Prospecting Personality Types: Adulting Superpowers and Projects

Prospecting types are known for their flexibility. This flexibility can come in handy when curveballs are thrown or when it’s evident that change needs to be made. As a group, these personalities tend to think on their feet and are hesitant to commit to things, because they are so comfortable and familiar with change. They don’t want to tie themselves down when there are so many possibilities. Adulting is often about repetitive, uninteresting tasks. See where there might be a clash?

Let’s look at the advantages and disadvantages of having a Prospecting personality type when it comes to adulting. But before we start, if you don’t know whether you have the Prospecting trait or not, follow this link to our free test to find out.

The Adulting Superpowers of Prospecting Personality Types

Where adulting is concerned, these will make things easier for Prospecting personality types.

The Chameleon Approach to Adulting

People with the Prospecting trait probably know better than most that there are always other ways to do things. They often actively search for alternatives to just about anything they do. Adulting is no exception. Why have a “bill night” to pay the bills all at once like their parents did? Maybe it would be more efficient to pay them immediately as they come in? Why not?

As we’ll discuss below, boredom can be a problem for Prospecting individuals who are jumping into the adulting pond. But they are also more likely to see a task and think, “There must be five different ways this can be done.” This can have two outcomes: (1) Prospecting personality types might stay interested in otherwise mundane tasks, and (2) in their search for alternatives, they may discover some better ways to adult.

It’s Not a Failure If It Leads to a Better Solution

Where others might give up at failure, Prospecting personalities are more likely to think of failure as just choosing the wrong alternative out of many. For them, it’s back to the drawing board without so much emotional baggage from the previous method. If they miss a session of something like mowing the lawn, they shrug it off more easily, knowing that there is always tomorrow or the next day.

For a lot of people, repeated failures often mean giving up. “I’m just not good at washing the dishes regularly.” But since Prospecting types aren’t locked into one way of doing things, they might say, “I’m not good at getting to the dishes regularly doing it this way. Maybe I can tweak the schedule and the method, so it makes more sense for me.” It’s about adopting an alternative plan, rather than declaring something a failure. Fewer failures mean less of a chance of giving up. While we generally might not apply the word “persistent” when talking about the Prospecting trait, there may be a kind of persistence in their willingness to consider alternatives.

Potential Adulting Projects for Prospecting Personality Types

Nobody is perfect. Everybody needs to pay attention to the obstacles in their lives, and Prospecting types may be inspired to turn some into projects for improvement.

Not Enough Variety

People with the Prospecting personality trait have a real need to mix things up in their lives and to consider all the possible things that one might do. Adulting is often about habits that are incredibly routine maintenance activities. If there is too much routine without something fresh added to the mix, some Prospecting individuals may find adulting activities too dull to worry about. “Sure, maybe you can learn to enjoy mopping the kitchen floor. But why? I could be building a badly needed bookshelf.”

On the other hand, that restless spirit and need to experience other things can motivate Prospecting types to find ways to make the mundane more interesting. Not getting enough exercise? Cleaning the house involves moving and burning calories. Throw in a few dance steps or lunges in the process, and you’re multitasking. It’s no longer just the dreary, repetitive job of cleaning the house – you’ve invented a new workout. And nothing says adulthood better than a clean house and conscientious self-care. How can you build more stimulation into your adulting activities?

I Have to Do This for How Long?

Some Prospecting personality types have a mild (or not-so-mild) aversion to commitment. The idea is that there are so many potential alternatives out there. Why strap oneself to one thing for the long haul? And adulting can feel like Sisyphus rolling the rock up the hill, only to repeat the same tasks again and again eternally. Acting like an adult is a long-term commitment. The electric bill comes every month and likely always will. Unless you go off the grid, you’re committed.

Besides finding ways to make the sometimes tedious tasks of adulting more enjoyable, you might want to divide long-term tasks into short-term tasks, each with their own unique circumstances. No two days are exactly alike. It’s a bit like a relay race where you pass the baton to your next month’s (or day’s or week’s) self. Think of each leg of the race as something unique and filled with different possibilities to explore. There is a finish line somewhere in the distant future, but you don’t want to worry about that. You just want to do your best for today’s part of the relay race and experience all you can there.

Final Thoughts

Prospecting personality types are always developing serial interests to satisfy their searching natures. This might hinder them from diving deeply into adulting tasks, which tend to be repetitive. But coming from the right direction and with the right attitude, people with the Prospecting trait can easily use their constant brainstorming to find a way to bolster their independence and sense of responsibility.