When considering how something becomes sustainable there are
two key elements to consider – capacity and starting over. Let’s spend a little
time on capacity…
Webster defines capacity as “the power of receiving and
holding knowledge…; the ability or qualification to do something.” The first
part of this definition speaks to the power of awareness. Specifically, it
speaks to the relationship between my awareness of what’s going on in, with and
around me and the subsequent choices that awareness makes visible to me. Simply
put, an increase in my level of awareness increases my choice making capacity.
This is important to the question of sustainability because choice and power are synonymous. In the field of systems dynamics this equivalency between choice and power is one of the core points of focus of something called the Law of Requisite Variety. This “law’ essentially states that the element in a system that has the most choices available to it will be the dominant element in that system. This becomes important when I consider that all I have available to live, work, play, dream and sleep in are systems – systems of relationships in which I am a participant. My awareness of these systems, my capacity to receive and hold knowledge (i.e., my place in them, their make-up, my make-up, changes they are undergoing, forces that impact them) is what will in no small way determine my power/ability to sustain any success over time.
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