What if I throw a big party and no one comes? What if I start this business and I go broke? What if I go to the audition and they don’t want me? These are examples of what Clarity calls “future-tripping”, creating a worst-case scenario about the future rather than a best-case scenario.
I felt myself slipping into this recently and before falling too far down the downer hole, remembered an exercise I learned years ago. I call it Perspective Pie. It goes like this:
On the floor, imagine a large pie containing eight slices. Each of those slices represents a different perspective about a decision, thought, direction, strategy, etc. As you move and stand in each pie section, ask yourself: What’s a perspective I see from here? Create a different scenario in each place. Be expansive with both the best-case and worst-case perspectives. A little humor might also help to see the silliness and the limiting beliefs of future-tripping.
Here’s how it worked with yours truly. After many years of saying I wanted to hire a creative writing coach, I finally did it. Or, I should say, Cathy found the coach and suggested I follow through on my long-voiced desire. On my way to the first appointment, I felt hesitation and yes, fear. My mental Perspective Pie sounded something like this:
Slice One – I shouldn’t do this. I don’t have the time. We have too many projects to get done. Plus, I’m already writing blogs and marketing messages. I won’t have the energy to devote to it.
Slice Two – I need a different creative outlet. Learning a new way to see and communicate would give me more ideas and energy for work. I have plenty of time to spend a few hours a week devoted to this.
Slice Three – I could learn to be a great writer. I could publish a best-selling Pulitzer Prize winner – become so famous, groupies besiege me. I weaken, destroy my life with sex and drugs and end up all alone, dead in a hotel bathroom. It’s just not worth it.
Slice Four – After a few sessions, it’s likely my writing coach will quit because my lack of talent, bad grammar and limited vocabulary will give her a headache while reading my work.
Slice Five – I could become famous by writing a best-selling Pulitzer Prize winner and then write another even better story, and then another. My books could make a difference.
Slice Six – I am finally responding to a long-held dream of focusing more on developing as a writer, a creative writer. This daily focus, in and of itself, is reason enough to do this.
Slice Seven – I will come up with an idea for another book that excites me, gives me incentive to write every day, as I create new scenes, and develop interesting stories or concepts.
Slice Eight – I’m almost 70. It’s about time I have a hobby that attracts me, keeps me happily engaged, and keeps the neurocircuits firing.
If you are allowing a future-tripping attack to prevent you from moving towards a dream, take a slice of your own Perspective Pie. Select the slice that inspires you to move towards your dream and keep going.
Enjoying my Slice Six with my eye on Slice Seven,
Gary
