. . . This is your story
PRESENT–FUTURE
You seek to understand what is most likely to happen and what’s otherwise possible.
Your unique point of view is formed by your blend of the three foundational priorities of mind: Past (Certainty), Present (Probability), and Future (Possibility). The result of this blending of priorities is your thinking style and it defines the value you bring to every aspect of your life. It is what motivates you and it shapes your personality. It is also at the root of most of our differences in the way we each think.
Your thinking is oriented towards making things work out for the best by following your plans while being open to new opportunities. This means figuring out how to manage change and this is something you do very well. You are a manager of time, people and things. You’re always on the lookout for good ideas that help you reach your goals. Before you start something new you take your time to think through how it might impact your existing plans or upset relationships with people because your network of people is your most valuable asset.
You will always blend a need to improve Probabilities of success with the Possibilities that life affords you. Your talent lies in adapting your plans to navigate change by including only the most valuable and tested new ideas. Use this ability as your foundation and align your efforts with what you do so well.
- A desire to support others in achieving their goals
- A need to be valued for your flexibility and ability to manage things well
- A good eye for new possibilities curbed only by your down-to-earth need to reach goals
- New ways and norms of doing things for yourself and others
- A realistic set of expectations about people and what they can or will do despite their potential
- A tendency to value execution over bigger opportunities
Your Archetype badge
Maximize Your Strengths
Keep control of your path as you explore new opportunities, ideas, and experiences.
- Do make sure you tackle new projects with a plan in mind.
- Do take on leadership roles where you get to structure and organize the way things are handled.
Growth Opportunities
Step back and research the kind of information that will make you confident you’re making the most risk-free decisions.
- Don’t put yourself in a position where lots of research and study are required to succeed until you learn how to use more Past in your thinking.
- Don’t feel intimidated by people who seem to have all the facts. Instead, go out and get your own facts to meet them on their level.
IN FLOW
How you are in the world
Like a steady stream of water, you flow best when you know the path, the destination, and what to expect along the way. You’re an inspired person and it’s that inspiration to achieve something great that sets your flow in action. Sometimes, there are hiccups along the way: little challenges you hadn’t counted on that can bring things to a grinding halt. But not for long. Since pauses are death to your flow, you meet those challenges head on, doing what needs to be done to keep the action going.
While you need a steady flow, or rhythm, you’re also a goal-oriented person. You’ve always got an end in sight since you’ve already got an idea for the next project in mind. There’s a huge momentum behind your flow, a forward motion that accelerates you past the horizon and into new lands. You have the flow of an explorer or adventurer —always seeking new paths to take, thriving on the challenge of the unknown.
Your flow also involves construction. You’re a builder. Like a house of cards, you need to set the right foundation before you feel comfortable enough trying to construct those top tiers. But that’s just common sense, right? Wrapped up in this is the need for cooperation and teamwork. While you may assume the role of leader, bringing your imagination and brilliance to the table, you recognise that each us has a role to play in the bigger picture. If people aren’t pulling their weight, the flow is disrupted. Maybe it’s time to take on some management skills to get in there, set them straight, and keep the flow going.
Since challenges are part of your flow, what disrupts you? Primarily, it’s details and research that will bring your flow to a grinding halt. Let’s imagine you’re on a roll. You’ve dreamt up your brilliant scheme and you’ve set to work making it a reality. The goal is in sight. And then someone needs detailed information about what you’re doing. So instead of doing it, you’re now pouring over some volume in a library, scratching out bits of information on your pad, wondering if that’s enough to keep them happy because you’d rather do than research. While you bring great imagination, passion and intelligence to what you do, your flow is, at core, about doing something rather than thinking about it.
WISDOM
What you bring to the world
If wisdom is a huge Lego pyramid, experience and application are the plastic building blocks. For you, wisdom is about applying an experience to solve a problem. That might be an experience you’ve lived through, something you’ve observed first-hand or heard about. The skill is in separating the wheat from the chaff, taking the lesson you need, and then correctly applying it somewhere else in your life. When you do this, you’re in control, smart and wise, capable and powerful.
Do people come and ask your advice, especially with problems that need a real solution? If so, it’s because you’re imaginative and resourceful when it comes to finding a solution. You’ve got a street-smart savvy when it comes to practical things. You sink your teeth in and don’t let go till you’ve found a workable solution, and usually pretty quickly.
For you, wisdom is linked to responsibility. In fact, part of your wisdom is in realising that everything around you is somehow linked. Like the butterfly in Africa that flaps its wings and causes the storm in America, you have the wisdom to recognise the connection of everything, even in the face of chaos. As scientists start proving how everything in the universe is connected, they’re just confirming what you’ve known all along.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that your street-smart, know-how, logical wisdom is all there is. You might think you’ve seen it all, but there are past experiences outside your own that have value.
PERCEPTION
How you see the world
There’s truth in your heart when you set out to achieve something. You believe in what you’re trying to accomplish. You believe in the rules and structure that you follow when you’re trying to bring your dreams to reality. This kind of truth deals with integrity. It’s about being true to yourself and true to your ideals. While that personal truth often gets banged up as you move through life, you work hard at keeping it intact.
Being true to yourself is something that centres you as you plan to make your dreams a reality. But in the real world, you know that truth is flexible. In your view of the world, truth isn’t that clearly defined. Sure, you have the truth of rules and formulas that work when you’re doing math. Or when you’re plotting a flow chart. Or when you’re dealing with technology. Or trying to make things fit in your hectic life. But when you’re not talking about these clear-cut situations, your view of truth is that it bends and moulds itself to situations. What’s true for one situation isn’t always true for another. Yes, last week you said something, and this week you’re saying something else. It was true last week and it’s true now, even if they seem like you’re saying something different. You’re not a liar. You just see the organic nature of life and know that truth flows along the same wavy line we all do.
