Wisdom Strategy Research Institute

Hello,

Something interesting happened to me recently. A good friend was completely stressed out of her mind preparing for an upcoming speaking engagement. On one hand that's completely understandable because it can be daunting to get up in front of a few hundred people and bare your soul. On the other hand, I found that it was, as the famous hypnotist Milton Erickson was fond of saying, "an unprecedented opportunity to learn something."

Here's what I discovered. She had a compelling purpose, which we'll call a reason or a WHY. She had a pretty good idea of WHAT to say. Her stumbling block was that she was lacking HOW. How to say what she wanted to say. That was the bottom line source of her stress.

So, after I noticed this I thought, "Hmmmm, this is interesting." And began to explore a bit, how these factors work in unison.

Again, the 3 Basic Factors are WHAT, WHY, and HOW.

These are the 3 core questions for achievement. What do you want? Why do you want it? How, specifically, are you going to get it?

We can also think of these as A GOAL, A PURPOSE, and A PLAN.

What happens if one or more of these factors is missing?

Suppose that someone has none of them, what then? --- Actually that's not possible, we always have a goal, a purpose, and a plan. However, it maybe rather trivial ... such as television, food, sleep, etc.

So, if someone is missing a significant GOAL or WHAT, they will be perputually engaged in triviality. The world may seem overwhelming. OR they might resort to perpetual fun. Nothing wrong with that, but in that mode there won't be much achievement.

In order to be very clear, WHAT should be specific, and we should have a way to measure it. What kind of evidence will let you know, somewhat objectively when you have achieved your goal. Specific and Measureable is a sub component of WHAT. For instance, if someone has the goal to "start a business", unless they take the next step, and figure out what kind of business, there isn't much to be done.

The more specific we can be about WHAT we want, the more naturally the other two components of WHY and HOW fall into place.

Suppose that someone has a GOAL, but they aren't clear WHY they want it. In this case they wi ll not access much of their personal power to make it happen. They will organize some of their thinking and actions toward the goal, but it won't be a driving force in their psychology until it's linked to the benefits and reasons that will come about through it'a attainment.

WHY can fade over time. In the absense of light there is darkness. We need to renew our commitment and passion on daily basis, or even multiple times per day. Thinking about, and visualizing, and feeling all the benefits for ourselves and others of achieving our goal, will keep us inspired, and out of inspiration will flow action, and out of action will flow achievement.

Another problem with is sometimes we have mixed WHY's. That is reasons WHY we want a goal, the benefits, and simulteneously reasons why we don't want the goal. If we have reasons we don't want a goal, we need to evaluate whether it's a matter of an association from our past that we need clean out of our brain, or whether we need to refine our goal, or both.

Our goal should only have reasons WHY we want it. Any reason to NOT get your goal is a sign that either mental housecleaning or a refined statement of your goal is needed.

Now, let's suppose someone has a GOAL, and they know WHY they want it. This person is excited, at first. But, that excitement will soon turn to frustration, confusion, overwhelm, disappointment, jealousy, envy, even blaming or bitterness UNLESS the person has a PLAN for HOW to make it happen.

A PLAN is some idea of the sequence of actions that you will take to make your goal happen. There are some people who's PLAN for getting into a romantic relationship is to look good, and wait. Do you know anyone like this?

These folks are similar to those who want to become wealthy, have a lot of positive associations to what it will mean, and who's plan is to buy 10 lottery tickets every week. Hey, sometimes it does work. But, it's a long shot.

PLANS, ideally should be made up of things you can do, or at least things you can influence together with a series of actions you take to attempt to have that influence.

I know these factors seem very basic. However, if you or someone you know is not achieving all that you or they want, these 3 basic factors may hold the answer.

I teach this stuff, and I find myself sometimes floundering, and have to go back to these basics.

Remember, mastery is first and mastery of the basics.

I challenge you to review these elements in your own life:

Do you have a list of goals for yourself?

Are they specific and measurable?

Do you have lots of exciting reasons for making them happen?

Do you have any reasons for not achieving them?

Do you have a plan?

Is your plan composed of things you can do something about?

Much Success !

Robert

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