TGA Foundations 2: DALA

Nov 30, 2022 | TGA Foundations

Welcome to Part 2 of The Guardian Academy (TGA) Foundations. This article will cover a common saying found within TGA, DALA, that once understood can act as a very powerful guide in helping you orient toward getting closer to what it is that you truly value.

If you missed part 1 of TGA Foundations- have a read through that article, watch the video, and then complete your 6 word update exercise found inside the article before moving onto this Foundation.

https://guardianacademy.io/open-loops-and-learning/

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Table of Contents

Quote Of The Day

“Stop Watering The Weeds.”
Dan Nicholson, Rigging The Game

Sometimes there’s a quote of the day, other times there won’t be, it’ll be a surprise. The concept behind this quote from Dan is that if you want your garden to grow, stop watering the weeds (which makes it harder for your other plants to grow) and pull them out by the roots. To explain this in non-garden terms don’t do things that lead to outcomes you don’t want.

Concept: DALA

In TGA, you’ll see this concept come up often, DALA. This comes from a 16 hour training Nic Peterson did leading up to his birthday called Nicsmas 2021.

DALA- Directions For Acting Like An Adult.
Or
Don’t Act Like An A-Hole.

We’ll let you make that decision.

Whenever you see someone talk about DALA it is most likely in the context of themselves, they are recognizing that they are doing something that is getting them further from what it is that they actually want.

What DALA essentially boils down to is that your values in action are diametrically opposed to your espoused values (the things that you say that you want).

“I want to spend more time with my kids”

If you truly value this, but you continue to make decisions that end up leading to less time being spent with them, now you’re being an A-hole. Not because of the time you actually spent with your kids, but because you are acting in direct opposition to what you say that you want.

“Take Your Foot Off The Brake”

This is another saying, “I want to go faster and farther”.

Well, why do you have your foot on the brake then?

Stop doing things that are holding you back and you won’t need to put so much effort into the gas/acceleration.

Friendly reminder.

When we utilize DALA, this is not from a place of judgement, but from a place of utility (being helpful).

TGA = Aligning Behavior To Goals

We are not here to discourage or judge anyone based on what they want. In fact, we encourage everyone in TGA to be honest with what you want.

What can we do if we notice that our behavior is not actually aligned with what we say that we want?

TGA recommendation- Approach with curiosity.

When we can approach the situation without defensiveness, we can utilize some guiding questions.

Is there a gap?
Which is more accurate, my words or my behaviors?

I say that I want more time with the kids, but I keep taking on more projects which keeps me at the office later. There is a gap.

What is more accurate, my words or my behaviors?

Which one is more honest? As long as these two are in diametric opposition then you will never be able to get what you want out of life and this will lead to more complaints about the outcome even though you are the one creating it. This is exactly what would make a person an A-hole.

Leave This Loop Open And Reflect.