The Passion Struck Model
a comprehensive approach to personal growth
The "Passion Struck" model is a comprehensive approach to personal growth, built upon the synergistic interplay between mindset shifts, behavior shifts, and the action-oriented psychology of progress (Deliberate Action). When mindset, behavior, and deliberate action are driven by intrinsic motivation (fueled by passion, perseverance, and intentionality) and imbued with a sense of mattering, they produce a passion-struck life.
The Four Pillars of the Passion Struck Model
The Passion Struck Model works like this:
1. Mindset Shifts:
Mindset Shifts: The first step in our journey towards transformation begins is reshaping our mindset, a step illuminated by the virtue of wisdom. This passion-driven wisdom paves the way for new actions, establishing a foundation for significant change. It profoundly influences and molds our beliefs and values, clarifying our "WHY" and influencing "HOW" we approach challenges and opportunities. This fundamental change in perspective, deeply rooted in passion, is crucial for setting the stage for subsequent shifts in behavior, deliberate action, and intrinsic motivation, ensuring a more dynamic and heartfelt transformation.
● Passion: Passion is integral, serving as a catalyst for redefining beliefs and values, fueling transformation, and clarifying one's "why." This profound connection to passion not only inspires learning and growth but also plays a crucial role in overcoming limiting beliefs inherent in one's current mindset.
● Wisdom: Drawing from both ancient knowledge and contemporary insights, wisdom shapes our mindset. It enables us to discern, understand, and judge, allowing us to navigate the ever-changing waters of life with clarity and purpose.
2. Behavior Shifts:
Behavior Shifts: Once our mindset has been recalibrated, the next logical progression is a shift in behavior, where the role of perseverance becomes crucial. Our behavior, the "WHAT," is a direct reflection of our mindset, dictating "HOW" we act in pursuit of our goals. The integration of perseverance into this behavioral shift is fundamental in making our transformed mindset actionable. It is through perseverance that the principles of self-mastery are actualized, guaranteeing that our actions are not only consistent but also resiliently aligned with our aspirations and values.
● Values: A crucial aspect of altering our behavior lies in aligning our actions with our core values. As the moral compass of our lives, values propel our behavior and influence our decisions concerning what we deem important. Acting in harmony with our core beliefs brings about genuine fulfillment and a profound connection to our actions. This alignment is key to our overall health and well-being, while a misalignment can be a source of stress and anxiety, potentially leading to a range of health issues.
● Self-Mastery (Temperance): This is the intentional control of one's impulses, desires, and behaviors. With self-mastery, we fine-tune our behaviors to align with our ultimate goals. It's about reigning in our urges and ensuring our actions echo our inner truths.
● Perseverance: This acts as the consistent motor behind our behaviors. Even in the face of adversity, setbacks, or challenges, perseverance ensures that we keep pushing forward, iterating, and evolving. Perseverance fuels our commitment to persist in the face of challenges, embodying the belief that our goals and dreams are worthy of our efforts and, therefore, we matter.
3. Deliberate Action - The Psychology of Progress
Action plays a vital non-linear role in the intertwined processes of reshaping our mindset and behaviors, acting as both a driver and outcome of these transformations. Through repetition, actions evolve into habits, seamlessly integrating into our behavior as our brain's neural pathways adapt, making these actions more automatic. This process is guided by immediate feedback, where positive outcomes reinforce behaviors and negative ones prompt reassessment. Importantly, it’s not merely having the courage to act but also about the strategic intent behind every action. This blend of boldness and intention, directs our decisions on "WHEN" and "WHERE" to act, aligning our actions with our goals. In this way, action is an integral part of our personal evolution, constantly refining our mindset and reshaping our behaviors, fostering continuous growth and adaptation.
● Courage: Courage is the linchpin of action. It equips us to confront our fears and embrace our true potential. Courage is the acknowledgment that our dreams and purpose far outweigh our fears and perceived limitations.
