Where’s My Pie?

Consider the goal you created as a Pie In The Sky (mmm pumpkin pie).  Most people don’t ever get to eat that pie because when they first try, they realize that it’s really hard to swallow in one big bite.  I remember watching my Grandmother cook Thanksgiving pumpkin pie when I was a kid.  I wanted some pie, but I wasn’t allowed to use a knife, so I tried to sneak a bite by sticking my whole hand into the middle.  Needless to say I got caught and didn’t get any pie at all (until my Mom snuck me a piece right before bed).  But I learned that in order to eat pie in polite company, I needed to slice it into pieces first.

So, let’s consider something a bit radical. (it’s not really radical, I just like saying radical because it sounds exciting, wooo wooo) Let’s cut your goal into 3, 4 or 5 more manageable pieces. That way, you can actually fit the pie in your mouth, a piece at a time, and get plenty of great tasting cinnamon pumpkin filling (ie rewards & feedback) with each bite.

Now this doesn’t mean that you’ll necessarily eat one piece of pie and then eat another piece of pie sequentially. As a child, if you put three pieces of pie in front of me, then I would eat some of each piece and hence claim them all as mine (I really like pumpkin pie okay!) I might take a bite from each piece or take two bites from this piece and three bites from that piece.  But the point is that the pie, and your goal, is now more adaptable to your capabilities.  You can eat whichever piece is more appealing to you (or work on whatever focus area seems most important in this moment) and then switch to a different piece if you get bored.

Bake Your Pie According To The Recipe

Pull out your goal statement (you can create one using the process here) which should include what you want to change (your problem statement) and a listing of the key reasons why it’s important to you.  As a reminder, here’s mine…

PROBLEM: I’m constantly disappointed that I’ve never written or published a single fictional story even though my mind is constantly filled, to the point of swirling insanity, with new characters, new plots, and new book ideas.

GOAL: My life is truly awesome because I create an abundant living by writing and publishing amazing and wonderful stories that help people experience an authentic, sensual, and playful world in their imagination and in their real life.

KEY REASONS:

• The fictional stories in my head could help me connect with, entertain, and teach a lot of people.
• I want the world to know that their life can be authentic, sensual, playful, and amazing.
• I want to share the power of imagination and creative expression to change peoples lives inside and out.
• I might actually explode if I don’t tell my fictional stories to the people who truly need to hear them.

Find a Good Sharp Knife

So using your key reasons and your intuition as guideposts, define 3-5 focus areas that can help you reach your goal. These could be milestones, important accomplishments, or just the fun things you want to experience along the way.

Again, I’m using my life as a guinea pig so here’s my top three focus areas

1. Write some awesome stories (novels, novellas, short stories, oh my!)
2. Get published somewhere, anywhere (oh god, oh god, oh god – I’m scared)
3. Connect with other fiction writers to encourage me & help me succeed (I love making new friends – whew)
4. Connect with fiction readers so I can write the stories they want to hear (and that I want to write)

Cut Your Pie Into Convenient Size Pieces

Next, take 10 minutes and brainstorm (bubbling or cloudstorm) actions that will help you reach your goal within each of these focus areas. You don’t have to know the exact path to success, you are just looking to define the next few steps.  So, write down anything that comes to mind without worrying about the time or effort required.

For example, here’s a few actions I came up with during my brainstorming…

• write a bunch of short stories (#1)
• read a book on story arc development (#1)
• complete a class on getting fiction published which includes mentoring & submitting my work (#2)
• subscribe to fiction writing & publishing blogs (#2)
• follow published fiction authors on twitter & talk to them (#3)
• choose, contact & meet a writing mentor  (#3)
• join a readers community & participate in discussions (#4)

Great ideas need landing gear as well as wings.  ~C.D. Jackson

Eat Pie Now or Eat Pie Later?

To determine which actions will be part of your initial pattern interrupt, consider which ones you can do in less than a 2 hour window, and which actions will take a little more time. Simply separate them into Setup actions and Maintenance actions.  Again, use your intuition as well as your logic.  You don’t want to overwhelm yourself and have a failed Setup Session simply because you tried to do too much.

So here’s how I separated mine…

• start writing one short story – Setup
• write a bunch more short stories  – Maintenance
• Buy a book on story arc development – Setup
• Finish reading a book on story arc development  – Maintenance
• Sign Up for an online fiction publishing class – Setup
• complete a class on getting fiction published – Maintenance
• subscribe to fiction writing & publishing blogs – Setup
• Find published authors on twitter – Setup
• talk to published authors on twitter – Maintenance
• choose & contact a writing mentor – Setup
• meet a writing mentor – Maintenance
• join a readers community – Setup
• participate in a reading community discussion – Maintenance

Serves One

In the next article, I’ll define exactly how to complete the Pattern Interrupt Setup so that you feel supported and inspired to accomplish your goals and make the changes that you want to make in your life.  In the meantime, if you are feeling excited to get a jump on things, take any of the Setup actions you defined above and do them. I promise, nobody is going to punish you and send you to bed without Your Slice of Pie.

