When I was a teenager, I had this dream of forming an a capella group.
We used to go to Steak ‘n Shake in Toledo, Ohio because we had friends who worked there. One of the things I noticed about Steak ‘n Shake in the late 90’s was that it was a fifties-style diner, but it didn’t have a jukebox. And that gave me an idea: what if our a capella group offered to sing as entertainment for the guests?
The management supported us, and we used to perform at both the Monroe Street and Reynolds Road diners on the weekends.
They paid us with food. It was the life.
Me and the guys had this vision of touring all the Steak ‘n Shakes up and down I-75 from Toledo to Orlando. It never happened. We all went our separate ways.
The reason I bring this story up is because we were clear on what we wanted. The only problem was…it wasn’t enough. What if we achieved some level of fame or success and our a capella group eventually moved on to bigger stages? What if a day came when we performed for sold out venues in front of tens of thousands of people? Would we be satisfied?
It is not enough to decide what you want. The next step after asking the magic question and getting clear on the things you want is to ask clarifying questions.
Today, I face similar questions. I want to be a sought-after coach, one who helps people overcome their roadblocks so they can achieve the success they desire in their lives. But is that enough?
Some additional questions I ask are:
What kind of clients do I want to work with?
I want to work with clients who are ready to change and who want help implementing change.
What kinds of change do those types of clients want?
They want progressive and transformational change. They are the types of people who are always moving forward, reaching for new goals, and driven by success. They do not like being stuck. They want to change, they are not afraid of change, and they see it as necessary on their success journey.
What is keeping them from getting the transformation they desire?
Some of them allow limiting beliefs, insecurities, and stuck thinking to keep them trapped.
What do those limitations do for them?
Limiting beliefs, insecurities, and stuck thinking are not necessarily bad things. They are parts of the person with a job of protecting them from uncertainty and failure. They are not necessarily afraid of uncertainty and failure, but a part of them knows that staying in the comfort zone feels safe and secure. They know that stepping out of the comfort zone requires grit because it is uncomfortable out there. They feel exposed and vulnerable. Limiting beliefs become an excuse for achieving higher levels of success. They might give them a feeling of staying humble. But is it really about humility, or is that just a story?
Conclusions
It is not enough to decide what you want. That is only the first step. It’s part of my DRIVE Framework. The D stands for Decide What You Want. And this is important because until you put a destination in the GPS, you aren’t going anywhere. But it is not enough. Your destination must be aligned with your values and goals.
By asking these questions, I managed to open my awareness to a much larger picture. It helped me get clear on who I want to serve and what might be hiding behind the mask of limiting beliefs.
So today, I want to challenge you to ask the questions behind the question. Pick one goal from your Magic Question journaling. Open your journal and let your mind consider all the reasons you want that particular goal. Here are a few questions to help you get started:
- If I get the thing I desire, what will that do for me?
- Does this align with my goals?
- Does this align with my values?
- How will I know when I have it?
Jason Smith Hypnosis 
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