Ⓜ️ Model - Five Dimensions of Dr Erickson

This article is based of the following 5 ideas.

Elements of Dr. Erickson from the Book - "The Therapist, as Humanist, Social Activist, and Systemic Thinker"

• 1. To change your life, you have to be in a DETERMINED state
• 2. Professional success is to live your professional life in a way that causes you to feel a great deal of pleasure and very little pain.
• 3. Successful therapists ask better questions, and as a result, they get better answers.
• 4. Words have tremendous power when chosen wisely.
• 5. Changing the metaphors that people use to view their lives can instantly transform them, and Erickson was a master at this.

Why This Matters

The quality of your life is largely determined by the quality of your questions, your emotional state, and the metaphors you live by. Successful people—whether in their professional or personal lives—leverage these tools to transform their pain into pleasure and their confusion into clarity.

When you understand how determined states, better questions, and powerful metaphors influence human behavior, you unlock the ability to transform your own life—and help others do the same.

Tony Robbins Quote:

“Successful people ask better questions, and as a result, they get better answers.” — Tony Robbins

“The words you consistently select will shape your destiny." — Tony

“The fastest way to change your emotional state is to shift your physiology or language.” — Tony

What This Means

At the core of transformation are a few powerful tools:

1. Determined State: Being in a determined state means aligning your body, mind, and energy toward a singular, clear outcome. It’s when you become unshakable in your resolve.
2. Professional Success Equals Pleasure, Not Pain:
   Professional success isn’t just about money or status — it’s about creating a work life that generates maximum pleasure and minimal pain. When your professional efforts are fueled by passion, curiosity, and joy, your productivity skyrockets. However, if your work environment is filled with dread, resistance, or fear, it creates internal conflict and drains your energy. The key is to align your work with your natural joy, allowing professional success to feel like a natural extension of who you are.
3. Asking Better Questions: The questions you ask yourself determine the direction of your life. Poor questions yield poor answers. Powerful questions unlock powerful solutions.
4. Words Have Tremendous Power:
   The words you use — both internally (self-talk) and externally (spoken to others) — have the power to shape your entire reality. If you consistently say, “I’m stuck”, “I’m overwhelmed”, or “I can’t do this”, your mind will find ways to prove that true. However, if you shift your language to “I’m finding a way”, “I’m learning”, or “I’m building momentum”, you will subconsciously direct your energy toward solutions instead of problems.
   Every time you change your language, you are literally reprogramming your brain. Speak in a way that aligns with your desired future, not your current limitations.
5. Changing Metaphors: The metaphors you use to describe your life shape your perception of it. If you describe your life as a "battle," you'll feel constantly exhausted. If you describe it as a "dance," you’ll find flow and rhythm.

The key to professional and personal success lies in mastering these tools.

How To Apply This in Your Life

Step 1: Shift into a Determined State

• Use your body: Change your posture, breathe deeply, move with confidence.
• Use your focus: Shift your mental energy toward solutions, not problems.
• Use your language: Replace "I can't" with "I must."

✅ Determined state = Maximum power

Step 2: Ask Better Questions

The quality of your life is dictated by the quality of your questions. Consider these examples:

• ❌ Poor Question: Why does this always happen to me?
• ✅ Better Question: What can I learn from this?
• ❌ Poor Question: Why am I failing?
• ✅ Better Question: How can I turn this into a success story?

Asking better questions forces your brain to look for better solutions, creating a life filled with purpose and meaning.

Step 3: Change Your Metaphors

Your life metaphors shape your experience of reality. Some common metaphors are:

• Life is a battle → Constant struggle and fatigue.
• Life is a journey → Continuous learning and discovery.
• Life is a game → Creative strategy and playful mastery.
• Life is a dance → Joyful flow and connection.

When you consciously choose empowering metaphors, you transform the way you experience life.

Example: Applying This in the Four Orders

Physical 🟧 (Body)

Challenge:
You're physically tired and feel unmotivated.

Better Question:

• How can I energize my body in the next 10 minutes?

New Metaphor:

• Instead of "I'm burned out", say "I'm recharging for my next breakthrough."

Action:

• Take a cold shower, go for a 5-minute brisk walk, or do 10 jumping jacks.
• Shift your body → Shift your energy → Shift your life.

Intellectual 🟦 (Mind)

Challenge:
You feel stuck in your career and can’t find a solution.

Better Question:

• What’s one thing I can do today to create momentum in my career?

New Metaphor:

• Instead of "I'm lost", say "I'm exploring uncharted territory."

Action:

• Research one new skill, make one bold phone call, or send one valuable email.
• Action unlocks new answers.

Social 🟢 (Relationships)

Challenge:
You're struggling in a relationship and feel distant.

Better Question:

• What’s one act of love I can do today without expecting anything in return?

New Metaphor:

• Instead of "Our relationship is falling apart", say "Our relationship is being rebuilt in new ways."

Action:

• Send a heartfelt text, plan a fun activity, or deeply listen to your partner.
• Connection dissolves conflict.

Spiritual 🔴 (Purpose)

Challenge:
You feel spiritually disconnected or stuck in negative thinking.

Better Question:

• What’s one thing I can do today to connect to God or my higher self?

New Metaphor:

• Instead of "I’m lost in the dark", say "I’m finding my way toward light."

Action:

• Spend 10 minutes in silence, prayer, or nature.
• Trust the process of renewal.

Resources to Go Deeper

1. Book: Awaken the Giant Within – Tony Robbins.
2. Video: Tony Robbins’ talk on Power of State Change.
3. Tool: Daily questions journal – Write 3 powerful questions each morning.
4. Exercise: Spend one day replacing every negative metaphor with a positive one. Track your results.

Final Thought

If you can master determined states, powerful questions, and life-giving metaphors, you can radically shift the trajectory of your life. Most people are prisoners of their metaphors and weak questions.

But the moment you stand firm, ask better questions, and redefine your metaphors — your life will never be the same.

So, what’s one question you can ask yourself right now that would change everything? 💡