So you’ve taken the Brain Type Assessment (BTA), you’ve read a couple of the Brain Type descriptions, and you can’t quite figure out what Brain Type you resonate with. Maybe you’re asking something like,

“What if I relate to more than 1 Brain Type? Is that even possible? How do I know what planner to get? How do I grow or figure out what my path should be?”

First, I’ll explain how the Brain Type system works and what the BTA is helping you define and discover. Then I’ll address how you can figure out your Brain Type, and determine which style of planner you should get.

Stick with me, I know it’s a lot to take in, but I want you to grasp the “why” behind my answer.

What the Brain Type Assessment is doing is trying to help you determine which of 4 processes you use as your primary process.

These processes are either:
-internal ways of thinking about information (Architect and Oracle)
OR
-external ways of gathering and interacting with information (Alchemist and Explorer)

Because we all need the balance of being able to think about information in our minds, and interact with information in the world, we also need a Secondary Brain Type to complement the Primary one.

Because humans have evolved to be able to think about (internal) and interact with (external) both abstract information (ideas/theories/concepts) and concrete information (facts/things we can see/physical surroundings), we also have to have elements of both concrete processing and abstract processing.

The Explorer and Architect process and deal with concrete info, while the Oracle and Alchemist process and deal with abstract info.

So that means:
Architect = Internal Concrete process
Explorer = External Concrete process
Oracle = Internal Abstract process
Alchemist = External Abstract process

Now, because humans are not 100% concrete or abstract, or 100% internal or external, each of these processes are found in pairs.

Those who are primary Alchemists (external abstract processing) are, by definition, secondary Architects (internal concrete processing). Those who are primary Architects (internal concrete processing) are, by definition, secondary Alchemists (external abstract processing). Architect and Alchemist represent ways of processing information which always go together because of their specific nature and relationship, like two sides of the same coin, or yin and yang.

Likewise, those who are primary Oracles (internal abstract processing) are, by definition, secondary Explorers (external concrete processing). And those who are primary Explorers (external concrete processing) are secondary Oracles (internal abstract processing). Oracle and Explorer always go together because of their specific nature and relationship.

Someone can’t be be a primary Architect (internal concrete processing) and secondary Oracle (internal abstract processing), because you have to have some preference for dealing with external information. And you also won’t have someone who is a primary Oracle (internal abstract processing) and secondary Alchemist (external abstract processing), because you have to have some preference for dealing with concrete information.

Now, of course, we are all human, so at some level, we do use all 4 of these processes. Think about the fact that when you’re typing on keyboard,  you typically use both hands, and probably most fingers to type. But if you go to grab a pen to sign your name, you probably default to using a specific hand and a certain combination of fingers to hold that pen. Why? It’s not because you never use the other hand, it’s just that you have come to prefer the one that’s dominant.

We’ve been researching this theory for many, many years and have interviewed thousands upon thousands of people, and we’ve never found someone who wasn’t able to determine their Brain Type when they took the time to look at their life holistically and figure out their processing preferences. The beauty of Brain Type is that we’re not pushing people into boxes, or telling them, “this is how you are!” We’re taking our years of research and giving people language to describe their brains in a way they haven’t been able to before.

When you take the BTA, that series of questions is trying to help you figure out your primary preference. Some people have stronger preferences, and some are more in the “middle” between their primary and secondary Brain Types and switch back and forth more often (just like some people are more ambidextrous than others). But you are still going to have a preference that you can see played out throughout your life.

Taking the quiz multiple times and getting a different result doesn’t mean your Brain Type preference changes– technically, anyone can get every result possible on the quiz if they select all the different combinations. 😉 If you select an answer based on how you operate on a specific day, or a specific moment, you could get a different result every day of the week!

This is because you might be required to switch between processing modes based on what you’re doing that day. For example, a lot of detail oriented jobs necessitate that someone operate as an Architect. But if that’s not someone’s overall, natural preference in life, that doesn’t mean they are an Architect.

Taking an assessment (even an amazing one such as ours!) will never be a 100% definitive way to determine what type you are. The BTA can only tell you a result based on the answers you give it. If you change your answers, it’s going to give you a different result. Our assessment is a tool to help you discover something about yourself.

