What's Your Engagement Type?
Are you a Star, Servant, Seeker, Spender, or Saver?
Take the quiz to discover your personal Engagement Type and gain insights on how it shapes you and your habits for using your personal energy to engage with your life.
If you received $40,000 as a gift, would you buy yourself something amazing and expensive?
Do you feel guilty or naughty when you spend a lot of time or money on yourself?
Do you always plan every detail and expense of vacations or trips?
Do you always live within your income and resources range?
When you were growing up did you get everything you needed and many things you asked for?
Are you so busy making money that you either don't manage it or need someone else to?
Do you believe the love of money is behind all the trouble in the world and is generally bad?
At the end of each pay period or month do you know how much money will be left over, almost to the cent?
Do you set aside a set amount (say 5% to 10%) for savings or investments?
Were your parents comfortable with money, even when they didn't have much?
If a friend asked to borrow money from you, would you feel flattered and most likely lend it?
Do you spend more money or time on worthwhile causes than you do on yourself?
Would you rather save money than invest your money?
If you had a slogan it would probably be, "You only live once!" After all, tomorrow isn't promised.
Your parents spent money on necessities and rarely on pleasurable family activities.
Would this phrase sum up your view on researching for making important decisions - "Is this really the best? What am I missing since there MUST be more info?"
If you went out to lunch with a friend would you enjoy paying the bill?
Your needs are secondary to the needs of others.
You like to spend money on expensive gifts for your friends and family.
You received an allowance that let you buy want you wanted.
If you see something you like but can't afford, you usually buy it anyway. It's why you make money, right?
You live modestly because it's the only way to be in alignment with values important to you.
Spending money helps me feel better when I'm down. It's not called retail therapy for nothing.
I make multiple trips to the grocery store, department store, or place multiple online orders each week.
Growing up your parents regularly said "we're broke" or "we can't afford" something.
Do you set aside time each week for yourself (for hobbies, rest, fun, self-care, etc)?
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STAR: I work hard. I deserve it.
Engagement Dynamic: Everybody knows when you walk into a room and even if you're humble about it, you love it. That's okay! You're smart, determined, dependable, professional and generally have your stuff together so you can shine like the star you are.
BUT...all that glitters may not be your gold. And taken to the extreme that's possible for stars, it might actually be taking your chance to really live that lifestyle you desire (and not just look like it).
For the STAR Engagement Profile type some things will send you for the latest Christian Dior handbag or purchasing the entire decadent chocolate cake (or whatever your special treat is) rather than the slice that’ll satisfy you. And it puts you in the zone of spending more than your body or bank account can handle.
To really step into your STAR power, leverage your potential to create the abundant life that isn’t just superficially abundant or debt-laden. Use your strengths to earn money, enjoy the luxury you value, with nice things. To do this successfully, you'll need to watch out for the landmines and know which lifeboats to use.
Physical Note: You have a high-revving engine which can naturally result in taking the lead and performing, even at the risk of your starlight burning out.
Landmines: You might over-commit or over-spend energy to maintain an image
Depression
Frustration
Stress/anxiety
Entitlement (I know you worked for it, but let's be real)
An in and out money mindset, leading to stress and anxiety. You may also experience depression.
Lifeboats: Pace your output.
Save and invest first (yes before buying the shoes)
Give the money you save a purpose (it can be those shoes)
Set up separate accounts so you can see your dreams come alive
Pace your spending (trust me, it will not literally burn a hole in your pocket or purse)
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Have a spending plan (I know a budget just won't do)
Learn about your Lifeboats and Landmines as well as the other Engagement Types in The 1-Thing Way. This is especially helpful if you have strong secondary types.
SERVANT: Energy is only for giving.
The Engagement Dynamic: You're generous and full of virtue, willing to work hard and hold inner peace.
Yet, there is so much need in the world and even in your community. How can you possibly enjoy the money you earn when so many others are without and hurting? How can you be at peace and rest with so much that needs doing? If you could give yourself and all you have to create a better world, you would.
Even at the expense of your own financial health, and dare I say, even your own physical health.
You would rather forego comforts and convenience because there's a part of you that feels guilty for enjoying them. Somewhere along the line you may have even picked up this belief about money and power and it being connected with evil and those who are sinister. You would never want to be them.
Still, you're at a point, when having a bit more money or at least enough money to meet your personal and family financial needs and obligations, save for retirement, and help others are now all important.
You’re at the point where giving yourself away is now taking life from you. Yes, you’re giving away your time on this planet. It’s eating at your health and you can’t afford to ignore it anymore.
I know it's hard when your heart is so big, but you can't help anyone else if you're drowning yourself. Get securely in your own lifeboat and then you can cast a lifeboat to your neighbor in need.
It doesn't mean you don't care or that you're bad, you just realize you can't serve from an empty plate.
Physical Note: You put others first and often ignore your own physical cues of being tired, stressed, hungry, or just worn out. You feel it's your duty to push through and even martyr yourself physically and energetically.
Landmines: Being overly accommodating, forgiving those who drain you.
Always looking at everyone else's needs before your own
Being overly accommodating and forgiving of others when it comes to finances, time, resources, and energy (friends and family borrow and never repay).
Constantly giving your resources to others, even when you don't have it to spare.
Having access to your savings to 'help' others in their emergencies.
Lifeboats: Secure your own mask first.
Understand how your wellbeing connects with your family's wellbeing, their happiness, your happiness, your capacity to give (charity), and the social issues you care about.
Consider Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) opportunities.
Consider using automatic actions and plans because they hold less temptation
Learn about your Lifeboats and Landmines as well as the other Engagement Types in The 1-Thing Way. This is especially helpful if you have strong secondary types.
