Enneagram 7 (A Comprehensive Guide)

People who fall under the category of enneagram 7 are talkative, overenthusiastic, adaptable, natural, lively, and cheerful and focus on reality.

Although, sometimes they exploit their capacities and seem distributed, and unmanageable.

They always seek new adventures and liveliness but it also causes the feeling of tiredness and confusion.

They do not have the ability of patience and sometimes perceive themselves as thoughtless.

In this article we will discuss enneagram 7. 

• Basic Terror: the basic fear belongs to the feeling of disadvantage and discomfort
• Basic Longing: accomplish their desires and stay fulfilled and comfortable.
• Enneagram Seven using a Six-Wing: “The Artist” or performer
• Enneagram Seven by way of an Eight-Wing: “The humanist” or practical person

Key Motivations: they work hard to maintain their liveliness, engagement, enthusiasm and comfort level so that they can ignore any conflict and distress.

The Meaning of the Arrows (in brief)

Sevens abruptly started to focus on detail and highlighting mistakes when experiencing stress or breakdown.

However, they might become lively and joyful in life when moving toward the way of assimilation or growth. 

Examples: some examples that show the seven characteristics are mentioned here such as The 14th Dalai Lama, Galileo Galilei, Amelia Earhart, Sarah Palin, Steven Spielberg, Fred Astaire, Bette Midler, George Clooney, Robin Williams, Bruce Willis, Robert Downey,  Leonardo Di Caprio, Charlie Sheen, Cameron Diaz, Paris Hilton, Larry King, Howard Stern, 

Type Seven Overview

Seven symbolize as “The Enthusiast” because they have a positive attitude toward life, quest to know and be excited about everything that captures their attention.

They use their capabilities of bravery and vibrant while chasing their life goals with high determination.

Sevens may be perceived as more practical and frequently involved in multiple tasks but in reality, they are always focused.

Hey used their anticipatory thinking that helps in predicting the happening and create new ideas and leads to create more ideas and work on it.

Although sevens are intelligent and extensively speak and verbal they are not knowledgeable and thoughtful.

It seems that their ability to think or producing ideas is a gift for them as they continuously move from one idea to another that makes them euphoric, impulsive, and searching for a topic in detail.

It is also observed that enneagram 7 is frequently awarded a fast, responsive mind and they are no doubt extraordinarily learners.

They always gain information in the form of facts and languages and prefer to learn new capabilities, and also they have great mind-body coordination.

All of these qualities make seven as a Renaissance individual. 

There is no doubt that enneagram type 7 have extraordinary abilities but the interest to know everything and learn the information as fast as possible often cause various problems such as its easy to adapt new things but they can gain more than 1 information at a time and become confused in it also they don’t appreciate their abilities if they work hard in order to gain it.

But if they remain balanced in their life it helps them in becoming an inflexible, curious, and successful person. 

Problems faced by sevens are their inability to get in trace with their inner self and utilize their precious time.

Just like the type of five and six types, sevens also suffer from high anxiety due to their problems such as they seem to be confused while making their life choices and have no idea either the way they selected would be beneficial for them or not in future.

Seven use different ways to help them to release the anxiety. Firstly,  they work on their consciousness such as maintaining their focus on their new ideas and positive thinking so that they keep their mind as much busy as they can that helps them not to focus on the negative feelings.

Sevens prefer to remain on the go to search for the new that inspired them or sevens can be referred to as “spinning their wheels.”

Because they enjoy when things get done and are practical.  

Secondly, overcome their problems by working on trial and error methods such as they attempt to focus all the things in order to get the best information.

But, deep down they believe they didn’t find what they are actually looking for and try always to look for the best.

They believe that they have enough knowledge that they can enjoy their life at the same time searching for the ones they are looking for. This action can be seen in our daily life too.

Just think about the child who seems confused in order to decide whether they want vanilla, strawberry or chocolate flavor of the ice-cream.

In the same situation, seven would prefer to take all those ice-creams so that they don’t miss the right one. 

Moreover, sevens are always in the quest to seek freedom and satisfaction that leads them to make false decisions in life and they see everything happen as incidentally so they feel unsatisfied.

Their fast mental activity left them anxious, irritated, and furious because they don’t have many resources available economically, physically, and emotionally.

They not only ruin their health and money but also destroy their relationships in order to search for their happiness and satisfaction.

Besides, the sevens are hopeful, enthusiastic, and cheerful about everything. 

They are gifted by God with a lot of energy and the courage to live their lives fully. They have an optimistic attitude and use their humor too, also not considering others’ opinions seriously and avoid negativity.

