Buy the Gift That Caters to Their Thinking Wavelength

Ready to find the perfect gift for your loved ones this holiday season? Let me make it easy on you this year.

I can’t imagine what the holidays will look like with 2020 and all its shenanigans and tomfoolery. But I’m determined to reclaim a piece of this year by finding the right gifts to send the people I love into 2021 with hope and eager anticipation for something new. The best way I know to do this is to shop according to Thinking Wavelength and meet the recipient in their zone.

Have you heard of the Thinking Wavelength? It’s a tool we use in the two-day LifePlan Intensive to help you figure out your high-contribution zone. You can figure out your own Thinking Wavelength here online for free now.

The best way I can describe it is that your Thinking Wavelength is much like other personality type indicators you’re familiar with (such as an Enneagram number or Strengths Finder). There are five “wavelengths” which indicate where your mind naturally lives. I like to think of your wavelength like this: if you walked into a conference room for a meeting at work with your entire team, each person who sits down at the table will likely bring something unique to the conversation. One person might want to zoom into the details. Another might want to focus on the big picture and others still might ride the line somewhere in the middle. No type is better than the other, but it’s important to know where other people’s “heads are” so you can communicate well and provide the kind of information that will most resonate with them.

Which brings us back to our gift guide. Each type of Thinking Wavelength might be attracted to a different type of gift this holiday season based on their mental sweet spot. I’ve done the heavy lifting for you below to pick out some presents that will make your friends and family say, “You just know me so well!”

Read each type so you have an overview of what they’re like and then check out the recommended gifts each might enjoy.

FOR THE GRINDERS:

"I love a good routine.”
Grinders are the world's detail-doers. They get the work done and love living according to the same daily rhythm. While sometimes perceived as rigid or unwilling to change by others, I love Grinders for their consistency and ability to deliver the work we need done, the same way, every single time. The world needs the reliability and contentedness Grinders bring to any situation.

WHAT TO BUY A GRINDER:

Make it useful.
Buy a Grinder anything that helps them to stick to the routine they’ve already set (not that they need much help). Also get them a simple gift they will immediately know how to use and has some utility so they can continue executing.

If you want to splurge, buy something like this Apple Watch in rose gold or a FitBit to help them track their health and movement patterns throughout the day. Grinders are people who “count steps” and will want to have specific data to inform their actions throughout the week.

Another great gift for a Grinder is something totally utilitarian like Bombas socks that keep their toes snug and warm. They needs socks. They wear socks everyday. They love a good pair of socks.
Sidenote: the hosts of the Relevant Magazine podcast once described Bombas as a hug for your foot. It’s the truest description of a sock I’ve ever heard. They are worth every penny (plus Bombas follows the one for one motto where they donate one of every clothing item you purchase to a homeless shelter).

FOR THE MINDERS:

Custom Jigsaw Puzzle, $49.95 (Uncommon Goods)

“I see how we can fix this.”

Minders are excellent at staying on top of things! They not only execute well themselves but they have the capacity to oversee others doing great work too. We like to call Minders the world’s problem solvers because they easily spot inconsistencies and know how to fix what’s wrong.

WHAT TO BUY A MINDER:

Fill in the missing piece.

Much like our Grinders, Minders like to keep things pretty consistent. Get them a gift that caters to their laid back style and their problem-solving superpower like this custom jigsaw puzzle from Uncommon Goods. Choose a special date in the life of your loved one, like a birthday, anniversary or something only the two of your remember. Then order a personalized puzzle of the front page of the The New York Times from that special day in history.

If you don’t want to go the puzzle route, Minders often love coaching. They tend to be focused so they love having an outside perspective that can help illuminate their blindspots. Gift them with a coaching session or a membership to a coaching program like Women of Consequence where they can expand their way of operating in the world.

Candle Wick Trimmer, $18 (Anthropologie)

FOR THE KEEPERS:

“I’m a little bit of this and a little bit of that.”

Keepers bring the best of both worlds, having both strong abstract thinking skills and the ability to hold onto concrete details. However, their ability to play both sides often leaves them feeling stuck in an identity crisis, while they wonder which direction to lean into in any given moment.

WHAT TO BUY A KEEPER:

Appeal to both sides.

Help the Keepers in your life accept that they don’t have to choose one side over the other. Since they tend to be biased to the operational aspect of their wiring, buy them something practical. But give it a little creative flair to cater to that streak of big vision and abstract thinking that woos them every now and then. I love to choose something simple for a Keeper like this Candle Wick Trimmer from Anthropologie. It’s pretty as all get out, but it has an important function that will make the Keeper’s life easier.

Keepers also tend to oversee a lot of projects so any gift such as a beautiful planner (try the Full Focus planner) or a quality pen (like one from Montblanc) are appreciated.

FOR THE FINDERS:

“Change is my best friend.”

Monthly or Quarterly Subscription Box, varies by frequency (CAUSEBOX)

Finders love leaping into new opportunities and venturing into uncharted territory. They are the world’s natural salespeople and entrepreneurs, enjoying any challenge that pushes them out of their comfort zone. You’ll recognize a Finder by the seemingly limitless number of ideas they have and the way they like to take risks and create change.

WHAT TO BUY A FINDER:

A different gift for every day of the week.

Even though Finders love to think outside the box, a box might be just what they want. I love gifting a Finder with a subscription to any sort of monthly box service like CAUSEBOX or Birchbox. Figure out a general topic your loved one is into like beauty, books, clothes or music. Then see if you can find a box service that delivers new products in that space each month. This is the gift that keeps on giving. They’ll love a dose of something new month after month, and you might be surprised by how they creatively use what they get.

On the flip side, sometimes Finders love a gift that grounds them because their minds tend to be running a mile a minute. Don’t be surprised by how grateful a Finder will be for something soothing like a cozy blanket, good book or aromatherapy body oil to help center their mind.

5. UNDERSTANDING SURGE CAPACITY

Bose QuietComfort® Earbuds, $279.95 (Bose)

FOR THE CONCEIVERS:

“I’m think we should head in a new direction.”

Conceivers push the envelope and have a big vision for the world. We love their ability to help expand what we imagine is possible and to see opportunity where the rest of us see problems. The challenge with Conceivers is they can be all talk and no follow-through because they struggle with translating the concepts that make sense in their heads into something others can digest.

WHAT TO BUY A CONCEIVER:

Make it cutting edge.

Help a Conceiver ideate and translate. A gift like these Bose QuietComfort Earbuds that helps your loved one block out the noise of the world is just what they need to keep ruminating on that idea they came up with yesterday. Pair it with a nice journal so they can capture all those ideas that fly through their mind.

Whatever you buy, just make sure it’s unique. Conceivers tend to push the envelope and be early adopters for any new product on the market. If you get them a gift that was popular three years ago, they might feel completely unseen.

Want a gift that’s just the right size for everyone? Gift the women in your life the first month’s membership to the Women of Consequence community. In less than 30 days they can write their life purpose statement and get to hang in an intimate online community of like-hearted women also striving to live an intentional life. Get all the details at womenofconsequence.co/join.

Want regular inspiration to keep you focused on your life purpose? Join the Women of Consequence community to discover your big life purpose statement and create a plan to live into your purpose.

2020 Gift Guide: What to Get By Personality Type