Inside-Out, 2

Inside-out is another useful coaching concept.  What’s inside us, and unseen – beliefs, feelings, hopes, dreams and goals – is the source of all of what is seen – our actions, behaviors, deeds, failures and accomplishments.  When things are not ‘right’ or we want them to be different or ‘better’ in the visible, outer world, we need to go to the unseen world inside and make changes there, first. 

What we perceive outside us are reflections of our inner beliefs, feelings, hopes, dreams and goals.  We give things all the meaning they have for us, we interpret events and decide what they mean – good, bad, or neutral; scary, fearful or pleasant and inspirational.  When things are not ‘right’ or we want them to be different or ‘better’ in the visible, outer world, we need to go inside to the unseen world first and check our beliefs, feelings, hopes, dreams and goals. 

Not going inside first, but instead working with only the outer world, brings changes but they won’t last, won’t be sustainable and will have many unanticipated consequences.  We see this all the time – individual and social habits, addictions, BS, and mistakes persist even when we know better.  For example, we know the ‘war’ on drugs isn’t working, yet we persist.  We know military action alone is not enough to win wars, yet we persist.  We know wars themselves are counter productive, yet we persist.  We know the election system is broken, but we persist in doing nothing.

Starting from the inside and working out, being in touch with our most cherished beliefs, feelings, hopes, dreams and goals, first, can eliminate the negative individual and social habits, addictions, BS, and mistakes at the outset. The individual and social habits, addictions, BS, and mistakes only arise in the first place because we’ve started with them, made them real, labeled them as a ‘problem’ instead of the opportunity they are, instead of as a cue to go within first and work from there.

Working from the outside-in, is like going up to the screen in a movie theater to fix an out of focus picture.  It won’t work.  You have to go to or call the projection booth.  Working only with our outer experience is like going up to the screen.  Working from the inside out is like calling the projection booth.  Isn’t it time you quit going up to the screen and started calling the projection booth?