Strategy 1
Principled Perfectionist
- Desire
- Goodness, integrity and being at peace with yourself
- Fear
- Making a mistake, failing and being bad inside
Strategy 7
Enthusiastic Optimist
- Desire
- Contentment and freedom of choice
- Fear
- Deprivation and pain there's no escaping
Why People Confuse Them
Both strategies have high ideals and a sense that they have some kind of mission in the world. Under prolonged pressure, Sevens also start to seem perfectionistic and need order. Some then wrongly think they're Ones; the reverse happens only rarely.
What the Difference Is
The Seven is an optimist and believes things will turn out well. The One sets a high bar and tends to expect disappointment from people and the world. The One usually knows what their mission is. The Seven more senses it and fears missing their chance.
Their perfectionism differs. The One spends weeks beating themselves up over one mistake in an excellent report. The Seven is dissatisfied when an experience isn't what they imagined, and mistakes their impatience for perfectionism. The Seven is spontaneous, likes changing plans and hates feeling tied down. The One gets annoyed when plans change and sticks to the procedure. The Seven is driven by anxiety and a longing for freedom; the One by suppressed anger.
Three Questions That Settle It
Answer honestly, based on how things usually are, not how you'd like them to be.
- How do you react when a plan changes at the last minute?
1More likely a One if it throws you off, because you had everything ready.
7More likely a Seven if you see it as a chance to try something new.
- What are you angry about when something isn't perfect?
1More likely a One if it's mainly at yourself for making a mistake.
7More likely a Seven if it's mainly that it spoiled the experience for you.
- When you look at your life, what runs through it most?
1More likely a One if it's strict self-control and inner criticism.
7More likely a Seven if it's chasing experiences and escaping boredom and pain.
Not sure? The test will tell you in 10 minutes. What's my strategy? →
How to Spot a One →How to Spot a Seven →How They Work Together in a Relationship →