I live in south eastern Wisconsin, near Lake Michigan. But I’ve only been living up here since 2018. I was born and raised in central Texas where it does not snow.
It snows here.
A lot.
Too much.
More than in other places, because of the proximity to the lake. They call it Lake Effect Snow.
A few weeks ago I caught myself sitting at my desk between clients daydreaming about moving to San Diego. I’ve never been to San Diego—I’ve never even been to California, but a man can dream can’t he?
Lately with clients I have been doing an exercise I call The Big Life.
Here’s how it goes:
Me: You know, the only reason you and I are sitting here in this office doing the work that we’re doing is because you have hopes, and dreams, about what your life could look like.
Client: Yeah
Me: And if you have dreams about the future, might as well make them big dreams. Still realistic, but big. So let’s imagine that there is a window right here *gestures over shoulder*, that you could look through, and on the other side of the window is your big life. And maybe the window is a little foggy, so you can’t see every single detail. I’m curious about what you can see. Can I ask you to look through that window, and can we do a little trick with our language too?
Client: Sure
Me: I want you to describe to me what you see through that window, but I want you to tell me using the present tense, as if you were there already. Like “I am in San Diego. . . I’m doing X, Y, Z.” Got it?
Client: Yeah, okay so, I am. . .
“I am. . .”
I’m curious to hear what your big life looks like. Go ahead and write it in the comments if you’re comfortable. And use the present tense, just write what you can see through that window.
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The Big Life. . .
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I live in south eastern Wisconsin, near Lake Michigan. But I’ve only been living up here since 2018. I was born and raised in central Texas where it does not snow.
It snows here.
A lot.
Too much.
More than in other places, because of the proximity to the lake. They call it Lake Effect Snow.
A few weeks ago I caught myself sitting at my desk between clients daydreaming about moving to San Diego. I’ve never been to San Diego—I’ve never even been to California, but a man can dream can’t he?
Lately with clients I have been doing an exercise I call The Big Life.
Here’s how it goes:
Me: You know, the only reason you and I are sitting here in this office doing the work that we’re doing is because you have hopes, and dreams, about what your life could look like.
Client: Yeah
Me: And if you have dreams about the future, might as well make them big dreams. Still realistic, but big. So let’s imagine that there is a window right here *gestures over shoulder*, that you could look through, and on the other side of the window is your big life. And maybe the window is a little foggy, so you can’t see every single detail. I’m curious about what you can see. Can I ask you to look through that window, and can we do a little trick with our language too?
Client: Sure
Me: I want you to describe to me what you see through that window, but I want you to tell me using the present tense, as if you were there already. Like “I am in San Diego. . . I’m doing X, Y, Z.” Got it?
Client: Yeah, okay so, I am. . .
“I am. . .”
I’m curious to hear what your big life looks like. Go ahead and write it in the comments if you’re comfortable. And use the present tense, just write what you can see through that window.