Redefine

Before proceeding to read this page, please read the brief overview on the Six Life-Supportive Concepts System here.

The concept of redefining is synonymous to the processes of refram­ing, recontextualising, and reformulating, which empower us to approach problems differently and solve them by giving them a different meaning.

Each of us has a unique way of framing our experiences in life, and the way we frame them—not the actual experiences—provides their meaning. It is the meaning that produces suffering or joy, limitations or breakthroughs, stagnancy or transformation. So when we change our frames, we change our outlook, feelings, and actions. As history has shown us, there are many people from different backgrounds (Gandhi, Einstein, Mandela, etc.) who have redefined themselves to make the world a better place.

Logical Levels of Change

Any system of activity is a subsystem entrenched inside another system, which is entrenched inside another system, and so on. (This reflects Arthur Koestler’s concept of a holon, first presented in his 1967 book, The Ghost in the Machine.) And the relation­ship between different systems produces different levels of processes. In other words, a particular level of process exists because of the relationship between two or more systems. Our brain, body, social, and environmental systems are examples of processes that develop natural hierarchies of processes. And without alignment of these different levels of systems, all major desired changes are not sustainable, or worse, can often create undesirable consequences.

One such model that helps to explain and align systemic changes in a multi-systems environment is the Logical Levels of Change. This model was initially developed in the behavioural sciences by Gregory Bateson, a world renowned anthropologist, social scientist, and cyberneticist, and later expanded upon by Robert Dilts in the field of Neuro-Linguistic Programming in the 1980s. This model refers to a hierarchy of levels of processes within an individual or a group. The purpose of each level is to integrate, coordinate, and guide the processes of the level below it. Changes at the higher level have a greater propensity to create cascading and pervasive changes on the lower levels. Changes at the lower levels can affect the levels above, but rarely produce multi-level pervasive changes. The levels, from upper to lower, are: (i) vision; (ii) identity; (iii) values and beliefs; (iv) capabilities; (v) behaviors; and (vi) environment.

In broad definition:

  • the environment level involves the details of the external surrounding in which our behaviours take place. It points to the opportunities and constraints of a given time and place. This corresponds to the “where and when” of change;
  • the ability to sense and organise our body movement and expression in a specific external environment is the level of behaviours. This corresponds to the “what to do” and “what’s supposed to happen” of change;
  • the next level upwards belongs to the process of cognitive and mental capabilities. It points to our mental map, plan, or strategy. At this level we have the capability to choose and modify a category of behaviours to a broader range of external situations. This corresponds to the “how to” and “what’s our plan and strategy” of change;
  • our capabilities are in turn shaped and influenced by our values and beliefs. They serve to encourage, inhibit, or generalise particular strategies and plans. They correspond to the “why something is important” of change;
  • at the level of identity, whole systems of beliefs and values are integrated into our role and sense of self. These complex identity processes have profound impacts on our beliefs, thoughts, and behaviours. This level corresponds to the “who am I and what’s my mission” of change;
  • the uppermost level involves our sense of spirituality, going beyond our sense of self, from “I” toward “we.” It points to the relationship between our role and our vision of the larger system that we operate in. It corresponds to the “for whom” or “for what” of change, and it can refer to our family, community, humanity, and planet.

It is important to note that as one moves upwards, the ideas become more abstract compared to the details of the behaviours and sensory experience levels. At the same time, every upward movement mobilises more of our nervous system resources, and has a far more pervasive impact on our behaviours and experience. For example, the nervous system resources required at the level of values and beliefs are far more extensive than the ones required at the environment level; at the same time, they have the power to unleash or hold back a wide range of mental capabilities and behaviours.

If we examine change with this model in mind, we can understand that any level which is not aligned with the others can create a conflict in the change process. For instance, an individual may be able to perform something new in a given context, but may not have the know-how to generate creative actions in different situations. Even when one is capable of changing, one might not value the change as a critical life skill and therefore may hardly use it. When one is able to change and believes it is a critical life skill, one may not see oneself as an “agent of change.” It is therefore crucial for us to recognise and deal with issues that may arise at any one of these levels.

With reference to the logical levels, our values and beliefs are powerful framers of our experience. Thousands of studies on placebos have scientifically proved the power of beliefs; it is not what something actually is, but what we believe it to be that matters. Our values and beliefs hold our motivation and permission that support or inhibit our capabilities and behaviours; they govern our autonomic nervous system and changes at this level have a profound impact on our emotions, thoughts, and physiology.

 

If we don’t change our beliefs, our lives will be

like this forever. Is that good news?

—W. Somerset Maugham,

British playwright

 

In the context of making life-supportive changes, we must take a hard look at what we need and what we want. Needs are tied to basic life necessities such as having a roof over our heads, enough good food and water to maintain our health, basic healthcare and hygiene products, enough clothing to be comfortably dressed for all weather conditions and certain social settings, and for some, a simple vehicle to commute if they live in the countryside or have to travel long distances. As we have mentioned in earlier chapters, wants are associated with conspicuous consumption, which means spending money on luxury goods and services to display economic power.

With globalisation and technological advancements, more conspi­cuous-consumption items are readily affordable to the growing middle-income earners around the world. These products and services take up a huge portion of our income, and, over time, they become our needs instead of what they truly are—our wants.

To free ourselves from the rut of a work-money-stress-shopping lifestyle which destroys our environment and biodiversity, we must clearly separate our needs from our wants, which are linked to our values and beliefs. Redefining our values and beliefs about what really gives us happiness, as opposed to success, is paramount to our current evolution.

The concept of redefining is connected to the presuppositions of metamorphosis and values in Chapter 15. Metamorphosis, in a deep sense, is about transformation: the ending of something old and the beginning of something new. It demands our willingness and faith to step into the unknown. Values determine what we focus on and what we stand up for; they are the key to our motivation. What we value literally shapes our world. Thus, it is perfectly natural that if we want to see a life-supportive world, we must redefine our values.

Core Actions to Take

(a)     Engage a life coach or mentor to redefine what is most important in your life.

(b)     Clearly separate your needs from your wants. Channel the freed-up time, energy, and money to intensify your life-supportive efforts.

What you initially redefine may lack evidence that it will work or that it is correct. Faith, supported by consistent incremental actions, is the key to solidifying our new vision of the future.