Here’s what the SPRINGS approach is and why thousands of people who have worked with us have been amazed at what it does for them:
🎬 SOLUTION-FOCUSED
Solution-focused practice helps you get in touch with the hero that already resides within you, in touch with all the strengths, skills, and resources (SSRs) you already possess. And then helps you amplify and grow those SSRs.
It’s a basic truth that evolution has primed us to watch for danger. Being alert is a defense mechanism that kept us safe long ago. But in this modern age, there aren’t a lot of lions lying in wait for us to walk by so they can make us into their lunch.
Instead, this evolutionary defense mechanism has translated into a very strong tendency to focus on our failings, weaknesses, and faults, and overlook victories and accomplishments, no matter how big or small.
Using solution-focused practice helps you re-focus your attention to what counts in daily living: your hope for a better future, the presence of that hope in your life already, and the history of success that can fuel your journey into the future.
In spite of lockdowns and upheaval, people are busier than ever. Another big benefit of solution-focused practice is that it is time-efficient.
Too many trainings go down the rabbit hole of problem narratives, problem analysis, and problem solving. Solution-focused practice does something quite different. It honors your capacity to cope in spite of the problems and then catapults you into the land of possibility, the land of the hero’s journey.
🎬 PERSON-CENTERED
Person-centered means you are in the driver’s seat. The locus of control resides with you. It’s your life, your agenda, your goals, your dream.
As the hero of your own story, person-centered means that you decide the what, where, when, how, and with whom on your journey.
Being person-centered means that The Hero Within helps you find what works for you to deliver the results you want using methods that fit with your values, needs, interests, and preferences.
Being person-centered isn’t just fluff. It’s important in lots of different ways and in lots of different settings. But being person-centered offers particular benefits in healthcare, social services, and education.
The saying, “no decision about me without me,” first coined in the UK’s National Health Service summarizes the person-centered approach. It’s what has made a difference in the lives of millions of people and is as vital to patients as “do no harm” is to physicians.
Being person-centered is another factor that makes The Hero Within different from what you may have tried before. We don’t tell you what to do. And we don’t tell you how you “have to” do it. That’s up to you to decide.
Instead, The Hero Within gives you the principles that support positive, lasting change, a framework to address all the factors that influence your journey, and a range of methods for you to experiment with so you find what works and fits for you.
🎬 RELATIONSHIP-BASED
It takes a village! Evolution didn’t only prime us to watch for danger or notice our failings. It made us social animals, too.
While each of us is ultimately responsible for our actions, our lives are shaped by those around us. So the relationship part of our SPRINGS approach helps you develop relationships that support and help you create the life you want for yourself.
A unique feature of The Hero Within workshop is that we teach you the specific skills you need to forge supportive relationships quickly. You’ll apply these skills right in the workshop to connect in meaningful ways with other participants. And these relationships will not only carry you through the day of the workshop but into the following weeks--and maybe beyond--as you travel on your hero’s journey.
Often, the people we connect with are the result of circumstances: They live near us or we work with them. The Hero Within helps you connect with people who share the same commitment you have to living life big. To live a life worth living. A life that makes a difference for you and others. Such a group of people is something special. Something you can’t just fall into.
🎬 IMPACT AND OUTCOMES-DRIVEN
Here’s the big reveal. And it’s supported by rigorous scientific research from study after study. There are lots of ways to reach the same result. And lots of methods work to get people to where they want to go.
Whether it’s business, medicine, social services, education, the arts, or any other endeavor, the only thing that matters is that the “thing” makes a difference. Does what you’re trying to do deliver the promise? Does it make an impact? And what difference does it make?
The Hero Within gives you science-based methods to chart your course and gauge your progress so you’re sure that what you’re doing makes the difference you’re looking for.
🎬 NOVELTY AND CURIOSITY-BUILDING
Novelty is yet one more thing that evolution has hard-wired into us. In fact, research by evolutionary psychologists demonstrates that humans (actually all primates) are really informavores. We crave new information and experiences because they stimulate our brains and are rewarding in the same way that food and sex are. Our curiosity supports behavioral flexibility and complex decision-making, which ultimately boosts survival.
Imagine how well a bird would do if it spent its whole life eating berries from a single bush and never explored its environment to find a better food source nearby.
In the words of Kansas University anthropologist, Michael Wesch, our ability to ask questions, make connections, and try new things are what brought us down from the trees, and took us to the moon.
Reflect back on Sir Ernest Shackleton’s journey that we’ve written about this past week. Can you imagine what would have happened had he not possessed remarkable curiosity-seeking and an ability to approach his crew’s dire situation in novel, innovative ways?
So, exactly what questions can you ask that might help you make connections and try new things?
That’s the essence of the work you’ll do in The Hero Within.
🎬 GROWTH-ORIENTED
Humans are social animals. But we are far more than just the kind of animal that is driven purely by instinct with an eye focused solely on survival and perpetuation of the species. (Read: food and sex!)
Having a sense of autonomy, purpose, and mastery is what distinguishes humans from all other animals. It is ennobling. It elevates human life.
Being growth-oriented includes the drive to learn. Research led by Stanford University’s Carol Dweck on the difference over the lifespan between children who embraced learning from successes as well as mistakes, and used a variety of specific strategies to promote learning, did better over their lifetimes. They enjoyed great professional success, happier home life, and longer, healthier lives.
Dweck’s work applies to adults too, so The Hero Within capitalizes on her work to give you a new perspective on how to tackle challenges and overcome the roadblocks you may encounter on your hero’s journey.
🎬 SCIENCE-BASED
Good science counts! According to world economists, science is the engine of prosperity and wellbeing. Scientific discovery and invention drive almost everything we depend on today: from travel, energy, clothes, and food, to the way we connect with each other. And of course, science is what keeps us healthy and saves lives.
Good ideas are all around us all the time. It’s science that can help us discern a fluke from fact. Of course, there’s so much we don’t yet understand. So much we can’t prove. But science gives us the best shot at success. And it gives us the confidence that what we do is the best we can do to achieve the results we want.
So, The Hero Within is grounded on the most current and cutting-edge discoveries from psychology, cognitive- and neuroscience, behavioral economics, behavior design, and human performance.