Enneagram Type Seven Description

Click on a link below to go to that section of this page:

In-Depth Description of Enneagram Type Seven

Career Talents, Values & Interests for Enneagram Type Sevens

Natural Gifts and Talents of Sevens
Some Life Values of Sevens
Careers That Especially Interest Sevens

Relationship Compatibility for Sevens with Other Types

Things Sevens Can Do to Help Themselves Grow

Type Seven’s Wing Descriptions

Type Seven’s Subtype Descriptions

Heart and Defensive Points/Arrows for Type Seven

In-Depth Description of Enneagram Type Seven

An explanation of the Core Enneagram type can be found here, which opens in a new window.

Common Descriptive Names: (1) The Epicure, (2) The Enthusiast, (3) The Entertainer

Unconscious Fear for type Seven: Of being deprived or limited or stuck in pain

To compensate for their Unconscious Fear an Unconscious Desire arises.....

Unconscious Desire for type Seven: To be satisfied, fulfilled and happy

For a comprehensive summary of each Enneagram type and the major aspects of this system, click on
“The Enneagram Cheat Sheet,” which opens in a new window.

As our personality was forming in early childhood we each developed limiting subconscious beliefs
about ourselves, others and the world. For example, your mother or father might have yelled at you
“Get your hands out of there!” or “You should be ashamed of yourself!” or “Stop being such a cry
baby!” If you had really loving parents you might have heard, “Don’t touch that, it’s hot!” or “Don’t do
that, you might hurt yourself!” We also developed limiting beliefs about others. Growing up you may
have heard, “I don’t want you to play with those kinds of kids” or “Salesmen are sleazebags” or
“Politicians are so duplicitous and two-faced.” We also developed limiting beliefs about the world.
Newspapers and television constantly bombard our minds with reports of scandals, crimes, wars,
economic crises, natural disasters, and political corruption. Does this help us believe the world is a
loving, safe place to live? Of course not. One way or another, none of us escaped childhood without
some limiting subconscious beliefs. Your Enneagram type identifies some of the strongest
subconscious beliefs that you’ve developed over time based on your distorted perception of reality.
The following subconscious beliefs of Sevens stem from their unconscious fear and will continue to
drive their personality until they learn to reprogram their subconscious beliefs, which will be talked
about in the article on “The Law of Attraction.”

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Limiting Subconscious Beliefs for type Seven:
• I require numerous enjoyable outside experiences to feel fulfilled.
• Something better (more exciting, more fun) has to be just around the corner; I just
need to keep looking.
• To be loved I must keep myself positive and life “up.”

Core Coping Strategies for Sevens: (where Sevens focus their attention because of their
subconscious beliefs)
• Heightened imagination and positive, anticipatory thinking
• Keeping life upbeat, exciting and enjoyable
• Putting a positive reframe on negative experiences
• Moving on to something better when stuck in pain
• Focusing on the bright side, even in difficult situations
• Resilience – bouncing back quickly after painful incidents
• Planning ability (for pleasurable, positive experiences)
• Imagining and engaging in interesting activities
• Explaining and justifying own inappropriate behavior (rationalizing)
• Avoiding negative feelings that bring life down

Here’s a brief profile of some healthy, very healthy, average, unhealthy and destructive type
Seven traits.

Healthy Sevens are optimistic, enthusiastic, idealistic and excitable. They view life as an action-
packed, fun-filled adventure yet they also want to contribute to others because of their idealism. They
are outgoing and curious and find life to be exhilarating, invigorating and an endless source of
fascination. Healthy Sevens are spontaneous, upbeat and highly responsive to their environment.
They have quick, agile minds and vast amounts of energy for work and play. Healthy Sevens are so
enjoyable to be around because they’re infectiously high-spirited and vivacious. They are also
generous and want to share their joy, gratitude and appreciation of life with others. They are sociable
and like going places and doing active things with people. Healthy Sevens can be extremely playful,
entertaining and quick-witted. They smile and laugh a lot, enjoy telling stories and are eager to share
a joke or two with everyone they meet. Healthy Sevens are free-spirited and often lift the spirits of
more serious or melancholy types.
But healthy Sevens aren’t just about fun and games. They are highly practical and prolific achievers
too. They tend to be multitalented and often become accomplished in many areas. They are versatile
and resourceful generalists who are often highly creative and productive, able to cross-fertilize their
interests, skills and talents from many diverse areas. They are able to visualize the future they want
to create and plan accordingly. They then organize and execute their life according to their values and
priorities to manifest their desired future.
Healthy Sevens take disappointments and setbacks in stride. Very little keeps them down for long
because they believe people are meant to be happy and life is meant to be fun. So, they bounce back
from heartaches and disappointments, even calamities, with amazing resilience and often renewed zest
for life.