Besides, we’re so close to making a huge change I can almost taste it (or is that MY piece of pumpkin pie?)

Does your goal seem easier now that it’s cut into bite size chunks? How else do you categorize your important actions? Share your ideas in the comment section!

If you enjoyed the article, please subscribe to LiraVaughan.com and share it with your friends using the Share & Enjoy social bookmarking sites. Thank you for your support!

Next, I promised to use my life as a guinea pig so I’m going to have to change something.  Something BIG.  Something that isn’t going to be all puppy dogs and rainbows for me.  Something that scares the crap out of me. And (oh boy) do I have the perfect problem.

All I had to do was ask myself “What’s not working?” (actually, in my journal I wrote “What’s fucked up and needs to get fixed?” but it’s just as effective without the swearing).  And then I waited.  Unfortunately, I waited a very long time, 6 months to be exact, while I hemmed and hawed about all the stuff I wanted to fix.  Small Mistake!

Then I learned some stuff from a book called “Five Wishes” by Gay Hendricks & “The Sedona Method” by Hale Dwoskin & added in my knowledge of process improvement techniques.  So, here’s how I defined my goals in less than 15 minutes… (get out your journal & follow along with me!)

Step ONE:

Choose one area of your life that you want to change.

• Habits
• Career 
• Money
• Education
• Relationships
• Family
• Emotions
• Character
• Life Purpose
• Spiritual Development
• Fun/Adventure<– I chose this area

Step TWO:

Pretend you are dying (I’m not being morbid!  Just close your eyes and imagine yourself lying on your deathbed).  And someone asks you “What one thing would have made you successful in this area of your life?” Write it down, NOW.  Don’t give in to mental prioritizations.  In one sentence, write down the first thing that came to your mind.  (Are you done?  I’ll wait.) This is your old, unwanted pattern.

Here’s mine: I’m constantly disappointed that I’ve never written or published a single fictional story even though my mind is constantly filled, to the point of swirling insanity, with new characters, new plots, and new book ideas.

Step THREE:

Pull out your journal again and describe why this is important to you. Notice the words “to you.”  Define why this problem is a big deal for you, NOT why it *might* be a big deal for you mother, or your husband, or your wife, or your boss.  Also notice that I’m not asking for your ideal solution.  Try to avoid detailing exactly how you are planning to fix this problem.  It doesn’t make sense to jump to a solution before you really know the issue AND the goal.  Instead explore why you care about this change so damn much.

Also make sure that it’s your authentic voice writing down these reasons and not the mental chatter of somebody else’s view (that we can all carry inside our heads).  If you take more than 10 minutes on this step, you’re probably not listening to your intuition. So use a timer if you have a problem discerning your internal voice from all the other gremlins in there.

Here’s mine (a short excerpt):

“I must create Connection but the how & why elude me constantly, evolving like a symbiotic organism, separate but essential to my own life.  The idea that feeds me is Connection.  Truth, Love, & Freedom MUST be shared…. I’m not a superhero (or a supervillian) and rarely pretend to be, but I know that standing on a pedestal makes me a target & scares the crap out of me.  However, if my true purpose is the only guidance I have, then stand I must.  Speak for playfulness & sincerity as two sides of the same coin.  Express authenticity, sensuality, and freedom as an example for anyone else who needs to know they are real.”

Step FOUR:

Boil all those journaling words down to 4 or 5 key points. (this won’t be too hard if you held up to the 10 minute time limit)

Here’s mine: This is a critical change I want to make because…

• The fictional stories in my head could help me connect with, entertain, and teach a lot of people.
• I want the world to know that their life can be authentic, sensual, playful, and amazing.
• I want to share the power of imagination and creative expression to change peoples lives inside and out.
• I might actually explode if I don’t tell my fictional stories to the people who truly need to hear them.

Step FIVE:

Using what is important to you from step FOUR, describe the change you want to create in one sentence.  Write down exactly what this area of your life could be like *today* if this problem was already resolved. Basically I want you to state your new pattern in a positive manner using the present tense.  Please don’t list how you are going to fix things.  Describe how it feels to be living life when the problem isn’t a problem anymore.

Use brevity but be honest.  Leaving out something essential simply because you’re not sure if you should (or should not) have it will just add a destructive element to your pattern later.  It’s a waste of effort to define a new pattern and build in a way to sabotage it at the same time. It may be scary, but you’ll be happier with the truth in the long run.

Here’s mine: My life is truly awesome because I create an abundant living by writing and publishing amazing and wonderful stories that help people experience an authentic, sensual, and playful world in their imagination and in their real life.

After step five, rewrite your problem statement, 4 key points, and new pattern goal on a single sheet of paper and post it in your office (or anywhere else you’ll see it everyday). Doing this extra step can ensure that you are constantly reminded of your promise and daily reaffirm your passion to make this change.

If just writing down you goals is a new step that you’ve never taken before then, congratulate yourself.  Only 3% of people on the earth write down their goals and that 3% is purported to hold more wealth, own more land, and make more money than any other group.

