Inflection Points

4WHAT/WHY/HOW?

One of the strengths of the GPS process is that it applies a methodical approach to large problems. Instead of diving into a maelstrom of possibilities, I work with my client to develop a concrete plan in which the what, the why, and the how (see Figure 4.1) are clearly defined: What do you want, why do you want it, and, how will you get there?

In other words, we want to go slow to go fast—“ready, aim, fire” instead of “ready, fire, aim” (or perhaps even more extreme “fire, ready, aim”).

The process can be a little circular in a way. These what/why/how questions reinforce one another and build on each other. It's rarely linear. The important thing is that this sort of thinking starts to help you articulate your ideas and make them concrete. When you have them down on paper, they're not big and amorphous and frightening anymore.

Figure 4.1 Your journey—What, Why, How?

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Emotionally charged topics can trigger ruminating thoughts. Your mind is trying to solve for something it doesn't have enough information for or it doesn't have the ability to process at that moment. This simple framework helps calm those swirling thoughts.

Let's take a fictional coaching client—call her Carol. She's in upper management at a major media company, but she's feeling somehow unfulfilled. I sit down with her and we talk, and with my questions and by ...