Very healthy Sevens, like Benjamin Franklin*, are grounded in the present moment and appreciative
of whatever life presents them because they know it is all good. No longer scattered by a hyperactive
mind, very healthy Sevens are able to allow their experiences to touch them deeply. They savor every
moment fully rather than anticipating future moments in the mind and missing out on this moment.
They contribute their time and energy to worthwhile causes because they want everyone to share in

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the delight, wonderment and magic of life. They have an ecstatic sense of being swept along by life
and feel confident that they will always have enough of what they need to be content and joyous.
* My speculation based on his life and my experience with the Enneagram

Average Sevens fear missing out on fun experiences so they try to do more and stay busy. They
insist on being free, keeping their options open, and are constantly making plans for new, exciting
future adventures. Average Sevens are seekers of continuous excitement and stimulation and find the
everyday drudgeries of life dull (like Fours). They have a hard time putting limits on themselves,
denying themselves or being bored for a moment. They tend to be undisciplined, hyperactive and
acquisitive (hoping that “things” will bring them satisfaction). As they become more restless, average
Sevens fear missing out on pleasures and experiences so they become indiscriminate, scattering their
energy, talents and resources in every direction with no particular focus. They lose their sense of
priorities and never stay with one thing long enough to really develop it. They can be superficial
dabblers who are way overextended, trying to do too many things at once and doing none of them
very well (work-wise) or fully enjoying any of them in the moment (play-wise). They are trying to find
the experiences that they believe will satisfy them but never quite seem to find them or get enough to
feel fulfilled and content. Rather than seeing this unfulfilling pattern in themselves and changing their
behavior, average Sevens try to experience an ever wider range of experiences that they believe will
surely satisfy them. But the more they seek stimulation outside themselves the more out of control
and anxious they become inside. It can create a vicious cycle of ever increasing impulsive activity and
ever increasing anxiety. Their flight from boredom is really a flight from unconscious pain and fear.
Average Sevens are outspoken. They have a tendency to say whatever comes to mind because they
are more or less uninhibited. They enjoy making wisecracks and playing practical jokes. They also
enjoy telling stories and often exaggerate for effect.
Average Sevens can be non-committal. They crave variety and excitement and fear being deprived of
anything they want or being constrained in any way. So, commitments seem confining rather than
appealing to average Sevens. Most people find Sevens amusing and entertaining but their
indefatigable and restless energy can be exhausting for someone who’s in a relationship with an
average Seven. Sevens want their partner to do things with them so unless their partner is willing and
able to keep up with them, average Sevens will get bored with their partner and get itchy feet to move
on to someone new and exciting. It was probably a Seven who coined the phrase, “the grass is always
greener on the other side of the fence.” Average Sevens have difficulty dealing with other people’s
negative or painful emotions because they don’t like dealing with their own.

Unhealthy Sevens live more and more excessively and extravagantly to escape their growing
anxieties and fear of deprivation. They are capricious and hedonistic, narcissistic and crude. They
have repressed emotional problems that lead them to indulge their every appetite and yet never feel
satisfied. Increasingly frustrated and dissatisfied, unhealthy Sevens can become rude, self-centered,
thoughtless, demanding, impatient and insensitive to others. If they have addictive tendencies they
will fully come out at this level. Reckless spending is common. Unhealthy Sevens can unintentionally
cause others a lot of pain with their irresponsible and erratic behavior but they will rationalize their
behavior and deny guilt or responsibility for causing any problems.

Destructive Sevens attempt to escape anxiety by any means possible. They are extremely
impulsive, manic, infantile, compulsive and out of control. Their need for instant gratification has lead
them to serious addiction problems. They have no tolerance or capacity to deal with any kind of
unpleasantness or suffering. Drug and alcohol abuse, sexual addiction and gambling are all common.
Sevens at this level can’t sustain their manic lifestyle for long, however, and so “crash” into extremely
erratic mood swings and debilitating depressions as well as frequent panic attacks and episodes of
paralyzing terror. They usually have severe health problems. Because of their excessive lifestyle,
unhealthy Sevens can bring about the very thing they were trying to avoid, being stuck in pain (their
unconscious fear).

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Career Talents, Values & Interests for Enneagram type SEVENS
I want to say from the outset that the Enneagram is one system among many powerful
ones that can be used to help people understand their vocational talents, values and interests by
understanding WHO THEY ARE INSIDE!
Goldie Hawn and Jack Nicholson are two famous Enneagram Sevens but look how different
they are based on other systems (click on the links below to see what I mean):

SYSTEM GOLDIE HAWN JACK NICHOLSON

Goldie Hawn Biography Jack Nicholson Biography
Temperament system True Blue Bold Orange
Myers-Briggs system ENFP ESTP
Dosha Type system Vata-Pitta type Pitta-Vata type
Aura Colors system Blue/Yellow Green/Yellow
Bodily-Kinesthetic, Bodily-Kinesthetic,
Multiple Intelligences system Visual-Spatial Visual-Spatial
Numerology system born on the 21st of the month born on the 22nd of the month
Numerology system 24/6 Life Path 28/10 Life Path
Astrology system Moon opposition Mercury Sun conjunct Uranus
Astrology system Venus square Pluto Sun square Pluto
Astrology system Goldie’s Astrology Report Jack’s Astrology Report
Michael system (Mature Soul) Sage (Mature Soul) Sage
Go to Famous People Analyzed for more information on these famous people. If you are
interested in vocational guidance yourself then go to that area of this website by clicking on the
following link: Vocational Guidance.
So, what DO Goldie Hawn and Jack Nicholson have in common, both being Enneagram type
Sevens?