The BTA points you in the direction of what type you could potentially be. Quite often, it gets your Brain Type result accurate on the first try! But if you feel that your results don’t quite fit, it is up to you to research, ask questions, read the descriptions, and then look at your life holistically.

Think about what your preference is overall in life. Not how you are day-to-day, or how you would answer honestly in a particular moment. Think about your whole life, your interactions with others, the way you are in private, your frustrations, your wins, and your challenges. Think about how you were as a child, and how you prefer to operate when you have no external pressures or requirements. Think about a time in your life when you were happy and thriving– how did you prefer to process information then?

Ask those close to you, who really get you and have known you for a long time, what they see. All of these pieces will lead you to new insights, and then it’s your job to fit them together and see what the bigger picture is telling you.

When you figure out your preference in a holistic way, you’ll discover your primary Brain Type. And if f you find that you still need help, feel free to email us at hello@bta.projectevo.org to request more information or sign up for a 1-on-1 Brain Type Deep Dive with the creator of the BTA, Beckett Hanan.

ALCHEMIST: Variety and to Share Discoveries

The Alchemist’s most vital need is variety; keeping their options open, doing things a new way, shaking things up, and challenging systems (sometimes just for the hell of it!). They crave input (i.e. information, which could come from practically anywhere: people, art, media, research, etc), but in order to have balance in their creative cycle, they also require output. After they often go on research tangents that can last hours longer, days, or longer, depending on the Alchemist and their life obligations , they won’t feel quite complete until they’ve had a chance to do something with some of that information.

This is what we call the discovery cycle for Alchemists. Alchemists love expanding their options and constantly seek out ways to share their ideas, even when they aren’t fully formed yet. In fact, it’s quite common for Alchemists to figure out their own point as they’re making it, and they tend to be fairly good at thinking on their feet (which some might call “BSing”) when they know a subject well. By taking it one step further and creating something out of their knowledge and ideas, Alchemists can start to feel like they have tapped into their purpose for living. Without sharing their discoveries, depression and feelings of being creatively blocked or even useless can set in.

Sometimes, Alchemists’ need for variety is misunderstood by others. If an Alchemist doesn’t have fulfilling and important projects and ideas of their own to work on, they tend to get bored and might try to create variety for its own sake, or experiment with new ways of doing things for other people. Others may view this as Alchemists disrespecting systems that already work, or putting down a well-thought out vision or plan. But this need for variety is healthy and good for Alchemists to engage in, and part of their journey is figuring out where is best to direct their energy.

While Alchemists do appreciate and can work happily in a well-thought out system (especially if it automates something repetitive and tedious and takes it off their plate!), they also love novelty and propelling things toward their next phase of improvement. They are constantly looking at concepts from new angles, and their passion for improving things and discovering new solutions to old problems is a very important part of an Alchemist’s drive.

The Alchemist Daily Page prompt, “Today I will share my discoveries by…” is meant to help Alchemists think of new ways to creatively share their knowledge and inspiring findings every day. Here are some examples of practical ways they might do that:

• I will share my thoughts with a friend about the new movie I watched tonight
• I will read write a blog or journal entry about the new idea I got while reading my book last night
• I will write out my plans for creating the game I thought of this morning
• I will will make time to sit down at the piano and figure out that tune that came to me earlier
• I will recreate that meal I tried last week

EXPLORERS: Fun and Adventure

Explorers are fun-loving, adventure-seeking people. While this is typically something that others love about Explorers, it’s also something they may get flack for when their needs aren’t validated and understood. They literally can’t operate without fun. They are the people that most acutely feel their soul being sucked dry by too much structure, routine, and work. And Explorers can’t be their fullest, most brilliant, most productive selves when they they feel bogged down or trapped.

Forcing themselves to do things they hate, or being forced to do this by others, is going to make them feel resentful and rebellious. They need to remain active and engaged with the world, and to experience the beauty of life and the world around them. This need is just an important as air to an Explorer.

Unfortunately, their need for freedom and to be fully present may be misunderstood by others, but it’s healthy and important for them to feel autonomous in at least part of their lives, and to remain grounded and spend time enjoying real life.

