When I wrote my first book, Living Your Purpose, I printed the summary on the front of a postcard. I wanted to show people that using the fingers on one hand, they could remember how to make change for themselves and others.
All change starts with building awareness of the situation you are currently experiencing. Begin by paying attention to different aspects of the situation, and then make a small change in one of these five aspects.
Purpose: What values or goals are you moving toward through your actions and choices?
Integration: How are you bringing together your strengths, skills, and relationships to make something happen in this situation?
Resources: What strengths, skills, information, connections, or experiences are available to help you move toward your purpose?
Connections: Who do you know who could offer practical assistance or a model of different strengths or perspectives?
Patterns: If you can only deal with one thing at a time, you’re already stuck. How are you identifying the way one thing leads to another in this situation? Have you seen these patterns before?
There are many ways to approach making change, and it’s easy to get lost in the details. In this model, you learn 5 words and then ask questions (of yourself or someone else) that open up new perspectives and possibilities.
