Enneagram 7
Core Fear: Being stuck or in pain
Core Desire: To have all of their needs fulfilled
Overview
Head Triad
Enneagram 7s are in the Head Triad, which means they value analysis, information, knowledge, and objective reason. Head triad numbers (5, 6, 7) are primarily concerned with a deep-seated anticipation of the future and what may happen. 7s deal with this anticipation by constantly needing new events, people, or opportunities to fill up on. Without this constant energy, 7s risk falling into negative and painful emotions.
Filling up
7s live life in the positive half-range of emotions. They value positive experiences and people, and often quickly find an exit strategy when they are no longer interested or fulfilled by their current situation. 7s engage in a never-ending quest to fill up on everything fun in an attempt to never have to face anything painful. They may exhibit an insatiable need for new stimulation, and can react badly when they feel stuck in something painful or boring.
Independent Stance
7s are in the independent stance, which means that they have an independent reference point. This makes them not feel obligated to respond to people or environments that they don't want to be involved with. Their independent reference point also gives them the ability to choose where to put their focus, which for a 7 is usually whatever new and exciting thing they've decided to focus on that day.
Enneagram 7
Enneagram 7s are people who believe that their entire life can be light, fun, and constantly new. They often find themselves referred to as the "life of the party" or "the fun parent" because they bring light and life to every situation that they're in. This stems from a deep need to avoid anything painful or deeply emotional, as it may feel to a 7 like they would be stuck in the dark forever if they ever turned around to look at it.​
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At their best, Enneagram 7s are light ninjas. They navigate the hard parts of life with ease and grace, and are a beautiful reminder that everything bad will end and the sun will rise again. High-functioning 7s are charismatic and fun to be around. They take us on new adventures and invite us to live our lives to the fullest every day.
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In their low moments, 7s become almost frantic when confronted with something they perceive to be dark or painful. Because they have no practice with dealing with the difficult half of life, it may feel to the 7 as though any bad experience will toss them into a never-ending pit of despair. They may jump ship and leave others behind to deal with the fallout. They can often suck the air out of the room when they don't want to be somewhere, and it can be incredibly difficult to pin them down for a hard conversation.
In stress, Enneagram 7s move to 1. This can cause them to be more frantic and nit-picky then they usually are. They may start to criticize themselves and others for not doing what they perceive is correct. Their fear of feeling stuck may prompt them to become angry with others and lash out.
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In security, 7s move to 5. 5 represents solitary thinking and offers the 7 a way to access their own inner thoughts, something that 7s often try to avoid at all costs. 5s offers 7 a single pointed focus and the ability to stay inside of themselves without needing to jump out.