Individual pieces of technology can be useful, but where they really shine is when they are combined to form a system. The beauty of a system is that you can achieve predictable and reliable results.
Look at your computer. A computer is a system. It takes input and responds predictably. If the computer produces erratic or faulty results, then the common thought is that there is something wrong with the system and it needs to be repaired or upgraded.
But.
A computer is a system of systems. A hard drive is a system for storing and retreiving data. A monitor is a system for displaying information in a way easily acceptable to humans, just as the keyboard and mouse are currently the most efficient way of providing general input. The list goes on and on. Each component of the computer is a system in and of itself.
The same is true when you are looking to improve your life. Simply adding in a new technique won’t really benefit you unless you can make it part of your system. Ideally, you want to pay attention to the system first, and add techniques as appropriate.
When you are looking to improve your life, try looking at it from the view of someone managing a system. You are creating your life and your world as you go along. As such, if you want to achieve certain results, and have them be consistent, look at your system.
Each of us has a system. It’s been expanding and improving all our lives. Your own mind/body is the primary component of the system. If you are looking to change your results, take a look at the system and ask yourself “What is slowing me down?”
This may take some time to get going, as most of us are not used to looking at our mental filters. Just like dirty glasses, it can get harder and harder to see what’s really going on until you step back, and take a look at them. The process is basically the same: Test to see if there is a discrepancy between what your lenses show you and what you can tell is actually there.
This is tricky, because by the very nature of the situation, we can never truly get rid of the all mental filters we have in place. When you are checking out your glasses, you are still using your eyes. Your eyes don’t have to see perfectly to clean your glasses, however.
Ask yourself:
- What’s slowing me down? After the present hurdle is identified, it’s time to start the real digging.
- What part of me is getting in the way? Here is where things branch out a bit. It’s important to expand your awareness as much as possible for this one. Your beliefs, habits, thoughts, interpretations, ambitions, past, worries, doubts, grudges . . all of them are up for grabs here. Often what we think is the cause of the problem turns out to be a symptom of a deeper cause.
- What is the root cause of the problem? Each time you find a “cause”, see if it is caused by something else. If you find that the “cause” is external, you’ve hit a dead end. Turn around and keep looking. No matter what external event may have happened, the underlying cause of the problem lies inside. There is no blame involved. If you had a bad experience with fire as a child and have a resultant fear of fire, the fire isn’t the cause of the problem now. The problem now is caused by your ongoing fear.
- Once you have identified the root of the problem, a large part of the work is done. Awareness of the cause coupled with the conscious connection between the cause and the problem will, in many cases, start automatic subconscious correction of the problem. I don’t like leaving it there, though.
- If desired, select and implement a technique to correct the problem. I’ll cover more on troubleshooting in the next article.
The reason this works so well is because it provides a modern, solid framework for moving yourself forward. Many of us look around and don’t see why our efforts fail. The reasons are many, but the core is the same: You are responsible for your life. You can choose to accept the default, and get what is the default in society, or you can choose to refine yourself, and refine your system for living and produce something spectacular.
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***The November 2007 Challenge***
This is the badge for my two goals. There are two “points”: One for each piece of the challenge. (Living up to the “Blogging Promise” at right and maintaining a good, consistent meditation practice each and every day.) The challenge began 11-9-2007 and ends 12-9-2007. Comments, suggestions, and feedback welcome!
