Analysis - Day 4 for Y and Z

Teams Y and Z are starting to get into the rhythm of the program! Here, is a portion of the email I sent to Teams Y and Z.

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The Theme for Day 4 is Analysis!

Several of you have been doing a smash up job uncovering rocks and generating data and ideas. Today, take some time to see what you have learned thus far evaluate where you are. What do you still want to learn? What is your data telling you - where is it heading you? Is it a direction you want to explore?

Try generating burning questions. Burning questions are what follow, “I really wish I knew....” or “If only I could find out...” Determine who might be able to answer these questions and plan to ask them in the next couple days.

Check some of your conclusions by sharing them with others. Are you seeing the situation similarly or differently? You can do this by sharing your goal and saying that your research has lead you to X conclusions. Does this ring true with what they have seen and experienced?

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I am encouraged by the fact that several of you are seeing the barriers that have typically gotten in your way through the years. Self-awareness is critical to us achieving our dreams. Another kind of analysis for today is to think about what you have learned about your style and habits and how these either help or get in the way of achieving your goals. Now is a good time to revisit the belief action cycle (in the first handout). If you have a habit that gets in the way (procrastination, getting stalled by overwhelm, resistance to involving others in your plan/goal, etc) there are beliefs that are triggering these responses.

I do not know what your beliefs are, but here are a few potential examples:

Procrastination underlying beliefs: “I can perform well enough leaving things to the last minute.” “I need to think about this more.” “This is not important.” “I am afraid of not getting this right.” “If I am smart enough, I can do this with little prep or planning.” “I don’t want to be responsible or mature.” “As long as I have not given it my full attention, I am protected from feelings of failure.”

Getting Stalled by Overwhelm: “If I think about it for a while, things will sort themselves out.” “If I play the victim, I don’t have to face responsibility. “ “Nobody should have to deal with this much stuff!” “It is better to fail by not finishing than to pour my heart and mind into this and fail.”

Resistance to involving others: “If I do not engage others, I cannot be rejected.” “I need to be right and/or in charge.” “People are not interested in what I am doing.” “I want to do this on my own.”

Again, these are just examples and I am not suggesting that these beliefs apply to any of you. Once you have explored your beliefs underlying the source of resistance, think about an alternative belief that would serve your goal much better. Try adopting that belief for the next week and see what happens.

For example, some alternative beliefs to the above could include:

If I really want to achieve this goal, I need to be willing to step outside my comfort zone and stay in focused action.

The greatest failure is giving up on what I am passionate about - not trying - not giving it my best shot.

Success is living full out and engaging people in my goals. The best results will come when I enroll others.

While there’s a lot going on, I can tame this beast and focus on what’s most important. I will not let the details and to-do lists suck me under!

You get the idea. You need to create the beliefs that work for you and then ask yourself what’s one action (to start) that I could take right now and that is consistent with this belief? Do that one thing.

Analysis of stuff.

Analysis within.

The unexamined life is not worth living. Socrates