Plus, just writing down a goal has been shown to increase it’s chances of being completed by 90%. 90%! In my book (which is a book filled with time dependent Schrodinger equation and other beautiful math puzzles) 90% is fucking awesome.

How do you feel now that you have a written goal? What other goal setting methods have you used? Share your ideas in the comment section!

If you enjoyed the article, please subscribe to LiraVaughan.com and share it with your friends using the Share & Enjoy social bookmarking sites. Thank you for your support!

For the past month, I have been organizing my thoughts, analyzing patterns, defining the details and creating worksheets to help explain exactly what I mean by a Pattern Interrupt.  But, I constantly felt conflicted about sharing this information.  Not because I didn’t want to help people make meaningful, lasting change but because I was afraid it wouldn’t work for anybody but me.

I’ve combed through my history many times (and the 20 or so journals that catalog it from as far back as grade school) and I can follow each pattern interrupt through to its successful change.  But what I can’t find was a change that originated from a conscious pattern interrupt.  Meaning, I’ve never been conscious of the entire change process until the change was over.  I’ve never done it 100% deliberately.

And that, my friends, is a big freaking hole.  It’s a hole I don’t want to inadvertently walk anyone else into.  It’s a hole that some well-meaning bloggers use to “sell” happiness (something I’m not trying to do here).  It’s a hole I have to fill before I help people through a meaningful & lasting change using the pattern interrupt process.

In the meantime, I’ve had multiple subscribers ask me for more information.  They want to use this process.  They want to start making changes now.  And I want to keep my promises.

Keeping my promises means sharing everything I can about making successful changes.
Keeping my promises means not adding to the infoporn or useless filler on the web.
Keeping my promises means writing from an authentic and heartfelt place every time.

My plan had been to just describe the pattern interrupt change process over the next few posts, however instead I’m going to show it to you.  I’m going to put my life and a VERY big change that I want to make on display. Right Here.  I’m going to use the pattern interrupt process and explain to you exactly what I’m doing, exactly how I’m doing it, and exactly what I’m feeling.  In the meantime, I’ll be creating a detailed ebook to share with all my readers about how they can create their own pattern interrupt.

The scary thing for me is that I’ve never followed the change in real time from start to finish before.  I’ve initiated the change and then let the laws of physics & math take their course.  Or, I’ve realized that I’ve been in a pattern interrupt and had to stretch a little to get to the other side.  But, at some point, the new pattern always becomes automatic (that’s part of the beauty of it).  However, not this time.  This time, the process will be conscious from beginning to end and possibly a little bit raw (although not undigested).

In my next post, I’ll explain my big change goals, how I consciously defined and prepared them, and how you can do the same for a powerful pattern interrupt. I hope you’ll stick with me.

What do you think about my dedication to show & tell? What other ways have you tried to make lasting change that worked or didn’t work? Share your ideas in the comment section!

If you enjoyed the article, please subscribe to LiraVaughan.com and share it with your friends using the Share & Enjoy social bookmarking sites. Thank you for your support!

Have you ever noticed that when you try to change something, anything in your life, that you have to work really hard to hold onto that change.

As you attempt to modify one part of your life, everything else seems to come unglued, unhinged, and generally sucky.  Your life starts to exert a fierce resistance to whatever you want to change.  The more you force it, the more resistance you feel.  It’s almost as if your life was exerting energy to return you to your previous negative state. (the state where I, for example, used to eat a box of cookies before dinner every night)

You have to push and push and push for even a small change. Applying a counter resistance until you either give up, or the stars align, the angels sing, and you finally topple with exhaustion into a new routine that mostly, kind of, sort of, supports your dreams and goals.  Of course, to really reach a blazing success, you have to keep stoking and blowing on the fire. (and probably get a little light headed from all the damn huffing and puffing)

A big problem with this method is that you expend a huge amount of energy to constantly fight with your old patterns or habits. You have to build up momentum with laser like focus day after day after day.

It’s just like trying to make a plaid background by randomly drawing lines with crayons. You have to put layer on top of layer on top of layer.  It’s really messy.  It leaves lots of crayon crumbs all over the place. Your crayons end up being these little stumpy things that are extremely hard to hold on to, or do much else with besides eat them. (if you are still a 3 year old, that is) And the result is something very scary looking or very brown looking, but rarely a stunning example of Plaid.

To make things worse, if you don’t make it over the HUGE hurdle, then you end up back where you started. Only now, you are completely drained of vital energy, depressed by your lack of progress, and have little to no interest in changing anything else, ever again. Plus it takes F-O-R-E-V-E-R. (ie, You throw away the nasty un-plaid picture and your devastated box of crayons, and vow to never again attempt plaid pictures or even pictures with a row of stripes. Ugh!)

Now, don’t get me wrong, if this process has worked for you in the past and left you feeling empowered to charge forward, then I salute you. (no kidding, you completely totally rock and probably have the most awesome plaid pictures ever!) However, for the rest of us, lets look at an alternative.

What if, instead of using a sustained flow of high energy over months and months, you gave a short burst of intense action up front.

