Issue 17: The Gap
THE LEAP
BY QUANTUM ORANGE
GROW, EXPAND & EVOLVE
ISSUE 17 | THE GAP
Each week The (Quantum) Leap summarises a key aspect of success into what you need to Think, Feel and Do to create a personal shift.
THINK
Have you ever wondered why it’s so easy to remain stuck in old patterns?
The answer lies in three little words:
Impulse. Gap. Response.
Staying stuck means becoming an expert at minimising the length of the gap - or perhaps not having one at all.
The shorter the time frame between impulse and action (response), the more we guarantee that old programming persists, because there is no time for thinking.
Many people would describe this as unconscious living. Unconscious refers to the lack of thought involved in the process. That becomes important… because change involves consideration of what might be better than just rolling along with the situation as normal.
FEEL
The gap allows us to use emotional intelligence to get what we want by preventing us from running on automatic. When we use the gap to ask what’s really going on, we always find deep-seated urges, feelings and desires of which we previously had no idea.
Imagine that – slowing down so that you can go faster!
Inserting ‘the gap’ simply means pausing before you react to a situation.
When something that involves heightened emotions is going on, pause, take a deep breath and count to ten. Doing so allows you to step back from the emotion and choose how you respond, rather than reacting without thinking.
This is one of the simplest but most powerful emotional intelligence tools. Use it regularly!
DO
Constantly observe how you’re responding to different people and situations.
When you have time to reflect later, ask yourself:
- Am I happy with how I responded?
- Was my response the best option?
- What could I learn from this scenario?
- What might I do differently next time?
- Are there any patterns in the way I’m responding to particular people or situations?
This month Mary & I are celebrating our 39th anniversary in the personal growth field. Milestones trigger reflection for me, so I’ve been looking at the biggest lessons from almost four decades and how I can share that legacy with you.
The result is 39 short videos each detailing one of life’s inalienable truths and how to work with it to create the life of your dreams with ease and grace. Grab your copy here.
Read. Watch. Listen.
