Getting What You Want: Unlocking Hidden Potential
Introduction
- Speaker uses a paper ketchup cup as a metaphor for untapped potential.
- Less than 1% of these cups ever reach their full potential (made-up statistic for attention).
- The folds in the cup can be opened to three times its size.
- Main Question: Where in your life do you have untapped potential?
Untapped Potential in Life
- Many people avoid challenging the status quo.
- Missed opportunities due to fear, lack of knowledge on how to speak up, or wanting to fit in.
- Key Idea: Identify and act upon hidden potentials.
The Three Words to Unlock Potential
- Decided: Decisions don’t always lead to actions.
- LY Words: Words like usually, typically, or normally that suggest barriers but are flexible.
- Because: The most powerful persuasive word.
Decided: The Illusion of Finality
- Example: Deciding to put something back in a grocery store vs. actually doing it.
- New Year’s resolutions often fail because deciding is not the same as executing.
- Study: Only 8% of people follow through on their New Year’s resolutions (University of Scranton).
Decision-Making Stages
- Research: Gathering information.
- Reasoning: Evaluating options and making choices (where the three words live).
- Result: The final action taken.
- Focus: The orange box (reasoning stage) where decisions are weighed.
Reasoning Stage in Decision-Making
- Examples of LY words in actions: “Typically, we don’t negotiate salaries,” etc.
- LY words often signal opportunities to challenge barriers.
- Rule of Thumb: Assess whether pushing boundaries will benefit others.
Real-Life Stories
- Speaker’s fertility journey: Struggles with miscarriages and discovering egg donation.
- Example of facing a “decided” barrier with the nurse’s protocol and finding an alternative using persuasion.
Impact of LY Words
- Example: Grocery store meat labels (100% natural vs. typically 100% natural).
- Recognizing LY words helps identify opportunities for change.
The Power of “Because”
- Most persuasive word that often leads to compliance and agreement.
- Personal example: Being persuaded by a friend to attend a high school reunion.
- Strategy: Use “because” to open opportunities.
Interactive Exercise and Examples
- Sales negotiation example: Recognizing LY words and decided terms.
- Because Challenge: Using “because” to counter decided and LY barriers.
- Result: Improved negotiation outcomes and opportunities.
Conclusion
- Speaker’s personal success story: Using the three words to fulfill the dream of having three sons.
- Final Question: What will be your “ketchup cup” story?
Call to Action: Identify and use the three words (Decided, LY Words, Because) to unlock your potential and achieve your goals.