Arguably, our spiritual-human purpose is to ask and answer the bold question “Who am I?” Whether our age is 16, 36, 66, or 86, the discovery is a source of anxiety, inspiration, and celebration. Moreover, it is not a one-time event. With every experience, we continually learn, grow, and change ourselves, including the world around us. The adage “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” is a falsehood. Despite any desire to maintain the status quo, we know that everything in the universe, ourselves included, is in constant change. All of which leaves me to say that understanding the cyclical nature of growth and change eases the angst that can accompany it.
Personally, when I discovered that change has a pattern – endings, the void of doubt and discovery, new beginnings – I could more easily place myself within whichever phase I was experiencing at the time. Typical examples of endings are leaving one’s parents’ home, entering mid-life, and retirement. In each of these cases, a time of composed waiting occurs where both doubt and discovery are present. This void of questioning, experimentation, and deep reflection is what brings forth the new identity we require to navigate the upcoming stage of life.
If change has a pattern, then learning also has a recognizable pattern, which is currently labeled triple-loop learning. The triple-loop learning model for transformative change questions not just one’s actions (single-loop learning) and one’s underlying assumptions (double-loop learning), but also the very context and principles behind how we learn. These three distinct levels are further described below:
- Loop 1 (Doing things right): Focuses on actions such as problem-solving, immediate course-correction, and achieving existing goals within current rules. Ultimately, asking and answering the question “What do I do?” brings about behaviour change.
- Loop 2 (Doing the right things): Questions the underlying assumptions, norms, policies, and mental models that led to those actions. Asking and answering the question “How do I think?” shifts our mental mode to understanding if the current action/approach is working.
- Loop 3 (How we know what is right): Explores why we do the things we do and redefines the overarching rationale. Asking and answering “Why do I exist?” involves profound reflection on core beliefs, identity, values, and personal purpose. In essence, we are “learning to learn” about our existence and transforming our identity in the process.
A practical application of triple-loop learning is illustrated through the example of career burnout described below. Here is how a person might use the three loops to address severe work exhaustion.
Loop 1: Single-Loop Learning (The “Fix”)
- Core Question: “What do I do to fix this right now?”
- Action taken: Download a time-management app, block calendar slots, or sleep eight hours.
- Result: Short-term relief of symptoms. The underlying reason (source) for overworking is not addressed.
Loop 2: Double-Loop Learning (The “Reframing”)
- Core Question: “What assumptions or beliefs trigger me to overwork?”
- Action taken: Realizing a deep-seated belief: “My self-worth is entirely tied to my productivity.” Changing the goal from “doing more work efficiently” to “setting strict boundaries.”
- Result: Mid-term behavioral change. The mental framework shifts from execution to boundary-setting.
Loop 3: Triple-Loop Learning (The “Transformation”)
- Core Question: “Who am I, and how did I learn to view life this way?”
- Action taken: Examining childhood programming, cultural conditioning, and identity. Deconstructing the ego’s need for external validation. Choosing a new core value system centered on well-being and presence rather than societal status.
- Result: Deep, permanent transformation. The individual operates from an entirely new state of being.
For those who use journaling or awareness writing as your truth-telling guide for navigating personal change, try the prompts below when you face a recurring life bottleneck or feel stuck:
| Reflection Level | Focus Area | Journaling Prompts |
| Loop 1 | Tactics & Rules | * What specific actions am I taking?* What immediate results am I getting?* How can I optimize this process? |
| Loop 2 | Assumptions & Strategies | * What unwritten rules am I following?* What am I assuming to be true about this situation?* Is my current strategy actually serving me? |
| Loop 3 | Identity & Core Values | * Who am I trying to be by acting this way?* What values or fears dictate my mental models?* How can I change my core paradigm? |
As is my blogging practice during the summer months, I follow up with one of my poems to illustrate my own experience.
End of an Era
Eras end with cleansing frenzies of stocktaking.
Though fear can cloud certainty, dust bunnies
formed of doubt and regret get swept away.
Even occasional waves of deep sadness find room
for singing and the solitude of a composed wait.
Such are the disruptive companions of new beginnings.
Open-hearted courage steps onto the main stage.
Amidst confusion and inspiration, deep desire
collaborates with creative impulse re-forming me.
