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The Ultimate Guide to

Enneagram Type 7

The Spark • Enthusiast • Adventurer

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I created this guide to connect people like you with the best Enneagram teachers I know so you can understand yourself and others better. There's a lot here, so it's best that you read a little at a time and then come back later to learn more.

For Life,
Marshall Æon

New and Improved

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Table of Contents

Word Cloud of Enneagram Type 7 Characteristics
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Enneagram Type 7 Strengths

When Type Sevens are in touch with their strengths–and aren’t succumbing to their Achille Heel–they bring others the gift of enthusiasm and adventure. These are the powers of The Adventurer:

Optimistic

Sevens have a can-do spirit and are excellent at looking on the bright side.

Energetic

A never-ending zest for life keeps the Seven moving forward and energizing those around them with enthusiasm and vitality.

Adventurous

The life of a Seven is a thrilling adventure, and so will yours be when they take you along for the ride.

Spontaneous

Sevens are full of surprises and keep you on your toes with novel ideas and exciting new plans for adventures.

Light-Hearted

Sevens maintain a lightness of heart, not letting the heaviness of life's struggles and setbacks keep them down.

Playful

Life is a giant sandbox for Sevens, with every moment an opportunity to experience the fun of child-like play.

Curious

Fascination happens easily for a Seven as they possess an insatiable curiosity to know more about everything around them.

Multi-Talented

Natural jacks-of-all-trades, Sevens rapidly become adept at anything they set their mind to and quickly pick up new skills and abilities.

Source: The Heroic Enneagram, by Marshall Æon

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Enneagram Type 7 Weaknesses

Achilles Heel: The fear of being stuck in suffering. When Type Sevens succumb to their Achille Heel, their strengths become weaknesses.

Monkey Mind

Sevens are constastly restless and their quick, agile minds can become hyperactive, jumping around from one thing to the next.

Distractable

Sevens have a hard time focusing, as they get easily bored and become distracted by the next exciting thing that grabs their attention.

Lost in Fantasy

Because the present moment is often not stimulating enough for Sevens, they often escape into exciting fantasies about future plans and possibilities.

Shallow

Sevens like to stay on the go, so they remain on the surface of things, never quite sinking into their depths.

Afraid of Commitment

Sevens want to keep their options open because only one option may not be satisfying enough. They easily feel trapped, and many options ensure more opportunities for fulfillment (or so they think).

Escapist

When the going gets tough, the Seven gets going–somewhere else! Difficulty, discomfort, and frustration will cause a Seven to want to escape.

Frustrated

Sevens are frustration types, so they feel chronically unfulfilled and frustrated by their experiences and other people.

Impatient

Easily bored, Sevens want the moment to move faster so they can move on to more stimulating activities.

Callous

As part of their high energy routines, Sevens end up stepping on a lot of toes. But other people's emotions are a drag, so the Seven can quickly escape them into some other activity.

Self Indulgent

In their neverending pursuit of satisfaction, Sevens have a hard time saying "no" to any experience that offers the promise of fulfillment.

Addicted

True satisfaction always remains elusive for average Sevens, so it's easy for them to indulge in addictions of all kinds.

Source: The Heroic Enneagram, by Marshall Æon

🤩 Famous Examples of Enneagram Type 7

Leonardo Dicaprio Katy Perry 14th Dalai Lama Richard Branson Audrey Plaza Quentin Tarantino Ram Dass Tyler the Creator Brad Pitt Cardi B Steve Jobs Robin Williams Amelia Earhart Samuel L Jackson Adele Chuck Berry Seth MacFarlane Elton John Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart RuPaul Lana Wachowski Amy Schumer Heath Ledger Robert Downey Jr Hugh Hefner Lucille Ball Larry King Ali Wong Galileo Galilei Mike Myers Piers Morgan Joan Rivers Simon Cowell Lil Kim Fiona Apple Steven Spielberg Elon Musk George Clooney Howard Stern Andy Samberg Britney Spears Jim Carrey President John F Kennedy (JFK) President Thomas Jefferson OSHO / Rajneesh Benjamin Franklin Joe Rogan Elizabeth Taylor PewDiePie Jimmy Fallon Jackie Chan Chris Pratt Trey Parker Aziz Ansari Jon Stewart
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Enneagram Type 7 in Love & Relationships

1️⃣ ❤️ 7️⃣

Ones and Sevens are opposite types in many ways. While these contrasting qualities can complement each other, they can also lead to a cycle of escalating conflict. The One, when experiencing the Seven as irresponsible, undisciplined, self-serving, and inconsiderate, can become judgmental and try to limit the Seven’s “indulgence” and lack of restraint. In turn, the Seven can rebel against the criticism, trivialize the One's “legitimate concerns,” and give “good advice” to the One about lightening up, something they will hear as criticism. This can devolve into explosive outbursts by the Seven and righteous fixed-position anger on the part of the One. Ultimately, this polarity can become intolerable to both types and end the relationship.