IN RELATIONSHIP
The Navigator helps set and follow the course
We all have relationships, they’re a natural and important part of most people’s lives. Why is it that even in our most intimate and important relationships we struggle, at times, to make things work, to understand each other, to see eye-to-eye? The simple fact is that we do not think the same way. We each bring our own point of view and use that to further what is important to us in the moment, whether it be in our private life, our work or with friends.
Knowing how we think—specifically our archetype—helps us to hear with more compassion. To listen and hear beyond a person’s words. To understand where they are coming from, what they need, and where they are trying to get to in conversation with us.
Find Out How Navigators Relate With Each Archetype
Choose your friend or partner’s archetype below to gain insights into your relationship.
Pros
Working together, you complement each other. Where you bring the energy of new, future experiences and the skills to organize everything in the present, they can bring the security of past knowledge to help you build your new world together smartly.
Cons
The pros only count if you’re working together!
Pros
You both look for ways of organizing and structuring to control your lives, which can be great if you want the same things.
Cons
You seek more new experiences than your partner, which may leave space for disagreements on what you plan to do next.
Pros
You work well together when it comes to sharing new experiences and savoring the variety that life has to offer.
Cons
Understand that while you like to have things organized and in place, your partner is hanging on as a free spirit. They won’t like your rules, so give each other space to be your own person.
Pros
You both use a Present perspective to help organize and structure what you’re doing.
Cons
Beyond control, you’re looking for exciting, new experiences, whereas they’re looking for security. Life might be hard if you’re both organizing different things.
Pros
You both use a Future perspective to bring energy and explore new experiences.
Cons
Your partner uses the fact-finding skills of a Past perspective to be really sure of what they’re doing. You’re more focused on taking control of what’s going on, and might feel slowed down by their need to play it safe.
Pros
You both appreciate the need for organization and control and should use that to build something solid.
Cons
Beyond your need for structure is a need for excitement and new experiences, whereas your partner is more interested in building a history together.
Pros
You might be a great match, having a very similar take on the world.
Cons
Since you both want control and know how to get it, your differences may end up more like full-scale wars.
Pros
You click with your desires to try new things and share new experiences.
Cons
While you’re coming from a place of keeping things together, they’re often looking for safety in tradition.
Pros
You both understand where the other is coming from, even if you disagree on how to get there.
Cons
They’re primarily looking for adventure, you’re primarily looking for control. Working together will require you to accept each other’s different approaches.
Pros
Since they integrate all three thinking styles, the two of you can find a common middle ground fairly easily.
Cons
Their need to keep balance might wear thin if you want them to stand up for something.
IN COLLABORATION
Navigators act to lead a team towards the vision
- Your attention to trends and changing markets is a valuable contribution to the group.
- You encourage others to act in a timely manner.
- You combine vision, action, and a knack for organizing. People say that you’re a natural leader.
The secret to happiness and success is knowing where to look for the value in ourselves and others. When you’re aware of the value your colleagues bring—especially when it’s different from your own—you can partner with them to drive your mutual success.
The 10 Archetypes Collaboration Styles
Truth-seekers help the group develop a deeper understanding of its mission.
Truth-seekers teach people how to reduce the risk of failure and measure progress realistically.
Truth-seekers’ skepticism and independence militate against “group-think” and blind conformity.
Organizers keep their teammates focused on outcomes.
Organizers ensure that goals are realistic and the group doesn’t take on more work than it can handle.
Organizers hold people accountable and make sure they honor their deadlines and commitments.
Visionaries champion innovation, focus on solutions, and help others begin to think outside-the-box.
Visionaries inspire others and remind them of the bigger picture.
Visionaries help the group adapt to new circumstances.
Information and organization are both important to Curators.
Curators are likely to manage the group’s data, adding to it with their own thorough research.
Curators caution and practicality provide a solid foundation for decision making. They help the group avoid unnecessary risks.
Researchers ensure that the group makes decisions with full knowledge of the risks and consequences.
Others come to rely on their experience and wisdom.
Researchers are good at detecting when rules and structures become too confining for the group.
Engineers create efficient systems: organizing information, people, and the flow of work.
A team player, Engineers help the group stay focused on its collective goals.
Engineers promote accountability, reliability, and trustworthiness, helping bring projects to completion.
A Navigator’s attention to trends and changing markets is a valuable contribution to the group.
Navigators encourage others to act in a timely manner.
Navigators combine vision, action, and a knack for organizing. People say that they are natural leaders.
Explorers help the group set goals with a “grain of salt,” insisting that their vision be backed up with solid facts.
Explorers counsel against snap decisions.
Explorers find it easy to motivate others because they’re confident that their goals are viable.
Leaders make sure the group grabs new opportunities before it’s too late.
Leaders are more open to change than most Present thinkers, and understand the benefits of deviating from a plan.
Leaders are inspiring but pragmatic.
With your unusual ability to engage all thinking styles, Connectors have a clear understanding of group process.
Connectors sense when members are focusing on only one thinking styles and a minority perspective is being pushed to the margins.
Connectors serve as a mediator, help resolve conflicts, and keep everyone focused on constructive interaction.
The Navigator’s Perspective
MindTime’s Archetype e-Handbooks offer over 50 pages of science-backed insights about each Archetype.
Archetype handbooks can be purchased individually by anyone who doesn’t own MindTime Cards.