The Complete Enneagram

They are sensuous, earthly, worldly characters who can be very entertaining and who display a light-hearted lack of seriousness—though when it comes to finding security through making money and establishing a network of associates, they display keen self-interest

they often reject religion and tend not to believe in anything. They’re more practical, more materialistic, and more rebellious than the other two Seven subtypes

having close relationships is something they view as an investment, like putting money in the bank—you always have someone you can call on if you need some specific kind of help. For that reason they tend to be very active in the groups they join and the networks they are affiliated with

Self-Preservation Sevens may experience less difficulty than other Sevens with making commitments

The Self-Preservation Seven finds security through a gluttonous search for pleasure, satisfying opportunities, and cultivating a network of allies. The Social Seven expresses a kind of anti-gluttony by being of service to others. The Sexual Seven channels gluttony into an idealistic search for the ultimate relationship and the best imaginable experiences

When the drive for self-preservation dominates, we see a Seven character whose gluttony motivates him to find security and opportunities for well-being in a close network of family members, friends, and associates. When the social instinct is prominent, we see a Social Seven who goes against gluttony by sacrificing his own needs for the good of others. And when the drive for sexual or one-to-one connection dominates, the Seven character is expressed through an exceedingly enthusiastic personality whose gluttony for pleasurable experiences creates a tendency to view reality in an extremely positive way

the Self-Preservation Seven is not so much idealistic as they are cynically distrustful

The Self-Preservation subtype is more earthy and sensuous—more gluttonous in the literal sense of the word

Self-Preservation Sevens cultivate a sense of being kind and generous—they like to feel that everyone depends on them

three main fixations of the Self-Preservation Sevens are strategy, rebellion, and isolation, though it may be hard to see these characters as isolated because they tend to be very popular. But their strategic and mental nature, together with the prominence of their self-interest, can isolate them from others at a deeper level