Actualization at Last
RL4 → RL3: Entering Reality
My experience-RL4B lets me proceed because I'm confident enough that my endeavour can succeed with the available resources.
Biting off more than you can chew?
A common early source of failure is being undercapitalized—essentially a denial of the resources required for an endeavour to get going and develop momentum.
Making Orderly Progress
I am always seeking a desired development-RL3A of my endeavour, that I believe is reachable based on my own drive and expertise, my contacts, sources of funds, facilities, a mentor, trusted experts, favours owed and more. But I know that I have to proceed in a rational and orderly way in using these resources. This means structuring plans and schedules, and organizing people and tangible resources for best effect. By structuring, I mean: ensuring reasonable order: shaping and organizing events in a thoughtful natural way. I do not mean complex planning protocols or project management systems.
The RL4B ↔ RL3A Channel force is: Structure
Keeping My Eye on the Ball
My experience-RL4B provides sensitivity and awareness of critical factors relevant to the endeavour. When disruption occurs or is evidently imminent, I have to focus on what sort of adaptation-RL3C can stabilize the situation—not the action to take, but the state that actions should generate. The reverse influence is also strong. The unwanted but forced adaptations, present and soon required, powerfully focus my experience, potentially distracting me.
The RL4B ↔ RL3C Channel force is: Focus
Dynamic irregular evolution of endeavour states is the best that I can hope for. And this would be satisfactory. However, it is rarely self-evident that progress is occurring or is efficient or is even heading in the right direction. There is only one way to determine such things: by inquiring-RL2.
RL3 → RL2: Adjusting Expectations
No plan survives contact with reality, so:
Accept the Need for Change
Desired development-RL3A requires monitoring and information collection-RL2. As the endeavour develops, its own logic changes and that calls for modification of systems for checking progress. Testing and inquiry, often performed for other reasons, may also lead to knowledge that suggests modification of the currently desired development.
The RL3A ↔ RL2B Channel force is: Modify
You Will be Forced to Anyway
Necessary adaptations-RL3C are inherently unpredictable, but inquiry can assist in anticipating events, guiding resolutions, and understanding the new parameters generated by the adaptation. Ad hoc problems and unexpected events tend to provoke investigations, and pragmatic adjustments may also provoke inquiry to check their impact. Social forces on a larger scale provoke inquiry as to their nature and possible responses. The reverse influence is similar, results of tests or inquiries may provoke adaptive activity.
The RL3C ↔ RL2B Channel force is: Provoke
RL2 → RL1: Making Better Decisions
Inquiry like the rest of the superstructure is not enough. Achievement of any sort (parenting, learning, business, &c) depends on a continuing flow of choices and associated actions.
'Good' Decisions Only Exist in an Imaginative Hindsight
Decision and action-RL1B can be improved but there are far too many uncertainties for perfection. Nor is it ever possible to fully know what happened. Nevertheless, action-RL1B is essential and inquiry-RL2B helps greatly. That is all—and it is a lot. Relevant inquiry-RL2 can indicate what might or could or should be done. Conversely, decision and action can indicate what might be usefully tested or investigated to suggest useful actions and check its effects.
The RL2B ↔ RL1B Channel force is: Indicate
My endeavour is now established, and I am active in its development. But it is not easy to be sure that the original conception is being delivered and producing the desired benefits.
Originally posted : 13-Aug-2011. Updated 5-Jul-2013