Means of Prevailing: G3-Triads

"Say not the struggle naught availeth."

Arthur Hugh Clough, 1849

Developing Endurance

Once continuity-G2 is established, the next requirement in attempting the impossible is to maintain intentions that govern the effort through thick and thin. In comparison to ordinary projects, progress when attempting the impossible is usually disorderly and the time-scale is uncertain.

Showing yourself indefatigable and unstoppable sustains hope and belief in your determination. Sustaining the effort through frustrations, diversions, disappointments and blind alleys leads to the development of endurance. This is a mindset that includes a readiness to suffer for the cause.

Developing endurance appears to be enabled by adding an additional level to the groups leading to the formation of 5 triads. Each triad has a qualifier that fits with facing-L3. This is provisionally proposed to be «explicitly» in the sense of being open, clear and aware about essentials of the situation.

Each triad as a whole must be explicit, and the highest level specifically requires the g3-explicit quality. The middle level must be g2-unequivocal, and the lowest level must be g1-confident.

As part of endurance, there is a desire to prevail over whatever difficulty presents—even though prevailing may not always be possible. The grouping generates 5 distinct means of prevailing which are proposed as follows:

  • Coping (G31)
  • Following (G32)
  • Confronting (G33)
  • Embedding (G34)
  • Venturing (G35)

The function of developing endurance is proposed as: to deal unfalteringly with a flow of obstacles while maintaining direction and determination.

The triads reveal a progression upwards from the mundane, immediate and unavoidable means through to the more imaginative, occasional and optional means.

Requirements: All the means involve actively entangling yourself in problematic situations that you might otherwise prefer to avoid. So there must be patience and a tolerance for hardship, whether physical, psychological or social.

Dysfunction shows up as a loss of focus with activities drifting away from relevant goals.

Destructiveness shows up as sabotage of the attempt by substituting undesired or inappropriate goals.

Oscillating Pattern?

The potential for a pattern emerges from the contrast previously noted between G1-monads and G2-dyads.

G1-hoping requires assertion directed outwards to others and operating independently. While G2-determination requires assertion directed inwards to oneself but dependent on confirmation from others.

This contrast suggests that G3-enduring might resemble G1-hoping On examination: coping, following, confronting, embedding & venturing do appear to require assertions directed outwards and operating independently.

This strongly suggests an oscillating duality.

Function—which is the basis for taxonomic identification.

Internal structure of the triad to reveal that prevailing collapses if any single level fails.

Prevalence and necessity for use.

Time Horizon in proceeding.

Failureof a means of prevailing.

Means of Prevailing

Cope-G31

Function: To deal effectively with a situation without ceasing despite its many demands.

Attempting the impossible means that the situation will be difficult to handle. Typically there are intrusions, distractions, obstacles and resistances which cannot be ignored and must be managed. Coping is the reactive and defensive handling that seeks to protect the main effort.

Situations evolve in unpredictable ways with interventions often triggering reactions and difficulties. Those likely to benefit may create additional difficulties through seemingly unreasonable entreaties. Whatever happens, the relentless demands and intrusions must be managed in a positive dogged way as the attempt proceeds.

Coping is constituted by:

L1: Confidently trying because coping entails doing what is sufficient. Confidence enables calm and unflagging attempts of various sorts, one of which is likely to be effective.

L2: Unequivocally believing that the flow of demands can be handled, because otherwise it is easy to feel overwhelmed and collapse in despair.

L3: Explicitly facing the actual and ever-changing reality of the situation. Specific problems and disruptions must be clearly identified to have any chance of prevailing or at least remaining in the scene.

ClosedProperties

Prevalence: Invariable and unavoidable because coping is obligatory.

Time Horizon: Coping is immediate and exists in a continuous present.

Failure: If coping fails, then the attempt will collapse and then, if no one else steps in, be abandoned.

Follow-G32

Function: To align with given directions despite personal reservations.

Followership does not get attention like leadership, but is essential by definition. Following that is willing requires a receptive attitude and yet it should be inherently strong.

Directions, whether given by a leader or emerging from a group consensus, require respect even if they seem incoherent, inconsistent, debatable, misguided or contrary to your own judgement. Following is hard when the group as a whole is uncertain, wavering or divided in its endorsement of a direction.

Following is constituted by:

L2: Confidently believing in the value of the directions that will assist you to prevail. This may mean believing the leadership too. In all cases, reservations will undermine your participation

L3: Unequivocally facing specific facts in the situation, because the direction deals with a particular reality and it is not possible to follow without being properly aware of that reality.

L4: Explicitly participating which is why the directions that are given by the group or a recognized leader cannot be ignored. Following directions is a way of demonstrating belonging. Defiance would be viewed as rejecting participation and, depending on the seriousness, could result in disciplinary action or even exclusion from the group .

ClosedProperties

Prevalence: Ubiquitous, but not universal or necessarily compulsory. Everyone, even the leader, is expected to be a follower in some aspects of their life. Instead of being an expression of willingness, following is often semi-automatic and more like a habit of subordination.

Time Horizon: Following may be for an indefinite period, or the period may be contingent on an outcome, or pre-defined to last for a limited time.

Failure: Dissent and disagreement can coexist with following. However, following ceases if there is defiance and disobedience. If widespread, then the group is liable to fall into disarray. Following persists if there is defection or rebellion, because it is just transferred to an alternative direction.

Confront-G33

Function: To highlight uncomfortable realities despite social resistance and potential hostility.

