5 QUESTIONS

Thu. 24 June, 2010

1 Learn. In an earlier post I referenced the power of scarcity and in that I gave you a scale that measured desire on a scale of -10 to +10. Today I realised that you can use that scale for any emotion you want to make happen. For example. If I wanted to feel happy, I would measure my happiness on a scale with +10 being euphoric and -10 being depressed. I furthered that thinking and started asking how I could think, feel, believe and do with my body to get to different areas of the scale. That part was easy, +10 think of a time when I was at my happiest and think of this moment being the last moment I could be like that again. -10 focus on losing my daughter in a situation in which something could have been done to prevent the loss. Then I took that distinction up another step. We all want a positive 8 or above experience for every emotion which gives us pleasure. Ask the question "What has to happen to make this a +10 experience?". What happens next? You start to come up with rules. Some rules are helpful: If I blink more than 3 times then I'm +10 in happiness. Some rules don't help at all: If the sun sets from the east then I'm happy. It all depends on how you set up your rules. So try this... before you are about to enter a situation ask yourself the question "what needs to happen in order for me to have a positive 10 experience? Then decide to make your rules really easy to meet and with outcome that you can control. I guarantee if you do it properly then anything that seemed like a pain you can turn into fun.

2 Improve. My whole day was helped with the use of that new tool for new thought. I managed to find myself enjoying situations I normally wouldn't. Thursday is generally my busiest day of the week and some days its tough to find the motivation to work. The morning was spent dragging my feet, procrastinating and getting distracted by the solitaire application on my phone. Then I used the above tool to get me going. While I'm working, if I didn't stop for a break at any moment during the day, then I would have a +10 experience. Guess what happened? I went from tired and unmotivated, to having an amazing time doing something I normally find tedious. Now to apply it to other things in my life.

4 Enjoy. Queenstown is getting busy!!! It's a winter wonderland and people are stampeding into town. It's pretty fun watching the different types of people who come in and out of this place. It's hard to know who the real locals are but that's all good.