That means you DON’T change your pattern gradually.  Nope. Instead, you just suddenly throw it off the back of the bus. You disrupt the pattern completely in a very short time frame.

This alternative requires some chaotic energy to start.  And you might feel a bit unbalanced until a new pattern re-asserts itself.  But, once you stop the energy of the old negative pattern, you have carte blanch to easily and quickly create a new pattern. A pattern that will match your dreams.  A pattern that you can harness to reach your goals.

But… (yes, Virginia there is a Secret Clause) what happens if you disrupt the old pattern but don’t replace it with a new pattern that can balance all the energies of your life?

Then all those leftover, ghostly negative thoughts, feelings, and general bad vibrations will reassert themselves.  This will actually feed your unwanted tendencies, strengthen the energy of the negative pattern, and stop all progress toward your passionate goals. (Yikes, Bad News!)

There is light at the end of this tunnel though. (Because plaid can be original, fun, and beautiful) Because you are going to take the time to observe your current patterns.

You’re going to decide exactly what you WANT to change and what you are READY to change.

Then you’re going to prepare a new pattern that takes into account the areas of your life that you choose to change AND the areas of your life that will stabilize you during the transition. You are going to plan out your plaid background with a ruler, a pencil, an eraser, and a knowledge of both straight lines and the power of overlapping boxes.  (aaahhh, the light is starting to peek through!)

Yes, it will still take some energy and commitment before you can make the change.  But once you hit the green light, the energy of your new pattern will work for the change you want instead of against it. Your plaid won’t be perfect, but it’ll look a hell of a lot better than that previous mishmash and it’ll have far less uninteresting gooey brown.

So, welcome to ‘This Is Your Life’! (or This is the CHANGE of Your Life) Start picking your vantage point, ladies and gentleman because it’s going to be an awesome show.

PS – The lovely crayon photo above came from Matthew Clark Photography and Design on Flickr.

Look, the world is changing and you want to change with it.

But it’s hard to do that because of all the negative pre-existing patterns that are currently propagating through (and by that I mean having “pattern sex,” multiplying, and thoroughly screwing up) your business & your life.

I’m not just talking about the annoying habits you’re trying to break (although we’ll get to those)…. I’m talking about all the hazardous, inconvenient, uncomfortable problems that keep popping up and holding you back from getting exactly what you want out what you do.

It sucks when you finally decide to streamline your shipping process, loose weight, or find your soul mate but you can’t seem to break free of the endless paper pushing,  stop eating donuts, or get a damn date on a Friday night.  But there’s a hidden process in every one of these problems.

Is it really so much to ask for a life filled with Health, Joy, Love, Honesty, Abundance, and Freedom?

Hell NO!

You CAN have everything you want out of life. You just have to set the right pattern in motion and ride the wave. Don’t worry, (dun-dun-da-da) I’m here to help.

First off, let me say that I’m not a psychologist, but I play one on TV (just kidding) and I’m not a counselor (although I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night). But I am a Physicist, an Engineer, a Technical Writer and a Human Being. I’ve spent my entire life enamored and engrossed by puzzles, analyzing patterns, and creating systems that make it easier for people to do difficult things (like shoot big lasers, fly satellites in space, and read ebooks on that ridiculously thin Kindle screen).

Think Dogbert meets Lois from Family Guy and you’ll have a good idea of the first 30 years of my life. Until I discovered that the same types of patterns that kept me stuck in a job I hated and a series of difficult relationships also helped me loose 70lbs (I dropped from a size 18 to a size 6) and catapulted my career from Junior-Engineer to Project-Manager-In-Demand to Technical-Writer-&-Researcher.

Once I figured it out, I learned how to turn negative patterns into positive change… and I want to pass this on to you.

Pattern Interrupt is about sharing how to Simplify & Organize your hidden processes into Streamlined & Useful Patterns.

Now, I’m not perfect. I’ve screwed up, made huge mistakes, and paid some serious consequences in my life. (funny story, I once walked into a strip club… eh, lets save that for the blog) So I’m not going to promise that following my methods will instantly pop you into a Utopian life with deep blue skies and crowds of admirers throwing flowers & 100 dollar bills at you.

What I will promise you is this:

Absolutely, Positively No Filler! - If I don’t have something original and useful to say, I won’t say anything at all. This site is about bringing you valuable, applicable knowledge. I refuse to add to the InfoPorn on the net.

My Life as a Continuous Test Case – I will not only explain how to change your negative patterns, but also give you detailed examples of how I made similar changes in my own life. I am the Guinea Pig. (only taller, with longer hair, and hopefully more attractive)

and finally….

Everything I know that will Change Your Patterns, and Simplify Your Life – I’m going to let my brain throw up on this blog. (Only without the undigested chunks) I will share with you every method of change I know, discover, and experience… So you can use your patterns and processes to simplify your Business & your Life.

• It is not the passage of time but in the passage of NOW.

• It is not the Daemon’s “Why?” but the Observer’s Koan “Who Am I?”

