
Core Fears
- missing out on new, fun experiences
- losing their freedom to pursue excitement
- being trapped in a boring or unfulfilling life
- being limited or constrained in any way
- being forced to confront negative emotions
- being stuck in a mundane routine
- being unable to find happiness and satisfaction
- being alone or isolated for too long
Core Desires
- to live life to the fullest
- adventure and spontaneity
- pleasure and enjoyment
- to avoid feelings of pain and discomfort
- to stay positive and optimistic
- new challenges and opportunities
- to avoid feeling bored, trapped, or stuck
- to be free from limitations and restrictions
Healthy Sevens are optimistic, idealistic, and outgoing individuals who view life as an exciting adventure. They possess quick, agile minds that are always on the go. They are recognized for their seemingly boundless energy, which they channel into both their professional and personal pursuits. This is a testament to their remarkable resilience and unwavering enthusiasm for life, which enables them to tackle challenges with a positive attitude and an unyielding determination. Their infectious, high-spirited nature makes them a joy to be around, and they are always eager to share their joy and appreciation of life with others, spreading positivity wherever they go. Healthy Sevens are outgoing and enjoy being active with others, often entertaining those around them with witty jokes. They tend to also be highly accomplished and multi-talented in many areas, with a practical side that allows them to visualize and plan for their desired future. Even in the face of setbacks, they exhibit remarkable resilience and emerge with a renewed enthusiasm for life, driven by their strong belief that happiness is a fundamental aspect of life.
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Average Sevens are known for their innate desire to seek out new experiences and stimulation in their lives. They have a deep-seated fear of missing out on any opportunities that may come their way, which often leads them to keep their options open and make plans for new adventures. However, their lack of discipline can cause them to scatter their energy and time in many directions without a focus, leading to a lack of sense of priorities and a tendency to never stick with one thing long enough to develop it. This can result in them being seen as superficial dabblers who try to do too many things at once and end up doing none of them well. Despite constantly seeking experiences that they believe will satisfy them, they never seem to find them, leading to a cycle of impulsive activity and anxiety. It is important to note that this flight from boredom is really a flight from unconscious pain and fear, which can be a difficult cycle to break.
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Average Sevens are often characterized by their outspoken and uninhibited nature. They have a tendency to speak their minds without much hesitation, and they derive pleasure from making wisecracks and playing practical jokes. Additionally, they enjoy stories, and they often embellish their tales for added effect. However, despite their lively and entertaining nature, Average Sevens can also be non-committal. They have a strong desire for variety and excitement, and they fear being deprived of anything they want or being constrained in any way. As a result, commitments may seem confining rather than appealing to them. While most people find Average Sevens amusing and entertaining, their indefatigable and restless energy can be exhausting for someone who is in a relationship with them. They often want their partner to engage in activities with them, and unless their partner is willing and able to keep up with their pace, Average Sevens may become bored and seek out someone new and exciting.
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​Unhealthy Sevens tend to resort to living in an increasingly excessive and extravagant manner, all in an attempt to escape their growing anxieties and fear of deprivation. Their behavior can become capricious, hedonistic, narcissistic, and crude as they seek to indulge in every appetite and feed any addictive tendencies without ever feeling truly satisfied. As their frustration and dissatisfaction continue to mount, unhealthy Sevens can become increasingly rude, self-centered, thoughtless, demanding, impatient, and insensitive to the needs and feelings of others. In some cases, they may even inadvertently cause others a great deal of pain with their irresponsible and erratic behavior, yet they will often rationalize their actions and deny any guilt or responsibility for the problems they have caused.
Natural Talents & Gifts
• think outside the box and envision exciting, creative, and novel ideas
• ability to see patterns and possibilities
• good at entertaining others and making them laugh
• act spontaneously and adapt quickly to changing situations
• can see the bright side of any problem or situation
• ability to cheer people up when they’re down or just lighten the mood of others
• open to taking risks and trying new things
• bring enthusiasm, optimism, passion, and fun to whatever work they do
• harbor an adventurous spirit and strong sense of curiosity
• ability to find joy in the present moment
Instinctual Variants
Instinctual variants are crucial in the Enneagram as they significantly shape our personalities. All animals, including humans, possess three survival instincts: Self-Preservation, Sexual (One-to-One or Relational), and Social.
Our psyche is comprised of three instincts, which are present in everyone but to varying degrees. One of these instincts takes precedence over the others and is referred to as our dominant subtype. This instinct is the first aspect of life that we attend to, and it can be related to security and wellbeing, intimate relationships, or social belonging.
Self-Preservation
Those who fall under this subtype are particularly focused on ensuring they have the necessary resources to survive. This includes providing for their partner and children, if they have any. Their concerns typically revolve around physical comfort, food, money, room temperature, health, housing, and overall well-being. Although they may have fulfilling relationships and social lives, if their self-preservation needs are not met, they may feel uneasy and uncomfortable.
Sexual
While most people desire one-to-one relationships, sexual subtypes have a strong preoccupation with intimate connections, particularly with their partner. They constantly seek to be in a relationship and strive to get closer to their partner. Sexual subtypes are highly attuned to the chemistry and level of stimulation between themselves and others. Without deep intimacy in their primary relationships, they feel emotionally unsatisfied and ill at ease.
