Introverted enneagram 7
Introverts, Extraverts, and the Enneagram
“He’s much too extraverted to be a Type 5 Investigator.”
"She’s way too introverted to be a Type 7
Introverted enneagram 7
Introverts, Extraverts, and the Enneagram
“He’s much too extraverted to be a Type 5 Investigator.”
"She’s way too introverted to be a Type 7 Enthusiast.”
As someone who’s conducted hundreds of Enneagram typing interviews, I cringe when I hear these statements because these generalizations highlight a basic misunderstanding of the Enneagram – the mistaken belief that someone’s Enneagram type can be uncovered based solely by observing their behavior.
I’ve interviewed shy, reserved Type 7s who vividly described their internal world as relentlessly focused on a bright future filled with options. And I’ve met engaging, party-animal Type 5s who described down to the minute when they were planning to make their exit from the wild party they had carefully agreed to attend. Behavior is useful and interesting, but it isn’t always a direct line to motivation. And motivation, including the underlying thought patterns around this motivation, is what lies at the center of the Enneagram. Instead of focusing on behavior, we need to uncover thought patterns to learn someone’s Enneagram type.
With that as the backdrop, it is easy to see how people get confused. Let’s explore more closely the relationship between Introverts, Extraverts, and the Enneagram.
In general terms, an Introvert is someone who gains energy from being alone. Introverts orient their focus inward and are often described as reserved, introspective, and withdrawn. They can become drained when they are with other people for long periods of time, and they may have fewer friends and acquaintances than their Extraverted counterparts. Introverted people are typically deliberate in their actions and focused in their thinking. They think before they act.
In contrast, Extraverts gain energy from being with other people. They orient their focus outward and gain energy through interactions with others. They become drained if they spend too much time alone. They often have a wide circle of friends and acquaintances and are generally more impulsive than their introverted counterparts. They may act quickly and consider the consequences later.
Introversion and Extraversion are two opposite measures on the Myers & Briggs scale, but in the Enneagram, the relationship is less clear. Most people familiar with the Enneagram will say that either Introversion or Extraversion can exist in all nine of the types, but Type 5s are viewed as the classic Introvert and Type 7s are seen as the classic Extravert. Is this true? Let’s dig a little deeper.
Behavior versus Motivation and Thought Patterns
When you initially study the Enneagram, you spend a lot of time reading the type descriptions. For example, you might read that Type Five Investigators are defined by their desire to conserve energy and avoid being drained by engagement with the outside world. They are described as withdrawn, reserved, quiet, introspective, and deliberate in their actions. They sound like classic Introverts.
You’ll read that Type Seven Enthusiasts are defined by their desire to experience everything life has to offer while avoiding pain and boredom. They are described as adventure-seeking, high-energy, indiscriminate, and outgoing. They sound like classic Extraverts.
But at the core of the Enneagram is thought patterns. Behavior radiates out from thought patterns, but the two aren’t interchangeable. The Enneagram type descriptions are only useful to uncover the foundational thought pattern and related motivation. This is where the confusion lies and why generalizations can be dangerous.
An Extraverted Type 5?
The Type 5 thought pattern is focused on scarcity and c