Past irrelevant for future improvements

The past is the past. It cannot be changed. It also can only hurt to feel bad about what happened. There is nothing that can be done to change anything that was done. We can, however, improve and do better. We want things better for ourself, selfish, that also helps others, selfless, so society is better, synergy. Taking actions to help others makes us feel good, enables others and ourselves to be more capable and builds a better society. #SelfishSelflessSynergy

As noted by Robert Putnam in Upswing: how America came together a century ago and how we can again, Tocqueville’s review of the American experiment in the 1830’s indicated he believed that American’s were pursuing “self-interest rightly understood” because it created a better society.

He also noted, the past may set the agenda, but it is about a choice going forward. The past does, however, prepare us for the future. It prepares us by knowing what could be and how to make better choices.

We all want a better future. To have a better future, we have to think about what could be and then work to make it so. It cannot just happen. The Paneugenesis Process is about how to create a better tomorrow.

Greg Satell, in Cascades: How to create a movement that drives transformation change suggests building support so the change can cascade from multiple areas. The Paneugenesis process is a way to build a cascade of transformational change as it works to generate comprehensive improvements by creating pervasive, reciprocal, selfish, selfless synergistic interactions so everyone and everything benefits. It can happen by taking these steps:

1. Operationalize an Idealized Outcome -make it clear to you and others what a better future could be. It needs to be clear and understood so it will motivate people to take action to make it happen.
2. Discover the Precursors – by describing what will have to be in place. Who will be your Spectrum of Allies and Pillars of Support needed to bring your new reality into existence. Make sure you explain to them how their support will bring related benefits to them and society so they become supporters.
3. Optimize the Process – take action, do what needs to be done to build support, build a team, and make good things happen. Don’t just stop bad from happening, cause good.
4. Plot Progress – as you make progress, note and celebrate successes that you can build upon to make it even better.

Building a better future isn’t just about fixing or making it less bad, but about creating more good. The paneugenesis process is about how to create more good. I look forward to hearing how you start a cascade by engaging in the paneugenesis process to generate comprehensive improvements. Please share how you took action to help everyone and everything benefit.

Be Well’r,