The Optimist Back to Enneagram
Type Seven
The Enthusiastic, Spontaneous and Accomplished Person
AKA: The Enthusiast, The Motivator, The Peter Pan
Typically: Sevens are enthusiastic, joyful, and accomplished in a variety of areas. They are outgoing and spontaneous and their lightheartedness can lower the tension in a group. They are creative thinkers and see possibilities everywhere. The most extroverted type, Sevens are adventuresome and optimistic, and can inspire people to enjoy work and life in general.
When stressed: In their pursuit of pleasure, and to avoid boredom and pain, Sevens jump from project to project, and become materialistic and obsessed with planning and controlling events and people. They can be overactive, superficial, impulsive, and lack commitment in finishing things. They fear pain and deprivation, and in their desire to be satisfied, tend to be demanding and self-centered.
Point of View: "It is important to me to have options and a variety of interesting experiences."
Examples: Pat Croce, Robin Williams, Richard Branson, Stephen Spielberg, Malcolm Forbes, Joan Rivers, Bette Midler, Elizabeth Taylor, Howard Stern, Carol Burnett.
Focus on: Plans and possibilities.
Important Issues: Optimism, planning, energy, follow-through, gluttony, short attention span
Approach to Problem Solving: "Let’s look at the bright side."
What They Like in Others: Optimism, lightheartedness, spontaneity.
What They Dislike Like in Others: Pessimism, stuffiness, rigidity.
How They Frustrate Others: Hyperactivity, inappropriateness, lack of commitment.
Chief Asset to Team: Joy. Sevens have a unique ability to experience joy in the little things in life. Their happiness and good-humor are infectious and inspire those around them to have fun as well.
Core Struggle: Sevens feel anxiety about the uncertainty of the future so they take the initiative and start to create plans, trying to make the future less arbitrary.
Unconscious Contradiction: Sevens have a secret self that they don’t want to share with others, but feel that if they don’t engage with others they will not be loved and supported. Their effervescent manner is a means of engaging without really engaging.
Coping Strategy: Intellectualization. Sevens control their anxiety by filling their minds with thoughts of potential experiences. They fantasize about what they are going to do very soon, or could be doing, and often, when they are doing one thing they are thinking about doing something else.
Vice: Gluttony, which manifests itself in an intense hunger for things, experiences, activity, etc., to keep unhappiness away.
The Lie Sevens Tell Themselves—"Everything will be fine when (fill in the blank) happens."
Counterproductive Trap—Idealism. Believing in the best possibilities helps Sevens reassure themselves that the future will be okay. Clinging to the fantasy reframes the future as a positive place rather than a negative (or even realistic) possibility.
Area of Avoidance—Pain. Sevens try to fill up on anything that will keep away the pain of the barrenness they feel inside.
Anti-Self Behavior—Self-Symbolizing. By focusing on happy fantasies and possibilities, Sevens can intellectualize their experience. Their lives become a representative symbol rather than actual experience.
Potential Strengths as Leaders: Inspirational; energetic; enthusiastic; seeing possibilities and opportunity everywhere.
Potential Weaknesses as Leaders: Lack focus; think short-term; unable to focus on strategy; unrealistic.