All Sevens are motivated by the need to live life to the fullest and have fun. They do their
best to keep life upbeat as much as possible and themselves happy! Sevens see life as a fun-
filled adventure and they are constantly making plans for new, exciting experiences, even while
they are having them! For Sevens, work needs to be fun or they feel constricted and stifled.
They love to laugh and try to help more serious types lighten up and laugh more too. Sevens are
pretty independent (even when relationship-oriented) and somewhat anti-authoritarian. They
need freedom, variety and multiple options in their work, as in their personal life. They hate
being told what they can and can’t do at work. Sevens see boring, predictable, routine work as
akin to a slow, painful death – and would never stand for it! Doesn’t that sound like both
Goldie Hawn and Jack Nicholson?
Sevens can have either a Six wing or an Eight wing. Goldie Hawn is a Seven with a Six
wing and Jack Nicholson is a Seven with an Eight wing. If, after clicking on the previous
links, you feel that you are more of a Seven with a strong Six wing, look at what Enneagram type
Sixes need for career satisfaction as well. If you feel you are more of a Seven with a strong Eight
wing, look at what Enneagram type Eights need for career satisfaction as well.
The biggest problem for Sevens is that they pick up skills with such relative ease and have
so many varied experiences in life that they soon become multi-talented. It becomes difficult for
average Sevens to know what they want to do when they grow up! Many Sevens have such a
wide-ranging curiosity that sticking with one career for long feels boring. A work-related problem
that average to unhealthy Sevens can have is being too self-centered, undisciplined and
hyperactive. They can have problems with completing tasks on time, especially ones that need to

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be done but aren’t fun. Craving ever more stimulation, some unhealthy Sevens can have
addiction problems that get in the way of their ability to work productively.
Healthy Sevens are enthusiastic, ecstatic appreciators of life. They are accomplished
achievers due to their ability to assimilate experiences in-depth rather than just skimming the
surface. They are practical and productive, able to cross-fertilize their varied areas of interest.
Examples of healthy Sevens are Bob Hope, Carol Burnett, Jim Carey, John F. Kennedy,
Robin Williams, Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, Benjamin Franklin and Eddy Murphy.

Natural Gifts and Talents of Sevens

As a Seven, I have some, or all, of these natural gifts and talents that I take for granted:
1. The ability to “think outside the box” and envision exciting, creative and novel ideas
2. The ability to see patterns and possibilities
3. The ability to see the big picture and the implications of my actions and ideas
4. The ability to learn quickly and do many different things well (can be a blessing or a curse)
5. The ability to experiment, investigate, explore and discover (I’m insatiably curious!)
6. The ability to accumulate enormous amounts of varied information (again, I’m so curious!)
7. The ability to work in a fast-paced, unpredictable environment calling for quick thinking/action
8. The ability to entertain others and make people laugh
9. The ability to brainstorm and create multiple options to solve a problem
10. The ability to courageously take risks, try new things and overcome or circumvent obstacles
11. The ability to read people well; to understand their needs and motivations
12. The ability to see the bright side of any problem or situation
13. The ability to bring enthusiasm, optimism, passion and fun to whatever work I do
14. The ability to arouse enthusiasm and excitement in others for my products, services or
projects (great for winning supporters, investors or followers)
15. The ability to synthesize other peoples’ ideas and present my own original ones
16. The ability to network, communicate and interact well in interpersonal/social situations
17. The ability to bring people together who I know could benefit one another
18. The ability to see the best in anyone or anything
19. The ability to cheer people up when they’re down or just lighten the mood of others
20. The ability to see points of agreement between people’s different points of view
21. The ability to act spontaneously and adapt quickly to changing situations
22. The ability to multitask and juggle many roles and responsibilities in life
23. The ability to go and go and go.... until I crash (like the Energizer bunny!)
24. The ability to identify and make use of available resources in ingenious ways
25. The ability to accept/appreciate differences and go with the flow
26. The ability to work well with my hands, with tools and with machinery (some Sevens)
27. The ability to plan (especially exciting things to do!)
28. The ability to anticipate wonderful things happening for me

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Work Values
Some of the work values important to Sevens are (choose which ones apply to you):
• Challenge • Meaningful work
• Change and variety • Ongoing learning
• Contact with others • Originality and creativity
• Contribution (to betterment of world) • Outdoor work
• Excitement and adventure • Power & authority (7s with an 8 wing)
• Fast pace • Risk-taking
• Freedom • Security (7s with a 6 wing)
• Hands-on work • Sociability
• Independence • Time/Schedule flexibility

Universal Life Values

Which of the following universal life values are important to you?
• A loving, intimate partnership • Good physical fitness
• Aesthetics/beauty • Inner peace
• Career fulfillment/success • Integrity/honesty
• Close family relationships • Joy/happiness
• Close friendships • Ongoing learning potential
• Faith/spiritual connection • Service/contribution
• Financial security/comfort • Creativity/originality
• Good health/wellness • Time freedom/independence

Some Life Values of Sevens

Some of the life values important to Sevens are (choose which ones apply to you):
• A great sense of humor • Friendship
• A sharp wit • Full engagement with life
• A wide variety of experiences • Gregariousness
• Accomplishment • Happiness
• Anything new and exciting • Having fun
• Being adventuresome • Having multiple options/choices
• Being amused • Imagination
• Being energetic • Insatiable curiosity
• Being happy-go-lucky yet practical • Lightening others up
• Being optimistic • Lots of laughter
• Camaraderie • Making others laugh
• Cheerfulness • New “toys” (material possessions)
• Companionship • Pleasure
• Conviviality • Positive anticipation
• Creativity • Positive possibility thinking
• Ecstatic appreciation for life • Productivity
• Egalitarianism • Resourcefulness
• Enjoyment • Sociability
• Entertainment • Spontaneity
• Enthusiasm • Unreservedness
• Freedom • Versatility

