The Before Rules: Formless Before Form
How Does Creating Structure Produce Freedom And Clarity To Successfully Achieve Your Desired Outcome?
Thought Framing: Consider the value of a gallon of molten gold. Now, imagine transforming that gold into ten thousand golden jewelry keys. It's the same gold but with far greater value.
Just as molten gold requires a mold to become a key, our thoughts and actions need structure to transform into reality. This structure isn't a limitation—it's a focusing lens that concentrates our energy, attention, recognition, and action.
This essay will discuss how to use structure to create freedom.
Questions Before Answers: To understand the Formless Before Form concept, we will consider these questions:
What If: What if the structure we impose on our commitments doesn't limit our creativity but actually leverages our success?
What If: What if the solutions to our obstacles already exist, and we simply need to eliminate distractions and barriers to unveil them?
What If: What if our most significant untapped resource isn't time or money but the ability to transform disorganization into organization?
Important Things First: In a world of constant change, with too many tasks to complete, too few resources, and insufficient time, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by a whirlwind of ideas, fears, dreams, doubts, ambitions, and uncertainty.
So, how do we sort and transform the abstract, formless, and fleeting into something concrete, tangible, and real?
We turn the formless into form.
Formless Before Form: I will introduce the "Before Rule" concept of "Formless Before Form." This is a transcendent tactic providing structure to vague and unshaped ideas by identifying and keeping only the elements that can become the keys to unlocking doors to your success.
I explored the science behind commitment statements <> and goal setting, examining their impact on your mental processing and the paradoxical idea that creating rigid boundaries through structure leads to greater freedom and creativity.
By the end, you will understand how to grasp and shape your formless potential and how to harness it to achieve personal and professional success.
First, we will discuss the Before Rules and the specific Before Rule - Formless Before Form.
Whew... let's begin.
The Before Rules — A Simple System for Success: The Before Rules are three-word tactical guides that direct you in achieving your desired outcomes. They create a simple system to follow. The Before Rules are composed of the following elements:
Strategy vs. Tactic: Strategy refers to your plan, addressing the "what" and "why." A tactic is the action you take, answering the "how." Both are essential. For example, wanting to get fit is your strategy, while going to the gym is a tactic.
Law vs. Rule: Laws are external controls. Rules are internal guides. Laws are imposed by others. You create your own rules.
Transactions, Transformations, Transcendence: The "Before Rules" are a sequential, tactical framework guiding you from transactions to transformations and ultimately to transcendence.
How The Before Rules Function — Here Before There: Here's a simple breakdown:
First Word: Your starting point, it's where you are - "Here."
Second Word: The necessary action you must take is "Before" the next step.
Third Word: Your desired outcome; it's where you want to end up - "There."
A Few Before Rule Examples: Deposit Before Withdrawal means you must give (effort, time, and resources) before you can take. Additional examples include Obstacle Before Opportunity, Process Before progress, Question Before Answer, Why Before How, Commitment Before Outcome, and Decision Before Choice.
Are They A Cheat Code? They are a code but without the cheating part.
They are simple, three-word systems that align your actions with your desired outcomes. They help you without relying on willpower. They are your personal code for achieving what you want.
Next, let's discuss the concept and structure of the Before Rule — Formless Before Form.
Wu Wei—The Art Of Forming Without Force: A Taoist concept, Wu Wei roughly translates to "effortless action" or "non-action." It suggests that mastery doesn't come from forcing outcomes but from aligning ourselves with the natural flow of life.
At first glance, the idea of Wu Wei may seem to clash with the Formless Before Form rule.
However, this doesn't mean we must abandon structure; instead, it offers a counterbalance, teaching us to avoid unnecessary elements. For our application, we align with 'important' things and eliminate unnecessary things.
Wu Wei + Formless Before Form: Now, let's combine the Wu Wei concept with Formless Before Form Before Rule. Here are a few examples:
Origami: Creating art from flat paper.
Ice: Imagine pouring water into an ice cube tray, and then the next day, that water changes from liquid to solid.
Rain, River, Ocean: Just like rain falls into a forest, flows into the river, and ultimately arrives at the ocean, there is an almost hidden structure at work. Like Wu Wei, water doesn't oppose structure; it complements it.
