Enneagram Ego 7
"Over-Idealist"

Trigger: Reduced by social environment

Felt reduced and criticised by their social environment in childhood, which is why they long for a future in which they attain a position in life that compensates for all the deficits of their past. This devaluation can either be equated to bullying or to the restriction of one's own wishes, goals and needs by authority figures and the world at large. This ego therefore also has a pronounced sensitivity to situations of superiority and inferiority in relation to the social environment, as it fears being placed into inferior positions.

Dichotomy: Domain of Position and Authority

The Idealist moves between two extremes in the domain of position and authority. This domain encompasses all structures of the societal establishment, of authority and of one's own position within social structures. This ego has an extraordinarily paranoid and sceptical attitude towards authority figures and societal-social structures, as it is deeply convinced that these undermine both its individuality and its potential. This makes them unadaptable loners who adopt a self-important attitude, often because they are not accepted and understood by others. Paradoxically, on the other hand, this ego strives for leadership positions through which it strives to no longer be oppressed by authority figures or structures. The confusion of thoughts is the poison of this domain, as negative social events quickly confuse their emotions and self-confidence.

Ego-Delusion: Planning

The ego's delusion is that it imposes idealistic, exorbitant plans on itself, forgetting both the circumstances of the immediate present and also oneself. It defines its own purpose in life by means of these plans and feels empty, disorientated, worthless and demotivated when things do not go as desired. Accordingly, they fall into phases in which they try to forge new, extensive plans in order to enhance their own position in life.

Ego-Projections:

This ego wants to perceive itself as a capable, insightful and wise person who is a clever organiser and planner with an optimistic approach. The reality of this fixation is perceived by others as the projection of a person who is a depressed and impractical dreamer, who is absorbed in their own status and superiority and at the same time can display immoderate, immature, undisciplined behaviour.

Ego-Position: Self-importance

The complex posttraumatic stress of this ego, which is about being devalued by others (society) in childhood, creates the ego position of self-importance. Unable to cope with the thought of being oppressed or inferiorized by peers, authority figures or the world, they developed a strong sensitivity to their own self-respect and position in the world. This can result in a tense, superior personality that is vehemently against pre-established structures.

Ego-Justification: Double-Talk

Tends to want to steer other people in certain directions with their own way of expressing themselves. Their own choice of words has an ambiguous meaning in the sense that it could contain a hidden intention connected with their plans. Their way of expressing themselves is intentionally vague.

Ego-Balancer: Confidence & self-respect

Perceives themselves as very self-confident and self-respecting in order to maintain their own position in the world.

Ego-Reaction: Capriciousness

The ego's sudden reaction of no longer being sure what exactly would make it happy, which is why it could change plans from one moment to the next.

Ego-Insecurity: Rivalries

Imbalances in the domain of position and authority lead to rivalries.

Passion: Gluttony

Wants to seize anything that lies outside of their own current abilities and capacities. Is anything but modest about their own personality, their own goals and the pursuit of success. Growing up with adversity, they are gluttonous for a life beyond the boundaries that were laid out by their negative social environment, which was beyond their personal control.

Virtue: Prudence / Sobriety

Must realise that one does not become happy through superiority and planning alone and that one must proceed by means of a wisdom derived from experience. Realises that happiness exists as a process and not as a plan or goal in the future.

Trapdoor: Idealism

The constant inner compulsion of this ego to always pursue altruistic, idealistic plans to improve their surroundings and the lives of others can also be applied to one's own life. This can lead to an objective understanding with which one's own life is planned and lived with the help of a prudent idealism, leading to a higher state of self.

Holy Idea: Wisdom / Work

For the Idealist, the present essentially feels like a landscape that is there to be painted over with the own plans and dreams. However, they do not have the wisdom to understand how to exist and function in the immediate present. Their lack of an authentic connection to the world is evident in all areas of life, especially in social situations. In social situations, they act eccentrically, unnaturally and impatiently; they do not understand the natural process of social interactions, as they cannot simply let them run free, but instead want to immediately fulfil certain future fantasies that are connected to their subjective plans. This distances them from the immediate events of their social environment and often leads to involuntary withdrawal - social interactions can feel empty and unfulfilling. Through the wisdom of life, which leads to the state of divine presence, they learn not to work against the natural processes of the present with their idealism and plans; they learn not to live only in the future or to act only in accordance with their plans, but to experience the present unaltered and naturally.

Difficulty: Dreamer

Lives in their own dreams and is often guided by fantasies. They are poorly adapted to external circumstances.

Immoral Force: Ambivalence

This ego has feelings of ambivalence towards other people and its own decisions, as on the one hand it feels extremely self-confident and shrewd, but on the other hand has conflicting thoughts and self-induced stress. This ambivalence reduces their motivation and makes them question their plans and life decisions.

Existential Attitude: Impartial - Inferiorizing

Is free of prejudice on the one hand, but inferiorizing on the other.

Defense Mechanisms: Displacement, Disassociation

Displacement is when negative feelings and thoughts are transferred to an unrelated object or person. For example, the person has had a negative experience and then shifts their own negative emotions onto people around them using verbal aggression or complaints. Dissociation is when a person separates themselves from the immediate experience of a moment in order to protect themselves, as if they were an uninvolved observer separate from their body or mind. Also includes the dissociation of affect and emotions in given situations. Idealists tend to have a sensitive internal world, but tend to put up a wall that protects them from emotional damage, making them dissociate.

Compensatory Mechanism: Lust

Could immerse themselves in any physical stimuli in order to gain a greater connection to reality.

Possible Disorder: Schizotypal personality disorder

In isolated, extreme manifestations of this ego, it is possible for it to resemble schizotypal personality disorder.

Way of self-realization: Presence

The path of the Idealist is to find themselves, or rather their true form, in the here and now. This leads them to an idealism that shows them the wisdom of how to break free from this fixation.