Confrontation is a direct clash of opposing ideas, which is often socially awkward or uncomfortable. Confronting may be unconventional in the group, affect vested interests, embarrass members or leaders, present as a threat, appear as arrogance, and ruffle feathers in the hierarchy. Conflict is commonly avoided and so there is a high possibility of being ignored, rejected or discredited during a confrontation.

As a result, it is necessary to be prudent. When weighing up the danger for the group against the risks for oneself, the group comes first with the expectation that common-sense will win out.

Confronting is constituted by:

L3: Confidently facing a reality which a key person or many in the group are ignoring and over which it is necessary to prevail. The source of confrontation is awareness, and its power comes from a penetrating clarity. The ignored reality is typically something crucial like a danger, a failure, a mistake, a loss, or a transient opportunity.

L4: Unequivocally participating in the group and its future through dialogue. If the group was not so important and belonging to it did not matter, confronting would not occur.

L5: Explicitly risking your position and reputation in the group for the benefit that is likely if what has been ignored or avoided is taken seriously and addressed.

ClosedProperties

Prevalence: Less common because of the tendency for groups to seek consensus, value conformity and avoid conflict.

Time Horizon: Confronting occurs episodically. It is needed at a specific moment, either because the time is felt to be right or because an issue has come to light and any delay in bringing it to the attention of others seems too risky.

Failure: Confronting that is about winning becomes destructive. Seeing the need for confrontation and not speaking up is a form of submissive weakness or a capitulation to groupthink.

Embed-G34

Function: To become an insider to forward the effort despite costs, possible exposure and uncertain success.

There can be a block to progress by an entity that resists conventional comprehension or influence from the outside. In order to proceed, a person can then get themselves embedded within the entity to allow direct knowledge, influence and sometimes effective action. Embedding may be personally organised (e.g. enrolling or signing up), be facilitated and open (e.g. embedding of journalists in front-line military activities) or be secretive (e.g. covert infiltration of an enemy headquarters).

Embedding calls for self-possession and functioning independently without the usual social support. The necessary immersion may take attention, time and energy away from the obvious needs and immediate practicalities seen by others. In some cases, it may be difficult to assess in advance whether embedding will be worthwhile.

Embedding is constituted by:

L4: Confidently participating in the problematic entity associated with the block with aims to prevail in the situation.

L5: Unequivocally risking your time, your energies, your balance, the support and perhaps even the respect of others if the effort turns out to be fruitless. If your motives are disliked and viewed as secretive, then exposure can be painful.

L6: Explicitly learning what you need to know to overcome the specific block that precipitated this strategy.

ClosedProperties

Prevalence: Optional and selective, with this path depending on personal preferences as well as the particular role adopted or assigned.

Time Horizon: Extended for as long as required.

Failure: If embedding is required, then an unwillingness at any of the internal levels leads to a superficial or misdirected approach to prevailing.

Venture-G35

Function: To embark on an unfamiliar effort despite its unknown requirements and consequences.

Venturing implies being daring and knowingly hazarding yourself and your assets. Entering the unknown in this way calls for learning from experience while facing dangers that cannot be wholly predicted or mitigated in advance.

This is the most complex and risky means of prevailing. Ideally, it will produce something new and possibly enable a creative approach to prevailing.

Venturing is constituted by:

L5: Confidently risking because it is obvious that any unfamiliar activity will expose you to both predictable and unforeseeable hazards. Confidence is essential or venturing will be half-hearted or entirely avoided.

L6: Unequivocally learning both prior to the venture to mitigate risk and as you reflect on your progress along new paths and into new arenas. You will also be forced to develop new knowledge and skills to handle surprises and dangers encountered along the way.

L7: Explicitly trusting your instincts, your imagination and your colleagues as you proceed on this untrodden path.

ClosedProperties

Prevalence: Exceptional and highly individualized.

Time Horizon: Variable: the endeavour may be time-limited or open-ended.

Failure: Venturing will not occur if you limit yourself. It will surely fail if there is a lack of necessary forethought.

ClosedSee Table Summary for an Overview and Comparison

Studies in the Architecture Room have determined a standard pattern for pressures in the groupings of structural hierarchies. These studies determined 1° pressures that are structural or identity-based.

The identified 1° pressure for G3 is performance.This applies here because the person seeking to prevail can be expected to experience a pressure to perforrn, and endurance itself involves effective action.

Recent studies in a structural hierarchy identified the presence of a 2° pressure related to operating groups within any grouping. The pressure driving use of the various G3-groups here—coping, following, confronting, embedding, venturing—should be certainty if it follows the standard pattern.

On reflection, that would fit because the means of prevailingare all demanding and not spontaneously appealing. No-one is likely to adopt any unless they have a degree of certainty about their necessity. Others will also want certainty before approving or supporting the various means.

Looking at the 2° pressure alternatives: ClosedAcceptability is taken for granted; well-being is not expected under these conditions, understanding is not particularly relevant; autonomy is inappropriate because you are enmeshed in the situation at this point; and selflessness does not fit because the various groups call for self-assertion.

Transition

Prevailing has been sought, but not necessarily achieved, and the situation remains endlessly difficult. Even as you endure, emotional pressures build, naysayers crow, social turbulence buffets. In the midst of it all, it is essential to remain steady, centred and unshaken in your will. If balance is lost, then everything will fall apart.

In any situation, the social environment and relationships are critical to your stability and to providing a foundation for continuing the attempt on the impossible.

It turns out that it is possible to protect balance by adding an additional adjacent level to form tetrads, which reveal ways to mobilize relationships in the present context.

Originally posted: 12-Jun-2026.