SEEKER: Is this really the best? I still need more info.
The Engagement Dynamic: Your gift is your wisdom, but what is the "seeking" costing you? If you’ve scoured the entire internet but still haven't moved, your energy is stagnant.
You're detail-oriented and analytical. You love diving into the details, perhaps too much. You want to trust that you’re making the absolute best choice at the best price or the best time.
Your penchant to seek out more information may have been the cause of frustration by others and even yourself, a few times in your life. But seriously, who can blame you? What if that other laptop, or cellphone, or canopy tent has features you'd like that the one you're looking at doesn't?
What if you're missing something? What if the timing isn't right? Or there's about to be a sale? How can you trust this is the best product at the best price? What did others say about it? Have you scoured the entire internet?
Okay, maybe that's a bit dramatic towards the end, but given I have a tiny bit of seeker in me, I can laugh at my quirks and can also say that sometimes that seeker skill pays off!
And sometimes, I've missed opportunities.
Physical Note: You're always looking for the next best tool or complicated system to get healthier, more efficient in your wellness practice, or even the perfect shoes and shorts.
Landmines: Indecisiveness
Being indecisive, which leads to procrastination
Failure to take action
Self-doubt
Obsession over perfection
Lifeboats: Intervene on yourself.
Intervene on yourself when you're being indecisive (set a firm deadline to decide)
Allow some decisions to end when it's good enough
Choose solutions that give you good enough results AND make you happy
Learn about your Lifeboats and Landmines as well as the other Engagement Types in The 1-Thing Way. This is especially helpful if you have strong secondary types.
SPENDER: Make it rain, baby!
The Engagement Dynamic: You love to help others, give great gifts, show up to impress, and are a great networker and communicator. It's in your nature! You've also got some big ideas and are a natural innovator who spreads goodwill.
But it often comes at a cost. You may feel guilty about over-extending yourself, or you might pretend those "energy bills" (exhaustion or debt) don't exist.
It's expensive as all get out to keep up with this generous lifestyle!
You've got expensive tastes and can easily 'forgot' what your spending limits (what are those?) might be. You may even feel guilty about overspending, or feel like just pretending like those bills and your financial woes don't even exist.
If you don't open that email with the bill or don't open the envelope, does it mean it doesn't exist? Unfortunately, nope.
Your pleasure to please, can get you in serious trouble that only you can get yourself out of. You like to impress and keeping up with this is like chasing your own tail.
The good thing is, you have a knack for innovation, creativity, networking and even making money so with a few tweaks and some guardrails, you can get out of whatever trouble overusing your energy and resources may have gotten you into. For you, it's about having things in place to keep you from going overboard.
Physical Note: You've got high-energy and can be impulsive and prone to emotional energy shifts. This may mean bouts of lots of intense physical activity followed by a crash. You can overspend in the physical energy sense.
Landmines: The need to please or prove your worth.
The need to prove yourself or your worth.
Spending to gain attention.
Accumulating debts (money or favors) for the above reasons.
Impulsive use of your resources and overcommitting.
Frequent expenditures of resources, even if small.
Not having a plan for how your resources will be used.
Lifeboats: Guardrails. Have things in place to keep you from going overboard.
Limit access to your extra reserves and resources, whether time, energy, or a credit card stash. (Yeah, I said stash. We know. Keep one on you and the others safely locked away.)
Have a quick check-in method for purchases to determine if you need it, what you'll do with it, and whether it will really be used if you bought it. And finally, is it actually worth that price tag?
End the denial and know what the situation is, with what's coming in and going out.
Financially, know your credit score.
Create a plan to keep your expenditures in check.
Learn about your Lifeboats and Landmines as well as the other Engagement Types in The 1-Thing Way. This is especially helpful if you have strong secondary types.
SAVER: A penny saved is a penny earned; and we need to protect that energy.
Engagement Dynamic: The bottom line is you are responsible and have a serious eye on YOUR bottom line. You are driven to make sure you and your loved ones are safe against possible disaster.
There isn't room to wiggle and you will be efficient and save whatever isn't absolutely necessary.
Of course, this means you may be painfully responsible at times and overly cautious. You may leave your loved ones feeling a little less than loved because they come second to the lights being turned off in every room or the thermostat setting, or even keeping fifty dollars in savings rather than spending on an activity that would bring them great joy and experiences.
I'm not naming names, but I know one or two savers and love them dearly. The world needs people like you (us), but not all of the time.
Being a saver is something few people will understand, but I get it. You are driven to make sure you and your loved ones are safe against possible disaster and emergencies.
You are responsible to make that happen and as long as you have anything to do with it, you will have money for that rainy day.
My friend, even with the best of us, there's gotta be a chill button. Or in the case of some of you, a heat button because your family dresses like they live in Alaska in the winter, inside your home.
Physical Note: You're naturally efficient and generally move with steady, calculated energy, in an effort to conserve physical resources. However, this can result in periods of being too stationary and not expending excess energy.
Landmines: Purposeless Savings
Protective stagnation
Having no purpose for "saving" your energy, time, or money, other than fear, and being painfully responsible at the cost of fun.
Lifeboats: The "AND" in Life.
Save AND have a purpose for joy. Give a portion of your energy a "fun purpose." Invest your time in secure but rewarding experiences with your family.
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Give a portion of your energy, resources, time, and money a purpose when you save it. You can come up with what it's for with your family or yourself.
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Invest in things you feel are secure and safe whether it's a course, a book, a relationship, or financially (talk to a financial advisor about accounts such as TIPS, CDs, and bonds) and assess how much risk you can accept.
Learn about your Lifeboats and Landmines as well as the other Engagement Types in The 1-Thing Way. This is especially helpful if you have strong secondary types.