Jello Mold: Consider how Jello starts as a liquid with no shape until you pour it into a mold and put it in the refrigerator to set.
Origami: Origami is a creative art form that transforms plain paper into intricate, stunning designs. Origami illustrates the concept of Formless Before Form.
Aikido: My wife took Aikido lessons for years and taught me this Japanese martial art, emphasizing harmony, fluid motion, and using an opponent's energy to neutralize attacks without causing harm. She focuses on redirecting force, maintaining balance, and blending with the attacker's movements.
Mental Aikido — Wu Wei + Formless Before Form: "Hmm, Aikido... good idea," I thought. So, I applied the Aikido concept to my problems, obstacles, challenges, and even opportunities.
I use a simple breathing technique to clear and focus my mind before I begin my morning walk. I have been practicing and refining this for over 20 years. It's called Curiosity, Awareness, Recognition, Creativity, Action, and Reflection (CARCAR). The CARCAR method is a mold, a framework. I simply give structure to my mind to clear out unwanted and unnecessary clutter from my mind so I can begin with a 'blank slate.' My 'mind mold' doesn't restrict—it defines, allowing liquid to transcend to a more useful form.
A Jello mold transfers the formless into form.
This is the CARCAR breathing method I use.
How To Use Structure To Give Form To The Formless — Taming Mental Uncertainty: Applying a structure and creating a system can be accomplished as indicated below.
Identify Your Priorities: Write the top three features or requirements you want. Define your core must-haves, whether you're selecting a jam, T-shirt, or future job.
Toss Out the Noise: Immediately eliminate any option that does not meet your must-haves. Recognize that fear, uncertainty, and doubt are just distractions.
Set a Number: Limit yourself to three, maybe five options. This ensures you don't compare 10 or 20 items until your head spins. Learn More Here >
Reduce The Distractions - Going From 10 To 3: Assume you have a list of 10 options; you can streamline your choices by following this system to identify the most important items. First, start by listing all 10 items. Second, eliminate three items from the list and move one item to the top as your priority. Third, move one item from the remaining seven to the top of this new list. Fourth, now you will have four items left. From these, eliminate one more, leaving you with 3 last options to consider. This process helps you focus on the most significant choices while minimizing distractions.
Forgive Imperfection: There is no perfect jam, job, or gadget. Accepting that fact reduces regret.
Forgive Yourself: More importantly than forgiving imperfection, forgive yourself.
Just as a riverbank doesn't restrict water but directs its power to flow, the proper structure doesn't limit potential but amplifies it.
Consider These Representative Before Rules: Many Before Rules provide structure to allow you to achieve your desired outcome. Here are a few examples to consider:
System Before Outcome: Systems are the foundation for consistent success. By prioritizing the process over the result, you create the right conditions for success.
Cause Before Effect: All desirable and undesirable outcomes have an origin. The desired effect can only be realized by creating the necessary cause.
Plan Before Action: Before you take any action, formulate a plan. Planning ensures that your efforts are purposeful and directed. It eliminates haphazard actions and provides a roadmap for what must be done, ensuring that each step leads to the desired goal.
Expected Before Unexpected: Anticipate what might happen before venturing into any endeavor. Preparing for the expected outcomes creates a stable base, allowing you to handle the unexpected more effectively when it arises. This rule reflects the importance of setting a structure (expected) before reacting to the unexpected's chaotic nature.
And, of course... Formless Before Form: This Before Rule speaks directly to the journey of turning abstract ideas into concrete realities. Before something tangible can emerge, there is a phase of formless potential—full of possibility but needing structure to give it shape. This is the core of turning raw creativity into something useful.
The Why Behind The Why — Connecting The Thoughts: Here are three concepts to consider.
The Paradox Of Structure: Most people see structure as confining, limiting, and removing freedom. The paradox is it is the structure that sets you free.
Formless Before Form: You convert abstract potential into reality by transforming the complex into its 'important' simple elements.
Important Before Urgent: Eliminate distractions and focus on the important things.
Your Thoughts May Vary: Thought Improvement welcomes your constructive comments and invites you to share your perspectives and experiences. Together, we can all refine our understanding and application of these concepts.
Click here for our Disclaimers, Disclosures, Disavowals, And Declarations (aka - I told you so):