6. life as an experiment

I’ve always been drawn to personality systems like MBTI, horoscopes, and the Enneagram. It’s not that I think people can be neatly boxed in—or that my future is set by the time and place I was born—but I do find value in having a starting point for understanding myself.

These tests provide a collection of descriptors I can choose from. If I were to paint a self-portrait, I might feel overwhelmed by the blank canvas, but putting together a puzzle feels much more manageable. I enjoy taking personality quizzes and then holding up the results to see if they align with my image of myself.

Recently, my friend A introduced me to Human Design. Like astrology, it uses birth date, time, and place. Since I only know my birth time to the nearest hour, my exact type wasn't clear.

Curious, I asked our favorite chatbot for possible types. After reading through the options, I strongly resonated with 3/5 The Great Experimenter.

Seeing this description made one of my puzzle pieces fit into place. I’ve always learned through trial and error—in university, I switched majors three times; I’m constantly starting and dropping hobbies; I've changed jobs more often than anyone else I know.

I’d always seen this part of myself as a flaw—being indecisive, quitting too soon, not knowing my path. But reading the description made me wonder: maybe this isn’t a weakness. Maybe fitting the pieces together through trial and error is the best way for me to move through life.

This made me wonder, what if I were to treat life like a great experiment? I could approach my choices, relationships, career, hobbies, and beliefs with curiosity, flexibility, and a willingness to learn—rather than needing to be "right" or "perfect." Instead of fearing imperfect decisions, I could aim to gather useful data about what works for me.

Lately, that feels more important than ever. I’m standing in front of a lot of big decisions, like taking a career break, planning a wedding, and deciding whether to start a family. Rather than chasing perfect answers, I’m giving myself permission to explore, adjust, and grow through each experience.

I want to ease the pressure by reminding myself that every decision doesn’t have to be final or flawless. Like any good experiment, the goal is to discover a higher truth, not to force an outcome.

Every experience in life is a chance to find a piece that fits into the puzzle that is my life.