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Reality therapy is a very user friendly technique that asks key questions that help us look at our behaviors and see if we are just "talking the talk, or whether we are walking the walk". Actions speak louder than words. Reality therapy employs some key questions that help us with self examination. When we set out to engage in personal growth, finding our path, seeking self actualization all in the eternal quest for happiness and better self esteem, reality therapy stands out as an excellent foundation and tool. Classically when we are looking at goal setting we have to see if a goal is concrete or measurable, is it motivational, is it attainable, relevant and timebound. Reality therapy questions truly compliment the idea of good goal setting in that these questions create or reinforce motivation as well as emphasizing the time that is passing and the level of progress made. It is still important to set reasonable target goals. Reality therapy does not always allow one to set realistic goals. This is another process but one that can be equally important in goal setting in general.
The first question in reality therapy centers around the main goal or target or objective.
1. What do you want to accomplish?
You may want to define this with a time line and be more specific than the question indicates. However if your goal is to write two articles a day, that would be quantifiable and indicate your goal overall.
The next question in the series basically asks you to examine your current behavior, and even though it is focused on the day, it can also be focused on the specific time period indicated in your goal. The second question in the series is basically worded as follows:
2. What have you done today?
The third question asks you perhaps the key pivotal question in the series. It looks at what blocks or obstacles you had that stopped you from accomplishing your goal today. Whether that would be you or others or outside situations it is important to list and analyze all of them. One should be careful not to lay blame. In the sense one should not make excuses. This could prevent you from making progress in reality therapy.
3. What prevented you from reaching your goal or accomplishing your task?
The fourth question in the series of questions helps you look for solutions and also plan for future actions in order to accomplish your goals. This process is an evolving process that allows for one to learn from your mistakes.
4. What are you going to do about what blocked you from your goal?
In the final analysis we find that all four questions are very important for reality therapy. It is an excellent way of not only coming up with solutions but also tracking to see if they continue to be viable and feasible. By constantly asking yourself these questions and engaging in self examination you can measure progress. Four simple questions that make you look at what you are really doing. Four simple questions that help you bring forward solutions and advance planning and goal setting. Four simple questions that can change your life. Engage in a reality check for each and every aspect of your life. Enter into a life more fully lived, one that uses reality therapy to help you achieve your dreams.
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