Knowing our Strategy and, consequently, our Authority, is one of the most valuable pieces of information when we begin experimenting with Human Design. Our chart shows us our energy type, which is a fundamental piece because it explains exactly how our energy presents itself to the world. To understand what Strategy is in Human Design, we need to understand that our energy type has a particular way of operating, and that is our Strategy. Just as there are 5 energy types, there are also 5 types of Strategy.
1. A ESTRATÉGIA DOS PROJETORES: ESPERAR PELO CONVITE
A Projector’s Strategy makes their role somewhat limited. There is a reason for all of this, of course. The Universe exists in constant expansion and has no interest whatsoever in limiting each person’s individual capacities. However, we could only live in complete expansion and abundance if we all reached a level of full consciousness and were all, in fact, living our Design. Strategy is a tool for protecting our energy, so that it is used in the right way and in the right place, rather than being spent where it is neither welcome nor useful.
All of us, whether Projectors or not, have certainly come across someone in our lives whose problem seems to have an obvious solution to us. That friend who is addicted to gambling should seek psychological help. We tell our uncle, who has problems with high blood pressure, to cut down on salt. We give our schoolmate, who is about to fail the year, all of our notes and even offer to explain the material to them. And yet, despite our help and advice, our friend keeps spending their whole salary on scratch cards, our uncle always adds more salt to his food, and our classmate would rather go out than study. The truth is that no one can be changed unless the will to change comes from within them.
Now let us imagine the specific case of a Projector who was designed not only to identify problems, but also to find the solution and manage its implementation. If Projectors went around trying to help people who were not ready to receive their help, how much of their energy would turn into bitterness from not being able to help everyone? This is where the Projector’s specific Strategy comes from: Waiting for the Invitation. A Projector should only guide and lead when invited. The Projector’s Strategy is a practical case of that expression, “Do not involve yourself where you have not been called.”
It is important to understand that, however difficult this may be for a Projector, it is a mechanism that, in true Projector energy, optimises Projectors by channelling them towards where they are needed and where they can make a difference.
For Projectors, an invitation does not need to be verbal. It does not have to arrive in a golden envelope, written in bold letters, or announced with a fanfare. An invitation can be a look, an exchange of energy, a suggestion, or a compliment. It can be the simple feeling of openness from the other person. Of course, this is not always easy to recognize. If a friend who has a problem asks us out because they need to talk, it is reasonable to interpret that as an invitation to step into the role of guide. However, the friend may simply want to vent or be distracted and may not actually be interested in solutions or optimization. It is essential for a Projector to pay attention to the energetic signals. Fortunately, because of their focused and attentive awareness, a Projector is able to notice these signals with relative ease.
2. THE STRATEGY OF GENERATORS: WAITING TO RESPOND
When we say that Generators are the workers of the world and endless energy boxes, the last thing that comes to mind is that their strategy is to Wait to Respond. No one imagines a Generator sitting with their arms crossed, staring at the clock and sighing, waiting for a question like someone waiting for a bus. However, this is the Strategy that perfectly fits the magic of Generators.
Generators were made to dance with life. By following their sacral response, Generators are naturally guided towards the things that bring them joy and light them up. Waiting to Respond does not have to be limited to a direct question from someone. It can also be something that appears in front of them. A Generator might walk into a pastry shop, fix their gaze on a pastel de nata, and the Sacral will tell them, “Yes, I want it!” or “Not even if it were the last cake in this bakery!”
The more Generators do what they love, what lights them up inside, the more these “questions” begin to appear. This is the real magic of Generators: by doing what is inwardly aligned for them, they create a kind of vortex that starts attracting more of those things into their lives. They do not need to go looking for them or create their own opportunities. The life of an aligned Generator unfolds naturally. Opportunities begin to fall from the sky, which is why it is extremely important for a Generator to know how to say “No!” to what does not light them up inside and to know how to wait. At first, this waiting can feel long and generate Frustration and, as a result, lead the Generator to accept just anything because staying still feels unbearable. Even if opportunities may later arrive all at once, the Generator neither has to nor should feel pressured to accept them all.
If Generators have the ability to hear their sacral yes clearly, things become more complicated when it comes to a “No.” This is especially true because Generators want to generate this happiness and multiply it for everyone. Saying “No!” may disappoint someone, leave someone behind, or make someone feel let down. Saying “No!” does not seem right and, since Generators have so much energy, why not use just a little more? Just a bit. It is no big deal. But it is. The best general rule for a Generator is that if it is not a loud and clear “Yes!”, then it is a “No!”, and it really has to be that way for a Generator. The Sacral does not know “Maybe!”, and if the Generator feels that the response from their Sacral is not clear, then the question needs to be more specific or should be asked again later.
