ANTI-MAGNETIC ARCHETYPE #11
THE PLANNER
"I need to guarantee this will work"
Triggered by uncertainty about the 'right' path forward, you're convinced that if you can just map things out thoroughly enough, you can eliminate risk and guarantee success. Instead of moving forward, you get stuck polishing plans, tinkering with systems, and seeking certainty—terrified that if you act before everything is perfectly thought through, you'll make a wrong move that derails everything.
...it's likely The Planner has a lot of "pull" right now, and is costing in more ways than you may realise.
→ Spending excessive time tinkering with your project management system(s)
→ Over-mapping content or offers instead of testing them in the real world
→ Always finding a reason to tweak or pivot your plan before you start implementing
→ Needing to know aaall the steps before taking your first one
→ Spending excessive time tinkering with your project management system(s)
→ Over-mapping content or offers instead of testing them in the real world
→ Always finding a reason to tweak or pivot your plan before you start implementing
→ Needing to know aaall the steps before taking your first one
IF You'RE:
Signs The Planner is running the show
MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL
A life spent planning the life you want to live, but never truly living it. Of researching all the potential paths you could take, the vacations you might go on, the ways you could decorate your home. Of making spreadsheets and to-do lists, schedules and trackers. And yet rarely stepping outside of your comfort zone, rarely making a move that hasn't been thought and over-thought until you forget why you were making it in the first place, and rarely saying "f*** it" and taking the leap just to see what happens.
Never making your dreams a manifest reality
THE COST TO YOUR BEING
It's very easy for you to try to compensate for any fear or inadequacy with detailed plans, with research and data, with spreadsheets and KPIs... yet no matter how much you look backwards, or try to control what's coming, leadership is inherently unpredictable because it involves people. So be careful not to fall into a trap of assuming that theories and projections are all you need as a compass when what true leadership requires is a powerful internal compass and self-trust -- the knowing that no matter what inevitable obstacles you face, you'll be able to handle them.
Getting stuck in mediocre manager mode
THE COST TO YOUR LEADERSHIP
If anyone saw your elaborate content strategy, brand guidelines and (hypothetical) posting schedule, they'd probably praise you for its level of detail. And yet if they looked at your online presence, they may be a little confused because there's not much evidence of, well, anything. In other words, you're at risk of spending so much time trying to perfect your big launch, it never really launches -- except perhaps in the form of another bio re-write or a change of profile picture. So your audience are left not knowing what they're even missing out on.
Remaining your industry's best-kept-secret
THE COST TO YOUR BRAND
The biggest risk to your business is it never manifests as anything but a plan. Because you want to make sure you've got every detail figured out, from posting schedule to at least 3 months of content mapped out, a rollout plan for new offers, oh and let's not forget about the launch to evergreen strategy... and of course, financial maps for the next 3 years. And oops, 6 months have passed and you realise you still haven't even posted anything other than your introduction post on Instagram.
Paralysis by analysis while the market moves on
THE COST TO YOUR BUSINESS
(NOT SO)
THE HIDDEN COSTS OF OPERATING FROM THIS ARCHETYPE
NOW FOR THE GOOD NEWS
THE PLANNER'S TRUE MAGNETIC POTENTIAL
The Planner's patterns are simply the unhealthy expression of the natural strengths you were born with. And once we become conscious of them, they can be transformed into a higher expression that puts an end to the "self-sabotage" (in quotations because this is actually just a form of self-protection) and becomes a part of your toolkit for success.
THE GIFTS HIDING IN THE SHADOW OF THE PLANNER
Underneath the shadow of over-planning and under-actioning is strategic thinking, preparedness and discernment – all invaluable gifts for navigating the material world. The Planner’s instinct to map things out, weigh options, and anticipate outcomes isn’t the problem — it’s the hesitation to move from planning into practice that gets in the way. When channeled well, these gifts mean you don’t take sloppy, rushed, or chaotic action. You act with care, clarity, and a sense of purpose. The key is remembering that strategy is meant to support your action, not act as a substitute for it.
SACRED GIFT
EXPERIMENTATION
FORESIGHT
STRENGTH
OVERTHINKING
SHADOW
YOUR ALCHEMICAL MAP
We fall into the shadow when we're operating from fear and doubt, but it's just the other side of the coin to the strength, which we already have within us. The real magic though? It's in accessing the sacred gift, which we earn with time and through alchemising these shadow patterns.
The outward expression of all you are, this is what most think of as personal branding, as it's about how you choose to position and package yourself in the outside world, from what you wear to how your website is designed.
Harder to measure, but easy for others to sense, this is your energy, your vitality, that spark people feel when you walk into a room (or the dark cloud, depending on your mood). This energy gets poured into all of our interactions AND our creations, so it's essential to your magnetism.
How you're showing up in the world. The actions you're taking (or not) the habits you've adopted (whether they're helpful or not) and the way you express yourself. Our actions can change our reality including how we feel, so it's next in line.
Your belief systems and the stories you hold about everything -- from yourself and your own potential, to other people, to how the world works. Our thoughts manifest as reality, so until our beliefs align with our desires, we'll struggle.
Your literal foundations: who you are, how you were built, the state of your nervous system, and the way you naturally see and experience the world. If we don't understand these things or let them get out of whack, everything else falls apart!
