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It is impossible to go anywhere in life if we do not know where we want to go. In this episode, we explore a famous technique used throughout the history of psychotherapy to help people clarify their direction in life. Known by many names, this exercise is commonly referred to as the “Lottery Question.” By practicing this technique, even if we are not currently in therapy, we can bring our core values into focus, analyze what is most important to us, identify what would bring purpose and meaning into our life, and set a course toward a more fulfilling life.

We first examine why this exercise is so useful in many different kinds of therapy, and we consider why it is so difficult for us to focus on what we truly want in life. We explore some common reasons for this process of self-censoring, and in so doing, we set the stage for making the most of this technique. We discuss how this exercise, when approached with the correct intent, helps us to move beyond the pleasure-centered thoughts and fantasies we all entertain and to identify the deeper values that can guide us toward living a life of meaning. We briefly describe how this exercise—a form of free writing—engages a process similar to the free association technique used in classical psychoanalysis.

We then discuss the procedure and guidelines for making the most of the lottery question exercise. The goal is to equip the listener with concrete information that will allow them to engage in the exercise with confidence.

We then explain how to interpret the results of the exercise. We point out what to notice about the results of the technique by observing the recurring themes and looking out for responses that are surprising. By reviewing the results and grouping them into common themes, we can begin to discern among desires that may be material in nature, relational desires, self-development desires, career or educational desires, and aspirations to serve others and connect with our community. By noticing our inner reaction to the values-based goals, we can narrow down our many responses to a handful of options that energize us and fire our imagination. We can then work through a reverse-engineering process that links our most-cherished aspirations with our current situation in life. This process of working backwards from the future to the present will suggest a number of steps we can begin to take today toward our goals.

Living with purpose involves clarifying our core values and then engaging our imagination to envision future activities that can be powerful expressions of these cherished values. Practicing the lottery question technique is practical way start the process of aligning our daily schedule with activities that will bring higher levels of meaning into our life.

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Recorded and edited at Studio 970West, Grand Junction, CO.

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