• It is not in your lover’s arms but in your mind’s embrace

• It is the crashing thunder of your softly beating Heart

• It is watching the world fall around you to expose your Truth

• It is the knowledge that neither sadness nor joy can diminish the feelings of bliss

• It is not the wind at your back but the abundance of your next Breath

• It is not the fear that holds you back but the Hope that guides you forward

• It is the sadness that you must accept before the next door will open

• It is the sun glistening on the waves for you

• It is the pregnant clouds preparing to water the mountain side for you

• It is the last oak leaf falling in the wind for you

• It is not the stillness of your body but the infinite expanse of your consciousness

• It is not the closing of your eyes to kiss but the knowledge that you can choose when to open them

• It is the icy river running through your fingers

• It is effortless peace in a world made dark from war

• It is not a smile but the sparkle of joy deep within the soul

• It is surviving a tragedy with an open and forgiving heart

• 

  It is not the emptiness of space but the potential energy of life

• It is the breeze that calls you for a midnight walk along a moonlit path

• It is the abundance of a life without senseless cravings

• It is the universe speaking through you without uttering a sound

• It is the moment before birth, the second after death, and the pause between each Breath

• It is Schroedinger’s Cat

• It does not understand struggle but forever contemplates acceptance

• It is not the knowledge that death is inevitable but the understanding that life is an unmeasurable gift

• It is not the quiet of separation but the silent hum of connection

• 

  It is sensation without touch, it is sound without hearing, sight without seeing

• It is Truth without knowing

• It is the best reason for cloud watching and star gazing

• It is not the ability to control but the power to accept responsibility for your choices

• It is everything and nothing……….and all you have to do is Breathe

BREAK

What does Silence feel like? How do you find Silence inside yourself? Share your ideas in the comment section!

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The only way out of this prison is through acceptance.  Acceptance that you are an irrational being.  You don’t need MORE control, you need MORE feeling. Hiding in a cloud of apathy doesn’t protect you from all the bad things in life, it damages your ability to find and feel passion and motivation toward your life and your goals. Whenever you live in fear from a possibly painful mistake, your world reflects your self-imposed limitations– Forcing you to fall deeper and deeper into apathy.  Distancing you from your friends and family.  Letting your dreams and hopes recede further and further from realization.

Take A Step Back

To find your passion again, you have to walk through the pain. You have to feel and accept it.  Your Muse has been screaming inside those glass walls and wants out.  The Muse wants to see the world, but can’t touch it.  It wants to play a game, but can’t roll the dice.  It wants to experience freedom, but it doesn’t even know what options are out there.  Break the walls, feel the pain. Don’t limit your life by avoiding a moment of sadness when joy is on the horizon.

Start Believing

The universe will supply as many opportunities as you need to break out your Muse and rediscover passionate action.  Unfortunately, many of these opportunities will seem painful, difficult, unsolvable.  If you lean deeper into apathy, the world will keep opening the path to passion but only if you walk through the fire.  First you must believe that there is something more on the other side.  Once you believe and ACT with the knowledge that you want and deserve passion in your life, the journey to your dreams can begin again. It is better to risk getting wet if it rains on your parade than to skip the parade all together.

Don’t Bet Everything on a Whim

Unfortunately, you may have tried to break the Muse out of it’s glass walls before.  And once the Muse was out, it ran amok.  It tore holes in your life.  It left your toys on the floor, possibly shattered into 1000 pieces.  It left you overcome by emotional turmoil that took lots of time (and possibly therapy) to resolve.  You don’t want to make that mistake again.

So don’t.  Don’t let out the Muse and then abandon her to whatever strikes her fancy. Remember, the Muse is creative but erratic.  The Muse helps you understand your dreams, and develop the goals that lead to passionate actions.  But the Muse only rules over chaos.  It accepts everything except the need to take purposeful, meaningful actions.  You must let the analytical Daemon sort through the chaos and then make a choice to change.  Giving all your power to the creative but chaotic Muse is just as insane as giving it all to the demanding but logical Daemon. You can’t abuse the truth or wall up your creativity.

You must find balance in a world that doesn’t always make sense.

A Conduit of Power

Passionate action is one of the powers of life.  You can’t own passion, but you can use it. It flows through you and around you.  However, if you are afraid to use it, you throw it away.  Gather all the different pieces of your personality [whether you consider them as male/female (yinyang), or the Muse/Daemon/Voice/Heart/Observer (as I do)] and explore your options.  Sit in the center of a room full of doors and look for the choice that has the most passion, the most joy, the most excitement for you.

If you look for passion and expect it to show up, you will find it!

The Key

When you have chosen a door; chosen a goal that excites your mind, body, and soul, then it’s time to take a second look.  You’ll realize that the hall of doors is really a hall of mirrors.  The door to passion is inside of you. All you have to do is open your heart and choose.

To withhold the passion that lives in your heart from the world is to let it burn you from the inside out.  To share your passion is to set your path on fire.

Trust in your own journey and direct your passion into whatever goal you want.  Passion will incite your actions and light the way but you must define your life’s purpose, you must define the path.

