Reflecting (Northwest Heading)

People with a preference for the Northwest Heading can be very particular about who their friends are. Their values and their ideals run deep. Early in life, their closest friends are often people who share their preference for the NW Heading. Later, as individuation progresses and they begin to expand their circle of close and trusted friends, they may reach out first to those who favor the NE or SW Headings.

In romantic relationships and marriage, they are often attracted to people favoring the SE Heading. A NW Heading suggests one who is quiet, reflective, idealistic, and deep. A SE Heading suggests someone who can be efficient, practical, and decisive. They differ on two important dimensions: speed and values. One values the true, the beautiful, and the good, and needs time to discern them; the other values efficient progress toward defined goals and concrete objectives.

Formulating (Northeast Heading)

The Northeast Heading may be the least naturally sociable of all the compass headings. Strongly independent and driven by their quest to understand the holistic visions to which they are drawn, people oriented to this heading may take longer to discover the riches of personal relationships. In becoming whole as they mature, they often begin to seek friendships among people favoring the NW or SE Headings.

In romantic relationships and marriage, they can be highly attracted to people favoring the SW Heading. A Southwest Heading suggests someone who is gregarious, lively, bold, energetic, and spontaneous. The Northeast Heading suggests one who is difficult to read, aloof, contemplative, and inexpressive. A relationship for these two is rich with opportunities for mutual understanding. One may want time alone to think; the other may yearn for time socializing with others.

Associating (Southwest Heading)

People with a preference for the Southwest Heading mingle and associate freely, for to associate and relate to others is their stock and trade. In becoming whole as they mature, they may begin to find friendships among people favoring the NW or SE Headings.

In romantic relationships and marriage, they can be attracted to people favoring the NE Heading—one who is contemplative and predisposed to planning rather than action. A relationship for these two is rich with opportunities for mutual understanding. If they are out with friends, while one moves eagerly and freely from one conversation to another, the other may withdraw as an aloof observer. One wants what feels valuable, the other wants what is logical. One lives to create harmonious relationships; the other lives to create elegant concepts. They have much to learn from each other. If they can learn with compassion and understanding, each could become more whole.

Producing (Southeast Heading)

People who favor the Southeast Heading tend to readily associate with one another; they often see the world similarly and share common objectives. They may also find that friendships with people oriented to the SW Heading come fairly easily. Both headings are oriented to the practical facts of the world: the SE affirms objective standards and the SW affirms social norms.

In romantic relationships and marriage, they may be attracted to their opposite: people favoring the NW Heading. What NW wants to consider slowly, SE may want to decide on the spot. Where shall we have dinner tonight? For a NW Heading, this question may involve much reflection about the right mood, ambience, presentation, food quality, and seemingly endless subjective attributes that must feel right. For a SE Heading, it is simply a matter of choosing a place that fits the right objective criteria—price, distance, and food quality.