Human Design Energy Types: Projectors

Hello, hello, hello!
Let’s continue our conversation about energy types and dive into Projectors today!

This is personally one of my favorite energy types to talk about because Projectors have such an important role among us.

You make up approximately 20% of the population and you’re here to be an expert.

Your energy is also designed to guide the rest of us because you can see things we can’t. This can be so powerful that even when you’re just sitting on the couch, you energy is working, especially when there are others in the room. It’s been said that you are here to usher us into the next “way of life” as we shift from a tribal mentality to a more individualistic society where value is more in the personal gifts that each of us bring to the world than the material value we place on things today.

So … what makes a Projector a Projector?
A Projector does not have a motor connected to the Throat. Remember, that’s either the Will Center, Emotional Solar Plexus, or the Root Center. None of those motors are directly or indirectly connected to the Throat Center. This is just like we talked about with the Generator.

Unlike the Generator, a Project does not have their Sacral Center defined. However, these two energy types work really well together. I’ll explain that in a little bit.

BEING RECOGNIZED

It’s important for Projectors to be recognized for your accomplishments, your skills, your knowledge.

This is part of being an expert for the rest of us, as well as how your energy works with your strategy of walking through life. Being recognized is the first, and important step in how you navigate situations.

If you aren’t recognized for the correct things then you may enter into something that isn’t correct for you which will cause resistance. For example, if someone recognizes you for your will power and ability to persevere through anything, and you have an undefined will center, then they don’t really “get” you, because that undefined will means you have inconsistent access to that will power energy.

Therefore, if you accept the invitation this person has extended, then you’re in for a potentially exhausting experience.

You have a natural ability of recognizing others as well. This makes you a good role model for what you need for yourself. You also might find yourself studying others and wanting to learn more about others than you do about yourself. This comes easily to a Projector and learning more about humanity makes you such a good guide for the rest of us.

WAITING for the INVITATION

So, while being recognized is the first part of a Projector’s Strategy in life, “waiting for the invitation” is the second part.

Because you don’t have a motor connected to the Throat Center, it’s important that you wait to be recognized and then invited to share your knowledge or information.

Most Projectors I know talk about how impossible this seems to them. I can completely understand where you’re coming from and how debilitating it would feel if you couldn’t “do” anything without receiving an official invitation first.

Well, good news! Waiting for the invitation is mostly referring to the big decisions you’re trying to make in your life. However, it works really well in your everyday life if you’ve got the patience for it.

What signifies something “big” that you should wait for an invitation?

Here’s a good rule of thumb:
If it involves

LOVE
BONDING WITH OTHERS,
your CAREER,
or where to LIVE,

then I would consider these big decisions and encourage you to wait for that invitation.

Otherwise you can simply go about the rest of your day moving life forward and guiding others.

Let’s say you’re in a situation where you’re trying to make a large decision in your life and waiting for that invitation feels like it’s taking forever. Consider stopping to think about how your aura works. It’s incredibly powerful & inviting. Truly!

When you slow down & let your aura do it’s job the invitations will show up for you because your aura is pulling them to you. Stop looking for, or trying to initiate an invitation.

I really like how Lynda Bunnell says it in one of her books on Human Design.

“When Projectors trust in the silent magic of their chemistry, many opportunities appear.”

Once your invitation has formally come into your life and received, you’ll need to check in with your authority and if it’s correct for your energy right now, then you should be able to move forward as you like, to make things happen.

SUCCESS and BITTERNESS

What happens if you don’t wait for the invitation and just go forward with something!?!

You will most likely meet lots of resistance and feel bitter or resentful. Bitterness is your emotional theme as a Projector and your sure sign that something is out of alignment.

This could mean that you didn’t wait for that invitation. It could mean that you’re not allowing your energy to guide others because you don’t want to be pushy. It could mean that you’re pushing too hard to be recognized for your skills or input.

Regardless, when you feel bitterness, realize it for what it is, maybe think about what might have gotten you to this point, set it aside for what it is, and then move on. If you feel like you need to talk about it later with your partner or friend, then definitely do that. But, here’s your permission slip to be okay with this feeling, know that it comes from a place of not being aligned with your energy, and that there’s nothing wrong with you or how you’re feeling.

Instead, look for those successful moments in your day, because success is your emotional theme for being in alignment with your energy. Success is also the feeling you probably get when you know you have value or helped someone use their energy more efficiently. Be selective in the invitations you accept and the people you surround yourself with.

