Type 7
key traits
Defence mechanism: Self-centred rationalization, Positive Idealization
Fun: insatiable hunger for stimulating experiences to compensate for underlying anxiety, overdoing, seeking stimulation, self-indulgence
Self-referencing: always knowing what they want/need, and feeling entitled to take it
Blind Optimism: confusing potentialities for realizations; confusing imagination and reality
Hedonism: confuse pleasure with true depth, move away from pain or commitment
Rebelliousness: implicit anti-authoritarian attitude, uses humour
Lack of Discipline: avoiding limits leads to lack of focus, tendency to either procrastinate or not finish what they start
Shadow/Lost self: can't see the negative aspects of life and the importance of feeling negative emotions
Core fears: Emotional pain, sadness, disappointment, boredom, limitation, being incomplete, missing out, being confined
Wants Freedom
Character
Being part of the head/fear centre, the 7 type structure is built on dealing with the natural danger of life and the fear that arises from needing to navigate it by cognitively avoiding negativity and limitation. Nothing is too serious if you act like you can do anything. 7’s distract themselves with plenty to avoid pain, anxiety, and sadness. They have lots of “wants” and have a streak of entitlement with regards to getting those wants. It difficult for them to accept that they might not be able to get what they want, and so they can come across as idealists or dreamers.
They are positive and optimistic, and don’t like to dwell in negativity for too long before boiling over it with a joke. They are always looking for shortcuts to skip the hard stuff or find ways of avoiding the reality that they can’t have what they want. There’s always a way to fill a situation with energy and fun and 7’s infect others with their childlike positivity. 7’s will work for something when they want it, they just don’t have a superego response to be “responsible.” 7’s are Assertive types, Positive Types, and Fantasy types. So they assertively create their own personal positive fantasy everywhere they go. This makes them naturally very entertaining.
As positive as they are, they are still part of the Frustration triad. This sense of overwhelming positivity stems from a deep sense of frustrating existential boredom and pain avoidance. 7’s are on an endless train of distraction away from experiencing any real sense of deep real pain. When life finally forces them into that reality, they’re like a child thrown into the deep-end of a pool splashing and flailing around before jumping out back into the world of their own fantastical creation.
To loved ones, 7’s will be a constant source of joy and entertainment. But they can also live in their own fantastical reality TV show in which they are the star and main character. This can make it difficult to bring 7’s down to earth. When in conflict, 7’s will still try to find a way to make everything that’s happening dramatic. Their defence mechanism is living as if the world revolves around them. They aren’t prone to feelings of guilt and remorse, so either they won’t apologize, or they’ll do so in a way that feels light-hearted. The more you try to shame a 7 for something they did, the more you’ll be mocked. Positive assertive fantasy gets immediately activated.
They will use magical thinking to connect all kinds of disparate ideas and experiences. They are colourful (figuratively or literally) and live in a mental kaleidoscope. Intelligent 7’s tend to have off-the-wall ingenious ideas combined with a playfully shameless sense of living. 7’s are not naturally comfortable with hierarchies and power structures. They use playfulness and fun to get their way and would rather be concerned with their own desires. They have a way of overlooking the worst qualities in others or allowing themselves to be taken by an ideal of a person. 7’s can be super nice and friendly or “savage” and arrogant. They embody the Peter Pan/Puck archetype.
lines of movement
7 moves to 5
Positive: become more introspective, less fantastical and more objective, learn to be more disciplined about each subject they explore with more depth, learn to accept the negative aspects as well as positive of any situation, present as someone to be taken more seriously, get in touch with fears
Negative: become self-absorbed and evade responsibilities further, become aggressive with their theories and ideas
7 moves to 1
Positive: learn to follow through with their plans, discipline
Negative: become cynical, irritable, hypercritical of people, nitpicky, stop being able to laugh at themselves due to self-judgement, become less open to ambiguity and insist they have the black-and-white truth, blame other people for their inability to have fun and being confined, obsess over specific things whether they are feasible or not
comparisons with other types
7 vs 1: Both idealist types, 1's value self-control, 7's don't
7 vs 2: Both positive types, 7's don't generally "help" unless they want to because it threatens their freedom, 2's feel obligated
7 vs 3: Both assertive, 3's are goal oriented and organized, 7's are spontaneous and free
7 vs 4: Both frustration types, 4's focus on the negatives, 7's on the positives, 4's complain about how they'll never have what they need, 7's blindly believe they'll get what they need
7 vs 5: 5's don't want to world to suck their energy, 7's have boundless energy to taste life
7 vs 6: Both can be fun and friendly, 6's are not naturally optimistic like 7's, 6's can be more self-conscious or insecure, more self-doubting, 6's are more identified with being responsible
7 vs 8: 7's can be more like "brats," 8's have less of a sense of comedy and trickery, 7's are also less controlling but can be equally aggressive
7 vs 9: Both positive types, 7's can be arrogant, 9's have an internal message telling them to not take up too much space, 7's have a strong libido, 9's more easily accept what they can't have