Episode 306: Skills vs. Systems

In this episode, we're diving deep into one of the key aspects of Human Design: the difference between skills and systems. Now, as many of you know, I’m a projector, and this really shapes how I’ve experienced life, especially when it comes to learning new things. I’ve spent years living in different countries, totally immersed in the culture, working hard to learn languages like Spanish and Chinese, and yet—I still don’t speak them fluently. But then, I see my friends who are generators, picking up these skills almost effortlessly in a fraction of the time. It used to frustrate me, but it all makes sense once you understand the Human Design framework.

Generators are built to master skills. They’re the doers. They have this natural energy for repetition, for practice, for honing in on a specific task until they perfect it. They’re like the chess pieces on a board—each with their unique strengths and abilities. But what about us projectors? Well, we don’t operate like that. While a generator might be able to dive into a skill and refine it, we’re here to see the big picture. Our gift lies in understanding the system behind that skill, in seeing how all the moving parts work together, and guiding others to their mastery.

I’ve experienced this over and over in my life. Take music, for example. I’ve tried to learn instruments like the piano and guitar. I could sit there and practice for hours, but no matter how much time I put in, I just couldn’t get past being average. But here’s the thing: I understand the system of music perfectly. I can read music like the back of my hand. I know the notes, the rhythms, the scales. I just can’t play them well. And the same thing happened in sports—like when I was a competitive shooter. I never ranked high in competitions, but I could teach people how to shoot, and they’d become champions. Why? Because I understood the system behind shooting, the strategies, the techniques.

This episode is about embracing that difference. As projectors, we’re not here to grind through skills and become masters of them ourselves. We’re here to guide. We’re here to teach. We’re here to see the big picture and help others reach their potential. It’s like the chessboard analogy: the generator pieces are focused on their individual moves, but we’re the player—we see the whole board and guide them to make the best moves.

But I’m not saying projectors can’t learn skills or that generators can’t master systems. What I’m saying is that we have different strengths, and when we lean into those strengths, we thrive. Projectors need to stop feeling like they have to keep up with the generator hustle. Likewise, generators can benefit from having a projector to guide them through the systems that govern their world.

Ultimately, it’s about celebrating our energetic differences. We’re all the same in essence—our essence is unity, vibration, light. But energetically, we’re all unique, and when we recognize that, we can better understand how to live in alignment with our true selves. So if you’re a generator, find yourself a projector to guide you. And if you’re a projector, embrace your role as the guide. Together, we elevate each other.