A short and brilliant metaphor for the type of person you are is the “Be-Do-Have” model. Google it and you find thousands of examples to which this model has been ascribed, even one linking it directly to God http://www.taketheleap.com/create.html.

Al, a fellow SAMBA http://www.sixmonthmba.com and student of human behavior, brought it to my attention today excitedly after listening to me wax on about my aspirations the entire train ride to work. (He’s a good listener, so he should have expected that.)

The Be-Do-Have model describes two incredibly different patterns of thought. My personal experience today highlighted self-limiting beliefs and showed me that my arrow points sharply to the left, indicating that I’m a “have-do-be” person. Someone who needs to learn everything first, translate that knowledge into action, and then “become” an experienced person.

Intuitively, that classification felt right. I’ve always acquired knowledge first, then put it into action, then used that skill and applied it to my life. I feel more comfortable with all the facts and tools in front of me before I take action-a response to my fear of failure. Despite knowing that this method of mine does not work, I was still shocked to see it so clearly laid out in the Be-do-have model. 

The other arrow points directly to the right, a Be-Do-Have person. This person feels the way he wants to feel (happy, wise, compassionate) and acts from that feeling, creating actions and opportunities in line with who he “is”.  By acting in that direction, he ultimately gets what he’s always wanted to “have.” Intuitively, this feels like the right direction for me to move in.