Intimacy, Relationship, Focused Prpose: Bualancing passion, purpose and relationship for an abundant life!
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Mastery Walk
Any activity, project or personal growth area has different stages of development that determine your emotional reaction, comfort level, skill and ability to work with the subject at hand. Understanding the stages of development allows you to better integrate the process. No matter what the process to getting there might be invariably you know more at the end then you do at the beginning. How often have you said "If I could go back with what I know now and do it again…"? This particular exercise works to create that end-point knowledge and skill to be utilized exactly where you are at now.
Begin by identifying a particular project, skill or idea you would like to focus on right now. Starting with a clean sheet of paper, fold it in half, then half again, then in half one more time - three times total. Now tear the paper up along the fold lines and you'll have 8 small pieces of paper. Write each of these words on a separate piece of paper: Formulation, High Concentration, Low Concentration, Low Momentum, High Momentum, Steady Growth, Breakthrough, and Mastery.
Now lay these words out in ladder formulation in the order noted starting with Formulation at the bottom and Mastery at the top. Stand at the bottom of the ladder just below Formulation and turn to face your back towards the ladder. You'll be advancing up the ladder stepping backwards for each stage. In each stage you'll notice what sensations you feel in your body, what you are doing differently at this stage, and what emotions come up for you.
The person guiding you through the exercise will provide the following commentary for each stage:
Formulation - This is where your idea is formed. It is a place of new idea, new creation and new direction
High Concentration - In this stage you are working hard. Your return is only 1 for every 10 you put in. It is a time of deep focus, attention and creation.
Low Concentration - At this point you are beginning to make progress but it's still more work than return. You're now getting 1 for every 3 you put into the equation. Your efforts are still intense but getting easier.
Low Momentum - This is the turning point in the tide. You are not getting back more than you are putting in. The ratio is now 3 returning for every 1 you put in. Your idea is beginning to take more solid shape and showing results.
High Momentum - Now things are really beginning to move. The equation is now a return of 10 for every 1 you put in. Progress is occurring more frequently and the idea is clear and understood.
Steady Growth - At this point you begin to find a flow and rhythm and your activity is less work and more maintenance. You are progressing smoothing and moving ahead at a rapid and even pace.
Breakthrough - Breakthrough is where you often have an epiphany about your work. You will begin to see new ideas, new possibilities and opportunities and you'll discover new ways of working and seeing your idea take shape. This is often the stage where significant shifts and redirectioning occur. You begin to see things differently now.
Mastery - When you reach this stage your performance has become effortless. You know what you're doing, you know how to do it and your skill level increases to expert levels and beyond. At this point you begin to notice the deeper subtleties and intricacies of your work. You discover new ways of doing things and shift your work easily as a result.
Now turn and face out beyond the ladder. Notice what you see beyond Mastery. What sights, sounds, or colors do you see? Where in your body do you feel this? Breath into this space and hold this as your anchor. Now bring that feeling of Mastery with you and begin walking backwards down the ladder.
The person guiding you will repeat back to you what you noticed at each stage. Having that sense of Mastery with you now notice what you would do differently at each stage? When you complete your trip back down the ladder and finally step off the bottom notice which stage you might be at right now with the subject you focused on. How does having Mastery on the subject now change what you will do where you are at now and at the higher stages?
Create a list of reminders, ideas, and actions you can take along the way as you continue your progress on this idea.