2️⃣ ❤️ 7️⃣

Both types enjoy the strengths they share in common – especially flexibility, friendliness and the love of freedom and the good life. However, Twos can find Sevens overly self-referencing and self-serving, hence not paying enough attention to the relationship or sufficiently reciprocating in give and take. Twos can then feel neglected and unappreciated and become emotional, demanding, and guilt provoking. Sevens, on the other hand, can find Twos overly focused on others, intrusive, and too needy of attention. A cycle of ever-increasing conflict can occur as the Seven, feeling smothered and limited, can respond with escapism and rationalization and the Two with angry outbursts and emotionality, possibly resulting in alienation and deterioration and even destruction of the relationship.

3️⃣ ❤️ 7️⃣

Threes and Sevens often support and encourage each other’s projects and activities. Since both types avoid painful feelings and negatives, difficulties can reach crisis proportions before they are faced. A cycle of increasing conflict can arise when the fun-loving Seven diverts from “drudge work” that the Three feels must be done. When the Three confronts the Seven’s “escapism” and the Seven counter-confronts the Three for taking the fun out of life, the conflict can further escalate. Neither wants to be the “bad guy” or a failure. This cycle of blame creates pain and anger in both. If the difficulties are not faced, alienation can take place and the relationship can dissolve.

4️⃣ ❤️ 7️⃣

Fours’ depth of feeling, welcoming of sadness, and interest in the inner world definitely complements Sevens’ orientation to pleasure, optimism, and desire to keep life up. But a cycle of escalating conflict can occur when the Seven’s upbeat stance polarizes with the Four's focus on deeper feelings and what is missing. This can lead to the Four openly disdaining the Seven’s avoidance of deep and distressing feelings and boundless connection and the Seven disdaining the Four's excess of feelings and tendency to become stuck. The Four then can push for more attention and authenticity and expresses further disappointment. The Seven gets impatient and wants to escape seeming limitations and create a positive future, which can further polarize the relationship. The gulf between them can become larger and larger culminating in a vast sea of hurt, anger, withdrawal, and even dissolution of the relationship.

5️⃣ ❤️ 7️⃣

Fives appreciate Sevens’ positive outgoing quality, many ideas, and engagement in common or separate interests. Sevens enjoy Fives' thoughtfulness, unobtrusiveness, and independence. A cycle of escalating conflict can take place, however, when the Fivee experiences the Seven as violating personal boundaries and as wanting too much contact, sociability, variety, and energy. The Seven then can experience the Five as dampening his or her enthusiasm, retracting, and becoming unavailable. Although both types get angry in bursts, they tend to back off to avoid “negative” or painful feelings and limitations. As a result, over time there may not be enough contact or commitment to sustain the relationship.

6️⃣ ❤️ 7️⃣

When Sixes’ “negative” read and Sevens’ “positive” read on events balance each other out, Sixes enjoy Sevens’ optimism and pleasure orientation, and Sevens enjoy the wit and restraint offered by Sixes. A cycle of increasing conflict can ensue, however, when the Six attempts to counteract the Seven’s seeming excessive optimism and think that his or her “legitimate” concerns are being dismissed. The Seven may become impatient with what seems like the Six’s “irrational” negativity, mistrust, and limit setting. Then the Six often believes that the Seven just can’t be counted upon. This leads to the Six’s mistrust escalating, which results in further attempts to set limits. The Six, who deplores limits, then tries to escape, providing rationalizations for his or her point of view. Finally, polarization and episodes of angry allegations can disrupt and even dissolve the relationship.

7️⃣ ❤️ 7️⃣

Sevens enjoy each other, matching one another well as free spirited companions and visionaries. They also may avoid or rationalize away difficulties. Eventually they both may feel that their claims are unheeded, their connection missing, and their pain unacknowledged. A cycle of increasing conflict may take place with claims and criticism being expressed about unfulfilled ideals and plans, self-centeredness, and a lack of time for feelings and serious matters. Blame may result characterized by angry outburst and withdrawal that can lead to one or the other escaping the distress by leaving the relationship.

8️⃣ ❤️ 7️⃣

Sevens and Eights join together in pleasureful pursuits and activities as well as in social causes and innovative ideas. They readily express their opinions and ideas and not wanting to be controlled generally want to be their own authority. A cycle of increasing conflict may ensue with the Eight, getting upset and confrontive when experiencing that the Seven is avoiding painful and difficult situations and making “excuses.” Then the Seven, feeling limited by the Eight's imposition of his or her “truth” and present time orientation resists “domination” and control and tries to get the Eight to see the “light,” which the Eight sees as resorting to increasing levels of rationalization, unreliability, and even self-serving negligence on the part of the Seven. This pattern can devolve further into angry fighting, flight on the part of the Seven, and disdain on the part of the Eight, which may disrupt and even end the relationship.