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As a Seven, career satisfaction means doing work that.....
1. Allows me to work with a diverse group of people who are fun-loving, funny, interesting to
talk to (perhaps even unusual, quirky or idiosyncratic in some way) and full of great stories to
tell.
2. Allows me to work with a boss who is easy to get along with, completely open to new ideas
(especially all of mine) and gives me plenty of freedom to manage my own time and work
environment with a bare minimum of rules, regulations and limitations (preferably none!).
3. Is adventurous, fun, challenging, exciting and always varied!
4. Is done in a dynamic, engaging, entertaining, stimulating environment.
5. Allows me to use my fertile imagination and ingenuity to experiment, explore and brainstorm.
6. Allows me to work on a variety of interesting projects with other people, motivated by creative
possibilities.
7. Allows me to meet new people, constantly be learning and continually satisfies my curiosity.
8. Is consistent with my strong personal values, beliefs and ideals and has meaning and
significance for me beyond a paycheck.
9. Allows me to act enthusiastically, laugh spontaneously and often, and lighten the mood of
others.
10. Doesn’t require me to do tedious, boring, routine, detail work.

Sample Type Seven Personal Mission Statements

Most people don’t have a personal mission statement which is why I am including some here
based on each Enneagram type’s innate gifts, talents, interests and values. A personal mission
statement is nothing more than a brief written statement of your overall purpose in life, your
personal vision for who you want to be in and for the world. Helen Keller once said, “The most
pathetic person in the world is someone who has sight but has no vision.” I would use the word
pitiable (as in evoking compassion) instead of pathetic but otherwise I agree with her. Without a
“why” to live for that makes a contribution life quickly becomes empty and meaningless. Ways to
find your purpose in life are developed more fully in the Vocational Guidance section. What
follows are parts of personal mission statements from Sevens. You may notice a repeating
theme.
1. My mission is to bring more happiness and laughter into the world
2. My mission is to take people on exciting, adventurous trips all around the world
3. My mission is to share my passion for skydiving with people by teaching it
4. My mission is to inspire and empower people to go after ALL of their dreams and goals
5. My mission is to make people laugh by telling them hilarious stories and jokes
6. My mission is to experience a little bit of everything that life has to offer.... and then go
back for seconds!
7. My mission is to inspire and empower people to exercise and take care of their bodies
8. My mission is to give my kids a well-rounded childhood by offering them opportunities to
participate in or experience a wide variety of cultural events, sports, courses, camps,
classes, concerts, movies, museums, books, plays, countries, etc.
9. My mission is to open up a restaurant where people can have fun experiencing foods and
beverages from all over the world
10. My mission is to open up a New Age life balance center where people can learn to meditate
and chant, do yoga, learn Ayurveda, and rejuvenate their body with various spa treatments

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 Careers That Especially Interest Sevens
Enneagram Sevens are the most multi-talented of all the types so they are found in numerous
types of occupations. Sevens usually have more careers in a lifetime than any other type
because of their innate love of variety and change. As just mentioned, Sevens can be found in
many different occupations but there are certain occupations they are particularly drawn to
because of their natural gifts, talents and values. Here is a list of some of them.

Most Sevens are enterprising, personable, quick-thinking and constantly coming up

with numerous great ideas. They love to interact with people, are excellent at product
positioning, and read people’s needs and motivations well so they often find marketing,
sales, public relations and negotiating jobs particularly appealing.
• Advertising account executive • Promoter
• Advertising creative director • Public relations director
• Advertising promotion manager • Public relations specialist
• Advertising sales agent • Publicist
• Marketing manager • Publicity writer
• Marketing specialist/consultant • Sales agent (especially real estate,
• Media planner insurance or securities & commodities)
• Negotiator • Sales manager

Some Sevens are attracted to jobs that involve travel because many of them love the
variety, freedom, adventure and new experiences that traveling occupations often offer.
• Boat/ship captain • Tour/travel guide
• Cruise director/worker • Travel agent (with the benefit of being
• Flight attendant able to travel inexpensively)
• Flight instructor • Travel writer
• Pilot • Traveling reporter

Some Sevens enjoy jobs where they get to work outdoors or that involve an element of
physical risk (especially 7s with an 8 wing or 7s with an Orange core aura color)
because they are fast-paced, exhilarating, challenging, and often offer variety.
• Bungee jumping instructor • Police officer or detective
• Critical care nurse • Private investigator
• Emergency response worker • Race car driver
• Firefighter • Rescue worker
• Hang gliding instructor • Rock climbing instructor
• Intelligence agent/specialist (i.e. FBI) • Ski patroller
• Lifeguard • Skydiving instructor
• Paramedic/EMT • Stunt man/woman

Most Sevens have a ton of energy and some want to be young and play forever so they
are often attracted to jobs in the fitness industry that are active and fun (especially 7s
with the Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence).
• Aerobics instructor • Pilates instructor
• Personal trainer • Yoga instructor

