by a need to be happy and to avoid pain. Fun, spontaneous, and adventurous, they gorge themselves on positive experiences and love to plan and anticipate new adventures. Never satisfied, Sevens bounce from activity to activity (or person to person) in a frenzied pursuit to distract themselves from pain and unpleasantness. They relate to the world through the mind and reside in the Head Triad, driven by the desire to forget their fear and avoid painful feelings.
At their best, Sevens add joy to relationships and bring optimism wherever they go, solving problems with a natural outpouring of creative energy. At their worst, Sevens’ fear of being trapped in pain or a boring routine make it hard for them to settle down, focus, or honestly address problems.
Sevens at a Glance
- Basic Desire: To be content and experience life to the fullest
- Biggest Fear: Being trapped in pain or negativity
- Deadly Sin: Gluttony
Wings
Your wing is one of the two numbers on either side of your main type. You may lean in the direction of one of these types and pick up some of its characteristics.
- Sevens with a Six wing are more settled and able to commit for the long term. They are dutiful, sensitive, funny, and accepting of others.
- Sevens with an Eight wing harness the Eight’s bravado, becoming persuasive, assertive, and competitive. Often starting things they don’t finish, they still value having a good time over gaining power.
Stress & Security
- In Stress: Sevens take on qualities of Ones, becoming pessimistic, argumentative, and perfectionistic, blaming others and giving into black-and-white thinking.
- In Security: Sevens take on qualities of Fives, able to explore things on a much deeper level and experience satisfaction. They are more comfortable with silence and solitude and begin to think about their purpose and meaning in life.
You’ll Know You’re a Seven if You’re:
- Spontaneous
- Scattered
- Idealistic
- Visionary
- Overindulgent
- Imaginative
- Adventurer
- Future-oriented
- Enthusiastic
- Charming
Content adapted from The Road Back to You by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile. Type names also appear at The Enneagram Institute®.
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