What's My Plan?: The Last of Six Questions to Create the Blueprint for your Life
This is the last of six articles detailing the core practice of my coaching business, Integrative Studio. In addition, you can find article one, “Who Am I?” here, article two, “What’s Going On?” here, article three, “Who Surrounds Me?” here, article four, “What Do I Want?” here, and article five “What’s in My Way?” here.
American actor, trainer, and author Uta Hagan created the system I learned as an actor for script analysis and character development. Her “Six Steps for Characterization” became my blueprint for personal life coaching.
I call it the Get Real System.
Life is a story, and we hold the pen.
After college, I began using this system to keep myself goal-oriented and purposeful in my work, hobbies, and relationships.
I have since adapted it to apply to life situations to help my clients get real with:
The circumstances they find themselves in (let’s call this the “world of the play”)
How they situate within them (let’s say as the “protagonist” of the play)
How they interact with others (let’s call them the “supporting players”) to get what they want in life.
I will go through these six questions over six articles to answer them for myself to model objectivity in evaluating life. I will invite you to do the same for each question.
Question 6:
What do I do to get what I want?
What are my tactics/strategies/ actions that overcome my obstacles, so I achieve my goals?
This question is the golden ticket for actors—it’s what you see them do on stage!
You can see, though, that all the work in mining the world of the play and understanding the character leads them to make informed choices!
The same goes for you—when you have gotten to the core of who and how you are, what’s happening in your life, what your relationships are (and how you show up in them), what you want in life and right now at this moment, and what’s in the way of getting what you want….well, it becomes pretty clear what you need to do to TAKE ACTION.
I will list my obstacles and put active verbs next to them as strategies for getting what I want.
Internal obstacles:
I wrestle with feeling unconfident in technical skills---
I devote time each week to learning how to optimize my YouTube channel.
I research programs I can download to help with editing and graphic design.
I utilize customer service support for my website host often.
I fight feelings of self-doubt---
I meditate on my vision for my life and hold fast to the FEELING of staying true to my purpose. It ignites and fortifies me to push through.
I feel overwhelmed by marketing---
I learn the ins and outs of copywriting, email newsletters, and funnel systems for business growth through an online marketing program.
I ask questions of the community on the private Facebook page and follow through on their suggestions.
External obstacles—
The vastness of social media---
I focus my social media copy and YouTube videos on a particular niche and speak only to that person.
I trust that it’s better to be laser-focused at the mouth of a dark cave than a spread of faint light for all to find me. Pinpoint focus will help those who need me most now, and my audience will refer me to their friends and colleagues.
I get tired throughout the day---
I exercise in the morning almost every day. In addition, I walk or swim at the end of the day most days to free up physical tightness in my hips and low back from sitting at my desk.
I take cat naps when I need to.
I work in intervals when I know my productive times are and when my less effective times are. Then, I stack my work within these time/energy chucks to stay on task.
If I were to list my active verbs for all these strategies, they are:
To devote time to learn
To research programs
To utilize customer service
To meditate on my vision
To learn the ins and outs of marketing
To ask questions
To focus my content on a niche
To exercise/move
To take cat naps (rest/restore)
To work in intervals
These verbs circle back to who and how I am at my core—a NURTURER (see Question 1).
I know that my humility and patience as a student nurture my business. I could choose to be angry or feel defeated by how much I don’t know about the many business operations I take on. Yet, that would be tearing myself down, which is the opposite of nurturing.
I know that meditation, moving, and resting nurture my inner-felt resources so I can continue to bring my best to the table each day.
I know that focusing my content on a particular niche market is nurturing that group as much as possible so I can earn their trust.
Now it’s your turn—What do you do to get what you want?
Use active verbs! Remember, you cannot force another person to do anything.
All you can do is change your behaviors to effect change in a circumstance.
In summary, the six steps to characterization work as a life coaching map because the questions get to the core of who and how you are, what is happening in your life, what you want, and how you go about getting it.
The Get Real System lets you pan out and objectively see people and events. It gives you a clear view of what you are working with, so you make clear, informed choices towards your best life.
Be kind to yourself.
Get real with yourself.
Take action for your best life.
Find the synergy in those three directions and hold them in your heart daily.
Get in touch with me if you seek one-on-one support to work through this system. I can teach you how to answer these questions objectively and actively.
I’m about to open the cart for my signature program, The Greater Purpose Blueprint, an 8-week online coaching program where professionals dive deeply into these six questions and other topics for massive mindset shifts to take action toward their best life. Get in touch if you want more information!
Melissa Hurt is a personal development and communication coach with her Ph.D. in acting theory. She is the owner of Integrative Studio, where she teaches clients how to release stagnant energy holding them back from becoming their true selves. Get a free gift that starts you on your path to a bird’s-eye-view of your life so you can take action on the next best steps at www.melissahurt.com/opt-in-home.