ERASE FRAMEWORK
A few years ago, I was working through my PrioritizeYOU Method strategies and tools as I worked through the early stages of motherhood. I also had a few steps that I had walked my clients through prior to working on each goal, intention or action they were going to focus on for the week.
I realized that the small little steps that I was taking with my clients was having some truly remarkable results and I started applying them to my own journey within the PrioritizeYOU Method.
Small actions, big results.
That’s always the goal, right?!
I want to walk you through how I use the ERASE Framework with my clients [and for myself].
But first, I want to put this out into the universe. Because I truly think that this Framework is bigger than anything I can even imagine right now. I want it to be published in magazines. I want it to be studied in Universities. I want this to be used universally by coaches around the world. And honestly, I think it will.
So here it is… The ERASE Framework, by Brittany Jones.
EXPLORE
After you have decided that you want to work on something, could be a health goal or really anything. But for the sake of this article we will stick with one thing so you can see the power of this Framework in action.
Let’s say we decide we are going to have a goal around “drinking enough water”.
The work I would have you do to flow through this framework starts with EXPLORING what that means to you. What is your personal definition of drinking enough water?
Maybe your answer is: It means drinking half your body weight in oz. Or… It means a gallon a day. Or… It means having light yellow urine when I use the bathroom.
Everyone has a different definition of things, and it is important to know what the specifics are for you so we know what we are working with and what your current level of understanding is on that topic.
RELATIONSHIP
After we have figured out our personal definition of our goal, intention or action, we can then dive into our current relationship with that action.
I might ask you “If drinking enough water was your significant other, what would you say your relationship to it is?”
Do you feel like you have to do it because your doctor scolded you for not drinking enough water before? Do you hate drinking water because an old trainer of yours would tell you that you have to drink a gallon a day and you go burnt out? Do you love water and the thought of being hydrated makes you excited? Are you one of those people who hate water? lol
Again, everyones situation will be different here. So be mindful of the fact that you/someone may want to work on something but it might not actually be because they want to do it. And if someone sets a goal that they have a negative relationship to, the liklihood of that goal being successful is pretty low. They might do it… but being actually successful long term, is unlikely.
You may have to pause a goal and/or just work on the relationship as you move through this Framework if the relationship is negative.
AWARENESS
In this stage, we focus on awareness when it comes to the entirety of your goal, intention or action.
If you are a coach - this is a great place to determine the stage of change for your client [using the Transtheoretical Model of Change]. It will really just solidify things for you as you move into the next step [Start Small].
We want to take time here to be aware of where you are at in regards to this goal, intention or action.
Are you drinking any water right now? When are you drinking water? Do you want to drink more and just haven’t taken the steps? Haven’t found the right strategy? Do you even think about drinking water?
You may have someone who wants to drink enough water, has a good relationship with it, but then when it comes to awareness they don’t drink water at all and really don’t even think about it. That will absolutely change the way you approach the next step, which makes it very important to spend some time here.
START SMALL
You defined your goal, you have a good relationship, you are aware and ready to make a change… now what?!
We START SMALL. Like really, really freaking small.
[Instead of SMART Goals, by the way, I use my signature ROC Goals [pronounced “rock”]. Another one of my amazing creations that I want to get published and studied!! We’ll get to how I use ROC Goals in a second.]
We know from research that setting small, achievable goals is a great way to build self efficacy and confidence. Success breeds success.
In order to make a goal achievable, it needs to not take too much from our capacity. Read that again.
In order to make a goal achievable, it needs to not take too much from our capacity.
I know. You want to set a big goal because you are super motivated and you want to make some big changes. But big changes are actually just made up of a lot of really small changes, small habits, small steps and small ideas that collectively worked together to make big things!
So as annoying as it is to set a tiny goal, stick with me here.
Basically, I work with my clients to get to the point where they say “well yeah, I can do that”. And it is in the way they say “that” lol that I know it’s the right goal. Like - that is going to be so easy, obviously I can do it.
