Am I a systems thinker?

Alchemy For Life

Guess who has this one? 🙂

NOTE: As I’ve said before, these thirteen ‘states of being’ are not being looked at as an ‘ailment’ or a ‘disease’ or a disadvantage. Just as there are upsides to what some would consider a disability, there are downsides to what some would consider a superpower.

What is Systems Thinking?

Systems thinking is taking a step back and discovering, recognizing, and working within a system. It allows you to see above what others might see, to see the complex patterns in place, and even see the machinery making it all happen.

The reality of being a Systems Thinker

The reality of being a systems thinker is seeing the system in everything. Much like someone who has been intimately involved in a process, a sector, a business, an affiliation, you find difficulty in not seeing ‘behind the curtain.’

That can be a down side for some that find difficulty in turning the big picture off and enjoying the moment. The massive positive is in being able to accomplish things because you understand the system. You know that you can’t just jam something into a system and not understand that the thing as a whole is going to react.

My experience with Systems Thinking

Systems thinking is was enabled me to write my first book—The Status Game, once I entered the world of dating and dating sites. It helped me to discover what was in place and that allowed me to write the much-expanded sequel—The Status Game II (and the upcoming finale—The Status Game III: Beyond Status). This also allowed me to create both a dating site from scratch as well as a card game.

Thinking in systems allowed me to go on to create a coaching system. This involved two systems—one conceptually that showed that life is made of three things, and a programmatic system that handled working with clients to help them discover their own systems and make actual changes within that framework.

When I started writing fiction it allowed me to see the three aspects of writing fiction that—when focused on properly—meant you’d never have writer’s block (and subsequently helped me to create both a seminar and a book-coaching process for aspiring writers).

Coping with Systems Thinking

As I said, when you have a behind-the-curtain 30,0000 foot view of things, you could potentially get lost in that view and be detached. Personally, I just find it fun and am more than happy to get lost in the moment. Being mindful in general and having gratitude can help you with that. Even being grateful that you can return to systems thinking if you want to jump out of the moment can paradoxically keep you in the moment.

The Systems Thinker Charm

I designed this one to look like a gear because a gear can remind us of all the gears involved in a system. People have said we are but a cog in the machine, with the cog being a gear and the machine being the system.

Having this charm can remind you to focus on the system, in your business, your way of doing business, your way of connecting and helping. It can (as with the others) be a reminder that there is more than the system and that you may want to be in the moment a bit more.

Alternate uses of the symbol:

• Being a gearhead. You like cars, you work on cars
• You’re a machinist and you live the physicality of actual machines
• You enjoy getting your hands dirty fixing things
• Building systems—mechanical, programatic or otherwise—is your thing

As always, just know that you are seen.

Take care.

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