Strategy vs Authority
Strategy is the outer mechanic that tells you how to correctly engage the world and initiate — one of 5, set by your Type; Authority is the inner mechanic that tells you what’s true once you’re already facing a decision — one of 7, set by which centers are defined.
At a Glance
| Strategy | Authority | |
|---|---|---|
| Governs | Engagement and timing — whether/how to act | Decision content — what's true or right for you |
| Determined by | Your Type | Which centers are defined, in hierarchy order |
| Number of variants | 5 (Respond, Respond+Inform, Inform, Wait for Invitation, Wait a Lunar Cycle) | 7 (Emotional, Sacral, Splenic, Ego, Self-Projected, Mental, Lunar) |
| Answers the question | “Should I get involved, and how?” | “What’s actually true for me here?” |
| Corrects | The friction of engaging the world the wrong way | The habit of deciding from the mind instead of the body |
What's the difference between Strategy and Authority?
Strategy is set by your Type and governs engagement — whether and how you correctly get involved with something, whether that’s Responding, Informing, Waiting for an Invitation, or Waiting a Lunar Cycle. Authority is set by which centers are defined, in a fixed hierarchy, and governs decision-making — once a situation is in front of you, Authority is the body-based mechanism that tells you what’s actually true, as opposed to what the mind talks you into.
Do I use Strategy or Authority to make a decision?
Both, in sequence. Strategy gets you correctly into or out of a situation in the first place — the engagement layer. Authority then tells you what to choose once you’re there — the decision layer. Using Authority without honoring Strategy means deciding well on situations you shouldn’t have engaged with in the first place.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Authority the same as Strategy?
- No. Strategy is one of 5 mechanics tied to your Type and governs how you engage the world. Authority is one of 7 mechanics tied to which centers are defined and governs how you decide once you’re already engaged. They work together but aren’t interchangeable.
- How do I find my Authority?
- It’s determined by the highest-priority defined center on your chart, following a fixed hierarchy: Emotional (Solar Plexus) first, then Sacral, then Splenic, then Ego, then Self-Projected (G Center), then Mental (Projectors only), then Lunar (Reflectors only).
- What if my Strategy and Authority seem to conflict?
- They’re not designed to conflict — Strategy determines whether you’re in the right situation at all, and Authority determines what to do inside it. Apparent conflict usually means Strategy was overridden first, putting you in a situation your Authority now has to sort out.