Discover everything you should know about the Enneagram 7 personality type, also known as The Enthusiast or The Opportunist by reading this blog!
What Does It Mean To Be An Enneagram 7?
Being an enneagram 7 means that you were raised to believe you had to be positive all the time to avoid abandonment. So now, you are a person who tries to be positive all the time. You tend to be the class clown, jokester, daredevil, or rally-er who brings people together and initiates fun. This also means you can be responsibility avoidant, conflict avoidant, and flee the second things get uncomfortable
If you are an enneagram seven, you are known as The Enthusiast. You are social, energetic, and playful. As a 7, your core desire is to be positive because, in childhood, you were taught being negative would lead to you being abandoned.
Enneagram 7 Description
The enneagram type seven is known as The Enthusiast. The 7 is characterized by their joyful, impulsive, and social nature. If you are a 7, your core desire is to be positive because, in childhood, you were taught that if you weren’t positive, you wouldn’t be wanted.
Traits of an Enneagram 7
Imagine you took the spirit of a golden retriever puppy dog and put it into a human body. That’s the enneagram 7. The Enneagram 7 is the most positive person you’ll meet. They are social butterflies who want to make life a party at all times.
In childhood, these kids take on the role of “class clown.” You can find them cracking a joke or rallying the party. 7s don’t just want to have a good time, they want everyone to have a good time.
As the 7 gets older, they find themselves trying to find more and more ways to bring people together to have fun whether that’s with parties or spontaneous adventures.
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While their “life of the party” attitude is adored, this behavior also comes from the core fear of feeling any negativity.
Oftentimes 4s can mistype themselves 7s the key difference is that 7s avoid negativity at all costs while the 4 struggles with feeling too much negativity naturally.
Enneagram 7 In Stress
A stressed enneagram 7 is uncooperative and controls the fun. Taking on the 1’s negative traits, the 7 uses perfectionism and control to bring “fun” to the room and remain positive at all times, rather than embracing their negative emotions and responsibilities.
Each enneagram type has specific signs that they are under stress! They take on the negative traits of a different number in stress.
The systematic and logical type 7 becomes uncooperative, controlling, self-centered, and bitter.
7s avoid negativity at all costs and when they feel the inkling of sadness, anger, or abandonment coming, they move towards their enneagram 1 stress and try to control everything to maintain positivity.
Without knowing it, the 7 will use emotional manipulation tactics where they use guilt to make you want to do things with them while also threatening that they don’t need you to have fun.
In short, a 7 at their worst is bitter and self-centered. They are trying to rally everyone into their “fun” plans. This is how they attempt to avoid negativity while expressing their core desire to have fun with the people closest to them.
Read our blog on the 7 in stress and growth.
Enneagram 7 In Growth
The Enneagram 7 in growth incorporates moderation, neutrality, and rationality in their being. They take on the healthy traits of the Enneagram 5 by facing their fear of negativity and viewing negativity with rationality. The healthy 7 also learns to enjoy time alone.
Each enneagram type has specific signs that they are in a healthy state of growth! They take on the positive traits of a different number in growth.
When the enneagram 7 steps into their growth, they learn how to be analytical and rational to not be threatened by negativity. Instead of trying to achieve fun and positivity through control, they find enjoyment in life through autonomous means.
The 7 in growth accepts solitude, acts responsibly, and does everything in moderation. They have a plan for their future happiness and maintain the systems that will get them there. Therefor, never falling victim to emotional imbalance and impulse.
Get my top self-care tips for the Enneagram 7!
Enneagram 7 Common Mistypes
Some of the Enneagram types are very similar to one another. This is why it’s important to take your time and learn about each type before you type yourself!
Like I said earlier, Enneagram 4s will commonly see themselves as 7s. The reason for this is that 4s will morph into whatever role is deemed valuable in the group.
7s will also see themselves as 3s if they grow up in a household where achievement is valued.