A lot of people don’t understand this need that Explorers have for fun, perhaps thinking all they want to do is goof-off, or worrying that because their free-form methods look different, Explorers won’t do a good job on their work. But because fun is a real and vital need, the Explorer’s journey includes finding legitimate ways of injecting fun and freedom into their lives. We want to empower them to do so, and help them find creative ways to educate those in their lives on the importance of this need.

The Explorer Daily Page prompt, “Today I will have fun and create adventure by…” is meant to help them acknowledge their personal need for Fun and Adventure, and figure out what that needs to look like as a regular part of their lives.

Explorers, as you experiment with this prompt, let it guide you to think of new ways of creating fun and adventure in your daily life.

Here are a few practical strategies for Explorers to try as they use their Daily Pages:

• I will do my work calls outside, or have a walking meeting to keep me engaged and interested.
• I challenge myself to climb at least 2 trees today during breaks.
• I’ll watch a beautiful, engaging movie or play a really engaging video game to unwind later.
• I’ll put my sleeping bag in my trunk and go driving tonight and see where I end up.
• I’ll start a betting pool with my coworkers to see how fast we can get each component of this project completed.
• I’ll work extra hard this morning so I can clear the afternoon to do whatever I please.

This is Part Two of a four-part series about what each Brain Type needs to Thrive. To read the intro, click here.

ARCHITECT: Order and Balance

From the outside looking in, Architects can often seem like they have their shit together. They can get a lot done. They can set up structures and systems that may look effortless to others. They tend to like things a certain way, and that might look like order. Or, to some people, it may seem like Architects are just picky and need to loosen the reins on their structured systems.

But: here’s the secret to an Architect’s brain that they may not be so vocal about: they’re often incredibly STRESSED, worried, and frantic or anxious about how much they need to do.

A lot of Architects are workaholics who feel as if they’ve never done enough, will never do enough, and must work themselves relentlessly to the bone every single day, because all they can see is the work that still needs to be done.

Architects desperately need to find balance in their life as they create order in the chaos around them. More than any other Brain Type, Architects feel that fun and rest has to be earned, and what that actually means is so subjective that they can end up changing the goal posts several times before they allow themselves any semblance of rest.

Figuring out how to take a step back and focus their attention on a small handful of ways they can impact order in their life is vital for Architects. It’s a core thing they need to figure out on their path of self discovery so they can avoid burnout in the long-run.

The intention for the Architect daily prompt “Today I will create order and balance in my life by…” is to get Architects to stop frantically reacting all the time to every little detail that pops into their consciousness, and to calmly create the order they so desperately need.

What Architects really need to do is to sit down, calmly and thoughtfully and consider a few ways they can put things in their life in order. To stop feeling like the world will fall apart if they don’t organize everything right NOW, and just focus on a few key things that will create order in their life that day.

As for Balance, Architects desperately need to be reminded regularly to create balance in their life. The balance portion of the prompt is there to remind them that they need sleep, human connection, and relaxation time, and to get them thinking about how to do that in at least a small way each day.

Here are a few practical examples for strategies Architects can try out as they use the Daily Pages and work on their EVOlution:

• Making my bed and putting away laundry will help create order in my life today.
• Cleaning up my workspace before I need to start on my tasks for the day will help me create order in my life.
• Scheduling out my plans for the week, and syncing my calendar with my family’s calendars will help me create order in my life this week.
• I will set my stopping point for 6PM today. No work after that, I will allow myself fun & relaxation after this time. This will help me feel balanced.
• Today I will work a long day if I have to, so that tomorrow I can have the entire day off without worrying about work. This will help me create a sense of balance in my life.

One final note: Architects, remember that this section has limited space FOR A REASON! You can’t do it all at once! Enjoy the process.

ORACLE: Disconnect and Find Focus Time

A lot of people (because they don’t understand it) resent Oracles for disconnecting to get that focus time that is so vital to them. Others take it personally, thinking the Oracle is hiding from or avoiding them.

But Oracles actually suffer if they don’t get that space to think!

It’s important that we empower them to do so, and educate other people on the validity and importance of this need.

Oracles process information by narrowing their options, honing in and really developing one idea, or one aspect of an idea. They need very little input to develop their ideas, and can actually get overwhelmed by too much input and stimulation.