Social
Social subtypes have an inherent need to belong to the culture they identify with, which drives them to adapt to the culture's needs to be accepted and protected. They are highly aware of how others perceive them, but not all social subtypes enjoy group activities. Unlike self-preservation subtypes, who enjoy their alone time, and sexual subtypes, who value exclusive intimacy, social subtypes prefer to be involved with people.
Enneagram 7 Subtypes
Self-Preservation Sevens are individuals who are highly skilled at forming alliances and creating a surrogate family of trusted individuals. They are practical, opportunistic, and possess a keen sense of networking, which enables them to recognize opportunities to gain an advantage. This excessive concern with making a good deal at every opportunity is how gluttony in Self-Preservation Sevens expresses itself. They are always alert to opportunities to get what they need and want, and they are socially adept, making business connections easily. They believe that if you are not alert to opportunities, you will lose out. There’s an element of self-interest in the alliances the Self-Preservation Seven makes, but they are known for their cheerful and amiable style. They love to talk and are warm and friendly, but can also express impatience and greed in their desire to consume as many pleasurable experiences as possible. They are skilled at controlling things without being noticed and often get what they want, which is a testament to their resourcefulness and ability to seize opportunities. Self-Preservation Sevens are characterized by their love of pleasure and focus on obtaining what they need to feel secure. However, they may confuse desires with needs in their pursuit of security. They tend to accumulate resources and may feel panicked by scarcity. They cultivate a sense of generosity and may feel omnipotent, sometimes using people to support their self-interest. They assert their freedom and disregard rules to feel safer in the world. Self-Preservation Sevens seek pleasure and indulge in hedonistic experiences as a way to escape from life's difficulties. They may use sex, food, and drink to pursue a utopian paradise of perfect pleasure. In comparison to other Sevens, they may have an easier time making commitments, such as long-term relationships. They view close relationships as an investment, ensuring they have access to resources when needed.
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Sexual Sevens are dreamers who have a passion for embellishing everyday reality and imagining something better than stark, ordinary life. They are not as interested in the things of this world as they are in the things of a more highly advanced dimension. These individuals have a need to idealize and embellish the ordinary, making them very idealistic and somewhat naïve. Sexual Sevens tend to view things with the optimism of someone in love, taking refuge in a positive experience to avoid unpleasant emotions. These Sevens can fall in love intensely and relate to their world through dreaming and imagination, believing that their optimistic view of what the world can be is real. Sexual Sevens tend to rely on suggestion, fantasy, and illusion as cognitive defenses. They may have a false belief that people are what they say they are and see the world in overly positive terms. They often focus on thought and imagination over feeling and instinct, running towards an ideal and away from discomfort. They have a talkative personal style, characterized by a flow of ideas and possibilities, and may use ironic humor as a form of escapism. They seek acceptance, appreciation, and recognition, and may sometimes manipulate through seduction. Sexual Sevens are known for their ability to plan and improvise, believing that they can do anything and everything. However, they may experience anxiety about having to give something up when engaging in multiple scenarios at once. This can lead to a restless and anxious energy, causing them to engage in many activities simultaneously. At times, they may rebel through passive aggressive behavior by living in their imagination and not taking action in the real world. Sexual Sevens view the world as a vast marketplace of opportunities. They find satisfaction in consuming many experiences and not missing out on anything. The Sexual Seven is more focused on the essence of love than on sex. They fall in love easily and seek an idealized ultimate connection rather than just physical intimacy.
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Social Sevens pursue an ideal of themselves and the world, avoiding focusing on their own self-interest or advantage. They sacrifice their gluttony to become a better person and work towards a better world with no pain or conflict. They make a virtue of getting by on less for themselves and giving more to others as a way of going against their gluttonous desire for more. Social Sevens sacrifice their own desires to be of service to others, taking on a lot of responsibility in the group or family. They crave to be seen as good for their sacrifice and have a hidden hunger for acknowledgment of their sacrifice. This craving for love and recognition can be insatiable, and they use their sacrifice to cover up defects and shortcomings. Social Sevens seek recognition, a good image, and to reduce conflicts. They may enter into superficial relationships. They tend to be helpers and alleviate pain, but don't like to feel it themselves. They are indulgent and generous, capable of managing projects and delivering services with dedication. Social Sevens are idealistic and may feel like they are on a mission to save the world. They can be critical of themselves for being naive and unrealistic, and may have youthful qualities such as being provocative, enlightened, and simplistic. However, they can also become lazy when the task becomes too demanding and may not be aware of their own laziness, love of comfort, and narcissistic tendencies. Social Sevens are often excessively enthusiastic about their visions and may have fantasies of a perfect future. They tend to manipulate through their enthusiasm. In relationships, they may struggle with their desire to avoid causing pain conflicting with their fear of commitment. They seek a pure and perfect romantic love, in line with their idealistic stance. However, this desire may lead them to unconsciously view themselves as superior to their partners and expect them to evolve towards perfection. Additionally, they may struggle with navigating intense emotions that arise in intimate relationships.
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