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A Tale of A Fateful Trip

Apr 6, 2017

Fifty years ago, on April 17, the last episode of Gilligan’s Island aired.

Most of us probably don’t think of ourselves as Gilligan, the goofy, likable character whose sole purpose was to annoy The Skipper and blunder every attempt of a rescue.

Yet, many of us have traits of Gilligan’s naivete. We may mean well but often stumble about creating the chaos, shenanigans, stress and worry that traps us on an island of fear.

This year, Americans have already broken the record on fear, stress, and worry. The annual American Psychological Association’s survey Stress in America measures what worries the nation. A whopping 57 percent of respondents said the current political climate was a “very or somewhat significant source of stress” (That includes Democrat and Republican respondents).

That’s more than half of Americans shaking in their boots!

The Washington Post reports that concerns about the future of the country are growing: In August, 71 percent of Americans reported feeling a physical or emotional symptom of stress at least one day that month. In January, 80 percent had symptoms such as tension headaches or feeling overwhelmed or depressed.

Some people are angry, frustrated and hopeless while others welcome the changes and challenges.

Our communal stress has prodded people into action. We’ve arrived at a national man-in-the-mirror moment as we define our role in the country’s Shakespearean drama.

And which role are you to play? The Victim? The Rescuer? The Persecutor? Consider The Drama Triangle

These roles come from limited beliefs deeply rooted in fear that leaves you feeling alone, like a forgotten castaway, sitting on the shore of an uncharted desert isle. You may even switch roles depending on the day—or the cause.

To get off the island you need to hop off the damn triangle. The only way off the triangle is by taking 100% responsibility (no more and no less) for your decisions, fears, and beliefs. It’s about assuming a responsibility that emboldens you. That’s when you’ll understand that responsibility is actually a privilege—that allows you to see a whole new world of possibility and actually ejects you off The Drama Triangle.

Chances are, you may not even realize your role. In our workshop Extraordinary Thinking, we teach you how to challenge and change methods that trap you in a role. But we also prod you past your limited perceptions.

Subconsciously you may be making decisions from a position on The Drama Triangle. Maybe you need to save your family from conflict? Maybe someone owes you an apology? Maybe you’re out for revenge?

These are dis-empowering beliefs. If you can relate, you’re on the triangle and consequently… stuck on the island.

We at Productive Learning want you to sit right back and hear a tale about how Future You stopped playing The Victim, The Persecutor and quite frankly, Gilligan.

We invite you to a tropical island nest in Kona, Hawaii at our 5-day intensive workshop Kuleana (say it with us: koo-leh-ah-nah).

You’ll summon your inner superhero as we hand hold you to take responsibility for your fear, hone the power of your most core values, apply it to every action you take and much more… After all, ‘kuleana’ translates into ‘responsibility’ in Hawaiian.

Become your own rescuer, train like the leader you’re meant to be and get off the island. Seriously. It’s time.

In the final episode of Gilligan’s Island, the scene ends with the castaways sitting on the sand still waiting to be rescued. It’s a metaphorical reminder that no one rescues you, but you. Kuleana is the key to self-rescue and we’re seeing that on a national scale.

Many stressed Americans are no longer waiting on the government or the world to change, as John Mayer would have it. Millions of bipartisan Americans are taking to the streets, town halls and social media. Some are even running for office in 2018.

Americans are rescuing Americans.

You carry a responsibility to yourself and your community. But before succeeding you’ll have to take responsibility for yourself.

It’s the biggest leap you’ll make off the island, but we promise that it lands you onto a rescue boat named Clarity.



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