HOW TO FAIL AT ACMC

There are actually a great number of ways to fail at ACMC. One way in particular shows up in a particular phrase that I keep hearing and one that I find irritating. It irritates me because it shows such a complete misunderstanding of what a person should be thinking about, focusing on, and intending to do at ACMC.

“I’m working on removing the ‘P.’” “How long will it take for me to remove the ‘P’?” “Great news, Susan removed her ‘P’ last week.”

I don’t know where the idea of removing the P came from, but it fails to meet the very first condition of the Well-Formed Outcome pattern— state what you want in the positive. Removing the P does not state the desired state in the positive at all. It is a negation. It is removing the provisional status, it is making it go away, removing it. As such, the idea establishes a weak and questionable orientation and focus. You are focusing on making something to non-exist.