Training Phase IV - Frank J. Gallo, PhD

Have you ever found yourself caught in a loop, thinking about the life The Architect has designed, but never quite getting around to The Builder taking action? Getting stuck in our heads, revisiting unpleasant thoughts, or worrying about the future, can leave us feeling paralyzed when it comes to taking meaningful steps toward a valued life.

In this final training phase, the goal is to empower The Builder to take committed action aligned with The Architect’s values and to support your journey of living more fully on purpose. This phase is about creating real change in your life.

By actively engaging in the exercises and strategies outlined here, The Builder will break free from inertia and experience a deeper sense of agency and fulfillment. You’ll learn how to identify small, manageable steps you can take each day, overcome common obstacles to action, and celebrate your progress along the way. We’ll explore practical approaches to setting meaningful, achievable goals to help The Builder stay on track.

Think of this training phase as your springboard. You’ll be guided through the process of taking The Architect’s blueprint and translating intentions into real-world behavior. You’ll discover how small, consistent efforts can lead to significant transformations.

Get ready to leave the realm of The Architect’s “thinking about it” behind and step into the world of The Builder’s “doing it.” This is your chance to put everything you’ve learned into practice and experience the tangible rewards of living a life designed by The Architect. Dive in and start taking action toward the life you envision.

Handouts

Pivot Point Worksheet
Completed Constructing Values Worksheet (Training Phase II)

Podcasts

What is “Committed Action” in the context of this training phase?

You’ve identified “living healthily” as a value, but you’ve been inactive for months because you’ve felt overwhelmed. How can you apply Step Two, The Builder’s Commitment, to begin taking action?

You tend to get stuck in overthinking and worrying about future challenges, which paralyzes you from taking action aligned with your values. How can the concepts of “inertia” and “momentum” from this phase guide you to take action?

Training Takeaways

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

You learned that Committed Action is the core function of The Builder in Zone 4, defined as behavior guided by a value, which is the act of doing what matters, even when it’s difficult or uncomfortable.
This training phase showed you how to take the blueprint from The Architect and transform it into a tangible plan by choosing a valued area of life, selecting a value to guide action, and developing a specific, value-aligned SMART action.
Now you understand the role of The Builder as your agent of action, responsible for moving your life toward the purpose The Architect designed, acknowledging signals from The Sensor and thanking The Protector for its effort.
You should now be able to execute, track, and adjust your Committed Actions to consistently move toward valued living and build the life you want, despite the internal obstacles you may face.
A key takeaway is that building the life your Architect designed is an ongoing process of intentional, repeated action, Committed Action, that brings your values to life.

How to Practice for Life

The entire training has been dedicated to helping you develop Mental Flexibility, the ability to pause and choose your direction. To practice for life, internalize the full Pivot Point cycle and integrate the roles of all four characters:

Notice: Identify everyday situations where unpleasant thoughts and feelings, The Sensor’s signals, show up, creating an urge to make an away move, The Protector’s action. Recognizing these left-side triggers is the first step, the focus of Training Phase I and III.
Pause: Step back into the center, Me, to pause, take a breath, and notice, separating yourself from your internal experiences to gain the clarity to choose your next move, the focus of Training Phase I and IV.
Choose: Reconnect with your values by asking The Architect, “How do I want to be acting here?” in line with the purpose you designed, the focus of Training Phase II.
Build: Act with The Builder, committing to one small, value-aligned move, even in the presence of discomfort, the focus of Training Phase IV.

This four-step cycle is the ongoing, daily practice of living a valued life. Remember to use the Pivot Point Worksheet to trace your actions and log your pleasant outcomes in Zone 1 to reinforce your commitment and build momentum.

Before concluding, thank you again for the opportunity to share this four-phase self-help mini-course with you. I hope you found the information helpful in taking back the life you want to live and that you continue to practice your Mental Flexibility. Be well.