any1 for a diagram

In a previous post (epiphany & equations), I ran through an equation I find useful in understanding & making change.

Today for a diagram which plays a similar role in both my own life & my desire to walk with others (it comes from work by Claes Janssen under the title 'Four Rooms of Change').

The theory goes that you start in the top right hand box (Renewal) & move round anti-clockwise at varying speeds, dependent on person & 'topic'.

• Renewal - all is well, but you are mindful of the need to stay on top of your game, reviewing & asking questions accordingly
• Contentment - here all is still well, but you have become complacent
• Denial - the wheels are coming off, but you don't 'see' it
• Confusion - you realise & embrace that things are a mess, but don't know what to do or where to go next

I've had various conversations around this diagram, with different 'takes' from different people. A couple of my thoughts on it...

I find the most dangerous box...denial. We have all seen people (& organisations) spend prolonged periods of time here, I myself spent over a decade of my stockbroking years telling my loved ones my busyness was just a season!

My favourite box is...confusion. It is here that one tends to find...

• A dissatisfaction with the status quo (epiphany & equations (again))
• People willing to embrace questions, even the potentially painful ones
• It is also out of times of confusion that breakthrough often comes

Ultimately, my point here is not to argue the specifics of interpretation but to spell out a process I have used on dozens of occasions to shed light on people & organisations alike. Feel free to carry on using it in your environments.

That said & done, it wouldn't be right to not consider what insights & next steps could be brought out for each of us in our journey to Christlikeness.

Q: is there an area in life where you are in denial? If you don't think there is, ask a trusted friend to make sure!

Q: for any areas where you are confused, who is helping you work through this? Who in your life is good at probing questions?

The recurring theme in these two questions is the role that others can play in our lives. I couldn't overstate my need for the handful of people who know me, put up with me & are helping me to become all God calls me to be.

Maybe more of that on another occasion. That's me for now, I'm off to book a coffee with a mate

Jonathan