Peaks and Valleys (Spencer Johnson, M.D.)

“The essence of knowledge is having it to use it.” And this is why we don’t just review books, give our opinion and forget about them. We create workbooks so you can implement the knowledge you receive from the books you read. We welcome your questions and suggestions - just comment below and let us know what’s on your mind. In Peaks and Valleys, Spencer Johnson writes, “It’s not the story; it’s what you take away from it that is so powerful.” And we create these workbooks so you can truly capture the essence of the book and implement your learnings in a structured way.

Do you ever feel like there’s got to be a different way, a better way to experience life? Do you ever feel like you’re capable of so much more than your life currently reflects? Our main character in the book felt the same way. He wanted to experience life outside the valley, but then the negative gremlins in his mind would take over and fill his heart with fear and doubt, thus ensuring he would stay stuck in his unhappy circumstances.    

The author says the reason we experience fear and doubt is because we’re looking at the wrong thing, or focusing on the disempowering aspects. By changing what you’re looking at or the way you’re looking at things, then the possibilities you see also change. Before you can change your focus though, you first need to examine why you’re unhappy in your valley, and what you expect to find at the peak that you think will make you happy.

He reminds us that life is a team sport. The people in your environment shape your outcomes far more than most of us realize. As a result, when you grow, make sure you don’t grow alone. Grow the team around you, your family, colleagues, friends, etc. “When the people around you know how to make both good and bad times work for them, they worry less and do better. And that makes working and living with them more enjoyable for you.”

Peaks and valleys, troubles and opportunities, happen for everyone everywhere. The difference is not whether good things or bad things are happening,  the difference is how you interpret and react to these events. Remember Jack Canfield’s E+R=O formula. Events will happen, good and bad. But it is your response to these events that determines the outcomes. Jim Rohn talks about the seasons of life. Winter comes and terrorizes the living daylights out of you.

Then spring comes with new blooms of hope and restoration. What determines your success is how well you prepare for each of life’s seasons – and how well you execute when it’s time to plant the seeds of opportunity. “The errors you make in today’s good times create tomorrow’s bad times.  And the wise things you do in today’s bad times create tomorrow’s good times.

To make things better, focus on the fundamentals. In order to reap a harvest, you have to plant some seeds. If you plant orange seeds, you can’t expect to reap apples in the harvest time.   A valley represents the moments when you long for what is missing in your life. A peak represents moments when you appreciate what you have.

What are you focusing on, lack or abundance? Are you appreciating the things that are going well for you or are you lamenting everything that’s going wrong? The trick to having fewer valleys is to avoid comparisons. Enjoy what’s good about this moment. More often than not, it’s not the situation that upsets us – it’s the meaning we give to the situation. The author invites us to choose better beliefs because choosing better beliefs usually leads to a much better result. In as much as we cannot control external events, we can always control what we believe and what we do – and that makes all the difference.

He goes on to say that in order to change a valley in to a peak we need to change one of two things: 1) what is happening, 2) how you feel about what is happening. Since we cannot always change what is happening, your best bet is to change your beliefs, which will then change the actions you take.

Spencer Johnson’s advice is to see the valley as an opportunity to discover the hidden good that makes things better. How did you land in this situation? What actions did you take (or fail to take) that landed you in trouble? What is the lesson you’re meant to learn through this experience? What could you have done differently, or what can you do differently next time? “If you do not learn in a valley, you can become bitter. If you truly earn something valuable, you can become better.”

According to Dr. Johnson, valleys are caused by fear. And the source of a person’s fear is ego, more often than not. Ego makes people arrogant on the peak (you see things as better than they actually are), and fearful in the valley (you see things as worse than they actually are).

He says, “The reason you leave a peak too soon is arrogance masquerading as confidence. The reason you stay in a valley too long is fear masquerading as comfort. And that’s why you need to sometimes rest, reflect and renew. In Peaks and Valleys language, this is known as a plateau. A plateau is a neutral time when you feel neutral – neither high nor low. Plateaus give you time to focus, rethink and calculate your next moves.

To get out of a valley, ask yourself, “What is the truth in this situation?” then ask, “How can I be of more service?” These questions will help you create ad follow a sensible vision of your future (a vision of a future peak you want that makes sense to you – something as big as you can imagine that is also realistic and attainable if you put in the required effort). “Sensible also means you can make what you imagine more real to you when you use all your five senses to create an image in such specific, believable detail that you begin to realize you can make it happen. Imagine how your future peak will look, sound, smell, taste and feel.” Imagine yourself enjoying your better future in such specific, believable detail that you soon enjoy doing what takes you there.

As always, nothing happens until you do something. That’s the bridge between imagination and accomplishment. Find the truth in the situation. Create a vivid image of the better future you want. Overcome your fears and do what it takes. How to overcome fear?

Realize that you’re always creating a vision in your mind. Most times you’re creating the vision of the future you fear and do not prefer – this prevents you from taking action. So now you need to flip the script. Create a vision of the future you prefer and let it inspire you to action. Fear stops you. A sensible vision excites you.

Fear steals away your peace and forces you to make stupid mistakes because you’re not thinking clearly. Following the Peaks and Valleys approach helps you remain calm and peaceful, which means you take better actions since your mind is thinking clearly. “See the truth… not what you wish for or fear is happening, but what is really true about the good time or the bad time. Try to learn from your valley, not just escape from it.”

To truly learn from a situation you need to ask questions. Don’t assume that you know. Questions like, “What is the truth in this situation? Where is the hidden good in this bad time that you can use to your advantage? How can you use the good that’s hidden in this bad time?”   Then imagine in vivid detail what it would look like to be victorious – what it would look like to be on the peak once again.

The authors advice about how to stay on a peak longer is as follows: Be humble and grateful. Do more of the things that got you to the peak in the first place. Keep improving your performance. Do more for others, and save resources for your upcoming valleys. Do the opposite of what put you in the valley.

See the associated workbook for an in depth execution plan of the Peaks and Valleys approach. In this workbook you will get step by step instructions on how to find and use the good that is hidden in the bad time, appreciate and manage your good times wisely, how to create and follow your sensible vision, and many more exciting tips and tools to help you get out of a valley quicker, stay on the peak longer, and have more peaks and fewer valleys.

Download the associated workbook—your step-by-step guide

to applying the best business lessons, building confidence through results, and creating a business that works for you.

Download Your Free Workbook Here