Layering of our thoughts

The Golden Circle of asking questions is well-known. This circle consists of asking three basic questions. These are why, how and what with why being the core of the circle.

I extended the golden circle to before to include its reverse by making what the core value here and here.

As simple as the golden circle is it provides us with the opportunity to extend its use to areas where our focus is on three issues such as the layering of persona (the masks we put on our faces to the world), the ego and the shadow. Similarly, which is the layering of vision, mission and purpose? Is their layering important? How changing the layering would change our thinking?

Asking the above questions is important not only for businesses, but for every individual as well. We peel the onion to reach its core like we peel the onion of the golden circle to reach its core.

Every human is affected by his past and the shadow it performs. Every human is interested in finding how to enjoy the present and the perceptions to the future vary between pessimism and optimism. The shadow is the dark side of us and it reveals why some people are steered by the shadow of their past rather than the present of their ego.

Every business with some history backdrop is also affected by its past, present ego and the persona it likes to show to its customers. We see the commonalities among individuals and businesses.

Why are we doing what we are doing? Is it because our past shadowing us or our present that shapes our ego or is it the persona that we put so that we may continue in the future even though we may lose our authenticity in the process?

It is not just living the past or forgetting about it as many writers advise. Our past maybe shadowing us and shaping our view to the world. This is different from somebody or a business that forgets about their present and pulling out the roots of the past.

You write a story. Where do you begin with the why and end with the what or vice versa. Let me explain by example.

A man was well-known for his enmity for women. Is it the present time and what he witnesses that is shaping his belief or was it an unforgettable incident that he suffered from as a child? If we start with the why we may discover that this man saw with his naked eyes his mother cheating his father with a handsome man? We know that his past controls his beliefs which have been long-held. To overcome “longtime owned belief” it makes a disruptive incident for him to go more in chaos first and then to organize himself as a man who may break the dormant seeds hiding in the back of his head.

The story of a business is similar. Is the business controlled by its successes in the past? Or, is it worried more about its “face” and how it looks to its customers? Or, is it the ego filling the business with pride that blinds it to the customers’ needs and wants because it is the “you can choose any color as long as it is black”?

The continuity of the past, present and future or whether time is a discrete property differs. If the past is the event that we need to leave out from our conducts then why is it hiding in dark chamber inside us? If time is continuous then we need to know why is it affecting us, how can we reduce its effect? What to do to make the past the continuity to the future?

When we extend the golden circle to time its value expands. Just consider these questions”

· Is it the past customers, the present one or the future ones?

· What do we learn from the past customers to extend to the present and future?

· Is it the past history of the hero of our story, or is it his present beliefs or future aspirations?

· If the answer is the past do we start by what, how or why? Same if we see time as discrete or continuous ribbon and again we need to answer the three questions of the golden circle.

We say timing is the issue. My question is it the past, the present or the future? Whatever you answer me I shall ask why, how and what? Or, better to reverse them?

To conclude we need to ask the three question of the golden circle and extends them to time to reveal what time is it that is controlling our lives and businesses. Combining the two may reveal many hidden secrets.

· If your past is its patterns are holding a person or a business alike how do they hope to make the present and influence the future?

· If the present and its continuity is holding you how are you affected by the past and how will you may acts that may influence the future? Why and for what?

· Is the present the balance between the past and future- then what happens if we are drawn to one extreme opposite?