30 years later, I still use this daily

I’ve used E+R=O (Event + Response = Outcome) for 30 years. I’ve taught it for 20+ years in every industry all over the world. I’ve taught it to every age in almost every context and circumstance you can imagine.

E+R=O is, without a doubt, the most powerful personal tool I’ve ever used. But like any tool, it doesn’t do the work for you. You must know how to use it and you must practice using it well.

Let’s explore some realities and key skills for using E+R=O well.

Everything in E+R=O revolves around three things:

1. The outcome you’re trying to create.
2. The event you’re working with.
3. The response(s) you engage in.

This simplicity is intentional. We want it to be simple and stay simple. The first thing we want to do is be really, really disciplined and get really, really good at the really, really simple.

1. What outcome am I trying to create?
2. What is the reality of the event?
3. What response do I need?

Now, let’s examine what these questions really demand of us. Don’t assume that you already do this. Don’t assume the answers are obvious. Dig deeper into your awareness and discipline.

1. How clear are you about the outcomes you’re trying to achieve or effects you’re trying to create?
2. How well do you see and understand the key factors of the circumstances you face?
3. Do you have the ability, willingness, and skill to engage in the responses required to create the desired outcome for the circumstance you’re in?

After all my years using and teaching E+R=O, I can tell you that mastering this framework and these questions is still where I spend most of my mental energy. Because when I execute these fundamentals well, everything else follows.

Get really disciplined and really good at the really simple.

Event + Response = Outcome. Do the work.