This need for Oracles to Disconnect and find Focus Time extends even past needing time away from people. Disconnecting is typically about mental rest and getting space from others, while finding Focus Time is more active and is done to achieve something. Focus Time for Oracles may happen over the span of an hour, while Disconnecting usually requires a day or more to have the desired effect. Disconnection might be even more difficult to work into life than Focus Time, due to the length of time typically needed for Disconnection. In order to operate at full capacity, we encourage any Oracles reading to put in the effort to find their own equilibrium and make Disconnection part of their weekly routine.

For an Oracle, getting space to think often requires shutting out any external stimulation—phones, computers, books, maybe even music and light. This process may need to last for as little as 30 minutes, but other times, it should last for a day or more, depending on the individual, what’s happening in their life, and what problems they’re working out in their mind. Oracles rarely want to share their ideas or theories with the world until they are fully formed, and even then, this process often sounds intense and scary for them, after they’ve put so much mental work into perfecting an idea or solution. If it turns out that it’s not useful or doesn’t work, they may feel that they wasted a LOT of time—potentially years  on a single idea.

This process of disconnecting and focusing is good and healthy for Oracles, as long as they themselves feel that they are being balanced in their practice of disconnection. Because this need is so individual, there is no hard and fast rule for how much time Oracles need to spend focusing. It’s up to each Oracle themselves to figure out how much time they should spend in this state.

(NOTE: If you’re reading this because you have an Oracle in your life, please be respectful of letting them figure this out for themselves. Oracles need connection and love just like anyone else, but now that you recognize their need for Focus Time, try to understand that when you reach out to them, they may not always be able to respond right away. This is healthy for them, even if it’s totally different from how you prefer to operate.)

Figuring out a balance between Focus Time and everything else is part of the path of self-discovery and EVOlution for each Oracle.

So… How does all of this translate to the prompt on the Daily Pages?

The Daily Page prompt, “Today I will find time to focus by…” for Oracles is meant to help them figure out their personal need for active Focus Time, and what that needs to look like as a regular part of their working life.

Oracles, as you experiment with this prompt, let it guide you to think of new ways of getting this focus time regularly. Consider different ways to answer this prompt with different strategies for creating focus time for yourself. Examples:

• Today I will block out a zone in my calendar for myself, and treat it just as seriously as a meeting with someone else.
• I will commit to turning off all electronics for a certain chunk of time each day.
• I will do extra work today in order to have an entire day on the weekend to commit to disconnecting and focusing.
• Any other strategy that works for you, personally, to get that time you need.

Good luck, and happy focusing, Oracles!

Let’s talk about each Brain Type and their unique prompts on the daily pages of the EVO Planners.

Because we all use an element of each Brain Type, everyone needs some variation of the thing each Brain Type needs to thrive (seen in the prompts on the daily pages for each style of EVO). But the reason we have one specific focus for each type is that this focus designed to highlight the 1 or 2 things that Brain Type would really suffer without.

Here is a reminder of what we’ve determined each Brain Type needs to thrive:

• Explorers need Fun and Adventure
• Oracles need to Disconnect and Find Focus Time
• Alchemists need Variety and to Share Discoveries
• Architects need Order and Balance

If we don’t first recognize the way we naturally operate and flow, we can’t grow and figure out what we need to become the best, most full version of ourselves. So what each Brain Type needs speaks to their specific natural inclination.

Unfortunately, most people have been told that their natural way of operating is wrong or bad in some way. So it’s important for us to validate that these needs are actually healthy and good for these Brain Types, and encourage you to get what you need to THRIVE on a regular basis.

As you read, keep in mind that these needs aren’t exclusive, they’re just at a different level of importance for that corresponding Brain Type. For example, Oracles could probably implement order and balance and get something out of it, but it just isn’t as vital to them as finding focus time.

We want each Brain Type to use EVO to flow into their own unique genius. The first step before you can run is making sure you’re confident in your walk. We want each person to unlock the power of their Primary Brain Type, and these daily prompts are carefully designed to do exactly that.

This may also help you further differentiate which Brain Type you are if you’ve been relating to more than one description. 😉

In this series, we’ll take an in-depth look at what each Brain Type needs to Thrive, and think about how they will fill in these prompts.