Pioneers & Settlers: The Yin and Yang of Life

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Pioneers & Settlers: The Yin and Yang of Life

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CraigL

posts: 9051

Feb 23, 2007 2:07 AM ET Quote Report Abuse

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An article: Feel free to comment, or not. Just some thoughts.

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We`re always reading about categories, and being asked which one fits our style. One of the most known is the Type A and B person, meaning how energetic you are.

One such break-out hasn`t had much publicity, and that`s the difference between the Pioneer, and the Settler. The pioneer is the person who`s pleasure in life comes from the planning, developing, problem-solving, and process. They`re the analyst who enjoys getting through a problem, and loses interest when it`s been solved.

The settler is the person who wants things quiet, organized, and humming along on a smooth note. They enjoy life in a more calm situation, and prefer getting the problem solved. They want the goal to be reached so they can enjoy life on a daily basis.

Some might say that a settler is passive, where the pioneer is active. Others might recognize the shell of the distinction in today`s catchphrase of working "in" versus "on" the business. Still others will recognize the interaction of the two types as a different phrasing of Yin and Yang.

These days, the word "passive" has taken on a bad connotation. We`ve heard about passive-aggressive people, abused women who`ve been passive, or people who passively stand by and watch a crime take place. It`s unfortunate, but passive energy in its original sense is more like "receptive."

In the past, passive and active tended more to be discussed relative to female and male forces. Yin and Yang relate to this interaction and flow of energy, combining and separating to create new things. So too, pioneers and settlers have an intertwined function.

The pioneer is the one who`s restless, searching for something new, and interested in the unexplored. There aren`t any previous answers, readily available to anyone who asks. They may be driven by psychological "issues," but more often they`re simply interested in something new and different.

What would we do without pioneers? Who would go out and explore new lands, coming back with news of wonderful places filled with opportunity? Why would others want to risk a dangerous journey in order to settle that new land if they hadn`t first heard of it from the pioneers?

On the other hand, how far could the pioneer go without having some sort of base of operations, or a location from which to replenish supplies? It`s an ongoing leapfrogging event, where the pioneer finds something new, the settlers come alone and build it up, and the pioneer gets restless, leaving for the next new place.

Being a writer or a reader, a pioneer or settler, active or receptive, is part of your fundamental style of living. That`s not a "lifestyle," as we refer to our cars and houses, clothes and dining choices. It`s the basic, underlying style with which we meet the day.

In a business, we have sales people and production people. Someone has go generate business, and someone has to ensure that product reaches the new customers. The salesperson is like the pioneer, where the production person is like the settler. Both are necessary.

How many people believe they`re both? Is it possible to have both styles as your core personality? Why would it be called a "core personality" if it isn`t? So the problem becomes who is acting in which role in your business? What role do you most identify with?

All of us have a bit of both in our makeup, but there`s one or the other we tend to most feel as comfortable. Just so, some people can work with numbers, but they don`t enjoy it. Others completely love working with numbers and feel uncomfortable spending money.

We could say the person who`s out there spending and worrying about if there`s enough would be the pioneer. The person who accounts for the receipts and knows for sure if there`s enough is the settler.

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