Ever been so mad at someone you could hardly stand it?
Maybe you even held that grudge for some time. Then one day you realized that holding onto that resentment was hurting you more than them and you decided to forgive them.
What about on your weight loss journey… Ever go through your days feeling like things are out of your control, tempting food everywhere, feeling like there’s just no way its going to work?
Then one day you decide to have grilled chicken instead of a burger… a glass of water instead of a soda. You start to take responsibility for your choices.
Both of the above are examples of Level 3 Energy at work in your life.
Lucky you, this post just happens to be all about Level 3 Energy! But before we dive in, let’s do a quick review:
In my post about Level 1 energy, we learned that the core of Level 1 is feeling like things are out of your control. There is no movement at Level 1 because you feel like nothing you could do would matter. The benefit at Level 1 is that you can protect yourself from harm and disappointment by never trying anything.
Level 2 energy is still highly catabolic. This is the energy of resistance, conflict, anger – all of which there is way too much of in this country right now. The good thing about Level 2 is there is action – as we are currently seeing with protests. The bad is that it is very combative – as we see with the riots.
At Level 3 Energy we start to take responsibility for ourselves, our actions. There is less blaming and more understanding and cooperation. Let’s discuss…
[If you want to just read a brief overview of all seven levels, you can view that HERE.]
Level 3 (becoming anabolic): Rationalizing. Fine.
In the Energy overview blog, I used a Level 3 example of someone trying to change their eating habits:
“I eat okay. I mean, it’s not perfect, but it’s not like I’m eating pizza every night or anything. Could be a lot worse for sure.”
Though there is still some catabolic energy at Level 3, this is the level where energy starts to shift into the anabolic range, where we move from anger and blame to rationalization and responsibility.
| The core thought is at Level 3 is “Responsibility”. | The core emotion is “Forgiveness”. | The resulting action is “Cooperation”. |
| Other associated thoughts can include: | Other associated emotions include: | Other associated actions include: |
| – “I win; if you win too, that’s great” | – Relief | – Rationalization |
| – “I forgive you” | – Piece of mind | – Justification |
| – “Everyone is different and that’s okay” | – Just okay / fine | – Toleration |
Coming up from Level 1 or 2, Level 3 is a huge improvement.
In our diet or behavior change efforts, Level 3 is where we take responsibility for our role in our current state of health. We acknowledge that nobody shoved that donut into our mouths, we willing placed it there and enjoyed it… and that’s okay.
We recognize that it’s within our control to get more exercise, we just need to make it a priority and create a plan to get our bodies moving on a regular basis.
In the current state of our country, it might be taking responsibility for any thoughts, words or actions that have contributed to reinforcing stereotypes or polarizing issues. It could be recognizing that, while we are all created equal, we are not treated equal. It might be making an effort to see another perspective, seek or offer forgiveness.
Keep in mind though, that these Energy Levels are on a spectrum that we cycle up and down all the time. While Level 3 is viewed as an improvement coming from Levels 1 or 2, it’s actually dropping when coming from Levels 4-7.
We’ll learn about Level 4 in my next post, but as a sneak preview – Level 4 is full of concern, compassion and service to others. In Level 3, we are still focused on self… so it’s not just about what level we are currently at, but where we came from.
In fact, as with the other Energy levels, there are both advantages and disadvantages at Level 3 as well.
| Advantages include: | Disadvantages include: |
| – You don’t allow others to hold you back | – Because the focus is still on self, you can be manipulative |
| – You can avoid, block and release negativity of others | – Promises are not given from the heart, but as a means to persuade |
| – You are more solution-focused | – You can get complacent and choose to settle |
Using the example of trying to lose weight, a Level 2 response discussed last time was to get fed up and jump into action – which was an improvement from the Level 1 response of lethargy and doing nothing.
At Level 3, you start to formulate a plan. You take responsibility for the things you’ve done that got you where you are. You take control of your time and schedule space for meal prep and exercise. Maybe you even get a coach (hint, hint 😉). You forgive yourself when you slip up. You keep moving forward, despite setbacks and distractions.
Since so much of our world is currently in conflict and resonating at Energy Level 2, Level 3 starts to look like a great place to be…. And it can be.
As we’ve discussed, forgiveness, responsibility and cooperation all live at Level 3. If the whole world just stayed here, it would be a huge improvement for most!
One of the major drawbacks, as mentioned above, is that Level 3 can become “good enough”. Here we start to rationalize and settle for where we are rather than striving for more.
The goals we set at Level 3 are generally short term and we don’t strive for anything too lofty because big goals can seem out of reach and, well, things are fine as they are. Okay. Good enough.
Moving into Level 4 is where we really start to reach outside of ourselves and truly show concern and empathy for each other. But we’ll talk more about that next time… 😊
Some questions to get you thinking:
- What kind of rationalizing, coping or other level 3 thoughts, behaviors and feelings do you have?
- What would be a benefit from reducing or increasing your level 3 energy?
READY TO EXPLORE HOW THESE ENERGY LEVELS SHOW UP IN YOUR LIFE?
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The assessment only takes about 20 minutes to complete. Once the results are in, I will guide you through a 1:1 Energy Leadership Index debrief session.
Through this personalized session, you’ll discover the percentage of each of the 7 energy levels that you typically experience under stress and also under “normal” conditions.
You’ll gain insights into where (and how) you’re investing your energy and discover a clear path to your goals—and likely, a higher A.R.L. From the assessment and debrief, you’ll be able to make a plan and adjust your priorities in support of your work and life goals.
The Energy Leadership™ Index (ELI) assessment is the proprietary, research-backed assessment tool that takes something abstract, like the way a person views the world, and turns it into something tangible—a metric that you can see and feel and even reevaluate in the future. And, it’s only available through a Certified ELI Master Practitioner, like me (Jeff Spitzer)!
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