Moving toward specificity creates action. High-level goals and vague feelings often stall progress because they lack coordinates for your brain to follow. “I want happiness” represents a beautiful aspiration, yet it lacks instructions. To create change, your brain requires a concrete, sensory-based plan.

To solve a problem or achieve a goal, you must descend the ladder of abstraction. Your brain uses Meta Model questions to recover missing, specific information. Asking “How, specifically?” or “What, specifically?” transforms a vague notion into a tangible reality. It turns “I feel overwhelmed” into “I feel a tightness in my shoulders when I look at the pile of laundry.” Specificity recovers the structure of an experience. It makes the abstract manageable and the problem solvable.

For Clarity and Action #

Move down the ladder to trigger results. Your brain requires clear, sensory-specific instructions to execute a task.

To Clarify Goals and Make a Plan: Vague goals like “I want to get in shape” or “I want to be more present” often lead to procrastination. They remain too large and undefined. Chunking down with Meta Model questions turns the dream into an actionable project.

“What, specifically, does ‘get in shape’ mean to you?”

“It means having enough energy to play with my kids after work and walking up the hill by my house with ease.”

“How will you know when you have it? What is a specific first step?”

“This week, I will walk up that hill on Tuesday and Thursday. I will replace my afternoon soda with a glass of cold water and go to bed 30 minutes earlier.”

Suddenly, “get in shape” becomes a clear, executable plan. Consider another example: “I want to improve my financial situation.”

“What, specifically, does ‘improve’ mean?”

“It means I need to move beyond living paycheck-to-paycheck and save money.”

“What is one small, specific action you can take this week toward saving?”

“On Saturday, I will review my subscriptions and cancel a redundant one. I will also set up an automatic transfer of $25 to my savings account every Friday.”

The overwhelming goal of “fix my finances” becomes two concrete tasks for the coming days.

For Problem-Solving #

When you feel stuck, your description often remains abstract: “I’m always so anxious,” or “I’m a procrastinator.” To find a solution, your brain must chunk down to find the root components.

“What, specifically, do you experience when you feel ‘anxious’?”

“A tightness in my chest and my thoughts start racing.”

“When, specifically, does this happen?”

“Mostly on Sunday nights, while I think about the coming week.”

“What, specifically, are you thinking about?”

“I worry that the available time is insufficient for my work and family duties.”

Now you have a solvable problem. The solution involves addressing the specific trigger: “On Sunday evening, I will spend 15 minutes planning my top three priorities for the week to ensure I feel prepared.”

Consider the statement, “I’m bad at keeping the house clean.”

“What, specifically, does ‘bad’ mean? Which areas are messy?”

“The dirty dishes pile up in the sink.”

“What is the smallest possible action that prevents the pile from starting?”

“Rinsing my plate and putting it in the dishwasher immediately after I eat.”

The vague, shame-inducing identity of being “bad at cleaning” disappears. A simple, repeatable action replaces it. By breaking down the feeling, your brain finds a small, concrete action that provides control and relief.

Comparison #

Compare this movement with chunk up and lateral chunking.