The only desire of sevens is to be happy, lively, and satisfied with their life and when they become able to maintain that balance between their desires and practical life their motivation and excitement start to inspire others.

They help us to achieve the true meaning of our life that is actually a gift for human beings.

Levels of Development

Healthy Levels

Level 1 (At Their Best): enneagram 7 embraces their life experiences with wisdom because they believe and everything happens for a purpose and their approach toward life makes them obliged and thankful for everything they have and will achieve in the future.

Sometimes they may become a bit frightened, euphoric, and jolly about the miracle that happened in their life.

Sevens’ good luck in life gives others an indication of their spiritual realism. 

Level 2: enneagram type 7 has the ability to focus on their consciousness and gain knowledge like the extroverts they are highly reactive, emotional, and passionate about things.

Their motivation makes them refreshing, energetic, impulsive, and zealous.

Level 3: enneagram type 7 abilities make them hard workers that are able to concentrate more than 1 thing at a time such as they use their creativity in practical works, gain information and ideas about their area of interest and create something unique. 

Average Levels

Level 4: enneagram type 7 always wants to have more choices and if they are unable to find other options they may feel agitated so they use their intelligence and courage to explore more although that limits their focus too.

Their quest to know makes them socialite and expert. They also use their money to be updated with the latest information.

Level 5: enneagram type 7 seems to be confused while deciding what they actually look for and want to achieve in life which makes them hyperactive because they don’t have the ability to deny themselves.

They may have a personality that wants to remain in continuous activity, break ethics by telling others what comes to their mind without thinking about it and sometimes behave louder.

Although they have unique ideas but lack to keep an eye on those in order to finish it.  

Level 6: enneagram type 7 is somehow selfish, egocentric, desirous and a continuous feeling to have more which shows their ungratefulness about what they have, dominating, exhausted, unresponsive, and workaholic.   

Unhealthy Levels

Level 7: enneagram type 7 are unable to suppress their distress or anxiousness in life rather than they started to behave in a thoughtless and childish way.

Addiction towards their work makes them corrupt, immoral, self-indulgent escapists, and impolite.

Level 8: enneagram type 7 prefers to work according to their wishes rather than dealing with distress and anxiousness that’s why they sometimes behave as obsessive, unpredictable and out of control.

Level 9: enneagram type 7 consumed their full health and energy in a task that feels them suffocating.

Although seven sometimes unable to maintain balance in their life and relinquish their life and activities, seems depressive, aggressive, self-destructive overindulgence and suicidal ideation.

They have a resemblance to bipolar disorder and Histrionic personality disorder. 

Addictions

 They have a high probability of addiction such as stimulant substances i.e., caffeine, and amphetamines, alcohol, and ecstasy pills.

They also try to avoid depressants. They often use pain killers, have skin-deep surgery, and wear physique to stay energetic.  

Personal Growth Recommendations for Enneagram Type Sevens

• It is necessary for type sevens to work on their impulsiveness, try to control it rather than allow impulsiveness to control them. That doesn’t mean to avoid these impulses but instead to focus on them and select the one that is worthy to be considered. In this way they will be able to select better for themselves and fight back with their impulses.
• Sometimes it is beneficial to listen to others and gain benefits from their knowledge too. It helps them to learn new and exciting things and generate new ideas. Sevens must take care of themselves and learn the importance of silence and isolation. Sometimes it’s good to maintain their personal space or have a boundary rather than, surrounding continuously in a noisy environment. When they will be able to avoid external distractions they will be able to listen to their inner self and work on it. It makes them happier and satisfied in their life.  

• enneagram type 7 needs to understand that there is no hurry in completing everything as you approach it. Just enjoy the moment because that attractive thing will be available for you to work on it later such as food, substances, or other fulfillments or pleasure. In this life the best things come back to you and that moment you will be able to grab the best opportunity for you.
• enneagram type 7 needs to know that we should always select excellence above magnitude because that’s how our relationship works. The ability to achieve excellence is only possible when you focus your attention completely on a task you are doing at the moment. If they focus their attention to think about the future they will miss the opportunities and joy that are available in the present. And decrease the possibility to feel the satisfaction in their life.  
• The famous quotation clearly fits on enneagram type 7“your prayers will definitely be answered so watch what you want while praying” while deciding something for themselves sevens must be aware that their section will give them long term effects rather than short term satisfaction. So always think before making a decision and focus on both long term and short term consequences because that will become the source of happiness or disappointment later in life.  

FAQ about enneagram 7

References

https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/type-7