● Intention: Every day, we're faced with countless decisions. Intentionality ensures that our actions are not random or haphazard but rather meticulously aligned with our overarching goals and aspirations. It is the steadfast dedication to aligning our daily actions with our long-term vision.
4. Intrinsic Motivation:
In the "Passion Struck" model, intrinsic motivation acts as the cohesive glue linking mindset, behavior, and deliberate action. This internal drive fuels our journey towards a life filled with passion and purpose, moving beyond the need for external validation, and it deeply embeds a sense of mattering within us — the feeling of being significant and valued. This sense of mattering anchors us to our "why," energizing our pursuit of goals with relentless determination. This inner spark not only influences "how" we persevere through challenges but also steadfastly guides our mindset shifts, informs our behavioral changes, and directs our deliberate actions, ensuring a harmonious and resilient progression towards our objectives.
Passion, perseverance, and intentionality are deeply interconnected with intrinsic motivation, forming a robust triad that propels individuals toward sustained achievement and fulfillment. Here's how they are tied together:
Passion: This is the intense enthusiasm or excitement for something. When someone is passionate about their activities, they engage in them because of a genuine interest and enjoyment, not just for some external reward. This strong emotional connection is a key component of intrinsic motivation because it comes from within and fuels consistent engagement with the task or goal.
Perseverance: Often encapsulated in the concept of 'grit,' perseverance is the steadfast effort to continue towards a goal despite difficulties, failures, or opposition. When intrinsically motivated, a person's drive to persevere is powered by internal desires and personal significance of the goal, not by external pressures or the promise of rewards. They persist because the goal itself is rewarding and important to them, not just a means to an end.
Intentionality: This refers to the purposeful and deliberate action taken to achieve a goal. When someone acts with intentionality, they are not only aware of their actions but also of the purpose behind them. Intrinsic motivation involves being intentional about one's goals because the activities align with one's values and self-concept. This intentional behavior means that actions are not random or accidental; they are chosen because they are inherently satisfying or because they are steps towards a personally meaningful goal.
These three aspects feed into and reinforce intrinsic motivation:
● Passion provides the joy and energy in the activity itself, making it inherently rewarding.
● Perseverance ensures continuity and commitment even when the going gets tough, fueled by the meaningfulness of the endeavor rather than the pursuit of external validation.
● Intentionality ensures that the actions taken are aligned with personal values and long-term objectives, making the process more fulfilling.
Together, they create a powerful cycle: passion ignites enthusiasm, which fuels the perseverance needed to overcome obstacles, and intentionality ensures that efforts are well-directed and aligned with personal values, which in turn strengthens intrinsic motivation. This self-sustaining loop is essential for long-term engagement, resilience, and success in any endeavor.
The Four Stoic Virtues
In the Passion Struck model, the four Stoic virtues of wisdom, values (justice), self-mastery (temperance), and courage have been reimagined and updated to resonate with the individual's journey. Wisdom drives our mindset, shaping our perspectives and attitudes. Values guide our behavior, ensuring that our actions align with our beliefs. Self-mastery controls our intentions, helping us to make choices that align with our objectives. Finally, courage fuels our actions, giving us the strength to face challenges and persevere in adversity.
In Conclusion:
In the "Passion Struck" model, mindset shifts lay the groundwork for transformation, behavior shifts translate this transformation into tangible actions, and deliberate action provides a strategic roadmap for success. This triad forms the foundation for creating a passion-struck life. At its core, it recognizes our innate need to feel valued and to matter. Intrinsic Motivation fuels the entire process, ensuring we remain committed to our path. Each element is interconnected, with intrinsic motivation acting as the binding force that unites them into a cohesive and powerful model for change.
The deliberate action process (workbook available) is the how—the method for how you put the steps in the model into action.
The Passion Struck framework (outlined in the book) is the combination of tasks, tools, and workflows to implement the model.