What is an Intentional Model?
I’ve taught you on this blog the difference between circumstances and thoughts, how your thoughts create your feelings, and how your feelings drive your actions and the results in your life. All together this is know as The Model, or The Self-Coaching Model. It goes like this:
Circumstances
Thoughts
Feelings
Actions
Results
The thoughts you are thinking right now (that is, the unhelpful ones keeping you stuck in your current situation) go in your UNintentional model.
Your Intentional Model is the one that is driven by a thought you want to start thinking. How do you get there? You ask yourself these key questions:
- What is the specific result you want?
- What would you have to do to get it?
- What would you need to feel to do those things?
- What would you need to keep believing to feel that way?
Do you see how this works backwards UP the model!? You start with the R line–your result–and get that defined. Then you list out the actions you would have to take–what you have to do–to get that result. That’s your A line. Next figure out what you would need to feel to do those things–be really honest here. Remember that excellent actions don’t come from a place of hate or loathing or fear–such as hating your body enough to exercise, or fear that you might “get fat” if you don’t do a certain thing. Excellent actions come from positive emotions such as confidence, love and commitment.
Now you get to decide what you would need to be thinking in order to feel that emotion! This is the toughest part because at first, that thought is not believable or else you would already be thinking it! You’ll need to work on thinking it. You’ll need to practice thinking it. You may need to work up to thinking it by choosing a thought that is a bridge thought.
Your brain likes to keep thinking the thoughts it’s always thought. There is a superhighway of connected neurons that make it easy to think the same thoughts. When you introduce a new one, it’s more work for the brain and so it starts out more difficult.
But thanks to neuroplasticity (the brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life) you always have the option to think a different thought.
What thoughts aren’t serving you?
What thoughts aren’t getting you the results that you want?
If you need help creating you Intentional Model, or even identifying what those thoughts are in you Unintentional Model that are keeping you stuck, be sure to click the button below to schedule your free strategy session with me today! Discovering the thoughts that aren’t serving you is my zone of genius. It’s difficult to find them on our own and that’s what coaching is all about!
