The Complete Enneagram: 27 Paths to Greater Self-Knowledge

by Beatrice Chestnut

Type Seven Focus of Attention: Sevens avoid unpleasant feelings by focusing on what feels pleasant and by keeping the mood upbeat to the point of reframing negatives into positives. A fear of being trapped in discomfort fuels quick thinking, creative problem-solving, and a focus on positive future possibilities. Patterns of Thinking and Feeling: Sevens have quick, synthesizing minds, with which they find links between the commonalities in different subjects, making rapid mental associations. Emotionally, Sevens like feeling happy or joyful emotions and dislike feeling fear, anxiety, sadness, boredom, pain, or discomfort. Their attitude is, “Why feel pain if you can feel happy instead?” Behavior Patterns: Sevens are energetic, fast-paced, innovative, and active. They usually have many interests and activities, which they pursue with enthusiasm. Sevens like planning for fun and maintaining many options, so they can keep their mood up and shift to the most pleasant option if one plan becomes undesirable or untenable. Passion—Gluttony: While we commonly think of gluttony in connection with food and eating too much, in the language of the Enneagram, gluttony is a passion for pleasure and a desire for more—an excessive indulgence in consuming whatever brings pleasure.