In life, everyone goes through different versions of themselves, which I like to define as your “state” of being. Understanding them and using one or a combination of them at any given time, will help you move closer to the goals that you desire in your life.
So, what are the five core states you could be in?
They are your emotional state, your thinking state, your action state, your learning state and finally, your playful state.
Why is it important to recognize what state you are in? Because when you find yourself off track from your goals and outcomes, knowing what state you are in will help you self-correct.
1. Your emotional state.
What is the emotion that you have right now? Is there acceptance of what you are reading or are you feeling resistant or skeptical?
Your emotional state is going to help drive your success because having positive emotions such as joy, happiness, or inspiration will move you towards what you desire.
2. Your thinking state.
This is a continuation of your emotional state because it represents the internal communication that you have with yourself. Say for example, you have a negative emotional state of fear, worry, or doubt which triggers the verbal communication within you. You may start to manifest the communication within that “this is too overwhelming” or “I don’t know how to pull this off.”
However, an emotional state of joy or inspiration, will lay the seeds of internal communication that will fuel you with thoughts such as,“I can and will do this,” or “I’m feeling confident I can take the first step.”
The thinking state becomes the platform for the next step,your action state.
3. Your action state.
Your internal emotions will trigger your internal thoughts,which in turn, drive the actions that you do or don’t do. Action is the key towards stepping into the core values that you desire and eventually, the goals and outcomes that you seek. Starting with a state of joy or optimism that triggers the communication of “I can be successful,” will provide you with the initial motivation and confidence to take that first step of action.
For example, let’s say that you have a core value of discipline. Your desired goal is to lose 20 pounds in three months with the outcome of having a healthier and fitter you.
You may start with an emotional state of enthusiasm, which leads to…
A thinking state of, “I’m feeling energized and ready to become a healthier version of me,”which leads to…
An action state of having the discipline to eat healthy three days a week, starting right now,leading to…
An enhanced chance of successfully achieving your goal,which in turn…
Allows you to achieve the outcome that you desire, becoming the future person that you have envisioned.
Understand this, one state is a platform for the success or failure of the next, so all five of these states are critically important.
4. Your learning state.
The learning state is important because it allows you to reflect upon three powerful self-reflection questions. These are key questions to ask yourself because it will allow you to self-assess your progress along your path of stepping into your core values. So, as you travel your path and attempt to grow into the core values that you desire, ask yourself:
a. What am I doing right?
b. What am I doing not so right?
c. How can I make it better?
Notice I didn’t say, “What am I doing wrong” for the second question. It’s not by accident because the key is to develop a mindset where everything that you try and do is a learning opportunity.
In his quest to develop the first light bulb, Thomas Edison went through multiple trials before finally succeeding at his creation. He was famously asked by a reporter, “How did it feel to fail 1000 times?” He simply replied, “I didn’t fail a thousand times. The light bulb was an invention with a thousand steps.”
What if Edison saw himself as a failure after the first 10 attempts, or the 100th, or even attempt #999?
Everything that you do is the opportunity to self-reflect and grow yourself. Stop thinking about failure and start thinking about focusing and forging forward. It’s how I approach the way I look at my core values, goals, or outcomes.
For me, I don’t have days when I fail. I do have challenging days and I reflect upon these three powerful questions to keep moving me forward in the direction that best serves me.
5. The fun state.
This is a state that I am working on the most right now!
Over the years, I have developed a level of professionalism with my colleagues and patients, optimizing my social interactions and level of medical care.
However, somewhere along the way, I forgot how to have fun!And because of this, combined with my intense emotional state of determination,I forged forward but inhibited my overall growth. I didn’t take the time to“stop and smell the roses.”
Life is not about a start and finish line.
It’s about a journey,one that you must learn to appreciate and have fun along the way. Now, I’m not saying to go out and throw a party every time you hit one of your targets along the way (unless you want to!) but I am saying to simply smile, reflect upon, and acknowledge the progress that you have made. Not everyone has the courage to design an enhanced version of themselves, so be happy, grateful, and have fun knowing that you are on this wonderful journey for yourself!
Until next time, take care and be well!
Regards,
Terence Young, MD
a.k.a. The Doctorpreneur
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Reach out at terence@terenceyoungmd.com
