The Cycle
Our minds are very complicated. We have spent thousands of years studying ourselves, human behavior, and interaction. In order to even begin to understand the mind, we develop systems. Good systems hold up to different scenarios and I have found one of these good systems. This chapter introduces a system for understanding ourselves when we take action; specifically for our goals. It addresses our confidence, motivation, potential, and the actions we take to meet those goals.
Think of this system like a car. It consists of multiple components like an engine, transmission, axles, etc… When you remove a major component, the car doesn’t run; furthermore, if you remove a much smaller piece, say a bolt from one of those components, that can cause the entire component to fail; resulting in a failed system. So one bad bolt can bring your entire car to a halt. Still following me?
On the other hand, if one piece working but not working efficiently, the car still runs, but the overall system and individual components may be inefficient. So the goal with this system, like a car, is to be to ensure all of the components and subcomponents are working before you worry about efficiency.
One of my role models, Tony Robbins, introduced me to this amazing 4 step cycle that I use every day. I use it when starting projects, when starting businesses, when meeting people, or just thinking about my future. However, this cycle seemed incomplete to me. So I have expanded on it and would like to share it with you and perhaps simplify it.
This cycle is like the car analogy. When all of the components are working, the system runs. By increasing their efficiency, the overall system is more efficient. Improve one component and the next component in the cycle also improves; likewise, by decreasing the efficiency in any component, the rest of the cycle is affected.
The components I’m going to show you are dependent on each other and by failing to apply one of them can cause the entire system to fail. The good news is that once you understand how the system works and begin to apply all of the components, you can see progress happen. It will take time, so don’t expect to master it all in the next 5 minutes. Over time, you will master each component and your engine (life) will become more powerful and efficient.
So what are the components?
Potential - What am I capable of doing?
Action - What actions do I take?
Results - What is the outcome of my actions?
Belief - How confident or certain am I that I can achieve my goals?