Sevens are natural communicators. With their often superior verbal and written
communication skills (the Verbal-Linguistic intelligence) they are drawn to jobs in
communications or the media.
• Columnist • Playwright/screenwriter
• Commentator • Radio disc jockey
• Correspondent • Reporter
• Editor • Translator
• Journalist • TV anchor/newscaster
• Literary agent • TV game show host
• Media specialist • TV talk show host
• Motivational speaker • Writer

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Most Sevens love to have a good time and interact with people, so many fast-paced,
lively jobs in the food and beverage industry appeal to them (Sevens also do well under
time pressure).
• Bar/club/casino owner/manager • Restaurant owner/manager
• Bartender • Restaurant worker
• Host/hostess • Waiter/waitress

Most Sevens love to entertain and be entertained (especially 7s with a Yellow core aura
color) so jobs in the entertainment business are often appealing to them.
• Actor/actress (especially comic) • Musician
• Agent/manager (of artists, performers) • Performer
• Dancer • Singer
• Director (stage, motion picture, TV) • Special effects technician
• Film/TV camera operator • Talent director
• Film/TV producer • Talk show host

Most Sevens (especially 7s that have a Yellow core aura color) love to make people
laugh so any job where they get to tell animated stories, act goofy and/or joke around
is appealing to them.
• Children’s storyteller • Party clown
• Circus clown • Rodeo clown
• Comedian/comedienne • Shock jock (radio DJ)
• Disc jockey • TV game show host
• Humorist/comic writer • TV talk show host

Some Sevens have a Vata constitution so they have a sensitive stomach and delicate
digestive system which naturally makes them concerned about their diet, health and
healing. Some of these Sevens like to help other people with their health and/or
dietary issues.
• Dietitian/nutritionist • Holistic health practitioner
• Family practitioner • Nurse
• Herbalist • Public health educator

Because Sevens have so many original ideas, tons of energy, and a love of freedom,
many of them follow one of their great ideas right into self-employment.
• Business consultant • Independent trainer
• Entrepreneur • Small business owner

Many Sevens are good at building relationships, developing rapport, appreciating

differences, and mediating conflict so some business and human resources jobs are
appealing to them.
• Account executive • Employment interviewer
• Conference programmer • Human resources generalist/specialist
• Consultative manager • Industrial psychologist
• Consultative salesperson • Mediator
• Corporate communications director • Negotiator
• Corporate trainer • Organizational development consultant
• Diversity manager • Strategic partnership developer

Sevens are imaginative, creative and original. Some have a talent for the arts and
design so often find the following careers appealing.
• Art director • Interior decorator
• Costume designer • Landscape designer
• Creative director, multimedia team • Multimedia specialist
• Desktop publisher • Music composer
• Fine artist • Photographer
• Floral designer • Set designer
• Graphic artist/designer • Special events producer
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 • Wardrobe designer • Web site designer

Some Sevens are great with their hands. They enjoy doing skilled trade work in jobs
such as the following.
• Air traffic controller • Electrician
• Aircraft mechanic • General contractor
• Carpenter • Mason
• Chef • Mechanic
• Craft worker • Plumber

Empathetic, feeling-oriented Sevens are often drawn to education and human services
work such as the following.
• Adult literary specialist • Philanthropic consultant/director
• Child care worker • Religious educator/leader
• Coach (life or business) • School psychologist
• Counselors of all kinds • Social scientist
• Educational consultant • Social workers of all kinds
• Fundraiser/institutional solicitor • Teachers of all kinds (especially
• Instructional coordinator interdisciplinary studies)

Some Sevens (especially Thinkers) are drawn to law because they can use their sharp
mind, grasp of the big picture, charming personality and quick thinking to outwit their
opponent.
• Lawyers of all kinds (especially entertainment or communication & media. Others:
criminal, election, entertainment, financial services, litigation, product liability, children,
non-profit, trust & estate, domestic relations, environmental, and intellectual property)

Many Sevens are athletes since they have an abundance of energy, love a challenge,
and like having fun. Other Sevens just love the excitement of sports so often choose
sports-related jobs such as the following.
• Agent/manager of athletes • Sports medicine specialist
• Coach of an athlete • Sports news reporter
• Professional athlete • Sports photographer
• Referee/umpire • Sports team coach
• Scout • Sports team manager
• Sports commentator • Sports team promoter/publicist
• Sports event camera operator • Sportswriter

If you are a Seven with a Six wing also look at the careers that appeal to Enneagram
type SIXES.

If you are a Seven with an Eight wing also look at the careers that appeal to Enneagram
type EIGHTS.

If you are a Seven with a strong One arrow also look at the careers that appeal to
Enneagram type ONES.

If you are a Seven with a strong Five arrow also look at the careers that appeal to
Enneagram type FIVES.

Of course there are many more occupations that Sevens are attracted to but this is a
sampling based on my experience. For much more information on careers please go to
my Vocational Guidance section.

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Relationship Compatibility for Sevens with Other Types
To learn more about Type Seven’s relationship compatibility with other types, click below on the
Enneagram type of the other person in the relationship. This will open in a new window.

