How do I extract life lessons from troubling experiences or any experiences, for that matter?
The reason this is a frequently asked question is that AIS was born as a result of my commitment to extract the life lessons, apply them in my life, and assist you and others, just like yourself, to apply them in their life also.
How do I do this?
I use a framework of what, why, lesson, apply.
- What happened?
- Why was it relevant?
- What’s the lesson I can extract from it?
- Then, how do I apply that lesson in my life?
What, why, lesson, apply.
You can also commit to writing.
I use an app through Wake Up Warrior called The Stack app. I use that app to ask myself questions about everyday life.
It’s not just a troubling experience, but it’s any experience in life.
If we do not extract the lesson each time we have an experience that’s troubling, stresses us out, or causes anxiety, then we are bound to repeat the lesson. This is especially true around money and finance, but also any area of our life:
- money,
- finance,
- marriage,
- parenting,
- personally,
- spiritually,
- emotionally,
- physically,
If we’re not clear about what happened, why, and the lesson around it, then apply that in our life, we will repeat that lesson.
Each time we repeat it, it’s going to be more and more painful.
This process of what, why, lesson, apply, extracting the lesson and applying it is how #1 Asset, #1 Investment, #1 Strategy came to play in my life and why you were attracted to it, and have it in your life at the foundational base level of everything that you do financially.
Here is an example:
Our son, Kadin, was up on the mountain snowboarding. He gave us a call and he said, “Hey, I lost my wallet.”
WHAT: He was up there snowboarding with his buddies and it came out of his pocket on the mountain in the deep powder. He went through the process of canceling the debit card. He had driver’s license in there. He had just $3 in cash. I was talking to him about it. I said, “Where did you have the wallet?” He said, “Well, I had it just inside my pocket inside my coat.”
WHY: I said, “Did it zip or snap or anything?” He said, “No, it’s just a loose pocket.” It was deeper, so he thought it’d be fine.
Lesson to extract: Zip it up. Have it in the pocket that snaps, zips, velcro, or something to secure it, so he doesn’t have to go through that again.
Apply:
- Where can my health take a slip without my knowing it? How can I zip, snap, or velcro my health so I stay healthy?
- Where in my spiritual life do I think I am okay, when in reality I could slip into a negative emotion? How can I zip, snap, or velcro my emotions so I stay in a happier and more productive place spiritually?
- Where do I assume my family life is okay, when in reality I could be losing out on precious opportunities with them? What steps can I take to zip, snap, or velcro my family relationships to form a stronger more resilient family bond?
- Do I assume my business and finances are protected or do I know they are protected? What steps can I take to zip, snap, or velcro any vulnerabilities in by business or finances.
You are the #1 Asset in your life.
When I take care of myself, I have more to offer to those around me.
What, why, lesson, apply.
What happened?
Why was it relevant?
What’s the lesson that you can extract from it?
Most importantly, how do you apply that lesson in your life moving forward?