Accept your Reality
Balance & Trust Your Own Choices
Act with Passion
And Live in the World that you Create

BREAK

How do you incite passionate action in your life? Which goals and dreams make you feel the most passionate? Share your ideas in the comment section!

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I also hate MultiTasking.  It isn’t a more efficient way to get stuff done, no matter how many times the Quality Improvement Guru says so.

Just in case you haven’t heard these terms before, let me explain.  Basically, a Four Corner Chart is four charts squished onto one MS Powerpoint chart in an effort to see ALL the priorities, goals, risks, emergencies, etc. related to one project or program at once.  So instead of having to look at four charts (in regular size font), with a Four Corner Chart you only have to look at one MS Powerpoint slide (with tiny fonts and magnifying glasses), thereby “reducing” the time it takes to review a project’s status.  You might also know Four Corner Charts as a Dashboard or Four Status Pillars.  (If you’ve fallen asleep because this chart sounds boring as hell, or you are cringing from my unabashed sarcasm, I certainly don’t blame you).

MultiTasking is when one person commits to doing multiple critical tasks at the same time.

Both sound good in theory, and although I have personally MultiTasked projects while creating hundreds of Four Corner Charts, I never once believed they were the great and mighty Productivity Tools that everyone in upper management praised them to be.  In fact, I think most managers secretly hated them as much as I did.  But everyone keeps asking for them.  So, everyone still uses them, hoping they will work more efficiently & effectively communicate what their project team is really getting done on a day to day basis.

Reorganizing can be a wonderful method for creating the illusion of progress while producing confusion, inefficiency, and demoralization. ~Petronius Arbiter

First, the big problem with Four Corner Charts is… well, let me illustrate it with a Four Corner Chart:

Is this easy to understand? Does is communicates my important points immediately?  Could you easily share with the little to no explanation? Is it esthetically pleasing? Hell, can you read it without squinting?

As a comparison, here is the same information from the above Four Corner Chart in a format that doesn’t require you to MultiTask in order to read my main points:

Four Corner Charts Suck because they:

• Shift focus away from the #1 project priority – ie four todo lists with four #1 priorities instead of all priorities listed in order
• Encourage MultiTasking instead of efficiency – see 123/ABC test* below for more details
• Can create the illusion of a balanced team by spreading out the todo list without actually spreading the responsibilities
• Can be difficult to read due to small fonts

Four Corner Charts are a great way to confuse our peers, team mates, and possibly even ourselves into believing we can actually deal with more than one priority at a time.

But guess what–> You can’t! I can’t! Even your boss can’t!  It’s pretty much impossible.  And worse, forcing us to MultiTask like this actually slows down productivity.  It takes a human more time to unnecessarily switch between tasks than it does to complete one task, and then another, and then another. Prove it to yourself using the 123/ABC test.

*123/ABC Test* or Why MultiTasking Sucks Too

1. Get a sheet of paper, a pen, and a timer.
2. Designate one side of paper for the alphabet and one side for numbers.
3. Start the timer
4. Write 3 letters (ABC) on one side, turn the paper over and write 3 numbers (123)
5. Flip the paper back over and write the next 3 letters (EFG). Then turn it over and write the next 3 numbers (456)
6. Repeat the process until you have reached the letter Z and the number 26
7. Stop the timer & record your MultiTasking time
8. Start the timer
9. Write the entire alphabet on one side of the paper (called Batching)
10. Write the numbers 1-26 on the other side of the paper
11. Stop the timer & record your Batching time

Which one took longer, MultiTasking or Batching?  Are you really surprised?

Okay, but what do you do now?  Your boss asked you for a Four Corner Chart even though they suck.

• First, ask your boss what information she really wants.  Priorities? Risks? Problems? (I doubt she wants the Four Corner Chart format more than the information)
• Then ask her if you can use a format other than the Four Corner Chart.  (This is a perfect time to explain why you have found them to be inefficient and provide an alternative that doesn’t require MultiTasking and makes more sense for both of you)
• Then give her exactly the information she asked for in the most effective communication format for your team.  (maybe she just wants a daily list of your team’s priorities including what got done, what didn’t get done, and why)

You may soon discover that focusing on your #1 priority and providing the exact information your boss wants instead of MultiTasking and forcing the use of a Four Corner Chart will actually reduce confusion and stop the needless lobotomies instantly.  Personally, after 8 years of Four Corner Charts, I’m just happy to have both of my frontal lobes intact.

“NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition! Our chief weapon is surprise…surprise and fear…fear and surprise…. Our two weapons are fear and surprise…and ruthless efficiency…. Our *three* weapons are fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency…and an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope…. Our *four*…no… *Amongst* our weapons…. Amongst our weaponry…are such elements as fear, surprise…. I’ll come in again.”  ~Monty Python

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Why do you love or hate Four Corner Charts? What other MultiTasking Tools drive you crazy? Share your ideas in the comment section!

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Muse

The creative but messy and unorganized animal that lives on the right side of your brain. Lives off of instinct, pure passion, and the search for a new playground.  Doesn’t care about right, wrong, left, right, upside down, right side up, or circular acrobatic mind flips.  Your Muse is flighty, emotional, temperamental and has a tendency to hide whenever you have a deadline.