Type 7 in relationship with Type:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Things Sevens Can Do to Help Themselves Grow

1. Notice the boredom factor for you in personal growth and consciously choose to stick with
something rather than changing constantly.
2. Practice accepting and fully living in the present moment whether painful or pleasureful,
stimulating or boring.
3. Practice working on one thing at a time until it is completed.
4. Appreciate more deeply the feelings and concerns of others.
5. Recognize whether you are seeking pleasurable experiences for their own sake or whether you
are escaping from a painful situation or from responsibilities that constrain your freedom or
deprive you.
6. Notice how you tend to rationalize and put a positive reframe on most situations, particularly
when you want to avoid criticism, confrontation or pain. Realize that it is limiting to seek just
the positive and avoid the negative. Learn to deal with pain, fear, restlessness, criticism and
conflict rather than trying to escape from them.

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Type Seven’s Wing Descriptions
An explanation of the Wings can be found here, which opens in a new window.

Are you more like a Seven with a Six-wing or a Seven with an Eight-wing? Read below
to find out.

Type Seven with a Six Wing (7w6)

Positive:
• Playful, Curious, Adventurous
• Loyal, Endearing, Responsible
• Productive, Creative
• Sociable and seek fun/variety in life
• More perky/positive than 7w8s
• Sensitive, Dutiful, Dependable
• Engaging, Personable, Witty
Negative:
• Anxious, Insecure, Scattered
• Easily hurt, Fear being alone

Type Seven with a Six Wing: Sevens with a Six wing (7w6s) tend to take on more of the
attributes of Sixes than of Eights (the other wing), although both wings (6 and 8) can influence
their personality. 7w6s tend be optimistic, curious, engaging, creative and really enjoy a good
laugh. They have a joie de vivre that is infectious. Their 6 wing can make 7w6s more positive,
relationship-oriented, and cooperative than 7w8s yet also more nervous, sensitive, and anxious.
7w6s want to be accepted by others and are able to stick with commitments when healthy. They
have a tender, romantic, vulnerable side to them which can make them quite caring and
affectionate. 7w6s love to fall in love. They prefer to be in a relationship rather than out of one.
Healthy 7w6s can be highly organized and productive because of their 6 wing as well as funny,
playful, childlike, and even silly because they are 7s. They believe in life’s goodness and always
seem to retain a certain youthful innocence and ability to bounce back quickly from difficult life
experiences. 7w6s are quick-thinking, fast-talking, witty and seek constant variety in life.
Healthy 7w6s are highly creative, entertaining and have a great sense of humor. Many
comedians and comediennes are 7w6s. They usually like to work and interact with other people.
Counterphobic 7w6s can sometimes work hard for a cause they believe in because of their
idealism
Negatively, 7w6s can easily become unfocused and scattered if their fears and anxieties
get the better of them. They can be quite manic, fidgety, flighty, nervous and revved up when
feeling insecure. They can have problems with follow-through. 7w6s don’t like to be single for
too long and can have a fear of being alone. 7w6s are idealistic, like 4s, so they can have
unreasonably high romantic ideals of a partner. Some 7w6s fall in and out of love easily and can
sometimes be fickle. If a relationship starts to become too dull and boring a 7w6 can have a real
inner conflict between whether to move on to greener pastures (as their freedom-loving 7 type
would like to do) or whether to stay (as their fearful, security-oriented 6 wing would like to do).
Sometimes 7w6s feelings can be easily hurt in which case they can become evasive. 7w6s hate
being limited or frustrated or told what to do and can be openly defiant and anti-authoritarian at
times. Sometimes 7w6s can recklessly and self-destructively abuse alcohol or drugs due to
feelings of insecurity, anxiety and inferiority. They may also seek sex as an outlet.
You may find that you can relate to the description of Type Seven with an Eight wing also
(see below). However, there is a fundamental energetic difference between these two
descriptions. See if you can discern which description sounds more like you, however slight that
difference might be.
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 Type Seven with an Eight Wing (7w8)

Positive:
• Determined, Earthy, Practical
• Exuberant, Gregarious
• More Independent, Assertive and Workaholic than 7w6s
• Tough-minded and Protective
• Self-confident, Enjoy Life Fully
• Can be Big-hearted, Generous
Negative:
• Materialistic, Hedonistic, Crude
• Aggressive, Boisterous, Selfish

Type Seven with an Eight Wing: Sevens with an Eight wing (7w8s) tend to take on more of
the attributes of Eights than of Sixes (the other wing), although both wings (8 and 6) can
influence their personality. 7w8s are practical, tough-minded, realistic, earthy and hard-working.
They tend to be more self-confident, audacious, loud, boisterous and gregarious than 7w6s. They
truly enjoy the world and everything in it – nightlife, parties, social celebrations, telling jokes,
good food, good wine and travel. 7w8s are big-hearted and generous, especially with close
friends. Social 7w8s, in particular, are especially loyal to their friends and will assertively stand
up for them if necessary. 7w8s have strong desires and go after what they want in life. They
enjoy multi-tasking and have wide ranging interests and an enterprising, entrepreneurial spirit.
Their daring, ambitious drive, hard-work ethic and ability to read people well often pays off in
terms of material success and sometimes positions of prominence. 7w8s sometimes like to shock
people with their outrageous sense of humor.
Negatively, 7w8s can become scattered, applying their energies in too many directions.
They can also be workaholics to afford their exuberant, excessive lifestyle. They love to
accumulate both experiences and possessions. 7w8s can sometimes be too selfish, impatient and
inconsiderate as they aggressively pursue their goals. They can also be too blunt, callous and
narcissistic. Sometimes 7w8s can get carried away and make big promises that they can’t deliver
on. Some 7w8s can have problems with infidelity or, conversely, be vengeful if their partner
cheats.
You may find that you can relate to the description of Type Seven with a Six wing also
(see above). However, there is a fundamental energetic difference between these two
descriptions. See if you can discern which description sounds more like you, however slight that
difference might be.

