[Ailist] RE: What You Think upon Grows

[Leif Stenudd]

4 jun 2009 kl. 00.11 skrev Marti Roach:

> What you change first is a bit of a chicken and egg phenomenon.
>
> In the world of ToP methods and work of the Institute of Cultural  
> Affairs,
> we capture this concept through the use of Image Shift Theory.  This  
> refers
> to how you alter your ecology of thought to surface new frames or  
> realities.
> As a change agent, you can use the tools and elements of this theory  
> to
> shape the experience of individuals and groups, helping them to have  
> these
> internal shifts and see themselves and their situation in new ways  
> that
> provide great potential for them.
>

The paradox of AI is while it is promoting the positive aspects of  
life, making them visible, an AI process starts with a (perceived)  
problem.

The problem with the problem is, as you say, that you can look upon it  
in different ways. You have to mind your own reality. So the question  
is: what is the most constructive and energising way?

Let me tell you a story: many years ago I met an inventor  
participating in a creativity training. I was never able to figure out  
why he needed this course. During the week of the training he kept  
reiterating to any who wanted to hear: what is a problem? I don't know  
from where it came, but suddenly I heard myself saying: it's a  
deviation from a goal (that we are not aware of because we don't think  
of it that way). He  stopped silent. Thanks, he muttered and  
disappeared. The rest of the week he kept silent. At the end of the  
course, when parting, he said to me: I will remember you for what you  
said. Thank you.

Since then I don't see a problem the same way myself. The problem with  
the problem is to find "the goal", i e the (positive) dream buried in  
the problem. So I think, in this case, as in other cases, AI does not  
have a problem with problems: you can appreciate them, as they contain  
traces of our dreams. So "we are back on track". Or as somebody said  
in an earlier post (a clip) citing Cooperider... "You can¹t just  
ignore them or deny them. You have to look at them as aspects of  
current reality, and accept them, *appreciate them as raw material out  
of which you can create what you truly want to create.*"

  In this  way in change processes it is possible to stay focused on  
the visionary side so that when consistently acting towards the  
visions we may change....

By the way: what is ToP?

Best,
Leif Stenudd
Stockholm
Sweden