Human Design: Honoring Projectors
In the Human Design system, Projectors are our guides and leaders. That’s not to say that no other Human Design Type can be leaders. It’s just that Projectors have a distinct way of seeing the world around them. That gives them the capacity and the gifts to guide others towards our highest potential. They are often doing this, whether they know it or not, because it comes so naturally.
In their highest expression, Projectors help us see what we are missing. They can identify the big picture and the small details. They want to see us reach our full potential, and they have a line of sight to get us there, if we are open to it. It’s our choice, of course.
Projectors can sometimes get a bad rap if they aren’t aware of how best to use their guiding energy. The people around them may receive their advice as criticism or micromanaging. That’s just an interpretation of behavior based on lived experiences and conditioning. There are adjustments that can be made on both sides of the relationship to help find harmony. The key is having the awareness of how each of our energy works and interacts with the people around us.
Everyone deserves to feel loved and valued for the person they are. We can bring out the best in each other when we are intentional about recognizing the gifts each of us have to share.
Here are a few ways you can honor the Projectors in your life for who and how they are:
Support their need for rest. Don’t ask Projectors to do all the work of doing. They need time to just BE. In a work context, that can look like taking implementation tasks off their plate and letting them “advise” instead. In a personal context, it can look like helping them complete household chores. Whatever the context, make sure you check in on their capacity and let them rest without guilt or shame. Make sure they know they don't need to keep up with everyone around them.
Ask their opinion. Projectors aren’t here to guide and lead everyone. They will know you are one of “their people” when you ask for their advice. They may have a tendency to hang back in group conversations, so if you want to hear from them, call them out. They are likely holding a nugget of wisdom that can move things forward. You make them feel seen and valued when you call them out, and you also prepare everyone else to truly hear what the Projector has to share.
Indulge their inquisitiveness. Projectors tend to be life-long learners. Many have lots of different interests and love to learn new things. This is part of how they come to understand systems and can help direct us down the right path. Projector kiddos might have a ton of questions about why things are the way they are. Projector adults might like to read books or take classes and then share what they have learned. When we encourage Projectors to keep learning, we set them up to be the leader they are here to be.
Follow their lead when resonant. Projectors always have ideas about the best way to do something. As a Manifesting-Generator (me) who is always looking for a way to skip steps, sometimes Projector standards feel impossible to meet. Rather than letting that shut you down, remind yourself you get to choose. Listen to their good ideas and follow them when it feels right to you. You don’t have to do it their way all the time, but making a point to do it their way sometimes shows them you value their guidance.
Learn from them. Let your Projector teach you something. They will often feel excited by the opportunity to teach someone something new or share a new way or a new perspective. Give them the chance. Ask them to teach you instead of trying to figure it out on your own. Hand over a challenging problem and ask them to give you a new perspective or a new idea.
If you love a Projector, then try out some of these tips to make them feel really good about who they are. If you’re a Projector, speak up and tell your people how to honor you. When we are aware and open about our needs, we give the people around us a chance to show up for us in a way that brings harmony and balance to the relationship. And that's good for everyone!
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