RISING STRONG LESSON 1: RISING STRONG INTRODUCTION

December 14, 2017

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Lesson Objectives

Identify 1-2 potential barriers to engagement in the course and begin to develop strategies to deal with those barriers with a permission slip exercise.
Explore the ten primary vulnerabilities associated with falling and the related rising strategies.
Learn why we are neurobiologically wired for story and how understanding the basic structure of a story aids us in our own rising process.
Choose a story of struggle to explore in this course and use as a learning tool.

Reading Assignment – Rising Strong

Note on Research
Introduction
Chapters 1, 2, and 3

Introduction Video

Lesson Video – The Physics of Vulnerability

The Man in the Arena

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.”

“The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood … who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly …”

Theodore Roosevelt

Exercise One – Permission Slips

This is a great time to revisit the concept of permission slips. Now that we’ve worked our way through Daring Greatly, you have a better sense of what you might need to finish strong! Add to your existing permission slips or start a new stack.

Fill out your permission slip Post-It note. (This will show up as a Post-It note in your workbook.)

And just a reminder: You’re welcome to write more than one permission in the same field.

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO GIVE YOURSELF PERMISSION TO DO, FEEL, OR NOT DO?

Exercise Two – The Physics of Vulnerability

1. If I am brave enough, often enough, I will fall; this is the physics of vulnerability.

MY CHALLENGE:

MY OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH:

2. Once I fall in the service of being brave, I can never go back.

MY CHALLENGE:

MY OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH:

3. This journey belongs to no one but me; however, no one successfully goes it alone.

MY CHALLENGE:

MY OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH:

4. I’m wired for story.

MY CHALLENGE:

MY OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH:

5. Creativity embeds knowledge so that it can become practice. I move what I’m learning from my head to my heart through my hands.

MY CHALLENGE:

MY OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH:

6. Rising strong is the same process whether I’m navigating personal or professional struggles.

MY CHALLENGE:

MY OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH:

7. Comparative suffering is a function of fear and scarcity.

MY CHALLENGE:

MY OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH:

8. I can’t engineer an emotional, vulnerable, and courageous process into an easy, one-size-fits-all formula.

MY CHALLENGE:

MY OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH:

9. Courage is contagious.

MY CHALLENGE:

MY OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH:

10. Rising strong is a spiritual practice.

MY CHALLENGE:

MY OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH:

This may be a great time to revisit permission slips!

IS THERE ANYTHING YOU NEED TO ADD?

Exercise Three – The Story Acts

Story is central and I learned much about STORY from PIXAR.

“Story is the big picture.

Story is process.

Story is research.

STORY IS KING.” – Pixar

The Three Acts of a Story

Act 1

The character faces or is confronted by a challenge and accepts that challenge. The rules of the world are established, and the end of Act 1 is the “inciting incident.”

Act 2

The character looks for every comfortable way to solve the problem. By the climax, s/he learns what it’s really going to take to solve the problem. This act includes the lowest of the low.

Act 3

The character needs to prove s/he has learned the lesson, usually showing a willingness to prove this at all costs. This is all about redemption—an enlightened character knowing what to do to resolve a conflict.

Choose a favorite story from a movie, TV show, book, or fable.

Act 1:

DESCRIBE THE CHALLENGE THAT YOUR CHARACTER FACES.

HOW DOES S/HE FIRST RESPOND TO THE CHALLENGE?

Does the character deny the problem? Blame someone else? Avoid the issue? Look for an easy answer? Fall apart? Run? Shut down? Get angry?

PICK A FEW GROUND RULES THAT WERE ESTABLISHED.

WHAT IS THE INCITING INCIDENT (THEIR “FACE DOWN” MOMENT)?

What happens that forces the character to finally turn toward the problem and face the challenge?

Act 2:

WHAT COMFORTABLE WAYS DOES YOUR CHARACTER LOOK FOR TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM?

USING THE STORY RUMBLE GLOSSARY, NAME THE EXPERIENCES AND/OR EMOTIONS THAT S/HE NEEDS TO RUMBLE WITH IN ORDER TO REALLY SOLVE THE PROBLEM.

The Story Rumble Glossary can be found in the Lesson Files below.

WHAT IS AN EXAMPLE OF YOUR CHARACTER’S LOWEST OF THE LOW?

WHAT STORY DO YOU THINK YOUR CHARACTER IS MAKING UP OR TELLING HIMSELF OR HERSELF ABOUT WHAT’S HAPPENING?

Act 3:

WHAT ROLE DID VULNERABILITY PLAY IN YOUR CHARACTER’S GROWTH AND LEARNING?

If the definition of vulnerability is uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure – how did your character face and handle these experiences?

HOW WAS S/HE CALLED TO GO INTO THE ARENA?

WHAT COURAGE DID YOU SEE IN HER/HIS VULNERABILITY?

Identify one or two values that drive and inspire your main character.

HOW ARE THOSE VALUES THE SAME/DIFFERENT THAN THE VALUES THAT DRIVE AND INSPIRE YOU?

Exercise Four – Identify Your Fall

“When we deny our stories, they define us; when we own our stories, we get to write the ending”

Brené Brown

Pick a story of struggle that you want to explore.

WHAT WAS YOUR FALL OR “FACE DOWN” IN THE ARENA MOMENT?

Remember, a fall can be a small moment, a painful conversation, a big failure, or a growing disappointment. The important thing is to be specific. Capture the moment in detail. Also, be sure to only talk about the moment of your fall – don’t try to figure out the ending.