LEADING A PROJECTOR

If you work with, or manage, a Projector, there are some very important things you need to keep in mind about them.

How their energy works

The number one thing is to honor the way that their energy works - or in this case, doesn’t work.

They do not have consistent access to life-force energy like a Generator does. This means that they aren’t meant to go-go-go all day long. Because they have an undefined Sacral Center, they will borrow and amplify the energy of others around them, but that makes it difficult for them to know when enough is enough.

What does this mean for them in the workplace?
— Consider offering positions that can be flexible with their hours and allows your Projector to do the work at times that feel best for them.

— Encouraging breaks throughout the day where your Projector can rest and be alone so they can discharge from all the energy around them.

— Work on changing your value around “work” Many of us value that someone puts so much time into their work, or that they keep going non-stop until the job is done well, & early. If you praise this kind of behavior in your workplace, then your Projector will think they have to be the same way, when in fact only Generator types are designed to do work so much - and even then only on things that light them up.

So, the more you can value the quality of people’s work, and recognize people’s strengths, the more you will get out of all your employees, but especially your Projectors.

Recognize & Invite Them

Projectors thrive on recognition. If this isn’t a natural thing for you, then leave yourself a note on your desk to remind you that your Projector needs some love today.

This doesn’t mean that if they’re not performing up to standard, then you should still praise something about them. It means that their energy works best when they are recognized for something, and then invited to share their knowledge or expertise.

Inviting is another way for you to honor their energy, especially when it involves a large project or something you would like to involve them in that might change some major things about their life.

Let’s use the example of an employee getting a promotion, but it requires them to relocate. The best way to approach this as a manager is to recognize the value they bring to the company or organization and then officially extend an invitation to consider the promotion.

Then give them at least 24 hours to think about it, since no Projector is designed to make decisions on the spot like that. They will have to talk it through with someone and possibly check in with their emotional wave as well.

Pairing Projectors

Projectors pair up nicely with Generators. This relationship works so well because the Generator is good at recognizing the strengths and skills of the Projector, while the Projector can guide the energy of the Generator in a way that capitalizes on their strengths.

I’ve seen this in action and it’s really a win-win situation.

FAMILY and FRIENDS of PROJECTORS

Value & Invite

If you have friends or family members that are Projectors you’ll want to remember that feeling valued and seen is very important to them. If they don’t get this from the people they love, then they will seek it and it will feel “yucky” to everyone.

Their energy also works better when they receive an invitation to share their expertise, or use their skills. So be sure to invite them to things and to share their thoughts.

Negative Recognition

Children who are Projectors can get confused about this need to be recognized.

They have an underlying need and want to be recognized and may attach themselves to anyone that recognizes them. I know some adults who struggle with this on a subconscious level as well.

The difficult part is when they gravitate and attach themselves to someone that is giving them negative recognition simply because they aren’t getting recognized in other ways.

A really good strategy when working with and loving on children is to teach them to recognize themselves so they don’t feel the need to look for that external recognition.

Ask for Advice

Anytime I work with someone who has a Projector in the family I remind them to ask this person for advice. Projectors can see things from a different perspective and will be able to offer a unique take on your situation, so consider asking them for their thoughts on things. This also fills their cup and helps them live in alignment with their energy.

Decision Making

Projectors need open ended statements when making decisions. So, instead of saying, “Would you like pasta for dinner?” You could say, “What are your thoughts on dinner this evening?”

All Projectors need to talk through the situation their trying to make a decision about, so be sure to use phrases like,

“Tell me what’s on your mind.”
And,
“I wonder what your thoughts are on this.”

The best thing to remember about Projectors and decision making is that they never need your advice. The answer is already inside of them. They might say they’d like your opinion on something, but really all they need is to talk things through so they can hear themselves say the answer out loud. Kind of like needing to speak their truth.

RECAP for PROJECTORS

Going back to the analogy I’ve used earlier, if life were a game of baseball, Projectors would be the Coach, guiding all of our energy to play the best game possible.

Now, to recap some highlights for all of you Projectors out there:
— Surrender to life. Stop feeling like you have to control everything.

— Learn to be quiet. Your invitations will come from silence.

— Recognize others for their gifts, skills, & knowledge. This will come back to you ten-fold.

Most importantly,
— Wait to be recognized
— check in with your authority
— accept the invitation if it’s right for you
— feel the empowerment to manifest!