For Generators with Sacral Authority, applying their Strategy is relatively simple and powerful because the Sacral gives a response in the moment. All Generators, and Manifesting Generators, have access to the sacral response, but when the Authority is Emotional, Generators need to wait in order to gain clarity. Emotional Authority brings a slight haze to the Sacral, making it harder to distinguish the sacral response clearly. What may feel like a “Yes!” in the moment can become a very clear “No!” the next day. That is why, for Generators with Emotional Authority, applying their Strategy includes a second pause. The first is waiting for the question or opportunity that comes from the outside. Immediately, there will be an inner response and, while Sacral Authorities can respond straight away knowing that their response is genuine, Emotional Authorities need to wait, or “sleep on it,” to know whether that immediate response was truly genuine or not.
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3. THE STRATEGY OF MANIFESTORS: INFORM BEFORE ACTING
The strategy of the Manifestor is based on a fundamental pillar: informing others of their actions. The Manifestor carries such a powerful aura that they need to soften the impact of their energy by using it in service of both themselves and others, taking into account everyone who may be affected by their actions, and informing them of what they can expect.
Informing is not at all a natural process for Manifestors. They may feel controlled or manipulated as a consequence of their powerful aura. Manifestors break out in hives when someone tries to tell them what they have to do, which ends up happening to the vast majority of Manifestors as a result of their experience from a very early age with people trying to stop them or telling them that what they want to do is impossible.
Understanding the importance of informing, for the Manifestor, has a very deep impact on their relationships and ultimately removes the resistance that creates the support needed for their power and creative energy. It is important for Manifestors to remember that just because they inform, it does not mean they have to stop or change the direction of their actions. It is simply the energetic way of removing people’s resistance so that their actions can have greater impact.
Let us look at the case of a Manifestor who had the perfect evening planned with his partner. After dinner, they wanted to enjoy the moment, watch a film, and relax. His wife went to change her clothes and, meanwhile, the Manifestor decided to make some popcorn. When he got to the kitchen, he realised the packet was empty, so he decided to grab the car keys and go to the nearest convenience store. His partner came back to the living room and could not find him anywhere. Worried, she tried to call his mobile phone, which he had left at home. When the Manifestor returned, he found his partner at the front door, very upset, and he could not even understand why. By not informing, his action created this conflict.
Besides it being very important to inform, the Manifestor will feel loved and respected if the opposite also happens and they themselves are informed about what is going on. So if you love a Manifestor, inform them of what you’re planning to do — this energetic exchange will help them reduce the natural process of anger that can be triggered in the Manifestor.
In our society, it’s very common for us to be raised and conditioned to behave like Manifestors. As children, we hear things like, “Just do it,” or “Take charge and make things happen.” For many of us, this becomes a frustrating experience that never brings the results we want in life. The great irony is that when a Manifestor child is born, parents sense very early on that this child’s energy is a very powerful force and try to control someone who is not meant to be controlled. As a result, they end up raising these children in the wrong way, and they learn either to hide that tremendous potential or to do things in secret.
Because of all this conditioning, the idea of informing is something strange and even frightening for a Manifestor. Manifestors fear that others will try to stop them, tell them what to do, and they end up being punished for being too powerful.
The world needs Manifestors in order to keep moving forward and evolving. More than ever, we need people who know how to create solutions quickly for many of the problems affecting the world. For that to happen, we need Manifestors who know how to use their power consciously and who always respect their Strategy of Informing.
4. THE STRATEGY OF REFLECTORS: WAIT FOR A LUNAR CYCLE
Reflectors have completely open centers in their chart, which means their gates are extremely important, as they are the only consistent energies in their design.
Reflectors are lunar beings. The Moon takes 28 days to complete a full cycle during which it travels through each of the 64 gates. In this way, the Moon moves through a Reflector’s chart, resulting in consistent changes in their definition through the gates.
This means that Reflectors have a predictable 28 day cycle and predictable changes within that cycle based on the position of the Moon. Reflectors are able to anticipate more energetic days according to their lunar cycle because of these consistent changes.
Because of the Reflector’s mutability and their symbiotic relationship with the movement of the Moon through their chart, the strategy of the Reflector is precisely to wait 28 days before making a decision.
But this is a paradox: we live in a fast paced culture, so having to wait 28 days to be sure that a decision is valid is extremely challenging. That is why disappointment is the emotional theme of a Reflector. Reflectors often feel disappointed by their decisions because they do not wait long enough to gain clarity. Having been pressured to make a quick decision, they end up regretting their choices and suffering the unfortunate consequences.
It is also true that Reflectors feel disappointed because of their openness. They are deeply wise about the extent of human potential and can clearly see when people are not living up to that potential.
When a Reflector is waiting during the 28 day period, it is important to understand the need to talk things through with other people. Reflectors do not have inner authority. The truth of their decisions can only be known when it is reflected back to them by others. That is why it is essential for Reflectors to have a consistent group of friends with whom they feel good and who are willing to listen to them and support them in their decision making. The Reflector’s inconsistent energy means they need consistent auras they can trust.
Reflectors truly need to follow their only inner authority, which is whether they feel good or not. When a Reflector is in the right place, they feel comfortable. Whenever they do not feel good somewhere, whether at work or in a restaurant, it is important for them to leave. However, it is important to distinguish between situations: it makes sense to leave a restaurant as soon as they step through the door and something feels off, but in the case of a job, it is important to wait 28 days to be sure that the decision to leave is the right one. Strategy, both for Reflectors and for everyone else, requires discernment. A Reflector is not going to wait 28 days to decide whether to have meat or fish for dinner, just as a Projector is not going to wait for an invitation to watch a film when they are already sitting in front of Netflix. Strategy, in most cases, applies to the big decisions in life or to those that will have the greatest impact.
