Identity Shifting & The Dilts Model: A Path to Lasting Change

I love to travel. 

In college, I made a friend who worked remotely and was all into cheap flight hacks.

Over the course of one year after graduation, we and a couple of other guys went to five different countries.

(For those curious: Thailand, Norway, Iceland, The Netherlands, and Canada)

These experiences expanded my awareness so much that I saw my environment and myself very differently when I was back home. 

Ultimately, this was the catalyst for me to quit my job, start my own online business, continue traveling, move 800 miles away from home, and just live a much more expanded, free life. 

The Logical Levels of Change Unveiled

But how does one intentionally create such a transformation?

Enter the Dilt’s pyramid, otherwise known as the logical or neurological levels of change.

This framework, grounded in the work of Robert Dilt’s and Gregory Bateson, provides a roadmap for understanding and facilitating change at multiple levels:

• Environment

• Behavior

• Skills

• Beliefs/Values

• Identity

• Purpose

The Power of Identity Shifting

The reason I mentioned my traveling was because it illustrates the model's principle: profound changes in our environment and behavior often stem from shifts in our identity.

By seeing ourselves differently, we can align our lives with our visions more effectively.

This alignment is crucial, not only for personal development, but also in professional contexts, such as coaching, where understanding the depth of a client's challenges is key to facilitating real change.

5 Steps to Align Your Identity with Your Vision

To make this concept more tangible and actionable, here's a simple way to apply the Dilt’s Model in your own life:

1. Define Your Vision: Start with a clear understanding of your ultimate goal or purpose (more on this next week). What do you aspire to achieve or become?

2. Identify Your Current Identity: Reflect on how you currently see yourself. What aspects of your identity support or hinder your vision?

3. Imagine Your Aligned Identity: Consider what identity would align with your vision. How would this version of you think, feel, and act differently?

4. Bridge the Gap: Identify specific changes needed at the Beliefs/Values and Skills levels that support this new identity. What new beliefs do you need to adopt? What skills do you need to acquire?

5. Implement and Reflect: Start making changes in your Behavior and Environment that reflect this new identity. Regularly reflect on your progress and adjust as needed.

By following these steps, you're not just dreaming about a different life; you're actively sculpting your identity to match your vision.

My travels taught me that we're not fixed beings but works in progress, capable of remarkable transformation when we align our inner selves with our outer goals.

This journey through the Dilt’s Model is not just a theoretical exercise; it's a practical guide to unlocking your potential.

Like my travels expanded my view of the world and myself, this framework can help you explore the vast landscape of your own potential, leading to a life aligned with your deepest aspirations.

Be blessed,

Widmarc 🌞

P.S. - Next week, we’ll dive into HOW to find your purpose. It’ll be a good one!

Tuesday’s Transformative Thoughts

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