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Type Seven’s Subtype Descriptions
An explanation of the subtypes can be found here, which opens in a new window.

Which subtype are you?

Type #7 Self-Preservation Subtype

Tend to be the most family oriented of the three type 7 subtypes (including “extended family” of
friends)
Positive/Enhancing:
• Energetic, practical, ambitious and hard working
• Outgoing and sociable but like having a home base
• Often very loyal to family and friends; enjoy nurturing and caring for their own
• Help other people feel happy by sharing their deep gratitude and enjoyment of life
• Entertaining, optimistic, positive, vivacious and upbeat
• Have learned to temper their impulsivity and risk taking; take calculated risks now
• Like to be spontaneous but also like planning so that they can do as much as possible with
their time
Negative/Depleting:
• Subconsciously believe that enough pleasureful experiences and possessions will bring
them happiness
• Fear becoming dependent on others or having others dependent on them
• Want to make sure they always have what they need and aren’t deprived, limited or
constricted
• Can’t stand being in confined places (like an elevator, crawl space) or confined by a
relationship or job
• Can be materialistic and consummate consumers; like having the latest gadgets and
trendy items
• Feel they need to have freedom and multiple options in life; can easily become frustrated
without them
• Can be self-centered, thoughtless, impatient, demanding and grumpy when feeling
frustrated or deprived
• Can aggressively and relentlessly go after what they want (to keep anxiety repressed)
• Can get anxious and panicky when they think about losing their freedom
• At worst, they can spend out of control (possibly gambling as well), indulge their senses
excessively (food, drink, drugs, sex, etc.) and push their bodies regularly to the point of
exhaustion
(For even more insight, learn which “wing” you favor: your 6 wing or 8 wing).

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Type #7 Sexual Subtype

Sexual 7s can resemble 4s in relationships because they’re both intense; both want an
extraordinary, magical relationship; both fall in love easily; both idealize & romanticize their
beloved; and both get disappointed easily
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Positive/Enhancing:
• Feel drawn to anything or anyone that is unique, unusual, complex, mysterious, intense or
beautiful
• Have a wide-ranging curiosity and are often multitalented
• Are capable of bringing passion, intensity and excitement to their intimate relationship
• Are able to commit deeply in a relationship as long as they have ongoing stimulation and
variety
• When their marriage inevitably hits a difficult patch healthy 7s stay positive, talk, and
work through it
• Are able to deal with difficult, even painful, situations by choosing to see the positive that
can come from any situation
• Are resilient; they can reframe disappointments and look to future possibilities for
happiness
Negative/Depleting:
• Easily get bored with mundane reality so they embellish it with fantasy, imagination &
wishful thinking
• Can idealize a romantic interest, projecting all kinds of wonderful qualities onto him/her
that don’t exist
• Can become magnetized by and infatuated with someone they find
fascinating/intriguing/mysterious and will romanticize and fantasize about him or her as a
way to keep life exciting and stimulating
• Enjoy fantasizing about all the magical adventures and interesting conversations they
would have with their new romantic interest, even if they are married or have a partner
already
• Can fear being trapped in a relationship so often move on once the rush of initial attraction
wears off
• It was surely a Sexual 7 who said, “The grass is greener on the other side of the fence.”
• They are highly suggestible and if they don’t have good boundaries and morals they can
be promiscuous
• Some Sexual 7s can justify and rationalize anything they do for the sake of having fun
• Can fall in and out of love often, trying their best to avoid a boring life
• Can be seductive without even meaning to be
• Get disappointed when their partner doesn’t share the same zest for fun and adventure in
life as they do
• Can sometimes be fickle in fact and not just in mind; commitment can be difficult for
restless 7s
• Can have a short attention span, easily get distracted and have trouble
concentrating/getting focused
• At worst, they can become reckless thrill-seekers, needing bigger and better experiences
to get that rush of excitement they’re looking for, like a drug addict who’s built up a
tolerance and needs more
• They can completely lack discernment and get involved in risky love affairs, flirt with
danger or live on the edge in other ways to feel fully alive; excessive living can lead to
burn-out and depression
(For even more insight, learn which “wing” you favor: your 6 wing or 8 wing).

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Type #7 Social Subtype
Positive/Enhancing:
• Can be idealistic, sacrificing for a cause they believe in that serves something beyond just
themselves
• Have a large circle of friends that they share interests, activities and enthusiasms with
• Dislike inequality amongst people so strive for an egalitarian group structure – no leaders,
no followers
• Keep up with what is going on in their community
• Excellent social skills and great conversationalists
• Are considerate and cooperative but have good boundaries; don’t allow others to control or
coerce them
• Can be one of the most social, entertaining, humorous and fun-loving types in the
Enneagram
• They try to ensure that everyone around them or with them has a good time
Negative/Depleting:
• Inner tension between wanting to act on their good intentions vs. not wanting to give up
their freedom
• Inner tension between social responsibility to others vs. a strong desire for excitement,
adventure, fun
• Often get impatient and frustrated by other people’s slower pace; like to take immediate
action
• Dislike feeling burdened by their obligations and responsibilities; wish they could escape
• Can have a difficult time committing and tend to scatter their energy in every direction
• Keep a full social calendar but have contingency/back up plans just in case something falls
through
• Start way more projects than they ever finish because of mental agitation and difficulty
concentrating
• Resent authority because they see it as unnecessary and just another restriction on their
freedom
• Can be fickle and cancel appointments if something more exciting or promising comes up
• Some are the “life of the party” type who get drunk and disorderly, especially when young
and single
• At worst, they are irresponsible, rebellious, seek constant variety and get involved with the
wrong crowd
(For even more insight, learn which “wing” you favor: your 6 wing or 8 wing).