9️⃣ ❤️ 7️⃣

Sevens and Nines complement each other in their relationship. Sevens provide the agenda, take the initiative, and pursue multiple interests, and Nines go along with the Sevens’ agenda, amiably supporting the Seven’s diverse activities. In addition, both types like keeping life pleasant and free of conflict. Nevertheless, a cycle of increasing conflict may arise when the slower-paced Nines feels run over by the Seven’s plans or overlooked as a person. The Seven, in turn, experiences the Mediator as Nines and distracted by little things. If the Seven pushes for more action, attention, and interest, the Nine can get stubborn and oppositional. Since both types are conflict-avoidant, gradual disengagement and withdrawal can take place interrupted periodically by angry outbursts associated with unaddressed conflict. Ultimately, there may not be enough connection to sustain the relationship.

Source: David Daniels

Enneagram Type 7 at Work

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High Side
Innovative, optimistic, enthusiastic, funny, witty, inspirational, big-picture planners, charming, impulsive
Low Side
Irresponsible, shallow, intellectually promiscuous; dilettantes with a short attention span and poor follow-through; overstimulated
Leadership Style
Cheerleaders for ideas; management by juggling, plate spinning, walking around, storytelling, and networking
Communication Style
Brainstorming, tripping on ideas, hypothesizing, tall stories
Good Work Setting
Creative, flexible, informal, interactive, like to be "consultants": independent members of a team without line responsibility
Difficult Work Setting
Machine bureaucracies, routines, tight formal performance evaluations
Books
Thriving on Chaos by Tom Peters
Body and Soul by Anita Roddick
The Republic of Tea by Mel and Patricia Ziegler, Bill Rosenzweig

Sevens are articulate, witty, and charming connoisseurs of a makeshift, provisional life. They juggle prospects and opportunities in order to keep their options perpetually open. Flashy Sevens are upbeat futurists, playful romancers, quirky visionaries, and masterminds of grand schemes and plans.

Sevens are multifocal, doing lots of things at the same time, and multioptional, following lots of paths simultaneously. Sevens can be known as dabblers and dilettantes, eternal children who, as they evolve, become renaissance men and women, able to see the true connections among all things and able to inspire us all to see what could be.

Until they reach this point, however, they are dashing and innovative but fairly superficial. Scratching the surface would mean confronting one's inner life and psychic strengths, not an engaging prospect for most Sevens.

To stay on the surface you need to keep moving and Sevens do well in uncertain, fast-paced, information-laden settings where the basic premises change quickly and often. Sevens can be hard to pin down. They like intense, exciting projects with built-in time limits or other limits. With an escape hatch there is always the possibility for moving on.

Naturally, Sevens tend to avoid the nine-to-five workday grind. ("Why commit to a career? My life is my career!") Typically, they have had unusual nonlinear career paths. They freelance and consult. If they are in a big organization they intra-preneur. They live living by their skills and wits, they like outwitting convention and the ponderous system, and they enjoy flaunting their ability to do so.

Source: The 9 Ways of Working, Michael J. Goldberg

Enneagram Type 7 Parenting & Children

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Sevens as Parents

  • are often enthusiastic and generous
  • want their children to be exposed to many adventures in life
  • may be too busy with their own activities to be attentive

Source: The Enneagram Made Easy, Baron & Wagele

Ten Common Problems with Type 7 Children

Getting to School on Time

If Seven-ish children arrive at school late, they will try to wiggle out of the tardy list, usually sucessfully.

Study Habits

It's important for Seven-ish children to have teachers who keep things interesting and moving and who give individualized attention. Seven-style kids do best when they can pick and choose from a rich learning environmente.

Manners

Seven children charm their way through life and get away with manners that would get others in trouble. They like to tease, make fun of, and be the star.

Getting Along with Others

Though Seven children may be bossy or tease others, this is unlikely to be a major problem unless they have a strong Eight wing. Most Seven-ish children are free-spirited and good-natured; they get over upsets easily, they tend to skip over trouble, and they shun pain.

Habits

Seven-ish children don't like it when adults make them do things, but they do value a personal connection with you. They thrive on freedom, but if you give them too much, they feel neglected.

Get-Up-and-Go

Seven children are usually curious and motivated. They typically start each day full of plans, but they don't necessarily stick to them.

Standing Up for Himself or Herself

Seven-ish children will speak up for themselves in order to avoid serious confrontations. They cleverly dodge fights (unless they have a strong Eight wing) by turning on charm, unexpectedly telling a joke, or slipping away. If cornered, they may brazenly tell a lie.