Once a Reflector has waited 28 days before making a decision, they can then take whatever action they feel is necessary. They may simply choose to let it go, but when a Reflector does need to act, it is usually very clear to them.
Human Design sessions are especially helpful for Reflectors because, in a session, they can see the exact changes in their chart over the 28 days of their cycle and therefore learn which days in the cycle are more consistent for certain activities and decision making.
5. THE STRATEGY OF MANIFESTING GENERATORS: WAIT TO RESPOND AND INFORM BEFORE ACTING
It is true that, in essence, a Manifesting Generator has the same Strategy as a Generator and must wait to respond to what appears in their external reality. Even though our society teaches us to adopt the mantra of “making things happen,” it is very important for Manifesting Generators as well to wait for a response before taking action.
However, Manifesting Generators resemble Manifestors in that they have a motor connected to the Throat. The initial tendency of a Manifesting Generator will be to initiate. Because they have this fast, visceral, internal, and non verbal creative flow, waiting can be very challenging and frustrating for them. Most people are not at all used to waiting and observing the unfolding of life. Waiting to Respond is crucial for Manifesting Generators so they can ensure the satisfaction they so deeply desire in life and avoid burnout from committing themselves to the wrong work.
The body’s auric energy field indicates when a Manifesting Generator needs something to respond to in life. However, they are naturally predisposed to respond to situations more quickly than a pure Generator. To see whether they are correct, Manifesting Generators also need to “test” their responses, whether sacral or emotional, to the situations they encounter. This is yet another reason why Manifesting Generators are constantly changing their minds. Because the Manifesting Generator responds so quickly, they tend to skip important steps and often need to go back and correct the ones they missed.
So, when faced with a question, Manifesting Generators will feel more satisfied if they first try ideas out in their imagination and visualize the outcome before taking action.
When a Manifesting Generator waits, things always happen at the right time and in the right way. From the waiting comes the question to which the Manifesting Generator will have to respond using their Authority: either the Sacral, which allows for a quicker response, or the Emotional Authority, which requires the extra step of waiting for Emotional Clarity.
Just like the Manifestor, when a Manifesting Generator moves, everyone notices and feels it. People often become confused and react negatively to the Manifesting Generator’s non verbal creative flow because they cannot understand what is happening. They do not know whether they should step aside or whether something is wrong when the Manifesting Generator moves with such intensity while in response mode, so the process of Informing Before Acting helps calm the energy by letting people know what to expect from the situation.
At its core, informing those involved helps move them out of the way so that the Manifesting Generator can maintain their creative flow at full speed. As with the Manifestor, this is not the most natural way for them to move through the world. In addition to learning how to wait, they also need to practise informing everyone involved, and it is equally important for them to be informed in return. By receiving that information, they can then adapt their creative process to what is happening around them.
Let us look at an example:
A Manifesting Generator who is not doing what they love feels frustrated because they cannot access that inexhaustible source of sacral energy, so they think, “I need a holiday.” If this Manifesting Generator knew nothing about Human Design or their energy type, they would book a flight before even confirming whether they could actually take time off at that moment or even afford it. This is how a Manifesting Generator operates: they can move at tremendous speed when they have a thought or motivation because of their non verbal creative flow.
However, an aligned Manifesting Generator would know to wait before booking the flight and instead respond to what life brings them.
So that same afternoon, the Manifesting Generator who needs a holiday responds to their physical exhaustion by going to the doctor. There, the doctor tells them that they are on the verge of burnout and are experiencing adrenal fatigue. “You need a holiday!” the doctor says. To this, the Manifesting Generator responds, “Mmmm-hmmm.”
On the way home from the doctor’s appointment, he passes a billboard showing an idyllic beach scene. That is when he thinks, “I really do need a holiday.” He starts imagining himself in the warm waters of Mexico, at the top of the Empire State Building, or watching the Northern Lights in Norway.
When he gets home, he checks the mailbox and finds a postcard from a friend who has just moved to the Bahamas with the message, “You should come and visit me,” and at that moment the Manifesting Generator’s Sacral responds with, “Mmmmm-ummmm!”
Depending on their Authority, the Manifesting Generator may begin to act or may need to sleep on it first. However, once they have their response, the Manifesting Generator should inform all relevant parties before acting, such as family, employer, and so on.
It is worth pointing out that the ideal holiday for a Manifesting Generator does not necessarily consist of lying in a hammock and drinking a gin and tonic, that is only appealing for a short period of time for a Manifesting Generator.
The Importance of Following Strategy in Human Design
Whatever our Strategy may be, it is essential to understand that its function is to preserve and channel our Energy. Living according to our Strategy and Authority is the key piece that allows us to begin our journey towards our Authentic Self and the life we are meant to live.