FROM PLANNER TO STRATEGIC EXPERIMENTER
Magnetism isn't some switch you flick on. It's created from 5 different sources that are all essential parts of you. And since one impacts the next, you can think of this as your "Magnetic Hierarchy of Needs". I'll quickly explain what they are before diving into tailored recommendations for each of these areas specific to The Planner.
To heal the pattern of The Planner and step into its highest expression as The Strategic Experimenter, we must work from the Inside Out.
CROSSING THE THRESHOLD
YOUR MAGNETIC MAKEUP
YOUR MAGNETIC MYTHOLOGY
YOUR MAGNETIC M.O.
YOUR MATERIAL MAGNETISM
YOUR MAGNETIC MOXIE
SO NOW YOU KNOW THE LINGO, LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT IT TAKES TO GO FROM PLANNER MODE TO STRATEGIC EXPERIMENTER ENERGY!
Magnetic Makeup
But you KNOW you can't actually control everything. And you KNOW that your plans had only a tiny bit to do with the fact that you're here right now, right?
So it's time to begin the process of re-training your body to feel safe in the unknown. Visualising yourself going through the steps is a great place to start.
LAYER ONE:
Magnetic Mythology
Fact: Your mind is brilliant at pattern spotting, analysis and hypothesising. But when it's left in charge of visioning, it falls short. Because it's only ever going to vision based on what it's already seen and believes is possible.
But you're here because you're ready to pave a path of your own. To become unmistakable. So where does that leave you in terms of how much responsibility you give your mind?
LAYER TWO:
Magnetic M.O.
So while I'm not going to tell you to throw your plan out the window, I am going to encourage you to erase about 10% of it -- to leave that space for intuitively guided action.
Whether it's an experimental post, a spontaneous text message, a change of environment or a much-needed midday dance party. Deal?
LAYER THREE:
Magnetic Moxie
Just goes to show that we don't know what will work. All we can do is show up.
So what if for the next 30 days, instead of you trying to get everything right, you aim to simply make a splash? How would that change how you approach your work? My hypothesis? It'll dial up your magnetism, making it undeniable.
LAYER FOUR:
Material Magnetism
As a Planner, you may like to make plans 3 months in advance and stick with them rigidly. But my challenge to you is that you start doing 30 day sprints instead, seeing them as strategic experiments. So after 30 days, you can do a quick "what worked, what didn't and why?" assessment and tweak your strategy for the following 30 days.
LAYER FIVE:
Build Up Your Baseline
Shift Your Story
Align Your Action
Elevate Your Energy
Bridge Your Brilliance
YOUR PERSONAL ROADMAP
While this magnetic hierarchy of needs is universal, what's required to break you out of your own patterns and activate your highest potential is unique. Tap on the orange arrows to view your personal magnetism prescription.
MAGNETIC MAKEUP
Your body (and mind) has learned that the only way to be safe is by being able to control, well, everything. Uncertainty feels like a risk to your wellbeing. So you've found a way to avoid it: by staying in planning mode. But you KNOW you can't actually control everything. And you KNOW that your plans had only a tiny bit to do with the fact that you're here right now, right? So it's time to begin the process of re-training your body to feel safe in the unknown. Visualising yourself going through the steps is a great place to start.
BUILD UP YOUR BASELINE
MAGNETIC MYTHOLOGY
What if life had far better plans for you than the ones you made for yourself? And what if your mind is forcing you to stay small? Fact: Your mind is brilliant at pattern spotting, analysis and hypothesising. But when it's left in charge of visioning, it falls short. Because it's only ever going to vision based on what it's already seen and believes is possible. But you're here because you're ready to pave a path of your own. To become unmistakable. So where does that leave you in terms of how much responsibility you give your mind?
SHIFT YOUR STORY
MAGNETIC M.O.
Your ability to strategise, to plan and to think about the details is beautiful, don't get me wrong. But I have a feeling you're not leaving any room for play, experimentation or FUN in those plans. So while I'm not going to tell you to throw your plan out the window, I am going to encourage you to erase about 10% of it. To leave that space for intuitively guided action. Whether it's an experimental post, a spontaneous text message, or a much-needed midday dance party. Deal?
ALIGN YOUR ACTIONS
MAGNETIC MOXIE
Would you believe that the content that often pops off for me is the content I didn't plan in advance? And the roles I landed when I was an actor were the ones from auditions I thought I'd tanked? Just goes to show that we don't know what will work. All we can do is show up. So what if for the next 30 days, instead of you trying to get everything right, you aim to simply make a splash? How would that change how you approach your work? My hypothesis? It'll dial up your magnetism, making it undeniable.
ELEVATE YOUR ENERGY
MATERIAL MAGNETISM
Ever heard the phrase "fail fast"? I know... a tad triggering. But there's a reason for it. The sooner we push something out there and get feedback, the quicker we can apply said feedback and improve what we're doing. So as a Planner, you may like to make plans 3 months in advance and stick with them rigidly. But my challenge to you is that you start doing 30 day sprints instead, seeing them as strategic experiments. So after 30 days, you can do a quick "what worked, what didn't and why?" assessment and tweak your strategy for the following 30 days.