Decision-Making

Seven children do not make decisions easily. They're often conflicted or ambivalent. They may say yes to a new idea, then feel horrified that now their options are narrowed.

Emotional Maturity

Since the style of Sevens is to look confident and not reveal how much they may be hurting or anxious, it's important to show them consistent, tactful concern. Seven-ish children may not tell you about something upsetting because they're trying not to let it affect them, or they may be afraid of your reaction. Yet the upset did happen, and they hurt may fester and grow if it isn't resolved. The negative side of their optimism is that they may not develop the skills needed to cope with difficulties.

Responsibility

Seven children are so busy that they may arrive late to activities. Sometimes they show up early, however, from eagerness to get started or to make sure they avoid last-minute panic. Most Seven children like doing jobs that are spontaneous. They get bored with daily routines such as washing dishes. Lackluster work is not appealing.

Source: The Enneagram of Parenting, by Elizabeth Wagele

Instinctual Variants of Enneagram Type 7

⛰️ Self-Preservation 7

The passion of guttony in the Self Preservation zones. This is "I can never have too many self preservation supplies." Self Preservation Sevens are generally the most practical 7s–feet on the ground. They know what they want and do what is necessary to obtain it. They deal with anxiety by acquiring comforts.

Some might call Self Preservation Sevens materialistic, but they are actually worldly. They like nice things and luxury when they can get it according to their economic means. They know how to get upgrades! But they feel their anxiety more directly than other Sevens and this is how they soothe themselves.

Self Preservation Sevens focus on the maintenance and domesticity zones of SP. They tend to be hard-working so self-care tends to be pampering. Spas, getting a massage, a nice meal, etc. They are the most practical Sevens and can have good business sense, knowing practical work provides their comforts.

When troubled, Self Preservation Sevens can indeed become grasping, impatient, and materialistic–infantile tantrums when they do not get desires met. Prone to repressed anxiety that bubbles over.

At their best: they know how to orchestrate people and activities to achieve dreams for themselves and others.

☀️ Social 7

The passion of gluttony in the social zones. "One can't have too much social involvement & connection.” Social Sevens are on a search to find where they want to put their talents, time, & attention. They may "try on many different hats" looking for work & a place in life that feels right.

Social Sevens are big communicators–they love conversation and learning about the world, and are often great storyteller. The social instinct makes them more earnest than some Sevens, and they often have a strong idealistic streak–sometimes thinking they are Ones. They motivate and encourage.

Social Sevens focus on the the participation/contribution zone of Social and are more aware of others' feelings than one might initially guess. Social Sevens often get deeply involved in a project or job, but often move on to something else which is not always directly related to their previous work.

When troubled, Social Sevens can become intensely restless, unable to settle in any situation, and growing increasingly angry with themselves. They know that they are smart and talented, but cannot galvanize themselves.

At their best: generous, brilliant and loyal, raising hopes for all.

🔥 Sexual 7

The passion of gluttony in the Sexual zones. "You can never have too much stimulation." Sexual Sevens are the wanderers and explorers of experience–they have the feeling that life could or should be a collection of peak experiences. The seek new frontiers, new ideas, and ways of living.

Sexual Sevens are less focused on comfort than Self Preservation Sevens–backpacking in Bhutan, trying new foods & meeting fascinating people is more their way. Sexual Sevens can look like Fives: they get turned on by exploring novel, exotic ideas. US counterculture in the late 60s had a lot of this flavor.

Sexual Sevens emphasize the edge and attraction of the Sexual zones. Less into merging, they do experience powerful attractions, and not only to people. They can be charismatic but are not particularly self-conscious about it. Yet they are confident in their power to get others interested.

When troubled, Sexual Sevens get caught up in increasingly reckless "adventures." They may harm themselves thru their excesses and exhaust their resources, both inner and outer. At their best, they are trailblazers, wise & loving friends. They inspire others to reach for their dreams.

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Source: Russ Hudson on Twitter

Typing Enneagram Sevens

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Type Sevens 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 emotion.

Type 1 vs Type 7

The confusion between type 1 and type 7 is not common because they are so very different. 1s are the most self-controlled of all nine Enneagram types, and 7s are the most spontaneous and impulsive. 1s are a Body Center type, while 7s clearly reside in the Head Center, with all their elaborate and fast moving idea generation. 1s are pragmatic realists, and 7s are the eternal optimists. However, some people do get confused, primarily because these two types are on an arrow line to one another. As a result, 7s may utilize some qualities of type 1, and 1s may relate to some qualities of type 7.

Type 2 vs Type 7

The confusion between type 2 and type 7 is reasonably common, even though there are distinct differences between the two types. 2s and 7s form part of what is called the "optimistic triad," which means they (along with type 9) tend to have a positive outlook on life, even embelling reality. Amplifying this confusion, social subtype 7, called "sacrifice" is a look-alike for type 2. These 7s will sacrafice their need to have what they want when they want it on behalf of the group–at least, momentarily–and may appear to themselves to be more like 2s.

