Training Phase III - Frank J. Gallo, PhD

Do you ever catch yourself falling into the same patterns of behavior, especially when responding to unpleasant thoughts, memories, or feelings? Like you’re stuck in a loop, even when you know it’s not helping? If that sounds familiar, this training will help.

In this training phase, you’ll focus on identifying the moves The Protector typically makes in response to the signals The Sensor detects: the unpleasant thoughts and feelings picked up by The Sensor in The Flip Side of Values from Training Phase II. The goal is to shine a light on those reactions and see whether they’re truly serving you or keeping you stuck in old patterns. You’ll gain valuable insights into what drives your actions and how you behave, empowering you to make more intentional choices moving forward, choices designed by The Architect and put into action by The Builder. Using the Pivot Point map, you’re guided step-by-step through creating a visual map of your away responses to discomfort, noticing how your attempts to avoid or relieve that discomfort can sometimes make it worse. It’s all about becoming more aware, not about judgment. This increased awareness is another step to discovering more effective ways to navigate life’s challenges.

Handouts

Pivot Point Worksheet
Your Value Cards from Training Phase II

Podcasts

You’re feeling overwhelmed by a deadline to complete a task at work and notice a strong urge to procrastinate by scrolling through social media on your phone. How would you apply Step Two, Identify The Sensor’s Signals?

After a stressful day, you find yourself automatically reaching for a bag of chips. How would you apply Step Three, Identify The Protector’s Away Move?

You’ve noticed that whenever you feel anxious about your finances, you spend hours distractedly browsing online shopping sites, which then makes you feel even worse. How does mapping your behaviors using the Pivot Point tool help you here?

You’ve been consistently checking your work email late into the night, even on weekends, because you’re anxious about missing something important. This provides temporary relief from worry, but you notice you’re always tired. How does the concept of “reinforcement” explain this pattern?

The Pivot Point suggests that The Protector has a vital, ancient function. How does this explain why you feel a rush of anger and immediately hang up the phone when a debt collector calls, even though you know you need to deal with the problem?

In modern life, you’re constantly scrolling through professional success stories online and feel a crippling sense of inadequacy. You close your laptop and watch TV for three hours instead of working on your career development goal. How does this pattern demonstrate The Protector’s reinforced role?

Training Takeaways

The following training takeaways recap the core knowledge and practical applications from this training phase:

You learned that the unpleasant internal signals from The Sensor are tied to what you care about, and that The Protector is your innate security guard that instantly attempts to move you away from discomfort.
This training phase showed you how to map your behavior sequence on the Pivot Point, connecting the situation, the Sensor’s signals, and the visible actions The Protector takes to keep you safe.
Now you understand the role of The Protector and how its instinctive “Away” moves offer a quick, temporary sense of relief, even when those actions move you away from a valued life.
You should now be able to evaluate the effectiveness of The Protector’s actions to determine if they are genuinely helpful for your long-term goals or if they are contributing to your feeling of being stuck.
A key takeaway is that by noticing the complete pattern, from Sensor signal to Protector move, you create the crucial Pause to choose an alternative action from The Builder that aligns with the life The Architect designed.

Remember, awareness is the first step to change. You’ve done great work in this phase, becoming more aware of your behaviors, preparing you for what’s next.

Putting Knowledge Into Action

Take a break from training now to complete the action plan below. Allow yourself enough time to complete it before starting the next training phase.

Notice when unpleasant thoughts and feelings show up in a situation, and you do something to move away from them.
Complete a Pivot Point worksheet for that situation.