Framework
Why is there no parts or stages?
Because people have a tendency to feel they are going backwards if they have to go back a stage and that they are only making progress if they go forwards a stage I try to avoid thinking in this way. I have even resorted to using colours for the different aspects of the method to try and avoid any 1,2,3 or A,B,C etc. I even avoid bronze, silver, gold. I’ve settled for now on red, white and blue (the colours of the British flag - I hear other countries have similar colours).
Within any self improvement plan you will move from one aspect to another repeatedly. However you must always start with Red and move to White. You have to start somewhere.
Red Aspect
This is the aspect of motivation and planning.
Within this phase you need to learn why you are making the changes. To success in improving yourself you need to have a strong sense of motivation.
I suggest this is where you need to develop a clear idea of what you are aiming for. Sometimes called a vision statement I am tending towards using ‘desire description’ instead. Statement suggest finality and you need to be more fuid in your approach to this description and vision sounds a little corporate whereas desire in more understandable.
You also need to establish where you are. In the past I have tended to use ‘purpose statement’ for this idea but I’m now using ‘waypoint description’ as the best way to describe what you are actually trying to do here. Your purpose will be part of this - of course.
White Aspect
This is the aspect of action or doing.
This is where you will be putting your plans into action. You must not enter this aspect without having done some time in the red aspect. You will find that after being in white you will need at times to return to red either for inspiration or to replan your approach. This is not failure and is certainly not going backwards.
Blue Aspect
This is the aspect of change.
When you have been in the white aspect for a while you will start to make permanent changes in your life. The action starts to produce change. Then you move into the blue aspect where the change becomes more permanent. It is important to understand that you need to move into the blue aspect at some point to establish the change.
Even though you move into the blue aspect does not mean you will not need to have a time of red or white as you progress.
The Journey - a beginning and an end
Now of course all this stuff about red, white and blue is too wishy washy without something more. That something is the framework that takes you from the beginning (where you are now) to the end. This is what everyone calls a journey and I see no reason to change this concept.
On any journey there will be times when you move through the different aspect but like on a good journey you will be making progress towards a goal. The journey of life includes many smaller journeys that we will all take.