Type 3 vs Type 7

Enneagram 3s and 7s are among the most common "look-alikes" of the nine types, so it is not unusual for many 3s to think they are 7s or 7s to think they are 3s, at least initially. They do have a lot in common on the surface. Both types are forward moving, energetic (although 7s are more so), positive in outlook (although 7s are more so), and get bored easily and don't like that feeling (although 7s are more so). Both 3s and 7s also "plan," but very differently. In addition, both 3s and 7s like to multi-task, but 3s set limits to the number of tasks they will take on, while 7s multi-task to an extreme and have trouble turning down anything that excites them. To help people sort through whether they are 3s or 7s, it is necessary to go beneath the surface, beyond behavior and into what drives the behavior.

Type 4 vs Type 7

Type 4s and 7s can be thought of as opposites. Type 7s run away from sorrow and pain almost more than anything else–limits are something they also avoid–while 4s move toward pain and suffering, both their own and that of others. So why do people sometimes confus 7s with 4s when they are so different? There are two reasons for this. First, one of the three v

Type 5 vs Type 7

5s and 7s don't often cause confusion when people are trying to identify their types because the minds of 5s and 7s work so differently, and the ways in which they interact with others are distinctive. However, confusion can occur because both types are formed in the Head Center of Intelligence–and as a result, both have fear as the emotion driving their Ego structure–and they are on an arrow line with one another. This means that some 5s may also have some type 7 qualities and vice versa.

Type 6 vs Type 7

6s and 7s are very different, but they can be mistaken for each other. Both 6s and 7s are formed in the Head Center of Intelligence and, thus, have fear as their common formative emotion; 6s respond to fear by being vigilant about themselves, others and their surroundings, while 7s run from their fear by pleasurable possibility thinking. 6s are idealistic realists who hope for the best and use planning as a way to remove obstacles to their desired intention, while 7s rarely think about what could go wrong. In addition, because these two types are wings of one another, 6s may have some qualities of 7 in them and vice versa.

Type 8 vs Type 7

The confusion between type 1 and type 7 is not common because they are so very different. 1s are the most self-controlled of all nine Enneagram types, and 7s are the most spontaneous and impulsive. 1as are a Body Center type, while 7s clearly reside in the Head Center, with all their elaborate and fast moving idea generation. 1s are pragmatic realists, and 7s are the eternal optimists. However, some people do get confused, primarily because these two types are on an arrow line to one another. As a result, 7s may utilize some qualities of type 1, and 1s may relate to some qualities of type 7.

Type 9 vs Type 7

The confusion between type 1 and type 7 is not common because they are so very different. 1s are the most self-controlled of all nine Enneagram types, and 7s are the most spontaneous and impulsive. 1as are a Body Center type, while 7s clearly reside in the Head Center, with all their elaborate and fast moving idea generation. 1s are pragmatic realists, and 7s are the eternal optimists. However, some people do get confused, primarily because these two types are on an arrow line to one another. As a result, 7s may utilize some qualities of type 1, and 1s may relate to some qualities of type 7.

Source: The Art of Typing by Ginger Lapid Bogda

Enneagram Type 7 Harmonics (Handling Conflict)

Positive Outlook

People whose dominant Harmonic approach is the Positive Outlook approach are generally optimistic and tend to avoid negative thoughts or situations. Under stress, they seek to avoid the problem, distract themselves with something else, or minimize the problem. These types want to feel good and want others around them feel good. They would rather have everyone happy (including themselves) than to deal with problems or negativity (especially in themselves). Unfortunately this approach can lead them to deny the existence of their problems and therefore delay addressing them.These types also have issues with finding a balance between meeting their own needs and meeting the needs of others.

Positive Outlook of Sevens

Sevens can get into conflicts by being impatient, irresponsible, and excessive. Sevens tend to focus on their positive expectations for satisfaction and fulfillment. Sevens are in fact fleeing from a threatening internal world and seeking security in the external world. If Sevens slow down, their minds may be drawn into the inner world of grief, sadness, and disappointment. Their quick minds avoid dealing with conflict and problems through distraction and constant activity. Sevens do not typically internalize their experiences; they remain somewhat unattached to people and things. In conflict, Sevens can quickly discard things and cancel commitments (i.e., the needs of others) without feelings of regret. It is easier to move on to happier things than to stay with things that depress. Sevens tend to reject the needs of others in favour of fulfilling their own.

