You read the strategy descriptions and recognize yourself in half of them. A bit of the Altruist, a bit of the Traditionalist, and when things get rough, a bit of the Individualist too. That's completely normal. Each of us has something of all nine strategies in us. But one usually leads, and the others join in depending on the situation.
How do you recognize the one that leads? A few questions and one important distinction will help.
Behavior is misleading, motivation isn't
Strategy descriptions overlap most in behavior. Someone can be meticulous because they want things done right, but also because they're afraid of missing something. Someone helps willingly because they want to be needed, or because they don't want to spoil the mood.
So don't ask “what do I do” but “why do I do it”:
- What are you most afraid of when things go wrong?
- When do you feel truly in your element?
- Where do you retreat when it all gets to be too much?
Your main strategy is the one whose fear and desire you recognize most in yourself. Not the one whose behavior looks most like yours.
The most common look-alikes
Some pairs get mixed up really often. Here's how to tell them apart:
- Perfectionist (1) and Traditionalist (6): both follow the rules. The Perfectionist because it's the right thing to do. The Traditionalist because rules provide security and protection.
- Individualist (4) and Mediator (9): both can withdraw into themselves. But the Four dives into their feelings, while the Nine tends to step away from them to keep the peace.
- Strategist (3) and Leader (8): both go after goals. The Three wants to succeed and be seen as successful; the Eight wants to be in control and not be controlled.
- Altruist (2) and Mediator (9): both are pleasant and accommodating. The Two wants to matter to others; the Nine mainly wants things to stay calm.
- Expert (5) and Individualist (4): both tend to be reserved. The Five protects their energy and privacy; the Four searches for what makes them unique.
You'll find all 36 pairs with distinguishing questions in strategy look-alikes.
Why two strategies fit you at once
There's often a clear explanation:
- Wing: every strategy has two neighbors, and one of them usually colors it. A Four with a Five wing is quieter and more withdrawn than a Four with a Three wing, who is more sociable and cares more about the impression they make.
- Subtype: depending on where your attention goes (to security, to people, or to closeness with one person), the same strategy produces quite different people.
- Stress and ease: under pressure, or when things are going well, each strategy shifts toward a different one. If you took the test during a tough period, traits that aren't your core may have made it into the result.
What to do about it
- For both strategies, read mainly about what they fear and what they long for.
- Ask someone who knows you well. The people around you often see your motivations more clearly than you do.
- Take a more detailed analysis that also accounts for wing and subtype.
The basic test shows you which direction to look. The Full Analysis has two rounds: in the second, it asks specifically about the differences between the strategies that came out close together for you, and it also determines your wing and subtype. The result is much more accurate and often brings relief: you finally know why “a bit of everything” seemed to fit.
