Failure is inevitable. It’s necessary for learning, adapting, and strengthening. The process of achieving any desired outcome requires continuous feedback that is both constructive and actionable. In every journey, there are milestones and forks in the road that present a challenge on one hand, but also an opportunity to advance faster. This is where the role of the critic comes in.
The critic’s role is defined by several characteristics. The critic’s representational preference is Logic. Its focus orientation is ‘Why’. Its gravitational approach is Away. Its preferred time frame is long term past or long term future, most often both. Its communication reference is external (others). Its comparison mode is Mismatch (review the relevant Meta-Programs for more).
Step 1: Select the active, desired, well-defined outcome you’re working with. #
Defining the issues and obstacles you’ve recently encountered in the pursuit of this outcome
Step 2: Initiate a downtime state. #
Step 3: Elicit the virtues of the critic: #
a. Ask “why?” Why has this happened in this way? b. Seek Logic: What is the source of this obstacle? c. Physiology of the critic: eyes down, head down, tilted to the right or left, angular closed posture, one hand touching the face (“the thinking man”).
Step 4: Enter your timeline. #
Float above it. Lean slightly backwards (away).
Step 5: Remain above the present, then turn around on the timeline and look towards the past. #
Step 6: Consider the issues in the context of your personal history over a long period of time. #
a. If I hadn’t done X, what would have happened? b. If I hadn’t done X, what might not have happened (that did)? c. What bits of information seem out of place? Look for the mismatched stimuli.
Step 7: Float higher above the timeline, dissociate, and consider other people’s emerging timelines with yours, around the period when the obstacles started to bother you. #
a. Who is involved? Who can be trusted? b. Who should be avoided? Who must you be careful of?
Step 8: Float back down to the present, turn around on the timeline, and face the future. #
Step 9: Consider the potential consequences in the future time frame. #
a. If I chose to do X (a new choice), what would most likely happen? b. If I chose to do X (my new choice), what would most likely not happen at all? c. What bits of information seem out of place? Look for the mismatched stimuli.