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Source: Rob Fitzel

Enneagram Seven with Six Wing (7/6 or 7w6)

6️⃣

Average 7/6

Most average 7/6es are natural comedians. The sevenish desire to entertain others is enhanced by the sixish desire to be liked. Driven by sixish anxiety into wild, sevenish schemes, they can at times become panic-stricken if their impulsive plans lead them into difficulty. Sevenish gaiety is more powerful than sixish mistrust, so they might not choose their friends wisely. Unlike the power-oriented 7/8, 7/6 would rather move away from conflict than into it.

Healthy 7/6

Balanced 7/6 finds a centered calmness, as impulsivity and the desire to entertain begin to fall away. Instead of shifting to another mood, there is a willingness to wait and see where this one leads. The slippery, happy-go-lucky quality is replaced by a smooth feeling of attentive watchfulness. There is a kind of directed, joyful intelligence to the healthy 7/6, like a sure presence, with an unlimited attention span.

Extremely integrated 7/6 becomes the master of many talents because of fiveish perceptivity, combined with deep fulfillment and pleasure from the experience of being fully present. 7/6 is profoundly grateful for the continuing opportunity to take part in the unfolding drama of life. (What a gorgeous, unpredictably fantastic world! What incredible beauty there is in even the smallest details of this universe! How excitingly alive I feel, and how at-one with the world! Let’s celebrate together the deep abundance of life and love.)

Unbalanced 7/6

When 7/6 stresses, the search for ever-increasing levels of excitement and stimulation seems at first like a way out of the apparent trap of boredom and unease, but it brings only temporary relief. (Perhaps another kind of fun will help me avoid this increasing sense of hopeless ambivalence. Maybe I should start a new company, or have a great big party!) Unbalanced 7/6 tries to find the answer in increasingly grand plans for great, exciting events.

But the ever-growing fear and boredom keep coming back, as excessive stimulation approaches dangerous levels. Without increasing awakeness, this course of exciting overload leads to extreme exhaustion, and a kind of despairing depression that totally incapacitates. At the bottom of the scale of health, 7/6 becomes a worn-out husk, utterly debilitated, whether by drugs, sexual excess, or general overstimulation, and totally incapable of self-care. At every opportunity, every means available is used to provide some escape. Without some kind of external help, such a person will ultimately die of excess.

Source: Intuitive Enneagram, Nick Turner

Enneagram Seven with Eight Wing (7/8 or 7w8)

8️⃣

Average 7/8

Average 7/8s can be aggressive and flamboyant. Seven‘s talkativeness and charisma combine with eight‘s outgoing power to create a personality that is often well-suited for starting big projects, but ill-suited for continuing them. Unlike the gentler 7/6, 7/8s are not afraid to make themselves unpopular. In fact, sometimes they seem to delight in generating shocked reactions. 7/8 is not as careless of image as the rougher 8/7. 7/8 usually wants to be fun to look at, sometimes to colorful, elaborate extremes.

Healthy 7/8

With balance, 7/8 settles down. Becoming aware of the compulsive nature of the desire for excess and learning how to moderate the constant power-trip, healthy 7/8 finds that other people are much easier to get along with when they are not being pushed or receiving a hard-sell on some wild idea. Love and appreciation for subtlety become important aspects of a life that includes increasing amounts of silent, peaceful contemplation.

Highly integrated 7/8 discovers that by letting the mind’s chatter come to its own end, a new level of perception emerges, with a much greater understanding of how the world fits together. Instead of exploding outward into wildly impulsive activity, 7/8 harnesses enthusiasm for practical uses. Life becomes a joyful, loving celebration. (Look how much we have been given! Jump into the beautiful universe with both feet! Find your power and become what you were meant to be!)

Unbalanced 7/8

Under stress, 7/8 gets ever-wilder. When others fail to respond with enough enthusiasm to the high-pressure sales tactics, and the high of the latest exciting trip begins to wear off, it’s time for the next wild ride. Maybe just a little bigger dose will do it. New ideas seem to erase old problems, and each one is bigger and better than the last one. If it doesn’t work, forget it and move to the next grand scheme. (You’ve got to try this, it’s totally fantastic!)

As the highs get higher, the lows scrape lower. But the miserable mornings are soon forgotten, because there’s an even better high coming. (What a fabulous idea I’ve got! All I need is a thousand bucks and you’ll get it all back next week! But first, lets have an all-night party to celebrate!) Very unbalanced 7/8 heads into ever-deeper entrapments, promising ever-greater rewards to those who will finance (or otherwise support) rapidly exploding levels of excessive indulgence. It all leads inevitably to the great crash, and utter dissipation. Fearfully, psychotic 7/8 withdraws into a shell of total escapist fantasy, depressed and lost in exhaustion. Possibly, the law is hot on the trail by now, and jail is not far away.