But what color is her hair?

Daemon

The logical, representative, analytical, repetitive, detailed, repetitive, and sometimes stale robot that controls the left side of your brain. Lives off of math, rules, standard processes, and the Websters dictionary.  Doesn’t understand the word playful and never colors outside the lines.  Your Daemon is militant, precise, regimented and forces you to work long hours chasing the false image of perfection.

Does his tie have polka dots or stripes?

Observer

The quiet, expansive consciousness who watches over your life and your actions without judgment. Lives off of meditation, truth, and solemn contemplation of everyday mysteries.  Doesn’t worry about past or future, mistakes or triumphs, joy or tears.  Your Observer is relaxed and always present.

Is he wearing a suit, a pair of blue jeans, or an ashram robe?

Voice

The source of every authentic decision you hear from deep inside. Lives off of the freedom and power of making a choice and taking full responsibility for your entire life.  Doesn’t sound like your parents, peers, friends, boss, or role models… EVER.  Your Voice always knows exactly what you really want.

Is he drinking a vodka tonic, a glass of wine, or a Roy Rogers?

Heart

The personal knowledge of who and what you truly love without doubt, hesitation, or fear. Lives off of a binding connection to all people, all life, and all universal energy.  Doesn’t allow the illusion of safety to keep you from expressing your long term goals and desires.  Your Heart gives you the motivation to follow your dreams.

Does she seem tired or excited to meet you?

Each person at the party already knows that you are here to help them work together on a very important project.  But they don’t know exactly what that project is.  You have to define it for them.  You have to present it to each of them in a way that they can understand and then delegate actions so that everybody can use their special strengths to help you succeed.

So while everyone else is raving over how awesome my Mojitos are, you have to figure out….

What can the Muse do?

Brainstorm, come up with the most crazy insane ideas that might actually work, and get playful without adult supervision but with a time limit.

What can the Daemon do?

Sort through the jumble of ideas, analyze the options, and determine which ones are realistic and which ones are pipe dreams.

What can the Observer do?

Keep everyone focused on the Truth, what is reality, and then let you decide how to move forward along your path of purpose.

What can the Voice do?

Listen carefully to each option, make an honest decision, and stand his ground whenever the opposition says “that’s not possible.”

What can the Heart do?

Whisper the word “BELIEVE” in your ear, sing your praises for every action you take, and then shout triumphantly off every rooftop as your dreams become reality right before your eyes.

Here’s your chance to meet each one and find out what makes them tick.  Learn how they like to work and more importantly, how they like to work together. Take a minute and have a conversation with each one.  Ask them how they would solve a problem that you haven’t been able to solve yet.

Jot down details about them in your journal.  Who do you find the easiest to speak to?  Which one has the funniest jokes?  Which one pisses you off or tries to ignore you?  Which ones interrupt you?  Which ones get along and which ones don’t?

As you acquaint yourself with each facet of your own personality, you may discover areas of your life that you’ve been ignoring or overemphasizing.

• The current educational system taught you to focus attention on your logical Daemon and ignore your creative Muse. But deep down, you know you need your Muse, even if she is a bit messy.
• The constant bombardment from others may have relegated your true Voice into a dark corner and made it hard to hear exactly what he is saying.  Take this chance to differentiate that Voice from all the rest.
• The Observer is always mindful of his feet.  Ask yourself “Where are my feet?” and realize that you didn’t have them in your awareness until a moment ago.
• Imagine how different your life would be now if you really believed in your dreams and took a leap of faith every once in a while.  Learn to listen and trust the whispering of your Heart.

“A man who is master of himself can end a sorrow as easily as he can invent a pleasure. I don’t want to be at the mercy of my emotions. I want to use them, to enjoy them, and to dominate them.”  ~Oscar Wilde

After taking the time to meet and appreciate your Muse, Deamon, Observer, Voice and Heart, you may discover that EVERY person is a little crazy on the inside. But after a deeper look, you’ll realize you need every one of these invisible people inside you to reach your dreams. It’s just a matter of giving everybody an umbrella in their drink AND learning how to lead them.

“A man has to learn that he cannot command things, but that he can command himself; that he cannot coerce the wills of others, but that he can mold and master his own will: and things serve him who serves Truth; people seek guidance of him who is master of himself.”   ~James Allen

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Have you ever noticed the 5 invisible people inside you? Do they usually fight or get along? Share your ideas in the comment section!

If you enjoyed the article, please subscribe to LiraVaughan.com and share it with your friends using the Share & Enjoy social bookmarking sites. Thank you for your support!

So instead of taking action, you hesitate.  You hesitate because you’re not sure that whatever you do will actually change things enough to make a difference. So why put in all that hard work? How can you know if you are strong enough, smart enough, or fast enough to make a lasting change?

And the truth is, you’re probably not really “doing enough”….. But this isn’t actually a bad thing.  Before you curse me in 100 languages,  let me explain.

