Personality Type Seven

Sevens like to see themselves as fun-loving and enthusiastic people and they actively seek satisfaction and fulfillment. Sevens don't feel that they have always been nurtured. Consequently, they try to nurture themselves and make themselves happy. The world offers many possible sources of fulfillment, but not knowing which will satisfy, they want to try a little bit of everything.

Sevens have difficulty acknowledging their own pain or problems. These issues raise unpleasant feelings and anxiety which remind them of their lack of nurturing. Sevens flee these emotions by occupying their minds with positive ideas and plans that will bring the happiness they seek. These plans lead to a great deal of experience and adventure, often making Sevens multitalented, well-travelled, and accomplished. However, Sevens are always aware of what they don't have, of what experience they're missing. They don't believe that they will be happy with what they have; they feel that happiness must lie somewhere else.

Sevens are, therefore, very responsive to novelty. Their minds are quick to find fun and exciting opportunities. When they get a new idea, they want to realize it immediately. Sevens seek stimulation and excitement through tangible things, objects, and people (the more variety, the better). Although they can enjoy intangibles, the experience is somewhat diminished. Sevens don't always internalize or introspect on their stimulation. It's not hard to see that as Sevens become less healthy, they need to increase their excitement and stimulation to keep their inner anxiety in check.

Average Sevens see themselves as the energizer. They want to have fun and try to make their environment exciting and interesting. They want to lift others' moods and create an atmosphere of happiness. Sevens are attracted to parties and celebrations, often finding themselves as "the life of the party." Sevens don't seek out attention (like Threes), but they feel that they can bring joy and entertainment to their surroundings.

Sevens find their social calendars filled with a wide variety of outings such as playing sports, eating out, attending the symphony, going to the museum (sometimes in the same day!). They are experts on the best entertainment their city has to offer. Sevens, however, want to make sure they keep their options open; they don't want to miss out on something better that may come along. As a result, Sevens sometimes have difficulty keeping their commitments.

Average Sevens find that that the novelty of their latest project of plan wears off rather quickly. Or perhaps it is been replaced with a better project or plan. By sticking with something for too long, Sevens get start to get the feeling that they're missing out on something; they believe that happiness lies elsewhere. And if they deprive themselves of that happiness, Sevens fear that they will get bored and anxious. Average Sevens tend to focus more on the anticipation and process of acquisition more so that the possession or experience itself.

To avoid their feelings of anxiety, Sevens keep their minds busy. Others often have difficulty keeping up with Sevens as they jump quickly from one idea to the next (e.g., the comedy of Jim Carey and Robin Williams). Their minds (and sometimes their bodies) are in perpetual motion, yet distracted and unfocussed. They may be absent from the classroom, office, or other social gatherings because something "more interesting" came up.

Average Sevens don't want to deny themselves of new possessions or experiences. They don't want any limits on their opportunities and get frustrated when others are in the way. Although Sevens enjoy the company of others, others sometimes can't keep up. Unfortunately, the happiness of Sevens is becoming superficial. It is based more on the anticipation of future enjoyment rather than on the appreciation of the present.

Average Sevens want to have as many possessions and experiences as possible. They maintain a busy (and sometimes expensive) lifestyle. But that lifestyle soon loses its novelty and Sevens feel they must raise the bar to keep interested. If some is good, more is better. They become addicted to indulgence.

Average Sevens are impulsive; when they see something they want, they take it. They have a sense of scarcity. They can't say no: if they don't take it now, it will be lost forever. They seize the moment; they leap before they look. They become very impatient when their gratification is not instant. They become materialistic, excessively so, because only the best will satisfy. They become so preoccupied with their next adventure that they can't appreciate their current one.

They become somewhat self-centred, not caring about the consequences of their actions. They openly vent their frustration when unable to satiate their wants. They become intolerant of the limits imposed by others. They don't consider the wants or needs of others. At the same time, they don't want to be alone, because they don't want to be left alone with their anxiety.

Unhealthy Sevens become more and more acquisitive, demanding that others satisfy their cravings. They become self-centred, using others to get whatever they want. They act out their impulses, often injuring themselves.

What leads Sevens down the wrong path is their belief that they will find happiness by anticipating the future rather than appreciating the present.

Healthy Sevens let go of their forced joy; they are naturally optimistic. They have a great curiosity that leads to accomplishment in many fields. They are versatile and practical.

Healthy Sevens are free-spirited. They are very enthusiastic about their present experiences. They are adventurous and spontaneous. They are amazed and exhilarated in every moment.

At their best, Sevens let go of the belief that their happiness is dependent on acquiring specific things or experiencing specific events. They fully appreciate their experiences, deeply internalizing their depth and meaning. They are extremely grateful and appreciative of their current experience -- the present.

Every personality type is "powered" by a different motivation. When "worn lightly," this motivation guides our behaviour through general tendencies and attachments. As this motivation becomes stronger, it becomes increasingly important to see ourselves in a certain way and to ensure that others see us that way, too. To accomplish this goal, we emphasize certain behaviours (and disown others) by playing a role. Sometimes we need to manipulate others or even undermine them to force them to see us as we want to be seen. Unfortunately, the more attached we become to our self-image, the less we see ourselves as we really are.

Sevens seek security (like Fives and Sixes) Read More		Sevens are assertive in going after what they want (like Threes and Eights) Read More
Sevens handle problems with a positive outlook approach (like Twos and Nines) Read More		Sevens are frustrated by reality not living up to their ideals (like Ones and Fours) Read More