Source: Intuitive Enneagram, Nick Turner

Music Inspired by Enneagram Type 7

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Enneagram Type 7 Fictional Characters

Pippin and Merry - Lord of the Rings
Pippin and Merry • Lord of the Rings
Ariel The Little Mermaid
Ariel • The Little Mermaid
Mark - Gray's Anatomy
Mark • Gray's Anatomy
Lord Henry Wotton - Dorian Gray
Lord Henry Wotton • Dorian Gray
Lydia Bennet - Pride and Prejudice
Lydia Bennet • Pride and Prejudice
Alexis Rose - Schitt's Creek
Alexis Rose • Schitt's Creek
Han Solo - Star Wars
Han Solo • Star Wars
Sirius Black - Harry Potter
Sirius Black • Harry Potter
Tracy Morgan - 30 Rock
Tracy Jordan • 30 Rock
Star Lord - Guardians of the Galaxy
Star-Lord • Guardians of the Galaxy
Dora - Finding Nemo
Dora • Finding Nemo
Harley Quinn - Suicide Squad
Harley Quinn • Suicide Squad
Dustin - Stranger Things
Dustin • Stranger Things
Tyrion Lannister Game of Thrones
Tyrion Lannister • Game of Thrones
The Joker - The Dark Knight
The Joker • The Dark Knight
Marvel's Thor
Thor • Marvel Cinematic Universe
Tigger - Winnie the Pooh
Tigger Winnie the Pooh
Aladdin's Genie
Genie • Aladdin
Aladdin's Genie
Jack Sparrow • Pirates of the Caribbean
Michelangelo - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Michelangelo • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Michelangelo - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Peter Pan • Walt Disney's Peter Pan
Joey Tribbiani - Friends
Joey Tribbiani • Friends
Michael Scott - The Office
Michael Scott • The Office
Rick Sanchez - Rick and Morty
Uncle Rick Sanchez • Rick and Morty
Fred & George Weasley - Harry Potter
Fred & George Weasley Harry Potter
Dr. Evil - Austin Powers
Dr. Evil Austin Powers
Damon - Vampire Diaries
Damon Vampire Diaries
Don Quixote
Don Quixote Don Quixote

How Enneagram Type 7 Can Level Up (Personal Growth)

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☑️ Sit Still

Sevens are perpetually in motion, always chasing the next exciting experience. Their lives will only transform once they learn to slow down, and even stop altogether once in a while. A disciplined meditation practice can help.
It is important to expect nothing, to take every experience, including the negative ones, as merely steps on the path, and to proceed.
Ram Dass

☑️ Create, Don't Consume

The overflowing energy and enthusiasm for Sevens is both a gift and a curse. Sevens will find much more satisfaction if they can channel their energy into creativity. But if it instead drives them into the pursuit of more stimulating experiences, all that energy will turn against them, making true happiness impossible.
Don't ever underestimate the value and power of doing nothing sometime.
Aditya Ajmera

☑️ Pay Attention

Sevens travel to the future in their minds because the excitement of anticipation covers up whatever is bothering them at the moment. Next time you catch yourself future-tripping, see if you can pause, pay attention, and see what's lurking beneath the surface.
To pay attention, this is our endless and proper work.
Mary Oliver

☑️ Detox

Anything stimulating can become an addiction for Sevens (and they often have many). Take stock of what your "addictions" are (with kindness and without judgment). Then, set the intention to cut down on one or two–or cease them altogether.
Why is patience so important? Because it makes us pay attention.
Paulo Coelho

☑️ Feel Your Pain

Anything stimulating can become an addiction for Sevens (and they often have many). Take stock of what your "addictions" are (with kindness and without judgment). Then, set the intention to cut down on one or two–or cease them altogether.
Feel your emotions,
Live true your passions,
Keep still your mind.
Geoffrey M. Gluckman

Source: The Heroic Enneagram, by Marshall Æon

Enneagram Type 7 Spirituality

"The Enneagram is a lens that can be used independently of any spiritual, religious, or mystical belief. Both religious and non-religious people can find immense value in using the Enneagram. However, some people find value in examining their spiritual lives through the lens of the Enneagram. This brings greater objectivity and self-awareness to the spiritual path. Many Christians, Buddhists, Jews, Muslims, and atheists have found the Enneagram complementary to their unique views and beliefs."  –Marshall Æon

"Seven is the part of us that oriented toward freedom, experience and positivity. On the deepest level, it's just about the joy of existence–the celebration of our being here, of our life. People who are Sevens have a gift for bringing ideas, possibilities, and new horizons. They also have a gift for bringing postivity and hope to people. Don Riso used to call Sevens the spark plug of the Enneagram. They have a lot of energy, vivacity, and a real will to explore this world and the experiences of it while there is life and health.

