spacer

Where Problems Don’t Exist

Posted by Joseph Riggio on Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Most people are trained to think in terms of “problem-solving” and learning how-to work out their “problems” ... I teach my clients to operate from within a paradigm I use myself where “problems” cannot exist.

Good Evening,

I been thinking more about this idea I started yesterday ... how information or data in the environment gets incorporated into the decision-making process. One name for part of this process that some people have used has been framing ... meaning, putting a frame around what you're presenting. I love something that Spencer Brown said:

"To arrive at the simplest truth, as Newton knew and practiced, requires years of contemplation. Not activity. Not reasoning. Not calculating. Not busy behaviour of any kind. Not reading. Not talking. Not making an effort. Not thinking. Simply bearing in mind what it is one needs to know. And yet those with the courage to tread this path to real discovery are not only offered practically no guidance on how to do so, they are actively discouraged and have to set about it in secret, pretending meanwhile to be diligently engaged in the frantic diversions and to conform with the deadening personal opinions which are continually being thrust upon them."

Spencer Brown was a polymath, probably best known for his work in algebraic logic in his book Laws of Form. He spoke often about "making distinctions" - referring to the power of creating form by setting the boundary conditions. This idea truly has great power - when you set the boundary conditions you define what exists and what the relationships to other things that also exist.

By using this simple idea ... setting the boundary conditions ... you get to bring the thing into existence in a particular way ... regardless of whether you're dealing with an idea, a physical thing, a process ... whatever. Of course once you've brought that thing into being in a particular way you've also given it the meaning it has ... i.e.: you've decided what it means and what it doesn't.

This happens all the time in human interactions ... relationships, meetings, conversations ... whatever ... we establish boundaries between one another - and within our interactions. Based on what we establish between one another we generate outcomes ... or not. Creating proper boundaries therefore determines what outcomes we'll get ... or not.

Sometime people are so anxious to get on with what they're getting on with - they never take the time to consider the boundary conditions they've agreed to operate within.

However, if we really want to get our outcomes, either on our own or with others, setting the "proper boundaries" will make all the difference. If nothing else we can count on the ability and option to choose our boundaries - regardless of any other constraints that may be in place for us, or others we are working with in creating outcomes. This idea forms the basis of how I operate and how I teach others to operate as well ... by resetting the boundary conditions so that the "problem state" cannot exist ... "problems" don't fall within the boundaries conditions as they are set.

This can be a magical idea to those who know to apply for themselves and others they engage with ... setting boundary conditions where "problems" cannot exist. This becomes really interesting when the baseline you begin to operate from has been contained within the boundary conditions where "problems" cannot exist ...

Joseph Riggio, Ph.D.
Princeton, NJ

PS - The October edition of the UnconventionalAdvice Audio Newsletter focuses on the Trajectory of INTENT model where I overview exactly how to set the boundaries where "problems" cannot exist.

And ... you can still subscribe to the UncoventionalAdvice Audio Newsletter RISK FREE for 90 DAYS! Go to the UncoventionalAdvice overview page, read the complete description and take me up on my 90 DAY - RISK FREE SUBSCRIPTION. Even if you choose to take advantage of my NO QUESTIONS ASKED GUARANTEE - YOU GET TO KEEP THE THREE MONTHS OF CDs YOU WILL HAVE RECEIVED ... ABSOLUTELY FREE!

(0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink

Add Your Own Comment

Name:     
Email:    
Location: 
URL:      

 Remember my personal information?
 Notify me of follow-up comments?

Please enter the word you see in the image below:


Page 1 of 1 pages