Intro to Type 7
A few weeks ago, I got great feedback on my article Enneagram Type 5 vs Enneagram Type 4. Everyone enjoyed it, and everyone complained that it was too long. So, this week I am breaking up the normally almost 2500 word blog posts into several 300-500 word posts. If you liked the long version, don’t worry I will release it at the end of the week. Since I am breaking up the posts into bite-size bits, you might want to check this one to get a better introduction into the series. Now here is the intro into a Type 7.
Enneagram Type 7: The Enthusiast
Enneagram Type 7‘s are the most fun of all the Enneagram Types. They are constantly finding something new and exciting to do or experience. Type 7’s have this beautiful ability to make things fun and to experience life to the full. You might think that it comes from a positive desire of seeking the good and joyful things in life, but really the smiles and laughter cover a greater and deeper fear. While Enneagram Type 5’s fight fear with knowledge Enneagram Type 7’s do it by avoiding fear altogether. Because of this avoidance and the seeking of happy experiences, the Type 7’s have earned the nickname – Enthusiasts
Most of us are never close enough to an Enneagram Type 7 to hear their pain. Even the Enneagram Type 7 often doesn’t understand what they are feeling when things are bad, only that it is bad. So the Type 7 will run to the next fun thing, ironically missing out on the fullness of life.
While Enneagram Type 5’s fight fear with knowledge Enneagram Type 7’s do it by avoiding fear altogether. Click To TweetWith A Type 5: Greener Grass
Most of us can immediately identify the Type 7 in their life. They are the person always having fun and well-loved by everyone. Since everyone loves to have fun everyone loves a Type 7. For an Enneagram Type 5, I wish I was better loved and more fun. Life seems so warm for the Type 7 which is the opposite of the cold life we live. So we stare across the fear triad longing to be closer to the Type 7, but at the same time being exhausted by their perpetual movement. Type 7’s remain in motion because fear and perceived negative emotion will catch them if they stop.
As I have met more Type 7’s though, they long for our quieter lifestyle. They are often just as worn out as we are just watching them go. The Type 5 lifestyle while colder is often far more simple and slower. To them, our way of dealing with fear seems better and greener grass. With the Enneagram Type 5 and 7, the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.
Enneagram Lines
A lot of this is due to sharing an Enneagram line. Enneagram lines connect different types so that in health or stress an Enneagram Type might acquire traits or appear like the Type they are connected to. This is something we will explore over the next two weeks because Enneagram Type 5’s have lines to both Type 7 (this week) and Type 8 (next week). This creates interesting relationships between the Enneagram Types and will help color the conversation around them. If you need more info about the lines I would go here.