Right now, you know you’re not “enough.” And in many areas of your life you may never be “enough”.  Because the moment you are strong enough, smart enough, or fast enough you’ll probably stop trying to grow. You won’t need to transform or improve that area of your life anymore because you’ll already be “enough.”

Life, Without Change, is Death

You already know that your Spirit, Body, and Mind are complete (and if you didn’t know, now you do).  Although you are absolutely whole exactly as you are, you can never completely fill the available space to grow. You probably feel the need to BE MORE every single day and define this as “not enough.” But the need to be more is the urge to expand our knowledge, our ability to love, and our freedom to explore the unknown reaches of reality.

All you have to do is purge the fear of not being enough without removing the opportunity to grow. Then you’ll discover you CAN BE stronger, smarter, and faster in whatever passionate goals you define.  It’s the fear that is sticky.  It’s the fear that inhibits your transformation into a better career, a stronger relationship, and a more enjoyable life. Take this moment to let go of your fear.

Take Another Look

You may not always be strong enough, but that doesn’t mean you are not strong.  Your actions may not make enough of the changes you want, but that doesn’t mean that you cannot act or that you cannot change.  We are not meant to do everything today, but we are meant to grow everyday.  So the only true failure is to allow your fears to stop your transformation.

Nowadays most people die of a sort of creeping common sense, and discover when it is too late that the only things one never regrets are one’s mistakes. ~Oscar Wilde

Stop fighting “failure” and start examining your mistakes.  But be discerning, be choosy with your energy.  Don’t worry about every mistake, focus on those mistakes that connect directly with your true Life Purpose. Whenever you recognize that you have not done enough passionate, successful work, then you have discovered a new opportunity to grow. It is much easier to solve a problem when you know it’s root, otherwise it’ll just keep growing back.

Transform Into Good Enough

Step #1:  Stop asking “What Should I be doing about this?” and start paying attention to where your mistakes and your passions align.

Whenever a mistake upsets you, write it down.  Use your journal as a powerful tool to document where you fell short and why it upset you. How does this mistake effect your life purpose?  What have you learned by making this mistake?  What goal was effected?

Mistakes are the portals of discovery. ~James Joyce

By examining both your passions and your mistakes you are led toward the areas in your life that have the greatest, most rewarding transformations. Harness this knowledge.  Be aware of it!  And then let your internal Voice, your Heart, your Creative Muse, and your Logical Daemon work together to solve it.

Step #2: Now ask “What is inhibiting me from reaching my goal?” and “What can I do to overcome or sidestep this mistake?”

Make a list. By making a mistake, you’ve learned exactly where you didn’t have enough knowledge, enough strength, or applied enough passion. How can you respond to this mistake with actionable steps that will directly effect the outcome?  If you want a new job but blew your last interview, learn and PRACTICE your interview skills.  If you want to change your career but haven’t transitioned from your current job to a better one, CONTACT a mentor or a career change coach for some practical help.

A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing. ~George Bernard Shaw

Once you’ve defined a list, you’ll realize how much control you have over your life and your goals. The world will start to feel less like a box and more life a corridor of doors.  But, just creating a new ToDo list probably won’t be enough.  You have to break the sticky cycle of small actions, or you’ll end up doing nothing at all.

Step #3: Change the Rules of your Environment

Pick one area of your life and change it to provide encouragement around your passion filled goals in a way that addresses your mistakes directly.

Do you want to be a better leader but still can’t get a leadership role at you company? –> Consider how often you are reminding yourself of that goal… Have you posted your goal on your office wall? Do you read and learn about leadership skills every day? Do you reach out to leaders in your local community, online, or through a leadership organization and ask them for help?

You need to build a new reality that supports the improvements you are trying to make.  Remember, this is YOUR transformation.  You want to create your daily schedule, your surroundings, and your relationships so that it’s EASIER to reach your goals… EASIER to overcome your mistakes…. EASIER to align with your passions and your life purpose.

If you do each of these three steps, you will make significant strides in overcoming your mistakes, expanding your knowledge, reaching your goals, and achieving your Life purpose. But there is one more thing that can give you the most phenomenal Power boost to everything else you do.

Bonus Step: Believe

It’s so simply to write it.  So simple to say it.  But not so simple to do it.  You have to Believe. Believe that what you are doing will work, even when you make mistakes.  Believe that your goals are worthwhile, even when your peers say they are not.  Believe that living a life of passion is better than toiling away in apathy, even though everyone else seems to have already given up.  Just don’t give up. And you’ll already be closer to achievement than most of the people around you.

Your mistake does not define who you are…you are your possibilities. ~Oprah Winfrey

The life you want is waiting for you.  Your mistakes are just the guiding lights along the path.  “Not Good Enough” is a direct invitation from your New Reality to fly with Freedom.

Follow your Purpose, follow your Passion, Believe… and you will Achieve.

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What mistakes have been holding you back from your dreams? How have you used your mistakes to change your life? Share your ideas in the comment section!

If you enjoyed the article, please subscribe to LiraVaughan.com and share it with your friends using the Share & Enjoy social bookmarking sites. Thank you for your support!