Sometimes our goals are easily reachable.
Whilst at other times, it’s harder to keep going – or even start. When this happens, it helps to trial a way of thinking called precession.
Precession, theorized by Buckminster Fuller, helps us focus our minds on a step that’s manageable or desirable that actually helps us move closer toward and ultimately achieve our original goal. It helps us initiate action, which propels us forward1.
The concept is that if we’re at point A and want to get to point B, then we might choose instead to focus initially on another point C. Focusing on C moves us closer to B without the pressure we might feel by only keeping our eyes on B.
Let’s say that I want to go for my regular walk. However – it’s raining.
Instead of thinking, ‘I must work out, although I don’t fancy going out in the rain’, I can replace this with making a call and inviting a friend for a walk. This is a game-changer, as now I’m keen for a friend-catch-up and I’m not thinking about the rain.
The ultimate result is that once I get going, I love being out in the fresh air, hearing my friend’s news.
When we don’t feel it, precession helps us do it.
I’m curious to hear if this is something you’ve ever found?
1 McDougall, Christine. “Precession and Integral Leadership. ”http://integralleadershipreview.com/3285-precession-and-integral-leadership-2/.
In “Precession and Integral Leadership,” Christine McDougall reflects, “One of Bucky’s favourite stories regarding precession was the story of the honey-bee. Seemingly inadvertently, the honey-bee goes about his business of gathering honey.
Precessionally, at ninety degrees to his body and his flight path, his legs gather pollen from one flower and ‘accidentally’ take this pollen to the next flower, resulting in cross pollination. The outcome of this seemingly inadvertent accidental activity is that the bee contributes enormously to life on earth’”.
Fi Jamieson-Folland D.O., I.N.H.C., is The LifeStyle Aligner, with over 27 years experience in Europe, Asia and New Zealand as a qualified Osteopath, Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, educator, writer, certified raw vegan gluten-free chef, speaker, health mentor and Health Brand Ambassador.
Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Pinterest YouTube