"When Sevens are less present, this can manifest as a kind of scatteredness, an impatience with myself. I want to explore too many things, and I always feel like I'm running out of time. When that happens, I don't sink into any particular situation or experience deeply enough to really get the fulfillment of it. And I end up feeling more and more frustrated and impatient with myself and disappoiinteed. Even though I will do my best to create some kind of positivity for myself and others. Nonetheleess, there's a growing frustration, and even a bitterness that can come into the Seven. Needless to say, that can create a lot of suffering and make it very difficult for the people who care about them. "

Russ Hudson, The Enneagram Institute

The Holy Ideas of Point 7: Holy Wisdom, Holy Work, Holy Plan

Holy Wisdom is, like other Holy Ideas, a certain way of experiencing oneself and reality as a whole. If you have basic trust and you are being present, you realize that there is an evolution, a transformation that happens, and that there is a specific design to this evolution and transformation. This evolution happens according to a certain design—a design that is true for all human beings. This design is called the Holy Plan or the Holy Work. It’s a Holy Plan in the sense that there is a specific universal design—which is the same thing as the process of the cosmos or the macrocosm replicating itself in the microcosm. Holy Work is the actual evolution itself, the actual transformation, so it is seeing that there is an actual transformation progressing from one step to another, from one stage to another, and going in a certain direction.

Perceiving this design and this process of transformation is Holy Wisdom, which is perceiving the Holy Work or the Holy Plan. So, again, it has to do with functioning—functioning from the perspective of a design. If you have this perspective, obviously you will have basic trust. Knowing that things are unfolding according to a certain design, you do not need to have your own plans. You don’t need to fantasize about how things should be. So we can see how the loss or the absence of this Idea leads you to fantasize about how things should be, how you are going to be, to make plans, to plan for the future.

Source: A. H. Almaas, Facets of Unity, page 162

Sources

Marshall Æon

Marshall Æon

The Heroic Enneagram

I originally intended for this page to be a curation of my favorite Enneagram resources, but I discovered that I had much of my own to contribute (Strengths, Weaknesses, Personal Growth). In fact, soon I found myself actually writing a book! It's still a work in progress.

If you'd like to support my book project, you can become a supporter and receive a special early supporter offer:

Become a Supporter

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The Heroic Enneagram by Marshall Æon
Russ Hudson

Russ Hudson

"I met Russ at a Diamond Approach event, which eventually led to me working for the Enneagram Institute for 3 years. During that time, I received multiple trainings from Russ and we made the below video together, which I've transcribed for the Spirituality section. You can follow Russ on Twitter, which is where he posted the info that I reproduced in the Instinctual Variants section."

Elizabeth Wagele

Elizabeth Wagele

"I had lunch with Elizabeth Wagele a few times and we were planning to collaborate on a project. But sadly it never happened because she passed away a short time later. 😔 She wrote what is probably the most popular Enneagram book of all time, The Enneagram Made Easy. It's been translated into 17 languages! While it's not perfect, this is a great book for beginners, and makes ample use of cartoons so that even children can enjoy it. The Parenting section of this page comes from her book, Enneagram of Parenting.

Nick Turner

Nick Turner

"Nick was one of the first people to become certified to teach the Enneagram by the Enneagram Institute in 1992. When I first began studying the Enneagram over 15 years ago, Nick's type descriptions were my favorite on the internet. I've reproduced parts of them here for the Seven with Six Wing and Seven with Eight Wing sections. Back then, he published them on a whimsical website that he called Curiosity Junction. His new website is called Intuitive Enneagram, which you can visit for his full type descriptions. Nick offers an Enneagram Discovery Retreat at the Willowspring retreat center in northwest Oregon."

A. H. Almaas

A. H. Almaas

"I consider A. H. Almaas one of the greatest spiritual teachers of all time. That's why I joined his inner work school and I've been a student of his Diamond Approach for 13 years. The Holy Ideas part of the Spirituality section of this page comes from the book, Facets of Unity, which goes into the different non-dual perspectives of unity that the Enneagram reveals. This is an advanced spiritual teaching for those looking to deepen their understanding of unity consciousness."

Facets of Unity Book
Ginger Lapid-Bogda

Ginger Lapid-Bogda, PhD

"Ginger is no fan of Enneagram tests but she has been recommending my Enneagram test for a few years now. She's been teaching the Enneagram for decades around the world and now she trains coaches. Ginger recently published an excellent book on the Art of Typing (which I've excerpted in the Typing section, but there's much more in the book).

The Art of Typing Book
Michael Goldberg

Michael J. Goldberg

"I'm featuring Michael's excellent work applying the Enneagram to the workplace, but Michael also has traced the Enneagram back to Ancient Greece, in Homer's Odyssey, which I find utterly fascinating."

David Daniels

David Daniels

"David Daniels cofounded The Narrative Enneagram with Helen Palmer and was clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University Medical School for over 30 years. He passed away on 2017 and you can watch a memorial video made by Suzanne Dion. The Love and Relationships section on this page comes the Enneagram Relationships Matrix on David's website."

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