Yep - that’s the goal then, babe!
So on the drinking enough water theme…
Say we get to the point of “I will drink 2 of my 24oz water bottles this week.” and you’re feel like it will be easy.
Okay, so now we did a little work to figure out the small step, so now we have to make sure it ROCs. Stay with me….seriously lol
REALISTIC: Is this goal realistic for the capacity that you have right now? Not on the ideal or perfect day. This week? The week you are saying you want to do this.
“Yes, because this week is pretty basic and I don’t have anything out of the ordinary this week to take from my capacity.”
Cool.
OBTAINABLE: Is this physically obtainable for you? If you were drinking 0 oz of water, 48 oz might literally be a lot for you to stomach right away.
“Yes, because I’ve been drinking 1 of my bottles and so doing 2 won’t be that hard for my body to tolerate.”
Great!
CONFIDENT: Are you confident in your ability to do this? Do you have any evidence to support you being successful? Do you believe in yourself?
“Honestly no, I’ve tried doing this so many times and I literally always fail. It seems so easy, it’s just one more bottle but I can never do it. But I want it so bad!”
DO YOU SEE HOW WE GOT ALL THE WAY TO THIS POINT BEFORE IT TURNS OUT THIS ISN’T THE RIGHT GOAL FOR THIS PERSON?!?
So it would be at this point that you make the goal EVEN SMALLER until you are confident in yourself.
You’ve been doing 24 oz per day, maybe you add a 4 oz glass of water in the morning before coffee to total 28 oz.
Is it the ideal and long term goal? No.
But is it something that you can be successful in this week? Yes.
This is BIG you guys. We don’t need to get to the longterm goal or even the short term goal right away. That is SO freaking unrealistic. We need something that fits into our capacity, that works towards a habit, and can still make a marked difference.
But that still isn’t even all when it comes to ROC Goals.
Once you check off the R, O and C…
You use that fun little acronym.
If this ROC Goal was a physical rock, could you carry it around with you while still living and maintaining the rest of your life?? Being a mom, full time employee, stressed out human? lol jk…kinda…
Is this ROC a freaking boulder to you? Make it smaller.
Is this ROC a nice little pebble you can put it your pocket and keep living life? EEEP, good!
Let’s keep going.
Okay, there is still another E to this Framework lol
EXPERIMENT
This step is the week to week work that you do to check in with you goals, intentions and actions to see how things went.
Did the goal go well? Awesome, think we should do it again or are you ready for more?
[Continue to use the ROC Goal Methodology if they are ready for more.]
Did it go poorly? Okay, what happened? What came up? What got in the way? How might you do this different after learning through this weeks experiment? Should we keep working on this or pivot to something different?
This step is really just what the title implies… EXPERIMENT.
Nothing is perfect. Nothing will ever always go to plan. And somethings will always be a work in progress. At least now you can work with a strategy that I’ve seen to be proven to work and will guide you through a gentle process.
Okay is that even real?! Did I really create this magic??? Ahh sorry, I am just so excited to finally be publishing this article. lol
I would LOVE to hear what you think about this ERASE Framework. ++ the ROC Goals, an article is coming on this soon btw.
This is honestly something that I am SO incredibly proud of myself for creating. I’ve been using the ERASE Framework for 3 years now as I write this in February of 2024, and I just cannot wait for more coaches to have access to this and for YOU to get to use this in your own life as well.
The ERASE Framework has an entire Lesson dedicated to it in my PrioritizeYOU Method Online Course [coming in May 2024] and I guide you through the Framework in great detail.
If you want to get on the VIP List for the PrioritizeYOU Method Online Course - click HERE
This is truly just a sliver of the brilliance and education that you will get using the PrioritizeYOU Method! ;) And I’m not even being modest lol it’s just that good!
Love you, mean it.
xoxo, Brittany