Effort is evidence for broken feedback loops

The insight that “effort is evidence for broken feedback loops” arrises from the dynamically complex systems thinking world (Brander 2023). It means that processes should flow naturally. If we push with too much force, it is a sign that the naturally emerging process is not seen.

The reason for too much effort exerted is partially related to our mental models of linear relationships. We think that working more and working hard directly correlates proportionally to a bigger outcome.

How is tuning into feedback different from effort-based pushing?

However, we might need to remember that if work is put into context with its environemnt, we need to be attuned and listen to the voices that hint at continuing the work in a particular direction. For instance, we might start work on writing an essay about the nature of frogs. We can push out the essay and put much effort and energy into writing it fast. Instead, we can start it and take a break. We can go on with our life and stay attuned to reality. Are there frogs around me? Instead, I think about spiders because they live in my house. If the essay is of true importance, there will be natural feedback in our world to bring us back to this work. This extends to how group work can be conducive in guiding work into a flow-state.

Comments from my friends on this

Ciara: “Without a united community, it takes great effort to convince anyone to do anything, and no one understands or cares why they are doing it. When the community is on the same page and they know to what extent their actions affect others as well as the ecosystem, there is much less effort needed to keep everyone living sustainably. For example, many people are unaware that “flushable” wipes are simply that. They can be flushed. However, this does not mean they should be flushed as it makes the job for people at sewage and waste treatment plants much more difficult. Because the community is not properly educated on the extent of flushable wipes effects, there is much more effort needed in trying to combat big companies that advertise their wipes as flushable and get the community to understand that they are in fact hurtful to processes outside the immediate consumer’s house. This example can be expanded to recycling in general. So much recycled material has to be thrown out because certain items that are non-recyclable contaminate an entire bundle of possible recyclable items.”

Pressing out (giving 100%) means to live in ignorance of other entities

This is to be contrasted with the isolated “pushing something out” energy of using massive amounts of effort to produce something on our own. In these moments, we focus everything on pressing out a product and we don’t listen to the feedback around us. Suddenly, things don’t flow anymore because we don’t have any hints from our environment about what path to take. We suddenly need to decide what road to take - and often, it seems, we resort back to identifying with our choices (thus building up ego). The effort it takes exists because we do not fulfill the need for feedback loops to inform our work naturally.

Meditation, breaks, and deep listening

This form of work balanced work requires time, the ability to listen, and the ability to be present. The ability to be present directly helps us to tune into the work that is truly needed and act from a place of profound embedded knowledge 🔮 PRESENCE-A.

If we work by ourselves, we don’t get much feedback. To wait for life to give feedback to us, means to take breaks, take time to listen. Interestingly, this practice of taking breaks resonates well with the integration of the meditation practice to feel our body even when we produce and take breaks from thinking to connect to deeper knowledge (Tolle 1999). It’s like a way to constantly ask for feedback from other organs than our head (including humans). How do I feel when I write? Does it feel coercive to parts of my body? Where in my body is the feeling located? This form of feedback can extend naturally to other people. Suddenly, we might call it meditating on other people, which is probably deep listening.

SOURCES

Tolle, E. (1999). The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment (1st ed., p. 208). New World Library.

Brander, G. (2023, July 19). Effort is evidence of broken feedback loops. Subconscious. https://subconscious.substack.com/p/effort-is-evidence-of-broken-feedback

License for all original work:

EFFORT-BROKEN-FEEDBACK