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Heart and Defensive Points/Arrows for Type Seven
An explanation of the Heart and Defensive Points can be found here, which opens in a new window.

Type Seven with a Healthy Connection to Type Five: When Sevens integrate the positive
aspects of type Five they are able to stay with their observations and experiences long enough to
be affected and enriched by them. They stop distracting themselves from the present with their
restless, future-oriented minds and learn to relax and be here now. Their minds become quieter,
clearer, more focused and steadier. They become more contemplative and better able to process
all of their diverse experiences. They become more objective and wise about their choices. They
are able to explore subjects in depth rather than just sampling subjects in breadth. They can
have startling insights, synthesize disparate pieces of information and sometimes make new
discoveries from their observations and experiences. They can become more curious about
philosophical questions and the mysteries of life. Rather than disowning their negative feelings
and unhappy thoughts, they are able to accept both the good and the bad aspects of life. They
can enjoy time alone at home without feeling like they are missing out on something else that’s
going on. They delight in sharing their wisdom-born-of-experience with others. They not only
become more creative, insightful, profound and productive but most importantly, satisfied and
content.

Type Seven with a Healthy Connection to Type One: When Sevens integrate the positive
aspects of type One they become more self-disciplined rather than self-indulgent, purposeful
rather than distracted, systematic rather than scattered, and discriminating about their choices
and options rather than indiscriminate. They are better able to focus on priorities and put first
things first. They are able to make full commitments in alignment with their values while allowing
themselves enough freedom and spontaneity to enjoy life. They put their strong ideals into action
and follow through on things that they say they are going to do. They become more interested in
the welfare of others rather than pleasing themselves. Their pleasure comes more from the self-
satisfaction of doing a job well than from complete freedom to do as they please. They become
more principle-centered and moral, reasonable and objective, productive and accomplished. They
are able to sit with emotional discomfort, inner turmoil and challenging situations rather than
impulsively reacting to change their ungratifying circumstances. Sevens with a healthy
connection to type One are often extremely happy because they have childlike exuberance for life
as well as maturity, integrity and inner strength of character.

Type Seven with an Unhealthy Connection to Type Five: When Sevens deteriorate to the
negative aspects of type Five they can become extremely secretive about themselves and isolate
themselves, like unhealthy Fives. Sevens often try to convince themselves and others that
they’re doing great and feeling fabulous but an unhealthy connection to type Five can make
Sevens prone to frequent private depressions, loneliness and even grief. They can bounce back
and forth between manic highs and depressive lows. They can intellectualize their feelings and
emotionally detach from people in whom they’ve lost interest in a seemingly cold, insensitive
way, like unhealthy Fives. They can become obsessively preoccupied with their own projects and
mental interests. They can develop escapist tendencies, retreating into their imaginations and
avoiding important responsibilities and difficult situations. They can have all kinds of fantastic,
innovative ideas but do nothing to manifest them. Although Sevens are usually quite generous,
an unhealthy connection to type Five can cause Sevens to be more stingy and sometimes even
selfish, completely wrapped up in satisfying their own needs.

Type Seven with an Unhealthy Connection to Type One: When Sevens deteriorate to the
negative aspects of type One they can become critical and blame others for preventing them from
having a good time. They can be particularly irritable and judgmental when they feel deprived of
options or limited by their circumstances. Interestingly, Sevens often realize that they have to
focus and impose some limits on their own behavior if they expect to accomplish anything
worthwhile. So, they restrain themselves and work harder all the while feeling frustrated by their
self-imposed limits. They can become more self-controlled but also more cynical, grim, nitpicking
and rigid, like unhealthy Ones. They can lose their ability to laugh at themselves, be spontaneous
or even enjoy life. They can become perfectionistic and impatient with others, as well as with

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themselves. Like unhealthy Ones, they are prone to self-righteousness and black-and-white
thinking. They can be overly idealistic about people they admire but easily become disillusioned
when others don’t live up to their idealization of them.

Other Sevens can seem to have a manic obsession with a grand plan, a big idea of a future
outcome, that is going to solve their problems and resolve their current distress and discomfort.
They can become so fixated on this future goal that they totally rationalize their current behavior
and justify their actions.

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What would you like to do now?

Take another Self-Assessment?
Go to the Enneagram System page to learn about other Enneagram types, the practical value of
the Enneagram, or how the system works?
Learn more about Famous People with this Enneagram type?
Look for upcoming Workshops and Classes I'm giving on the Enneagram?
Schedule a personal Consultation to discuss deeper issues going on in your life?
Learn about some great References/Resources (books, tapes, DVDs, etc.) or Products
available on the Enneagram?

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