And finally, 7s will see themselves as 8s because they can’t differentiate the wing from their core desire.
Find out more about the Enneagram 7’s common mistypes in this blog
Enneagram 7 Subtypes
In the enneagram, there are three variations of each type called Instinctual Subtypes.
These 3 subtypes are determined by the 3 major survival instincts we operate on.
The SX Enneagram 7 (Sexual 7)
The Sx 7 idealizes everything and everyone. Commonly, this 7 will become obsessed with someone, create a perfect version of the, in their head, and do everything to make that person feel special.
The SX 7 lives for the chase of the next new person and wants to live in constant fascination. However, what normally happens is that the 7 loses interest in said person or thing and moves on to what/whoever catches their eye next. At their best, this 7 is a partner and friend who sees the best and you and makes anyone feel special.
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The SP Enneagram 7 (Self-Preserving 7)
SP 7s use connections to maintain their security. This subtype likes to have friends everywhere to feel like they have resources everywhere. The SP 7 is the most focused on maintaining connections that feel familial.
This 7 is happiest when surrounded by loved ones and gets joy from the little things in life. They will maintain a harmonious space for friends and family and welcome everyone new into their life. The friendliest of all the 7’s subtypes.
The SO Enneagram 7 (Social 7)
So 7s are extremely principled and they fulfill their core desire by trying to serve the collective. This 7 will actually abstain from stereotypical gluttonous indulgences and self-sacrifice for the sake of serving others. The SO 7 seeks to be important to the world and gets pleasure from making an impact and being responsible. THese 7s need to be valued by their friends and seen as someone who is responsible, selfless, and intelligent.
What An Enneagram 7 Needs To Hear
Dear enneagram 7s, we are sorry we taught you to fear negativity. You are allowed to have problems, you are allowed to feel pain, and you are wanted even without having to be the most fun in the room. Let the negativity out and we promise to still want you around.
Enneagram 7 Romantic Compatibility
The Enneagram 7 will get along the most with enneagram 3s, 5s, and 8s. 3s want to be with someone who wants to have fun and 7s love the 3’s drive to do hard things. 5s promote growth for the 7. And 8s share a wing with 7s, both love to have fun and challenge themselves.
The enneagram type 7 will be drawn towards other types that allow them to be fun lovers and help them practice a healthy dose of responsibility without being overbearing.
7s will highly enjoy the company of 3s. The Enneagram 3 is driven, ambitious, and loves to push themselves physically. And 3s want someone who helps them have fun. the 7 and 3 together can be a harmonious, dynamic duo that gets along well.
7s can also end up with enneagram 5s who are their growth number. These two types in a relationship can bring a balance of excitement and moderation to one another’s lives.
And finally, the 7 can end up with 8s. They share a common wing that makes them have very similar values. Both types want to challenge themselves and have fun.
Find out more about the Enneagram 7 Compatibility (coming soon)
Best Careers For An Enneagram 7
Because Enneagram 7’s core desire is positivity, the type 7 can do well in careers that involve entertaining others. However, it would be much healthier for a 7 to pursue analytical careers that require them to tap into their 5 growth. They can enjoy this kind of work and it helps them avoid their natural tendency towards gluttony.
Potentially fulfilling careers for the 7 would be…
- Performer
- Comedian
- Tour Guides
- Actor/Actress
- Engineering
- Lawyer
- YouTuber/Influencer
- Sales
- Professional Athlete
The Enneagram 7 do best using their enthusiasm and desire to entertain in a career. They make great Performers, YouTubers/influencers, Comedians, and Professional Athletes. A job where they are using their analytical 5 growth can serve them well.
What questions do you still have about the Enneagram 7? Let me know in the comments below!
Related Blogs
- Enneagram 7 In Stress & Growth
- The Nine Enneagram Types: Which Type Are You?
- Most Common Enneagram Mistypes
- Enneagram 7w6 VS 7w8 Comparison: Which Wing Are You?
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