The Optionizer

Optionizing means considering various possibilities or perspectives. In every day life, we are optionizing every time we scan alternatives before making a decision, whether that be placing an order from a menu, choosing which route to take for a trip, or interviewing applicants to fill a position. When facing a major decision, most people start by optionizing order to make the best choice.

People who score highly as an Optionizer are usually characterized by the tendency to consider many different options and to understand the various points of view that can be brought to bear on any given situation. They seem to thrive on the discovery of new possibilities, and they will normally resist if pressured to choose between them. For Optionizers, making a decision doesn’t necessarily bring the sense of relief and empowerment that it brings to others. Instead, they are more likely to feel restrictive by making a choice, as if they have cut themselves off from finding an even better opportunity.

People whose primary type is the Optionizer seem to carry a core wound that they are bad. Often this wound resulted from having to make an impossible choice early in life, such as having to choose between divorcing parents or between our natural way of being and others’ expectations about how we should be. The upshot is that Optionizers can feel paralyzed when faced with a decision, as if they fear that whatever they choose will bring negative consequences.

For people whose primary type is the Optionizer, the warrior archetype is their kryptonite and therefore likely to be in shadow. Thus, the final step on the pathway for these people is likely to be into their warrior energy. To take this step, they often need to recognize how making decisions and acknowledging what they truly want can create more positive than negative consequences.

Note: If you are wondering how high, or how low, you might be in Optionizing, then do our Survey, and talk with one of our certified Practitioners. If you want a more in-depth understanding of the Optionizer (and the 11 other Shadow Types), then please attend one of our Trainings.